“The market stagnated at 3.5-4 million phones sold, according to our estimates,” Stefanescu said, adding the company he controls became the largest on its market after its turnover tripled to EUR58 million in 2011.
“Turnover rose to EUR58 million in 2011 mainly because of us getting a distribution contract from Samsung,” Stefanescu said. He did not provide any details as to his company’s profit.
Samsung’s sales surged in 2011, after the South-Korean manufacturer opened a representative office in Romania in July 2010. After leaving Nokia behind on the smartphone segment, Samsung said at the end of last year that it expected to do the same when it comes to medium and low-priced phones.
How will 2012 be for Gersim? Dan Stefanescu says turnover could reach EUR100 million, a level comparable to the largest wholesalers on the IT&C market, if his company were to get a distribution contract with Nokia, as well. Nokia’s phones are currently distributed by two other companies controlled by Romanian businessmen, Accord 93 and World Comm Trading.
The share of smartphones in total sales in Romania significantly increased from less than 10% in 2010 to about 25% at the end of 2011.
Data published by market research company GfK in the first three quarters of last year showed the cell phone market to have gone up almost 7% on 2010 to EUR130 million.
(English version by Loredana Fratila-Cristescu)