“We started with simple products in 2005 and developed leather and faux leather item production facilities. In 2010, we introduced products that integrate various mechanisms and continued to develop with products designed for areas outside Europe, as well,” said Dinu Tuns, general manager of Taparo.
Taparo-made products currently reach Europe, Northern Africa and Northern America and the main customer is IKEA, world’s largest furniture retailer.
Production capacity stood at about 820,000 items last year, with up to 55 trucks leaving for deliveries every day.
Taparo, controlled by engineer Ioan Filip, was the fifth largest Romanian-held exporter in 2013, behind InterAgro (grain), Aramis Invest (furniture), Gersim Impex (telecom), Rematholding CO (waste).
Taparo started as a cotton mill in 1973, operated as such until 2004 and began designing upholstery in 1997, Dinu Tuns says. “We had the opportunity of doing a number of upholstered products, sofas and armchairs together with a major customer, IKEA, in 2005.”
That year is when Dinu Tuns joined Taparo as technical director at first, after having worked for another furniture manufacturer in the same area, Italsofa, according to his LinkedIn profile.
(English version by Loredana Fratila-Cristescu)