Wirth leaves Holcim in the black, though with sales below 2006 level

Holcim Romania, the domestic subsidiary of Holcim Swiss group, expects flat turnover from 2010 this year, of around 200m euros, a figure that is however below the level reached in 2006, when the boom of the construction market was just at the beginning.

Last year, the building material producer saw its turnover slide by around 20% from 2009 amid the economic downturn fallout and challenging market conditions. On the other hand, the company for 2010 reported EBIT worth 25m euros, down 53%.

Holcim representatives did not disclose the value of net income, but said the company stayed in the black in 2010.

"2010 was a difficult year for the Romanian economy as it reached the fourth quarter of recession. The construction market was dramatically hurt, investments fell, but I'm upbeat and I believe the domestic economy hit bottom in the fourth quarter of last year. When the economy grows, in a country such as Romania, the construction market also grows," stated Markus Wirth, general manager of Holcim Romania.

Wirth will leave the company in late March and will be replaced by Daniel Bach, 47.