The two plants Austria's Kronospan group owns in Sebes last year posted cumulated turnover worth 140.3 million euros and gross losses standing at approximately half a million euros, according to the data published in the Official Gazette.
In 2004, Kronospan Sebes (producing MDF-medium density fibreboard) and Kronospan Sepal (producing particleboard) had registered cumulated turnover worth 117 million euros, while gross income stood at 7 million euros.
Kronospan officials chose not to comment on the financial results.
In 2005, Kronospan Sebes slipped into the red, though, with the value of losses exceeding the gross income Kronospan Sepal had posted by almost half a million euros. The company announced it finalised a 25 million euro investment in the particleboard plant.
In the wake of investments, the company started operating a drier for the chips used in the production process and an anti-fire system, which will allow it to reach the targeted capacity. The company's representatives at that time specified the new drier was installed as scheduled in the particleboard line modernisation programme, and together with the new press would help the company reach a production capacity of 800,000 cubic metres per year.
In 2004, the Austrian group was involved in a deal worth approximately 200 million euros in the wake of which it acquired the two plants of Sebes owned by Gruppo Frati, its rival company. Another 50 million euros, accounting for the company's direct investments in Europe, were added to this sum. At the end of last year, the entire particleboard unit of Sebes produced 1,850 cubic metres of boards per day.
The raw material used by the two production facilities comes from the wastes derived from wood exploitation or processing. Kronospan also developed a network for the acquisition of sawdust resulting from wood exploitation, having installed almost 300 containers in exploitation areas where there are many sawmills.
In 2005, 70% of the company's particleboard production and 30% of its MDF production were sold on the domestic market. In this context, the company has recently developed a sales network in a bid to cover all the regions of Romania.
The company's representatives specified the company supplies raw material to the main furniture producers of Romania, but that export activities were also necessary. The main areas the company exports to are those that Gruppo Frati also had in its portfolio. The company plans to make massive investments to boost the production capacity of the Sebes-based plants, which it intends to turn into one of the most important units of the group.
At present, the Austrian group is the main supplier of particleboard in Romania and one of the main suppliers in Central and Eastern Europe, where it holds several plants.
Kronospan
Austrian group, one of the leaders in its field
The biggest domestic manufacturer of MDF and particleboard
Sells 70% of its particleboard production and 30% of its MDF production on the Romanian market
In 2004 bought two plants in Sebes, a MDF unit and a particleboard one from rival Gruppo Frati
Has so far made about 250m-euro investments in Romania
Plans to invest massively to boost its production capacity in Sebes.
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