The acquisitions are part of the company’s plan to diversify its core activity, after two years ago investments targeted the healthcare sector, where the company opened a dentist’s cabinet.
“I believe activity should be diversified as this is how we can cope with the various economic events, such as the crisis or order shortage. Healthcare and agriculture will not suffer for many years to come. In the agriculture field we set up Agroserv Confind and in healthcare we developed a dentist’s cabinet more than two years ago in the wake of investments of around EUR500,000,” said Ioan Simion, the majority stakeholder in Confind Campina.
The company in 2013 reached revenue of EUR63 million and is among the top five companies in Prahova county owned by Romanian entrepreneurs.
Agriculture and healthcare have been among the most dynamic fields of the economy in recent years, attracting both investment funds and Romanian businesspeople.
“Confind in September (2013 i.e.) bought 240 hectares of farmland in Bals area. This is the first year we start working the land. The price per hectare revolves around EUR3,600,” Ioan Simion also said.
A 240-ha farm can be viewed as a relatively small exploitation, but it can be a start point in a future policy of adding new land plots around this nucleus.
“We are in talks to acquire other land plots in the area and we will make use of emerging opportunities. We will continue our development by investing in animal farms and we want to have the entire production chain integrated. We want to acquire several thousand hectares of land to have a real farm,” said Ioan Simion.
Confind, mainly focused on exports until 2008, is likely to near revenue of EUR70 million this year. 2014 investments are estimated at around EUR3 million.
“Confind ended 2013 with EUR63 million in revenue and this year we target EUR70 million. We have 1,400 employees and this year we will hire depending on the auctions we participate in and win,” said Simion.
(English version by Catalina Apostoiu)