The productivity of Italsofa plant of northern Romania is among the highest at Natuzzi, which also holds facilities in Italy, Brazil and China.
“On the short term, we have major investment plans,” said Pasquale Junior Natuzzi, strategy manager with the Italian group. He added some small-scale upgrading investments will be operated.
Italsofa Romania ended 2013 with revenue worth EUR70.5 million, which, against an average number of 1,332 employees yields productivity per employee of almost EUR53,000, according to ZF calculations based on Finance Ministry data.
The plant ranked second among the largest furniture producers in Romania in 2013 (by revenue). The unit has a 75,600-sqm area and has operated since 2003. Through this investment, Natuzzi became the largest foreign group in Romanian furniture production, a field dominated by local entrepreneurs.
In Baia Mare, the group produces for companies such as IKEA or Conforama, but also for other retailers and products are largely sent abroad (mainly in Europe).
Pasquale Junior Natuzzi says a small part of Baia Mare output is likely to be moved to Italy, but no decision has been made, yet. The percentage is small, with no impact over the plant, added Pasquale Junior Natuzzi.
He came for the first time to Romania as Romanian entrepreneur Camelia Sucu opened a store under this brand in Baneasa in the wake of a EUR250,000 investment.
This is the only Natuzzi store operating in Romania at present, though the brand has been present locally in the past through a monobrand unit. The owner of the store is Sucu, who opened it on the basis of a partnership with the Italian group, allowing her to use the brand).
Sucu said she planned to expand to Iasi and Timisoara, where she is in talks for partnerships.
(English version by Catalina Apostoiu)