Interagro SA, the agricultural company of Ioan Niculae, was the leader of the Romanian-held companies in 2011 and 2012, a position RCS&RDS held in 2010 and Grup Servicii Petroliere in 2009, according to the data centralized by ZF.
“We dare to dream about one billion euro revenue, but actually attaining it depends on how well the economy does. We want to complete expansion in Romania, especially in Bucharest, in three years, where we want to reach the highest market share with at least six stores,” Dragos Paval, majority shareholder of Dedeman Bacau told ZF.
“In the next three years we will also take a major step abroad. The expansion of the network is what allowed us to grow and the crisis helped by making land cheaper. It was our chance, probably a once in a lifetime thing.”
ZF has been compiling the ranking of entrepreneur-owned companies since 2008. It uses only the Trade Registry data and takes into account only fiscal entities and not groups of companies. The ranking is compiled from official data from the financial statements companies submitted and does not include estimates.
The ranking serves to show how the business sector of the country transforms, as well as that Romania does not have any entrepreneur-owned company to generate EUR1 billion revenue after 25 years of capitalism.
“I think the one billion euro mark can only be hit in areas like energy trading and maybe telecommunications, but that won’t be possible without consolidation on the domestic market, significant business presence in Romania and in the region and non-bank funding,” says Bogdan Ion, country managing partner of EY Romania.
Romanians dominate DIY retail, a EUR1.7 billion market, where Dedeman Bacau, Arabesque Galati and Ambient Sibiu beat international giants like Praktiker and Bricostore. Altex is the leading computer and electronics retailer and has been for a number of years, Flanco is doing well again after having overcome the insolvency and joined the companies owned by Iulian Stanciu.
No Romanian food retailer made it among the top ten, but each region of the country has its strong Romanian-owned retail chains. For instance, Gorj (south of the country) businessman Nicolae Sarcina, owner of the Succes retailer doubled revenue during crisis.
Other sectors with powerful Romanian entrepreneurs are furniture industry (Aramis, Mobexpert, Elvila), processed meats (Unicarm, CrisTim, Elit Cugir, Aldis Calarasi), car imports (the Tiriac group), construction (Spedition UMB, Straco group, Delta ACM, Tehnologica Radion), pharmaceutical distribution, clinics, law firms and media and advertising.
(English version by Loredana Fratila-Cristescu)