“After just three months it’s difficult to draw a conclusion about the entire year. There are no certainties with regard to the trend of the economy, agriculture,” Hariton told ZF.
Hariton says current challenges are related to the international political crisis. Locally, says Hariton, there are also political, economic and administrative difficulties and a 20-year national vision needs to be drawn up.
Saint-Gobain Construction Products Romania, with four units, Rigips, Weber, Isover and PAM, in 2014 posted revenue worth around RON300 million, up 7% from 2013, according to company and Finance Ministry data. Rigips unit has the biggest weight in the company, generating over 50% of its total sales.
Hariton expects the company’s revenue to go up by 3-4% this year, in line with the building material market, provided the 1Q rebound maintains during the entire year.
The manager also says he expects the housing segment to pick up as well.
The local plasterboard market, on which Regips also operates, in 2014 registered a slight increase owing to the rising number of housing projects and as lending eased up, says Hariton.
France’s group Saint-Gobain has five companies in Romania, Saint-Gobain Construction Products, Saint-Gobain Glass Romania, Saint-Gobain Abrazivi, MTI Impex Brasov and Brodrene Dahl, which in 2013 generated total revenue worth almost RON700 million (EUR160 million), according to Finance Ministry data.
(English version by Catalina Apostoiu)