Czechs at Hame set up export hub in Caracal

Hame Romania, oe of the largest Czech investments in the domestic food industry, will turn the factory in Caracal into a hub for exports to Eastern Europe, following Romania’s accession to the European Union.
Hame is one of the first five canned pate producers on the local market, with business standing at 8.5 million euros in first eight months of the year, double against 2005.
“As of 2007, Romania will become an base of exports to Bulgaria, Moldova, Hungary, Serbia and Montenegro,” said Martin Ducha, commercial manager at Hame Romania. The exports value will top 2 million euros in 2007, being bound to rise by 60% per year.
“The exports of the Caracal-based factory are insignificant at the moment, considering that most of the Eastern European markets are covered by the Czech-based production facilities,” adds Ducha.
More and more multinationals holding production centres in Romania, say that following the EU integration, a local production facility will not be profitable anymore, as the regional centres will be staked. The elimination of customs duties is the main factor to support this regional construction.
The representatives of Coca-Cola HBC Romania, the bottler of Coca-Cola beverages on the local market, say the group’s Timisoara-based factory was designed so as to supply products to the Balkans and to the Central Europe.
French Group Danone, which holds a dairy factory in Bucharest, announced it would coordinate the activities of a new regional centre, comprising the branches from Bulgaria, Moldavia and the Adriatic region.
On the other hand, the representatives of Tuborg Romania, the largest beer exporter, which entered the soft drinks market as well, say they will invest in a production facility for natural juices, once the factory could become a regional supplier.
Czech company Hame last January bought the meat products processor Romconserv Caracal, when it started the factory’s reconstruction, with investments worth several million euros.
The number of employees rose from 60, at the time of takeover, to over 250 at present.
Canned meat market is put at 45-50 million euros, with Hame’s major competitors being Scandia, Orkla Foods (with Ardealul brand), Glina (with Mandy) and Antrefrig.