ARoBS expects turnover worth 2m euros

The management of the ARoBS Transilvania Software company estimates it will reach turnover totalling around 2 million euros by the end of this year, 125 percent higher than 2005, when turnover stood at around 800,000 euros.
“We anticipate that this advance will be 50 percent triggered by the development of new business lines, such as the distribution of GPS mobile navigation systems, 30 percent by outsourcing and 20 percent by the software applications we are developing, such as those for sales force automation, the computerisation of travel agencies and for locating the car fleet through GPS/ GPRS,” stated Voicu Oprean, general manager of ARoBS.
Oprean considers that the Romanian market of GPS mobile navigation systems is huge, with a very high growth potential, as GPS maps for Romania have only become available onto the market over the past six months.
“The market of mobile navigation systems is estimated at 15,000 units for this year. As far as we are concerned, ARoBS became an authorised distributor of Mitac Mio navigation systems made in Taiwan, this spring.
These systems are compatible with IGO maps, which are the most detailed digital maps presently on the Romanian and European markets.
“At CERF, we launched a mobile navigation system that is not only a GPS device, but a mobile phone, as well,” the general manager of the company also stated.
Oprean says that according to the company’s development strategy, the firm will launch new products every six months.
ARoBS Transilvania Software plans to launch three new mobile navigation systems, two GPS devices with Pocket PC functions, with additional memory, WI-FI and Bluetooth functions, and a new device specially designed for mobile navigation, which only has MP3 player functionality and the digital map of Eastern Europe included in the built-in memory.
The distribution and sales part of ARoBS Transilvania accounts for 40-50 percent of the company’s entire turnover.
For 2006, the company’s investment plans target both the real estate segment and an increase in personnel.
“We will probably start building new headquarters this year, which we estimate will cost 500,000 euros, and by yearend we will have 100 employees,” specified Voicu Oprean.
ARoBS Transilvania Software was set up in 1998, and initially had Voicu Oprean as its sole shareholder. Recently, one of its main Scandinavian customers, Hotelzon, has acquired a 10 percent stake in ARoBS.