The plant sells about 70% of its production on the local market and exports the rest.
“We made 450 million beverage cans in the first half and will have made 850 million beer and soda cans by yearend,” said Cristian Cornea, general manager of the Romanian plant, whose customers include Heineken, SABMiller, Bergenbier and Tuborg Romania, as well as Coca-Cola and PepsiCo.
The plant posted EUR75 million revenue and EUR5 million net profit last year, according to the Finance Ministry website.
The Polish-held Can-Pack has two plants in Poland and Russia and one in Finland, UK, Morocco, Dubai, India and Ukraine each. The Can-Pack group’s owner is US’ F&P Holding.
The Can-Pack facility in Romania shipped beverage cans to Turkey, Slovenia and Kuwait this year and plans to gain new foreign clients next year.
The beer market increased by 8% in the first half on the year-ago period, which is the third half-year growth in a row, ZF has calculated based on National Statistics Institute data. It reached 9 million hectoliters, close to the level in the first half of 2007.
June, however, came with the first decline of the year, 11% because of the lack of soccer competitions and the cooler weather. Beer sales are 72% done via retail channels.
Commenting on how the second half will be for Can-Pack’s business, Cristian Cornea says he is a bit skeptical because the data is not that good.
“Let’s see if there is an impact of retail sales, if the decline continues. July and August, the best months of the year, were slower than last year.”
Beverage can manufacturer Can-Pack saw its revenue up from EUR9 million in 2005 to EUR50 million in 2007 and more than EUR70 million last year, despite the crisis.
(English version by Loredana Fratila-Cristescu)