Simcor Oradea, 52m-euro business plan

The Simcor Oradea group of firms, which operate on the construction materials market, expect this year’s turnover to climb by around 10-15% to about 52 million euros, according to the company’s representatives.
“This year, we anticipate turnover will increase by around 10-15% as the group has expanded, adding another two companies that distribute ceramic tiles, and boosted investments in production capacities,” Dumitru Manucu, general manager of Simcor Management Oradea, the management company of the group, told ZF.
According to Manucu, another factor that is going to impact the development of the Simcor business is the rising demand for construction materials.
The Simcor Oradea group last year derived 45.3 million euro turnover, an increase of approximately 20% on 2004.
This year Simcor will invest over 1.5 million euros in the lime plants located in Medgidia and Targu-Jiu, as well as in the plant in Oradea that manufactures autoclaved cellular concrete.
Moreover, Simcor will expand its production activity following investments worth 130,000 euros in a facility that makes poles, with the entire output to be delivered to Electrica.
“After EU integration, lime plants will have to observe environmental norms. To that end, we will invest around 5 or 6 million euros to install a new furnace at the Targu-Jiu based lime plant,” says Manucu.
In December 2004, Simcor Management SA Oradea acquired Lafarge Var, which had plants in Targu-Jiu and Medgidia, in a deal estimated by market sources at 4-5 million euros. Futhermore, Simcom also bought an autoclaved cellular concrete plant in Suceava, in which the group plans to make investments to improve quality and modernise the laboratory.
The Oradea-based group has recently set up two companies, Ceramica International and Sanimix, which will distribute ceramic tiles and sanitary ware.
Besides the two newly founded firms, the group currently includes Simcor SA (a producer of autoclaved cellular concrete), Simbeton (concrete producer), Simterac (terracotta producer), Simsped (internal transportation activities), Simcor Var (lime production facilities in Medgidia and Targu-Jiu, formerly owned by Lafarge), Simcor Management SA (headquartered in Oradea and with a branch in Suceava), Simpromat (taking over part of Simcor Management activities).
Of all the companies making up the group, only Simcor SA and Simbeton are listed on RASDAQ.
Simcor Oradea representatives are also considering floating Simcor Var next year.
The main shareholders in the group are German businessman Stache Lutz, who owns the majority or controlling stakes in almost all the companies of the group, and Mihai Voiculescu, according to the latest information available.