The EBRD’s financing will help the company to expand its own brand portfolio, implement warehouse automation and enterprise resource planning software to manage and integrate financial, supply-chain, operational, commercial, reporting, manufacturing and human-resource activities.
The funds will also help meet working capital needs. The investment will improve the reach of Aquila’s own brands, enhance warehouse productivity and advance the company’s digitalisation. In addition, with the EBRD’s help, the company will implement a comprehensive corporate governance action plan.
The EBRD is a leading institutional investor in Romania. It has invested more than €9.4 billion through 481 projects in the country to date, with 77 per cent of that in the private sector.
Aquila is the largest consumer goods distributor in Romania and Moldova. It runs 14 distribution centres, four logistics hubs, a 1,647-strong fleet of vehicles and a network of 67,000 points of sale. The company employs 3,000 people.
In November 2021, Aquila raised EUR74 million in the biggest initial public offering (IPO) on the Bucharest Stock Exchange in four years.
Aquila was established in 1994 and currently has more than 3,000 employees.
Aquila Part Prod Com, the biggest company of Aquila Group controlled by Catalin Vasile and Alin Dociu, reported 57% higher revenue in 2020, of over RON1.4 billion, compared to RON938 million in 2019.