All Group sells 2m euros' worth of school textbooks

The All group, one of the largest players on the book market, controlled by the Penescu family in Bucharest, ended the year with 4.3 million-euro turnover, up 19% against the previous year, according to Gabriel Scinteia, CEO of the group. “The increase was generated by the rise in the number of volumes printed by the publishing house, as well as by the rise of the book market. The profit remained the same as in the previous year,” he said. Last year, the company published 303 titles, fewer than in previous years, selling around 1.15 million copies, of which around half were school textbooks. Company representatives said in the last three months of 2008 results had been lower than expected. “Given the trend recorded towards the end of the year, we expect to reach a similar turnover this year as last year, no rises in absolute figures, just a slight market share increase,” he said.