Producer Prolemn Reghin owned by the Entegre Kastamonu company, one of the leading players in the field of wood processing in Turkey, will finalize, by the year 2011, a 80 million euros investment of in a chipboard factory in Reghin.
"Even from the beginning there were talks about a new investment in Romania. There were some difficulties, so we turned towards Bulgaria, but after resolving problems with the authorities we settled in Reghin," said Aydin Kirtiloglu ZF, trade director of Prolemn. The company's intention to invest in a PAL factory (boards used in furniture industry and construction) is not recent, the first statements to this effect were disclosed in 2007. Subsequently, the company announced that there were other countries where investments could be made, amid disagreements with the Autoritatea pentru Valorificarea Activelor Statului (AVAS). Besides the PAL factory, Prolemn is also planning the construction of a MDF factory (medium-density fibreboard), which would rise the company's total investment to 100 million euros. Similar investments in the wood processing industry have been developed in Radauti by Egger, where there a 200 million euros project is currently being developed.
Through these projects, Prolemn is entering the PAL and MDF market considered less competitive. Kronospan activates on these markets, with its factories in Sebes, and Egger who has an investment in Radauti. The Prolemn PAL plant’s capacity would be 1,500 cubic meters daily. Currently, in Reghin, Prolemn mainly produces door faces which are entirely destined for export. "We work at 95% capacity, but this year we will begin also sell finished and half-finished doors, which will increase sales volume by 10%," said the Prolemn official.
The company recorded a turnover of about $ 50 million USD last year (36 million euros), and this year it has budgeted a 20% increase due to the increase in production and prices. About 90% of revenues are generated by exports, but plans are to increase domestic market share. "We haven’t had major problems caused by global economic crisis. In terms of Romania's imports decline, we could not find enough trucks for exporting our products. But we finally found alternative solutions," said Aydin Kirtiloglu.
Kastamonu Entegre has approximately 7,000 employees and three manufacturing facilities in Turkey and Romania, Bulgaria and Bosnia-Herzegovina.
Source: www.universulpadurii.ro |
