Cost efficiency steps double Bermas' income

Bermas Suceava, the producer of Suceava and Caliman beers, in
the first nine months saw turnover rise by 10% in RON and income
double from the same period of last year owing to rising prices and
falling costs. “Turnover rose by 10% in RON because we operated a
price hike in May and net income advanced on workforce savings, as
we laid off 37 employees, cut the works volume at the brewery, as
well as utility consumption,” stated Elena Anisoi, general manager
of Bermas, a company now employing 223 people. Bermas raised prices
of sold products by around 4% in May and this year cut costs by
3.6% from 2008 by boosting their efficiency in all the company’s
fields. In the wake of these decisions, Bermas Suceava in the first
nine months of this year saw sold volumes drop by 3%, while the
beer market declined by over 15% during this period. Moreover,
during this period the brewer posted turnover worth 20.6m RON (4.9m
euros), up 9.7% from the first nine months of 2008, and saw its net
income double, to 2m RON (485,000 euros). “For us, 2008 was not a
good year because we had a profit rate of 6.5%, half the current
one, of 13%, a normal rate for this industry. In 2008, though, we
had significant capital expenses, as we acquired a new production
line worth 3m euros, and 20% of this investment was amortised last
year,” Bermas representative explained.