Despite the mid-year decline, the entrepreneur plans growth of 10-15% by the end of 2013. In 2012 the company posted a turnover of RON103 million (EUR23.5 million).
“We started the year with high expectations, but after six months we saw a 15% decline – retail was weak and so was export.”
Mocanu says sales were helped this year by the partnership with Russia’s Gazprom, which started to open gas stations in Romania.
“We build all interior fittings for them, from shelves and furniture to food and refrigerating equipment.”
Gazprom is the company’s third client on the gas stations segment after Agip and Lukoil. Mocanu says projects on this segment will come to account for around 10-12% of the total turnover in 2013.
“We did the pilot project for Gazprom gas stations and we persuaded them to seal the deal.”
DAAS plans for this year entail developing the industrial canteen segment. So far the company has focused on hotels and restaurants, with its clients including KFC, Pizza Hut and Marriott hotel.
“In 2013 we provided furniture to more canteens than in our entire history. Next year we hope to have more projects for industrial canteens [plants’ canteens] in sectors such as auto and tobacco. This year we outfitted two canteens for automotive parts producer Star Transmission in Sebes and Cugir.”
Mocanu says retail will contribute EUR16 million to the turnover this year, HoReCa EUR6 million, while gas stations and maintenance will bring EUR2.5 million each. For the time being the company’s exports are non-significant.
(English version by Daniela Stoican)