“We’ll have 70 people for Beius and 30 for Ramnicu Sarat [i.e. where Elvila has factories],” Catarama said, adding that he was hiring because of the increase in exports, so that his factories would operate at maximum capacity.
By hiring new people, the businessman sends out the first positive signals that the furniture industry might recover this year, and that foreign markets play an important part in this trend.
Catarama is one of the largest employers in the furniture industry, with about 2,000 people working for Elvila. The Elvila group’s sales amounted to over EUR100 million last year. Exports have been driving the group’s business since 2010 and increased across the entire industry.
The businessman, who went through the crisis unburdened by loans because he had repaid them at the first sign of recession, became more confident with the half-year results, after having said he was satisfied to be on the market, several months before.
Elvila’s exports, which mostly go to European Union markets and especially Germany, rose 8.5% in the first six months of the year compared with the same time of last year, while total sales rose 5%.
Deliveries abroad will generate 40% of the group’s business this year. Elvila also operates a network of over 50 stores, and Catarama continues the retail expansion, with 100 people set to be hired.
Elvila’s main rivals on the local furniture market estimated at about EUR1 billion are Mobexpert and IKEA.
(English version by Loredana Fratila-Cristescu)