The new factory will be located near Turceni thermal power plant, which will be the factory’s main provider of raw material, Siniat Romania said Wednesday.
“We’ve reached an understanding with Turceni power plant,” said Marc-Andre Fritche, general manager of Siniat Romania. “Construction will begin in March, while actual production is estimated for January 2015 at the earliest.”
Fritche estimated the project would cost several tens of million euros, but didn’t specify an exact figure.
Siniat Romania, formerly Lafarge Arcom Gips, became part of Etex group in late 2011, after the latter purchased 80% of Lafarge’s plasterboard division in Europe and Latin America for EUR850 million.
Previously, Lafarge and Turceni had signed an agreement for the construction of a plasterboard factory near the power plant. The investment, estimated at some EUR100 million, would have given Lafarge access to the ashes produced at Turceni.
Siniat Romania operates two production units in Romania, in Bucharest and Aghiresu.
The company estimates it will swing to profit in 2012, from a loss of 3 million lei (EUR0.65 million) a year earlier.