“We haven’t finished the budget 100% yet, but we are taking into account an exchange rate of 4.3 lei/euro and sales growth of at least 5% for next year. This year, we are staying within the realistic budget, with a slight decline on 2010,” said Dietrich Szilard, deputy general manager of Perla Harghitei.
The company has four brands in its portfolio: Perla Harghitei, Tiva Harghita, Allegria and Cristalina.
Dietrich Szilard says sales of PET bottled water remained at the same level as last year in the first nine months, while sales of water in 0.5l and 1l reusable bottles fell.
“Results match prior estimates. We work with three yearly estimates,” the deputy general manager said.
Perla Harghitei posted 72.7 million lei (EUR16.7 million) sales and RON3.7 million (EUR0.84 million) net profit last year, when it had 329 employees.
Dietrich Szilard took the job with Perla Harghitei after a sixteen-year stint at Swedwood, Swedish giant IKEA’s manufacturing arm, both in Romania (five years) and abroad. His last position there was CEO with Swedwood Sopron (Hungary). IKEA sold the plant it operated in Romania via Swedwood to Holzindustrie Schweighofer in 2009, after the plant had been closed the year before. Szilard, 45, is a graduate of a faculty specializing in wood industry in Sopron and holds an MBA from Oxford University.
The water market stands at over 10 million hectoliters and is worth over EUR300 million. Consumption per capita is around 50 liters, according to data ZF has. Mineral waters are one of the few segments of the FMCG market where Romanian companies such as Romaqua (Borsec) and European Drinks (Izvorul Minunilor) still prevail. (EUR1=RON4.3608)
(English version by Loredana Fratila-Cristescu)