“We expect RON17 million to RON18 million revenue for the fiscal year ending March, and RON28 million next year,” Antohi said, adding that expansion in the region would be one of the revenue growth factors.
“We are in talks to open up a shop in Bulgaria, the service facility will operate in Sofia. It’s an opportunity because the situation is similar to Romania’s: the rivals are small local repair service businesses but there are no companies with extensive competencies and national coverage.”
The company was established in 2010, when eMag decided to turn its service department into a separate business that could work with other customers, as well. It was initially called Servskills and became Depanero last year. The shift to the new name in August 2014 was because a 2013 survey conducted in partnership with consultant Daedalus revealed that no one could remember the name of a computer and electronics repair business, Antohi says.
As its repair business was growing and the market was free, in that there was no such company with national coverage, Servskills decided to take advantage of the opportunity. A year later it launched the rebranding campaign, a project that cost it EUR500,000, advertising budget included. It plans to invest as much in promotion in 2015, its CEO said.
The company began with 20 people and is currently employing 230. The headcount will increase to 300 by yearend, Antohi added. It is now getting about 30,000 products for repairs every month compared with 5,000 to 6,000 at first. Most such products are tablets, “usually with screen problems, which kids crack when playing”, followed by laptops, TV sets, washing machines and refrigerators.
Depanero does not work with eMag only, which is why it was established in the first place in 2010. The company is now authorized to repair products from almost 20 brands, Antohi says, such as Panasonic, Lenovo, LG, Asus, Gigabyte, Siemens, Indesit, Bosch, Allview, Heinner and Serioux.
Another business of Depanero is extended warranties, which it sells via eMag and other partners, like Flanco, PC Garage and Rombiz.
Depanero’s owner eMag is in turn held by Naspers group and Romanian entrepreneur Iulian Stanciu.
(English version by Loredana Fratila-Cristescu)