“We sold 70 railcars, out of which 50 reached Brazil. We also carried out railcar mending operations last year. At present, we are in advanced talks to sign a new contract abroad,” said Blidar.
He did not provide any details about the value of the contract or the company he is in talks with.
The Arad plant, employing 800 people, reached revenue worth 180 million lei (EUR42 million) and net profit of RON46 million (a little over EUR10 million) in 2013, according with Finance Ministry data.
In 2009-2012, the company’s revenue slid. In 2013, Blidar managed to seal a contract with Brazil’s Vale company, worth some EUR100 million.
“If we manage to ink new contracts this year, we will also hire more. We’re trying to find business abroad, as in Romania this is not possible”.
Moreover, the businessman also mulled teaming up with another Romanian company to attend an auction abroad.
Romanian Electroputere VFU – Reloc Craiova, part of Grampet Group, and Astra Arad are participating as a consortium in an auction organized by the Budapest municipality to modernize the subway system within a project worth nearly EUR205 million.
Blidar’s company is also participating in the auction organized by Metrorex.
The businessman says that in Romania it is highly complicated to get a letter of bank guarantee to attend auctions abroad and that he expects the state’s support in this sense.
(English version by Catalina Apostoiu)