Statistics data show construction works posted an almost 12% decline in the first eight months of the year as the Romanian state’s investment expenses shrank by 18% in the same period.
Despite the falling construction market, Somaco Grup Prefabricate saw its revenue go up by 12% in the first nine months of this year against the year-earlier period. The company generated revenue worth some EUR25 million last year and for 2014 expects sales to advance by 16% as it purchased two plants of Europrefabricate, a company that made concrete prefabs I Timisoara and Targoviste.
Around 33% of Somaco’s revenue is generated by sales of autoclaved cellular concrete (ACC), and the rest by prefabs for turnkey structures, infrastructure and urban works.
Colobatiu estimates the ACC market, revolving around 4 million cubic meters, will stall this year in a best-case scenario. On the other hand, he says it would be good if the prefab market, worth EUR120-140 million would remain flat from 2013.
“For the prefab market, 2014 would have been a very good year if infrastructure works had not declines or more projects were launched,” states Colobatiu.
He specifies 2015 could be a “better year” in the field of infrastructure and implicitly for the prefab market considering works for several motorway sections started in 2014.
(English version by Catalina Apostoiu)