Bacau-based builder Spedition UMB, of businessman Dorinel Umbrarescu, was the best-paid company by CNADNR last year, again, after having collected some RON583 million for the construction of the Gilau-Nadaselu section of the Transylvania Highway or for upgrading some national roads (DN) such as DN 29 Suceava-Botosani and DN 1H Zalau-Alesd.
CNADNR paid the second highest amount to Italy’s Astaldi, a little more than RON400 million, for its work on the construction of the Nadlac-Arad and Orastie-Sibiu highways, as well as on the repairs on the DN 79 Arad-Oradea.
Third highest amount went to Austria’s Strabag, which collected more than RON300 million via its Strabag AG subsidiary for the construction of the Deva-Orastie Highway and the repairs on the DN 14 Sibiu-Medias-Sighisoara. The Austrian group also got more than RON155 million via its Strabag SRL subsidiary for work on the construction of the Orastie-Sibiu Highway.
The ranking of the 30 highest payments made by CNADNR to construction companies in 2014 also includes Romanian-held companies like Euro Construct Trading 98, of Dan Besciu (under house arrest) and Sorin Vulpescu, which along with Greece’s Aktor got RON102 million, as well as Vega 93, now insolvent and held by Corneliu Istrate, which got a little more than RON100 million. The ranking also includes Straco Grup of Traian Horpos, Alexandru Horpos and Vlad Vamesu (the latter two under house arrest) and Delta ACM 93 of Florea Diaconu.
A number of Romanian-owned construction companies have been going through a rough time lately, some of them going insolvent while others had their owners arrested on various charges.
Companies like Tehnologica Radion, of businessman Theodor Barna or Nelu Iordache’s Romstrade of Nelu Iordache are no longer included among the best-paid companies by CNADNR after having gone insolvent and their owners arrested.
CNADNR had a EUR1.5 billion budget last year, or one fifth of the entire local construction market, and as such was one of the biggest customers of the construction companies.
(English version by Loredana Fratila-Cristescu)