Ok, guys . It would be interesting to see here how are the investments flowing between each of the neighbouring EE countries.

I will start with what i know about Bulgaria and its neighbours and if someone knows more please let him correct me.


Romanian in Bulgaria
-------------------------------------------------------
Furniture Retailer Mobexpert
Electronics producer Altex
Rompetrol owns gas stations
Domo
Orgachim
neogen.bg

Bulgarian in Romania
-------------------------------------------------------
Florina juices
Martineli furniture chain

Serbian in Bulgaria
-------------------------------------------------------
Delta bought "Picadilly" retail chain

Bulgarian in Serbia
-------------------------------------------------------
FIbank bought "MB bank" Nis
Bulcvet bought cosmetics firm "Nevena" from Leskovac
Bulcvet bought "Metalica" Ivanac
Media Sviat bought newspaper "Pobeda" from Krusevac
Media Sviat bought "Srbijanka"
Rubin Pleven aquired glass factory in Paracin
Brikel bought the tyre factory "Trial" in Krusevac
Italcimenti bought "Vulkan" cement factory, Dimitrovgrad

Macedonian in Bulgaria
-------------------------------------------------------
Macedonian construction company Granit(afair), bulding sections from the Struma motorway.
Don't know else(macedonians please help :) )

Bulgarian in Macedonia
-------------------------------------------------------
Litex bought the sugar factory in Bitola
Velder invested in an ironworks near Doiran
FIBank bought Balkanska banka
Cabletel bought 13 cable operator companies


Greek in Bulgaria
-------------------------------------------------------
Postbank
Pireaus bank
DZI Bank
Alpha Bank
Cosmote own Globul gsm operator
Etem own the "Steelmet" factory in Sofia
Hellenic Petroleum
Numerous tailor factories in South Bulgaria

Bulgarian in Greece
-------------------------------------------------------
Mainly investments in properties and land on the sea shore
of Halkidiki
(If someone knows of other let me know)

Turkish in Bulgaria
-------------------------------------------------------
Sise Jam glass factory in Targovishte
Etap Adress transport company

Bulgarian in Turkey
-------------------------------------------------------
Prista Oil

Bulgarian in Ukraine
-------------------------------------------------------
Prista Oil, terminal on the Odessa port
Glavbolgarstroy construction contracts

Bulgarian in Albania
-------------------------------------------------------
FIBank (www.fibank.com.al) branches in Shkodra, Lezh, Korca, Fier


Overall the biggest investoring neighbours in Bulgaria are Greece and Turkey , while biggest investments of Bulgarian companies abroad are in Serbia.

Bulgarian in Romania
-------------------------------------------------------
Don't know of such(someone help :) )

http://www.florina.bg/_source/images/logo.png (http://www.florina.bg/bg/)


http://www.regal.bg/show.php?storyid=378682

^^ Thanks ;) I have implemeted that in the list above

Bulgarian in Serbia
Bulgarian in Macedonia


http://www.technomarket.bg

Hungarian bank OTP owns
DSK bank in Bulgaria,
OTP bank Romania in Romania
OTP banka Srbija in Serbia
Cnogorska comercijalna banka AD in Montenegro
OTP banka Hrvatska in Croatia
OTP banka Slovensko in SLovakia
CJSC OTP Bank in Ukraine
Investberbank group in Russia.

MOL owns
* Alfagas Ltd.
* GES Ltd.
* INTERMOL d.o.o.
* MOL Földgázszállító Co.
* MOL Slovenija d.o.o.
* MOL-LUB Ltd.
* Petrolszolg Ltd.
* Terméktároló Co.
* ZMB Ltd.

* Explant Ltd.
* Hawasina LLC Oman Branch
* MK Mineralkontor GmbH
* MOL Pakistan Oil and Gas Co
* MOL Yemen Oil and Gas Ltd.
* Moltrade-Mineralimpex Trading Co. Ltd.
* Roth-Heizöle GmbH
* TVK Plc.

* Geoinform Ltd.
* Hexan Ltd.
* MOL Caspian Oil and Gas Ltd.
* MOL Romania PP srl
* MOL Austria Handels GmbH
* MOL-Trans Ltd.
* Slovnaft a.s.
* UBA Services Ltd.
-TVK
* TVK France s.a.r.l.
* TVK Polska Sp zoo
* TVK Ingatlankezelő és Forgalmazó Kft.

* TVK InterChemol GmbH
* TVK UK Ltd
* TVK-Erőmű Termelő és Szolgáltató Kft.

* TVK Italia Srl
* TVK Ukraina o.o.o.
-Slovnaft
* MOL Slovensko, s.r.o.
* Slovnaft Polska SA
* SWS s.r.o.

* Slovnaft Ceska republika, s.r.o.
* Slovnaft Trans, a.s.

* Slovnaft Montaze a opravy, a.s.
* Slovnaft VURUP, a.s.
-Roth
* Egon von Lenz GmbH
* Danuoil Minerlöllager und Umschlags GmbH

* Heizöl Blitz Stadler GmbH
* Rumpold Energie & Brenstoffhandels GmbH

* Alpenkohle Mineralölhandels GmbH

Strabag is owned by austrian company Strabag
Audi is owned by Audi;)
etc,etc.

Romanian in Bulgaria - Orgachim AFAIK is owned by a Romanian company. I think Martinelli have opened a store in Bucharest.

Something more interesting: neogen.bg and some BG dating sites are owned by a Romanian internet company. The Ruse's largest ISP is now expanding in Giurgiu and is going to make the town 802.11-enabled, like Ruse.

There are tens of small and middle-sized companies from Ruse operating in Romania as well as many Romanian companies operating in Ruse now. OMV Bulgaria is owned by Petrom, which is owned by OMV-Austria.

Prista Oil built a petrol terminal in Odessa, that's the only BG investment in Ukraine I know of.

I think we have much investments coming from Central Europe - Poland, Chech Republic, Hungary.

Advance EE is a BG investment fund operating in EE.

A Macedonian road construction company participated in building the stretch of the so-called Struma highway.

I think Tesy (http://www.tesy.com/aboutus_eng.php) has already acquired a factory in Northern Balkan, but I am not sure about that.

FIB has a subsidiary in Albania.

FIB has a subsidiary in Albania.

And soon opening branches in Shkodra, Lezh, Korca, Fier: www.fibank.com.al

http://www.technomarket.bg

Technomarket is 51% owned by EQUEST now. They wanted to exand to Romania, but now that EQUEST bought their electronics retailer Domo, this is probably not happening.

By the way, Domo is another Romanian investment in BG.

^^ btw , does anybody know what are the investors from Como (http://www.como.bg/)

Prista Oil built a petrol terminal in Odessa, that's the only BG investment in Ukraine I know of.

Not just Prista Oil ... I don't know if you remember that flash source files that got mistically wiped off from the server in Ma-st. 3 years ago and i nearly had a heart attack :lol: They were for one grand interactive presentation of Glavbolgarstroy that i was doing for 3 weeks ... As far as I remember their presented projects were for some major construction works for quite big money in Ukraine , Russia, Turkey and many of the rest ex-soviet republics ;) Check them out here. (http://www.glavbolgarstroy.com/en/projects.php?pj=15)

I think we have much investments coming from Central Europe - Poland, Chech Republic, Hungary.

Korado (http://www.korado.bg/) factory near Strazica , Veliko Tarnovo region is one of those . :cheers:

^^ btw , does anybody know what are the investors from Como (http://www.como.bg/)

Austrians but they operate under a different brand in Austria.

Some news on the theme from Today :

$ 660 М Czech Investments in Bulgaria

Czech investments in Bulgaria are more than $ 660 million; this was announced by Emil Hashak, representative of Agency for trade support of the Czech Republic.

Reason for the statement is the Czech participation on the International Technical fair in Plovdiv.

Czech firms invest mostly in mechanic engineering, ecology and chemical industry. Only in 2006 the investor that entered from the Czech Republic are more than $ 200 million.

This one is from 27 June ...

The Czechs Want More Bulgarian Investments

We would like to see more Bulgarian companies - investors in the Czech Republic, stated the Czech's Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek.

Today, June 27, Bulgaria's vice PM and Foreign Minister Ivailo Kalfin is attending an official visit in Prague.

The Czech Republic is one of the countries that first opened its labor market to Bulgarians, said Topolanek, adding that this decision was totally correct.

The Czech firms are successful investors in Bulgaria in the spheres of energetic and infrastructure. They will strengthen its positions in the country, explained the Czech's PM.

Both politicians agreed that the achieved agreements, concerning the future intergovernmental conference for accepting the Reforms' Contract, will lead to the effective functioning of the EU after the 5th expansion.

The Czech Republic will join Schengen by the end of the year. The country is ready to share its experience with Bulgaria, which aims to become part of Schengen till 2-3 years.

Breaking news!

Technomarket is to acquire and merge with the Romanian chain Domo retail. Both companies are owned by Equest. Thus, I think we'll see Technomarket in Romania soon. It has to be approved by the Bulgarian anti-trust comission first:

В Комисията за защита на конкуренцията (КЗК) е постъпило уведомление относно намеренията на К енд К Електроникс ЕООД да осъществи концентрация на стопанска дейност чрез придобиване на контрол върху Домо Ритейл ЕООД, съобщиха от пресцентъра на институцията.

К Електроникс ЕООД управлява обекти за търговия на дребно в България под марката "Техномаркет", които предлагат домакински уреди, електронни продукти и продукти на информационните технологии и комуникациите.

Домо Ритейл ЕООД управлява обекти за търговия в България под търговската марка "Домо" предлагащи същите продукти.

Искането е КЗК да извърши оценка на концентрацията и да се произнесе с решение.

^^ Yes, but we are probably talking only about the DOMO stores in Bulgaria, not the ones in Romania. I don't see the logic of scrapping the DOMO brand in Romania and investing millions of dollars to promote Technomarket.

I post this specifically for our Serbian friends: :cheers:



Bulgaria is among the 10 most serious investors in Serbian industry for 2006, said Serbian press. The publications are based on the statistical data of Serbian National bank, ranking Bulgaria between UK and Italy as an investor. Although slow privatization processes, industry plenty of problems and old fashion material base Serbia becomes more and more attractive investments destination not only for Western but for Bulgarian business, too. One of the most optimistic trends is that the business is interested not only in sales opportunities but also in manufacturing by opening of modern production facilities.

Bulgarian Trade in Serbia

Among the companies working in the industrial market which invested in trade organization in Serbia are Comet Electronics and ELMARK GROUP. Comet Electronics is specialized in import, export and distribution of electronic components for industrial and telecommunication purposes. The sales office in Serbia is located in Belgrade. Company has also sales structure in Romania. ELMARK GROUP Bulgaria specialized in electric and control equipment opened a factory in Dobrich, Bulgaria, producing complete series of automatic circuit breakers up to 800 A and all kinds of residual current devices under the trade mark ELMARK. There are subsidiaries in Serbia - ELMARK GROUP D.O.O. based in Kragujevac and in Romania - ELMARK GRUP SRL, and also representatives in Macedonia. About the business of ELMARK GROUP in Serbia read on the next page.

Bulgarian sales chains – for example – Bulgarian electronics superstore chain Technomarket already has seven shops in Serbia, plus few Technomobile shops for mobile communication products. Bulgarian Sinergon Holding has in its portfolio Toplivo Belgrade since November 2006. It was established as trade company for heating and building materials. Toplivo Belgrade is based near to the river port Belgrade and has 2000 square meters store facilities. Other BG sales company operating in Serbia is Solytron – one of the leading Bulgarian ITC products distributors, which opened office in Belgrade in 2003 - ICT Solytron.

Big business in Serbia has Tempo Gas - the Belgrade based exclusive representative for Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro of Bulgarian Kalvacha Engineering. It has hundreds of installations of LPG stations in the country along with operation in the field of complete gas and petrol stations building and servicing.

One of the most interesting points is entering of multinational trade chains in Serbia through Bulgaria. The examples are more than revealing - Office 1 dealing with office materials and equipment, with near 30 shops in all over Serbia and with contracts with local telecommunication operators and companies. Also, opening of Mr. Bricolage DIY outlet in Serbian town Nish by the registered in Bulgaria Doverie Brico AD (the investor in the chain of shops in Bulgaria, Serbia and Macedonia).

Bulgarian Manufacturing in Serbia

Bulgarian company Rubin bought Serbian glass factory in Parachin on November 9, 2006 for 100,000 euros. The new owner - Rubin JSC, part of DELTA COM Holding Group, takes over the factory's debt (near 130 million dinars) and guarantee to invest 25 million euros in production. Rubin bought the factory in bad situation with the ambition to renew it the way it would become the most successful in the region. The previous management declared they are happy with the deal as the factory will survive and continue to operate.

Prista Oil has trade structure all over South Eastern Europe, including well-developed distribution network in Serbia and in Montenegro. The Bulgarian producer of industrial and motor oils owns 68.3% of Monbat company, based in Montana in Northwest Bulgaria. Monbat established fully owned company in Serbia and invested in a factory in Indjija near Belgrade for used accumulators. It is planned the new factory to be opened in 2008. The town Indjija – famous not only with the big concert of Red Hot Chili Peppers in the end of June, but also with its fast developing industrial zones. The management of Indjija local economic development department is attracting more and more new investors in the last years.

Bulgarian company Kornikom won a tender at 18th April to buy Serbian coal mine Kovin after offering of 16.4 mil EUR. In May Serbian press announced that Kornikom is going to invest about 2 mil EUR within the first year of its ownership.

The biggest state own factory in Krushevac TRAYAL – manufacturer of rubber products (incl. wide range of tyres), protection devices and materials, was bought by Bulgarian company Brikel. Company won the tender last year offering 12,1 mil EUR for 76,9% of TRAYAL capital and projected investments of 25,1 mil EUR, announced Serbian Privatization Agency.

There are still contradictions about the ownership of Lemind factory in Serbia and Lamkos factory in Kosovo. In the beginning of 2005 metallurgical plant Kremikovtzi, then owned by Mr. Valentin Zahariev and his company Finmetals, bought Leskovac factory of pre-painted sheet Lemind and soon later steel sheet galvanizing plant Lamkos (NewCo Llamkos Steel LLC) in the town of Vushtri, Kosovo, for 4,2 mil EUR, plus 15 mil EUR investments promise. The summer same year Mr. Zahariev sold Finmetals – owner of 71% of the metallurgical giant, to Global Steel Holdings. Until May 2007 the plants are considered as separated from the deal and part of Intertrust portfolio when Kremikovtzi officially announcing its ownership of Kosovo plant. Near 80% of Serbian forgery Zastava were bought in October 2005 by Intertrust. The price was 1,8 mil EUR, investment obligations - 3,04 mil EUR and debts - 5,5 mil EUR.

Boom of investments in Serbia

Foreign investments in Serbian market registered record amounts last few years. Due to official financial information the investments from abroad for 2004 were 966 mil dollars, growing by 63% in 2005 (more than 1,5 billion dollars). For the first eight months of 2006 it reached 3,25 billion dollars and reached 4,5 billion dollars in the end of the year. Foreign direct investment in the Serbian economy from the beginning of 2007 stands at approximately 300 mil dollars. Officials said that Serbia may expect foreign direct investment inflow to reach 1.5 billion dollars in 2007. The lower volume is a consequence of the six-months’ halt caused by parliamentary elections – it was a period investors were in wait and see position and privatization of many companies was postponed.

According to the Serbian Statistics Office, the industrial production in the Republic of Serbia in May 2007 saw a 4.3% growth when compared to April 2006, and in comparison with the 2006 average it is by 3.1% higher.

Albanian companies usually invest in Kosovo and Macedonia

INSIG (insig.com.al) (Insurance companies and SIGAL)

meh, bof
When will a EE company buy a Western European, or American, or Japanese big company instead?
And I'm not talking about those giant oil Russian companies, they don't count


I'm sure most of the companies discussed above are partly owned by western companies anyway

^^ An exemple: Rompetrol bought the french company Dyneff which was the the main independent petroleum products distributor in France : http://www.zf.ro/articol_75995/rompetrol_buys_france__s_leading_independent_oil_products_distributor.html
---------------

Rompetrol to build EUR 10 M oil storage site in Sofia
Rompetrol Group would invest approximately EUR 10 M next year in order to build a new oil storage site in Sofia, Bulgaria. The storage site would have a capacity of 12,000 cubic meters of fuel and 2,400 cubic meters of LNG, Adrian Acatrinei, the managing director of Rompetrol

What’s happening in Serbia? I know Russia is your main import partner but they seem to be buying everything. Is your gov pro-Russia?

Beopetrol ( Lukoil), HTP Putnik (Metropol), Termoelektro ( Harvinter), Fadip ( Metaloruan), Gosa FOM ( JCS Koks), Rekord (Viza) and there are big chances to buy NIS, JAT Airways etc. Its a matter for your country to decide of course but IMO EU will in this case avoid your membership as long as possible

Most of the investments in Albania come from Italy and Greece. There are over 160 italian companies operating in the country. Dont know the figures of greek investors but they're right up there.

I post this specifically for our Serbian friends: :cheers:

Nice roundup :cheers: The more investment the better.

What’s happening in Serbia? I know Russia is your main import partner but they seem to be buying everything. Is your gov pro-Russia?

Beopetrol ( Lukoil), HTP Putnik (Metropol), Termoelektro ( Harvinter), Fadip ( Metaloruan), Gosa FOM ( JCS Koks), Rekord (Viza) and there are big chances to buy NIS, JAT Airways etc. Its a matter for your country to decide of course but IMO EU will in this case avoid your membership as long as possible

I understand that you have a problem with Russia but this is ridiculous.

Have not got a problem with Russia; just do not trust it
:lol:

What’s happening in Serbia? I know Russia is your main import partner but they seem to be buying everything. Is your gov pro-Russia?

Beopetrol ( Lukoil), HTP Putnik (Metropol), Termoelektro ( Harvinter), Fadip ( Metaloruan), Gosa FOM ( JCS Koks), Rekord (Viza) and there are big chances to buy NIS, JAT Airways etc. Its a matter for your country to decide of course but IMO EU will in this case avoid your membership as long as possible

You better don't make comments on things you dont really know much about.
As a matter of fact Russians were complaining about not being greeted with open arms in Serbia when it comes to investing.
None of the really big investments - and the one you mentioned are small potatoes - have not been made by Russians.
JAT i count as a small potato as its only worth $200 mil or so. Plus so what if they buy it? Malev is owned by Russians, i don't see anything wrong with Malev, do you?

And for NIS, so even if Russians do buy it? It would be good, as they control a lot of energy resources - one way of guaranteeing that Serbia will not be left dry next time Russians decide to play political games with the west.
But NIS will not be sold off as a one company and will not be sold to one player, so Russians will not gain total control in any case.

I am all for money to come in - in a controlled way - i am not for blocking a particular country because we don't like them very much.

And by the by, i am sure that when you made your comment, you had Montenegro in mind as they have sold pretty much everything to the Russians.

^^ Hey buddy :nuts: :lol: am not teaching Serbia what to do, I just wonder what’s the direction it is turning to? Personally I think it is the wrong direction ...

And as for your general knowledge, Hungary and Russia have always had good relations and ... common interests :|

FYI ... http://ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=37254

Macedonian in Bulgaria
-------------------------------------------------------
Macedonian construction company Granit(afair), bulding sections from the Struma motorway.
Don't know else(macedonians please help :) )
.

:lovethem: :lovethem: :lovethem: :lovethem: :lovethem:

^^ Hey buddy :nuts: :lol: am not teaching Serbia what to do, I just wonder what’s the direction it is turning to? Personally I think it is the wrong direction ...

You see thats exactly why I think that you have a problem with Russia. You make these assumptions that are not based on facts. Why do you think that selling 6 companies to the Russians is a wrong direction? It's 6 companies, even if we sold them 60 companies it wouldn't be a direction.

And as for your general knowledge, Hungary and Russia have always had good relations and ... common interests :|

FYI ... http://ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=37254

Like in 1956?

^^ I do not give a damn about Russia … and if for you selling NIS is not important enough you’re on LSD or writing from Cuba

BTW August 1968 you meant ?! :nuts:

Hungary was in 56, the Czechs had theirs in 68

You need help ... after '56 they helped the invasion of '68. Capito?! :nuts:

And for NIS, so even if Russians do buy it? It would be good, as they control a lot of energy resources - one way of guaranteeing that Serbia will not be left dry next time Russians decide to play political games with the west.



You are dreaming.....check what happened in Moldova (and in Belarus if I remember right). Russia owned their gas company!!! And they made and make still a lot of pressure (e.g. a voronin puppet and so on).

^^ BTW TVR (Romanian national television) has just lost its licence in Moldova. Not to mention that BBC was banned in Russia

WTF Serbia do what you want to do; its your own future :cheers: … I will never trust Russia :ohno:

nebunul,
you are not connected to Russia whatsoever to trust them......

Кат Русия няма друга тъй коварна на света... :D

:ohno: Sure!!!!! And for almost 50 years we were connected with......guess!!!:bash:
I subscribe to the opinion of nebunul

I will never trust Russia. And why?

1.it seems to still behave like the regional bully(EU included)
2.always interesting leaders
3.history (still too fresh)

nebunul,
you are not connected to Russia whatsoever to trust them......

^^ Delyan ... leave it with me ...

You need help ... after '56 they helped the invasion of '68. Capito?! :nuts:

Actually if you are referring to their delayed withdrawal,that was our idea.:)
This way,we didnt had to maintain a military,and could spend that money on anything else,hence the happiest barrack.:)
And we support all pipes,since all go through Hungary;) But having good relations with Russia means much lower gas and oil bill for us(yes,they sell these for us much lower price than for anybody else;)),and more security concerning these resources.

Well, Serbs are regional bullies as well (there's not a neighbour we haven't fought a war with) , so its only natural that we hoop up with the Russkies, isn't it?:D

Actually if you are referring to their delayed withdrawal,that was our idea.:)
This way,we didnt had to maintain a military,and could spend that money on anything else,hence the happiest barrack.:)
And we support all pipes,since all go through Hungary;) But having good relations with Russia means much lower gas and oil bill for us(yes,they sell these for us much lower price than for anybody else;)),and more security concerning these resources.

Man, 90% of our luxury cars and limos are officially owned by disabled people, guess why :)

Man, 90% of our luxury cars and limos are officially owned by disabled people, guess why :)

Same here...:drool: :lol:

@nebunul

Look at where Russia is in the rankings. I don't know what you're talking about.
http://www.siepa.sr.gov.yu/files/graphs/Net_FDI_in_Cash_by_Countries_(000_USD).jpg

^^
Man, everybody comes up with some kind of a table! For example, what is this table for? What is FDI in cash?

http://www.siepa.sr.gov.yu/files/graphs/Net_FDI_in_Cash_by_Countries_(000_USD).jpgWhat the heck? France and Israel twice? Does this table have any connection with Serbia?

Total volume of FDI in Slovakia (cumulative basis) is 19.5 billion $ ( 483.567 billion SK) since 1993 till 2006

The most important investors in Slovakia

Netherlands with 92.356 billion SK
Germany with 86.43 billion SK
Austria with 71.612 billion SK





LINK HERE! (http://www.slovakspectator.sk/clanok.asp?cl=29228)

^^ I do not give a damn about Russia … and if for you selling NIS is not important enough you’re on LSD or writing from Cuba
:nuts:

Opsssssssssssss ... never know ... :nuts: :cheers:

ROMPETROL is planning 30-40bn USD annual turnover in the next 3-5 years


The Rompetrol Group is planning of reaching USD 30-40 bn annual turnover in the next 3-5 years, mainly through acquisitions in Western Europe, compared to USD 7 bn in 2007, Eric Kish, group Vice-President quoted by Mediafax, stated in Sofia, on Thursday.

‘The objective cannot be reached by organic growth. We are focusing on strategic acquisitions including NIS Serbia and other take-overs that I cannot disclose yet.

The focus will move to Western Europe' said Kish while in Sofia to open the first Hei-concept Rompetrol filling station in Bulgaria.

He stated that the company will have a budget ‘of several billions of Dollars' allocated to acquisitions in Western Europe, but did not say the exact amount.

‘We have the money needed for the planned acquisitions. Both KazMunaiGaz and the minority shareholders intend to pursue an aggressive growth policy to make Rompetrol one of the largest companies in Europe in 3-5 year's time' said Kish.

The petrol station in Sofia was opened with an investment of EUR 1.1 M. ‘It is the first filling in Sofia developed under the Hei concept which is a filling station, store, restaurant and internet point' explained Adrian Acatrinei, Rompetrol Bulgaria Manager.

Rompetrol Holding in Switzerland owned by businessman Dinu Patriciu sold on August 24 its 75 per cent in The Rompetrol Group registered in the Netherlands, to KazMunaiGaz.

Evrohold Bulgaria is coming to Greece :cheers:
The company plans to step on teh greek market and opening of logistic offices in Greece after recently opened some in Italy.
Bulgarian investments in Greece are rising and currently count 50 mln. euro in the spheres of tourism, real estate and information technologies.

“Имерисия”: Еврохолд България идва в Гърция

Атина. Еврохолд България идва в Гърция, пише днес гръцкият вестник “Имерисия”. Българското дружество предприема инвестиционна инициатива, каквато до момента предприемаха само гръцки компании в България, коментира изданието. Според информацията Еврохолд, която развива финансово-икономически дейности, иска на първи етап от присъствието си в Гърция да създаде офиси. Една от компаниите на дружеството GΡS Control, работеща в сферата на логистиката, планира отварянето на офиси в Гърция след като наскоро навлезе на пазара на Италия.
В последно време, коментира изданието, след вълната от гръцки инвестиции в България започват лека полека да изникват и планове за развитие на български компании на гръцкия пазар.Българските инвестиции в Гърция вече са 50 млн.евро и са концентрирани в сферата на туризма, имотите, информационните технологии.

Bulgaria a favourite economic partner for Balkan neighbours

Bulgaria has become a favourite business partner for its Balkan neighbours after joining the European Union (EU) in January 2007.

The country was most popular with those neighbours that are still in the waiting list to join the Union, Luxembourg-based newspaper New Europe said on October 15.

The newspaper pointed to some major deals, announced in the beginning of October, which showed that Serbian, Macedonian and Turkish business were concentrating on investing in ventures with Bulgarian partners.

Among the mentioned deals is the one of the Bulgarian company Brikel, which made a bid for the purchase of the Serbian manufacturer of fixture and packaging, FOPA Vladichin Han. Bril was also seen as a potential buyer of the Delicious plant of semi-conductors. Earlier this year Brikel bought Trial, the second biggest producer of tires in Serbia, for 12 million euro.

The recent CeBit Bilism Eurasia 2007 exhibition of information technologies in Istanbul announced that Bulgarian software company ORAK Engineering signed an agreement to provide software to Turkish companies. ORAK was to implant their software systems in a large hotel complex in Antalya, in a chain of Turkish oil stations and more than 300 sportswear shops as well.

A serious breakthrough abroad was made by a number of Bulgarian financial institutions, New Europe said.

As the Sofia Echo reported earlier, Central Co-operative Bank was chosen successful buyer for a majority stake in Post Bank of Skopje from Eurostandard Bank.

Bril was also seen as a potential buyer of the Delicious plant of semi-conductors.

WTF Delicious plant of semi-conductors. Is this in Engrish? :nuts:

Bulgaria's Technomarket has opened two more stores in Serbia's capital Belgrade.

The first store is in Serbia's first newly opened mall Delta City:

http://img460.imageshack.us/img460/4175/deltacityxs0.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img396.imageshack.us/img396/5876/technomarket1br4.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Here is a picture of the second store:

http://img396.imageshack.us/img396/4599/technomarket2op5.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

We've got STER cinemas here as well,are those Bulgarian?

We've got STER cinemas here as well,are those Bulgarian?

No. There is an Israeli company called City Cinema that is pretty active here along with its Bugarian competitor Arena Movie Theaters.

ROMANIA'S A&D PHARMA EYES BULGARIA
www.sofiaecho.com

Romanian pharmaceutical group A&D Pharma has been drafting a programme for regional expansion, investor.bg reported on November 9, quoting reports in Romanian media. At present, Romania was exploring opportunities in Bulgaria, as well as in Ukraine, Slovenia, Macedonia, Croatia, Serbia and Montenegro.

A&D Pharma confirmed the news from investor.bg and added that Bulgaria has been under serious scrutiny, yet declined to give more detailed information.

At present, A&D Pharma has been present only on its home market and in Moldova through its subsidiary Elantis Farm.
A&D Pharma is majority-owned by Dutch investment company Sograno BV, in turn indirectly owned by Smooth Winds Ltd., Breezi Carm Holdings Inc. and Wynding Investments Inc., all registered in the Virgin Islands.

A&D Pharma has been trading on the London Stock Exchange for a year and its market capitalisation at present hovers around 566 million euros. The company is considering floating shares on another bourse, but it is yet to make a final decision.

A&D Pharma reported 199.1 million euro turnover, a 35 per cent year-on-year increase for the first six months of 2007.

Bulgarian mining co Kaolin eyes Serbian marble producer

Bulgarian mining company Kaolin has placed a bid for a 70% of Vencac, a Serbian producer of marble and granite.

The Serbian media said the Bulgarian company has submitted an offer for Vencac to the Serbian sell-off authority.

Kaolin will compete with Serbia's Zorka Alas Kamen and Devix, Belgrade-registered Sheer Korporacija and Europark and Croatia's Kumal.

The winner will be named on December 7, 2007.

No details will be released about the privatisation deal.

Vencac posted sales of 3.28 mln euro and a loss of 1.63 mln euro in 2006.

Kaolin operates two subsidiaries in Serbia. Yugo Kaolin, in Zajecar, produces silica sand and clay. Kopovi produces industrial materials.(Dnevnik)

Slovenian company invests 200 million Euros in Kosovo

Kosovo: 200 million EUR investments by Telecom Slovenia



Prishtina, 5 October 2007 - According to the daily newspaper "Koha Ditore", officials of the winner for the second mobile phone operator tender in Kosovo, the consortium “Telekom Slovenia/Mobitel” and “Ipko Net” informed that SIM numbers will be launched by the end of the year.

According to Akan Ismaili, the director of the Kosovar partner Ipko Net, over €200 million of investments are being made and most of the amount will be paid by the main shareholder, Telekom Slovenija. “Our network will be one of the fastest built GSM networks in Europe. We are committed to our work in order to offer our product by the end of the year,” said Ismalji.

He added that services this operator will bring on the Kosovo market are similar to those of Telekom Slovenia, which is one of the most sophisticated mobile operators in Europe.

Drition Halili, Head of Vala, a mobile phone operator of Kosovo Telecom (PTK), said that PTK and Vala are welcoming the competition and are ready to compete in the market.

An interesting article about Greek business in the region of SE Europe and SE Mediterranean:


Globalization and profits in the Balkans

Greek private direct investments in Balkan countries carry a special weight because, on the one hand, the country of origin of the capital invested is a member of the European Union and, on the other, it is a neighboring country and those involved are well aware of the business ethics prevailing on both sides. Furthermore, the existing historical bonds between Greece and the other Balkan countries, combined with the large number of immigrants from the latter to the former, contribute to the better understanding and collaboration of all concerned.

One should take into account, though, that this type of Greek investment ― up to now and to a considerable degree ― has in its favor the lack of any great interest or of the difficulties other countries encounter when attempting to financially ‘infiltrate’ the wider area of the Balkan Peninsula.
At the same time, Greek laws and regulations concerning Greek investments abroad are considered ‘reasonable,’ although some of those involved wish that they would comprise more types of subsidized ventures, such as the acquisition of existing businesses in the host countries.

The risk

Now, however, it is considered imperative to establish measures that will smooth the path of Greek businessmen who wish to expand their activities and augment their profit1, since there is no doubt that they are also exposing themselves to a series of risks. 2

Within this framework, one should not seek the achievement of bilateral agreements that would be ‘very good’ for the Greek economy and simply ‘good’ for the economies of the host countries. The aim should be for any such proposed agreement to be more functional and fairer than any alternative that could possibly be devised. Furthermore, this expected fair distribution of profit and opportunities also depends on a series of parameters, such as the establishment of the necessary reforms in the countries involved, but also on international conjuncture within the constantly changing regime of globalization.

For the real risk lies not in whether there will be Greek private investments in the Balkan countries or with their number. And anyway, inasmuch as local societies and markets are willing and allow it and Greek businessmen are profiting from these investments, it is inevitable that, as a consequence of globalization, those investments will be realized with or without the approval or support of the Greek state. Furthermore, it goes without saying that in view of the existing strong competition, capital will continue to strive toward discovering ways to achieve the most favorable business environment for cornering new markets.

Therefore, the Greek state has the duty to and should aim at lowering as much as possible the risks Greek capital will face through the reforms, establishing conditions of transparency and wiping out corruption in the neighboring countries within the framework of already existing international institutions and regulations and mainly within the framework of the European Union and the individual Stabilization and Association Agreements with the other countries in this area.

Greek investments

Following our investigation in the countries involved, quite reliable evidence shows that the situation, as it is currently developing, is particularly impressive with regard to Greek investments, not only on the agreements level but also on the purely financial level.

Currently 16 special Collaboration Agreements are being enacted with Albania, eight with Bosnia-Herzegovina, nine with Bulgaria, eight with Croatia, five with the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), seven with Serbia-Montenegro and six with Romania.

Already Greek private direct investments, despite the inevitable difficulties that Greek businessmen are encountering because of the nature of the whole venture:

* Are covering 27 percent of the total of direct foreign investment in Albania;
* are second in importance in Bulgaria, totaling $1.5 billion, while during the last decade Greek foreign direct investments came to a total of 1 billion euros in Bosnia-Herzegovina;
* to 720 million euros in Serbia-Montenegro ― in which the invested capital of Greek origin comes to 1.2 billion euros ― and
* to $1.3 million in Croatia, while they came to
* 700 million euros and have created 9,000 jobs in FYROM, where Greece is the top foreign investor, and, finally,
* are fifth among the important foreign investments in Romania.

The banking system

Precursors of Greek investments in the Balkans have been the Greek banks, either those operating out of Greece or their subsidiaries in the Balkan countries, or even, in certain cases, in collaboration with the Black Sea Trade and Development Bank.

The investments of Greek businessmen in the Balkan countries ― hundreds of millions of euros in a new market of 120 million people ― could not possibly have been realized without the involvement of the Greek banking system, which has been operating in the area either through the establishment of subsidiaries of Greek banks in the countries of SE Europe, through the acquisition of local banks, as well as through participation in their capital, or even through simply financing the business ventures of Greeks.

Within this framework, the banks have co-financed Greek business initiatives in the Balkan countries, or have covered the business risk of the ventures being undertaken.

The Black Sea
Trade and Development Bank

In certain cases the co-financing of the Greek businessmen was effected also in collaboration with international or multilateral financial institutions including the International Development Bank, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the European Investment Bank, as well as the Black Sea Trade and Development Bank.

It should be further noted that the purely regional Black Sea Trade and Development Bank is the first multilateral international institution of its kind to be based in Greece, in Thessaloniki. Greece’s participation in the bank’s capital comes to 16.5 percent, the same as Russia’s and Turkey’s; 13.5 percent is the participating capital of Bulgaria, Romania and Ukraine, while the participation of Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia, Moldova and Albania comes to 2 percent.

In total, the Black Sea Trade and Development Bank has extended bank credit to Greek industrial developments or those of Greek interest based in Balkan countries to the tune of 150 million euros.

Altera pars

Nowadays, the view that the expansion of Greek business ventures in Balkan countries will prove beneficial to Greece itself ― because of the repatriation of capital and profits, the acquisition of new know-how and the opening of new fields of activity ― seems to be gaining in popularity among Greek businessmen.3

The latter quote in their favor the expansion of Greek commercial activities beyond the country’s national borders, the possibility of contracting business deals of strategic importance with foreign multinational or other concerns, and the direct or indirect facilitation of Greek exports, as well as that already existing organizations for the Balkans which offer the necessary substructure and operate out of Greece will be used to advantage. These are:

* The European Agency for Reconstruction;
* The Southeastern European Cooperative Initiative;
* The Inter-Balkan and Black Sea Business Center, and
* The Black Sea Trade and Development Bank.

Certainly the effect of Greek investments in Balkan countries cannot be labeled simply as positive or negative depending on the personal views of those involved, since it is an especially intricate and complex venture. Therefore, one cannot offer sweeping aphorisms as a conclusion, since one has to take into account the multifaceted, international economic environment of our times.

Yet it should be pointed out that it is necessary to seek and find a more functional and fairer way of redistributing the accrued benefits between Greece ― the country of origin of the capital and resourses that are being invested ― the Balkan countries that are receiving the inflow of Greek capital and the Greek businessmen involved.

It has to be done, even though this quest, especially difficult in itself, is being influenced by inherent factors, mainly in the host countries, as well as by outside ones that act to the detriment of all concerned. They are both products of the globalization of the economy, which transcends geographical borders.

Original article (http://www.bridge-mag.com/magazine/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=79&Itemid=38)

Bulgarian pharmaceutical company Sopharma buys Ukrainian competitor Vitamini. Vitamini is the 13th largest drug producer in Ukraine out of 161. Sopharma plans to double Vitamini's production capacity in the near future.


"Софарма" взема мажоритарен дял от "Витамини"

"Софарма" ще стане собственик на мажоритарен пакет от украинската компания "Витамини", стана ясно от съобщение на българското дружество в сряда. Договорът за покупка вече е сключен, но цената по сделката не е обявена. Българската компания купува завода и едноименното търговско дружество в Украйна.

"Витамини" заема 13 място от общо 161 производители на лекарства в страната, поясняват от "Софарма". От българска страна добавиха още, че реализираната продукция на завода за миналата година е на стойност 5.3 млн. долара, а производствената гама включва 64 продукта.

Тази година "Софарма" откри свое представителство в Киев, като с него се надява да увеличи реализираната продукция в Украйна с около 50%. За миналата година тя е на стойност 10 млн. долара, увеличението с 50% се очаква за тази година, а през следващата намеренията са за още по-голям ръст след сключената сделка. Украинският пазар на лекарства е на стойност 1.7 млрд. долара.

"От една страна, ставаме местен производител, освен това планираме да удвоим капацитета на "Витамини", поясни изпълнителният директор на "Софарма" Огнян Донев. Финансирането на проекта ще бъде от собствени средства и привлечени банкови заеми, добави Донев.

"Витамини" разполага с три производствени цеха - за таблетни форми, унгвенти и сиропи, като в компанията работят над 300 души. Продукцията се изнася за страните от ОНД, като този обем представлява над 1% от общия износ на Украйна.

Новината за покупката на компания в Украйна беше съобщена във вторник от БФБ, но единствената подадена информация беше, че съветът на директорите на "Софарма" е взел решението за покупка и е упълномощил изпълнителния директор да проведе преговорите и да сключи сделката.

Представителства на "Софарма" има в още няколко държави от региона на бившия комунистически блок - в грузинската столица Тбилиси, в казахстанската Алмати, а в Полша преди около два месеца беше създадено съвместно предприятие с компанията "Натур продукт Здровит". "Софарма" притежава и миноритарен пакет в "Олайнфарма", една от най-големите компании от фармацевтичния бранш в Прибалтика.

След обявената новина за покупка във вторник в сряда акциите на "Софарма" поскъпнаха с 2.07% до 8.90 лв. Обемът по позицията надмина 100 хил. изтъргувани книжа, а максималната им цена стигна 9 лв.

Bulgarian tycoon buys up the Krusevac industry

Bugarski tajkun kupuje kruševačka preduzeća (http://www.blic.co.yu/ekonomija.php?id=20139)

Kompanije iz Bugarske „Brikel EAD“ i „Media svjat“ do sada su kupile tri kruševačka preduzeća - „Trajal korporaciju“, „Toplanu“ i „Pobedu“. Iako ove kompanije zvanično nisu povezane, nezvanično i njih i druge firme koje su kupovale srpka preduzeća (rudnik Kovin, „Nevena“, „Srbijanka“) objedinjuje bugarski tajkun Hristo Kovaškin, jedan od najuticajnijih ljudi u Bugarskoj.

Kovaškin je najjači u oblasti energetike, vlasnik je lanca marketa i brojnih nekretnina a, odskora se bavi i politikom. Inače, prema nezvaničnim informacijama, Bugari su izuzetno zainteresovani da postanu vlasnici regionalne Radio-televizije Kruševac, koja bi trebalo da se nađe na tenderu do kraja godine, ali i strateški važne Hemijske industrije „Župa“. Goran Krasić, predsednik Regionalne privredne komore, smatra da su kompanije iz Bugarske zainteresovane za kupovinu preduzeća u Kruševcu ali i u čitavoj Srbiji zbog viška kapitala u novoj članici Evropske unije.
- Zanimljivi smo im i zbog ulaska u CEFTA, ali i zbog šanse da bi već krajem 2008. ili 2009. godine Srbija mogla da dobije status kandidata za ulazak u EU. U svakom slučaju, preduzeća su kupovali zbog proizvodnje, a ne zbog imovine - smatra Krasić.

^^Това унгарски ли се води???:ohno::lol::lol:

Сръбски....унгарският гаранция и една дума няма да разбереш :)

SERBIAN DELTA MAXI SAYS IT INTENDS TO BUY HIT OUTLETS IN SOFIA

Serbian Delta Maxi was in negotiations for the purchase of two supermarkets in Sofia, owned by German retailer Hit, Dnevnik dialy quoted Dragan Filipovic, General Manager of Delta Maxi, as saying.

In September 2007 Delta Maxi bought a majority stake in Bulgarian retailer Piccadilly. The company planned to invest 210 million euro and announced its ambition to become market leader on the Balkans and wider region in less than three years.

If the transaction with Hit would be successful, the outlets would be renamed to Tempo, Delta's own supermarket brand, Dnevnik daily said.

Negotiations with Hit were expected to be completed by the end of 2007, Filipovic said.

After initial investments in two outlets in Sofia, Hit decided to downscale its original investment and growth strategy plans for the Bulgarian market.

The company has always denied rumours that it was offering its Hit supermarkets for sale.

If it would sell the two outlets, Hit would be the second international retailer to withdraw from the Bulgarian market, after Turkey's Ramstore.

----------------------------

BULGARIA'S ALMA TOUR BUYS FINNISH PARTNER DOMINA :banana:

Bulgarian tour operator Alma Tour would acquire full control over Finnish tour operator Domina, with whom it had partner relations, Alma Tour manager Lyubomir Pankovski said as quoted by Dnevnik daily.

With this the company would start developing more active programmes for Finnish tourists both in summer and in winter, Pankovski added.

This would be the second time Alma Tour gained control over a foreign tour operator since it already owned the majority share of Fiji Travel – a company working on the Baltic market, Dnevnik daily reminded.

Pankovski explained that buying local structures when appropriate was part of the company's development strategy.

For 2008 Alma Tour planned on bringing 12 thousand Finnish tourists to Bulgaria – 5 thousand more than in 2007, when it started on the Finnish market, Pankovski said. The winter programme would include skiing and visiting Sofia, while the summer would combine sea holidays with spa's.

Pankovski said that from this winter on Alma Tour would start working actively on the British market as well. It had already signed contracts with British tour operators, most of which worked with online reservations. Alma Tour expected there would be a lot of last-minute bookings this holiday season since British tourists wanted to make sure there would be snow.

Alma Tour representatives said from this year on there would be more and more tourists visiting Bulgaria via online bookings.

The other major market for Alma Tour, the Russian market, was expected to grow by 30-40 per cent this winter compared to last year. Alma Tour expected to bring 10 000 Russian and Ukrainian tourists to Bulgaria. The biggest part of Russian tourists would visit Bansko, followed by Borovets and Pamporovo.

Alma Tour expected significant growth on the Russian market for summer 2008, when it expects to bring to Bulgaria between 25 and 30 000 tourists - 50 per cent more compared to last summer season.

Equest broadens Technomarket retail operations across Balkans

Equest Investments Balkans Ltd, the specialist investment company focused on retail, financial services, infrastructure and property development in South Eastern Europe, announced it has completed the acquisition of interests in Tehnik&Kom (Serbia) (now called K&K Electronics Serbia) and K&K Electronics (Montenegro) and has agreed to acquire interests in electronics wholesale and retail businesses in Albania, Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo, all operating under the Technomarket brand.

The announcement was made to the news service of the London Stock Exchange.

In May 2007, EIB entered into agreements to acquire a 23% interest in Tehnik&Kom (Serbia) and a 50% interest in K&K Electronics (Montenegro) with options to acquire up to 100% equity interests in the companies in stages commencing in 2008 at a price to be determined by an agreed formula based upon sales and EBITDA.

The total aggregate consideration of 5.7 mln euro was funded by cash from EIB's own resources in the form of an equity subscription for 1.7 mln euro in the holding company of the target companies, Harwood Holding BV and a 4 mln euro shareholder loan to Harwood.

As part of the revised terms of the transaction, EIB has an option to acquire up to 50% of the issued share capital of Harwood in 2008 and 2009 which, if exercised, will result in EIB having an indirect 50% economic interest in all subsidiaries of Harwood (except for the subsidiary registered in the Republic of Macedonia, in which EIB shall have a 75% economic interest).

EIB and the Sellers have also agreed to sell their entire shareholding in Harwood to EIB's 75% owned subsidiary, Lynx Property B.V. ("Lynx") in 2009 on terms to be agreed with Lynx.

Over the near-term, Technomarket is preparing the launch of new outlets in Sofia and Montana which will bring to 33 the number of stores in the company's nationwide network.

Arabesque total investments exceed 200m euros

Arabesque, the largest domestic distributor of construction and finishing materials, has recently opened a 100,000 square-metre distribution centre in Belgrade and has reached over 200 million euros in overall investments since it was established. The new centre in Serbia is part of the company's regional expansion strategy.

Arabesque plans heavy regional expansion over the next few years, in Moldova, Bulgaria and Serbia, where it intends to open a network of around five stores within three years.

"We are hoping to reach around five branches within the next three years, but this very much depends on the trend of investments and the development in each country," Virgil Cezar Rapotan, owner of Arabesque, told ZF.

This chain started from my home town-Galati :banana:

Ziarul Financiar:

European Food & Drinks group, owned by brothers Ioan and Viorel Micula, is now visiting countries such as Poland, Bulgaria, Ukraine and Russia to launch foreign production as part of regional expansion plans.

"We will make further investments to support the group's regional expansion, which envisages distribution in the first phase followed by production," stated Ioan Micula, chairman of European Food.

At present, the group, whose production facilities are located in Bihor county, distributes its products to around 20 European countries and has partnerships with international retail networks on foreign markets. The partners include Metro, Tesco, Kaufland, Billa, Auchan and Delhaize, according to company data.

On regional markets, European Food & Drinks could start production either through the acquisition of companies, plants or greenfield projects.

"The decision to invest in production abroad depends of course on negotiations with financial institutions that can provide capital for this project," specified Ioan Micula.

After the company started investments worth around 10m euros to create a new brand image for Izvorul Minunilor mineral water (one of the most important products in European Drinks' portfolio) the group's shareholders also announced a change in European Food's corporate image.

"With the new image of European Food we want to get closer to the standards of European design. We're investing several hundred thousand euros in this project and intend to promote the new image in 2008," explained Ioan Micula. "We're working towards improving brand images, which will also help boost exports. Next year, imports will rise by over 50% against this year," added Micula. At present, the growth rate for exports is 2-3 times higher than the domestic level registered by the group, but domestic sales still hold the heaviest weight in the group's turnover.

The group, which includes European Food, European Drinks, Scandic Distilleries and Transilvania General Import-Export, could generate turnover worth above 800m euros this year, from 680m euros in 2006.

Micula brothers opened group subsidiaries in 8 countries in the region. The group, set up in 1993, has expanded through several market segments and via exports.

Romstal makes 10m-euro acquisition in Serbia:cheers:

Autor: Ziarul Financiar
Data: 14-12-2007


Romstal, one of the leading players on the local market of sanitary and electric equipment, has purchased the entire Doming distribution network in Serbia, as part of its regional development strategy.

According to company representatives, this is the company's first takeover outside Romania, after it expanded organically through distribution centres in the Republic of Moldova, Italy, Bulgaria and Ukraine. "We have purchased one of the leading players on the market of electric and sanitary equipment in Serbia. Doming has a 20-25% market share in Serbia, slightly better than Romstal's in Romania. We are also considering opening a production centre in the long term," Enrico Perini (photo), president and majority shareholder of the Romstal group, an Italian with Romanian citizenship, told ZF.

Serbia has lately become one of the hottest markets for Romanian companies with expansion plans, with Arabesque, the largest distributor of construction materials in Romania, having recently opened a 10,000 square-metre distribution centre in Belgrade. Arabesque has taken out a 50m euro credit from IFC with a view to expanding in Serbia and Bulgaria. Perini also said he expects sales of the Doming network, which consists of 10 stores in Serbia (3 in Belgrade) to increase by 20-25% next year, from an estimated 25 millions this year.

INVESTMENTS
Serbia is BiH's biggest foreign investor

Author/source: Nezavisne novine

After Serbia, countries that invested the most in Bosnia & Herzegovina were Switzerland, Russia and Austria. The overall foreign investments in BH from 1994 reached EUR 4.6bn.

This year, foreign investors placed EUR 1.628bn in BH and the biggest investor was Serbia with EUR 707mn, Haris Bašić, Foreign Investment Promotion Agency (FIPA) Director said yesterday. According to him, 2007 was a record-breaking year considering that realized foreign investments were three times higher than before.

“After Serbia, countries that invested the most in BH were Switzerland, Russia and Austria. The overall foreign investments in BH from 1994 reached EUR 4.6bn. These results were realized under conditions that were not stimulating for potential foreign investors”, said Bašić.

He named commercial campaign ‘Enjoy life BH’ as one of the most significant FIPA activities whose TV spot received 11 awards since September 2006.

“The Council of Ministers formed Foreign Investment Trust Fund for BH this year. Consequently, Serbia opened 11,000 new workplaces in BH. Within the overall investments, 40% were green field ones and 60% privatization processes”, said Bašić adding how stock exchange turnover was 2.5% higher than last year, 30% of which were foreign investments.

“This year, 30% more foreign tourists visited BH booking 22% more overnight stays”, added Bašić.

'Lijanovići' Open Factory in Turkey

http://www.seebiz.eu/files/img/2007/10/31/lijanovici.jpg
Talks were conducted with Management of “Lijanovići”, meat processing company, about the opening of a meat factory in Turkey. “Lijanovići” company with more than 1,000 employees was described and references it earned on domestic and foreign markets were presented.
Delegation of Euro-Asian Federation of Syndicates from Istanbul, hosted by Independent syndicate PPDIVUT from BiH, visited on Wednesday "Lijanovići" company in Široki Brijeg. Talks were conducted with “Lijanovići” Management about the opening of a meat factory in Turkey. “Lijanovići” company with more than 1,000 employees was described and references it earned on domestic and foreign markets were presented.


According to PPDIVUT from BiH, President of Euro-Asian Federation of Syndicates from Istanbul, Džemail Bakindi, expressed his satisfaction that his first visit as president of this international syndicate association was to BiH. He stressed how the aims of this Federation, apart from syndical integration and mutual support, are to make its representatives ambassadors of their countries’ economy.


Representatives of "Lijanovići" thanked for the reception in Turkey, whose employees in Istanbul already work in a newly-formed firm, while Turkish raw materials are already being used for production in BiH.

“Lijanovići” factory is located 200 km from Istanbul, on the way to Ankara and employs 250 workers.

http://www.seebiz.eu/en/corporate/food/'lijanovici'-open-factory-in-turkey,1550.html

:cheers:

Autor: Ziarul Financiar
Data: 17-12-2007

Oradea-based Proges, specialising in the distribution of interior decoration materials, plans to open a 20-store network in Hungary, following a 20 million-euro investment. Proges has recently opened a 1,000 square-metre store in the Hungarian town of Niyregyhaza, following an investment worth around 500,000 euros, this being the company's first step towards expanding the network outside Romania. "After consolidating our position on the Romanian market, expanding our operations onto the Hungarian market is a test which will show us what the Hungarian market has to offer. Over the next two years, we intend to develop a 20-store network in the main Hungarian cities, which will entail an over 10 million-euro investment," said Annamaria Anton-Bako, marketing manager of Proges. The company estimates it will see an 80 million-euro turnover this year, double the level seen in 2006.

Business Standard
21 ianuarie 2008


Star Foods, Romania’s largest snack producer, targets sales growth in Bulgaria, following the recent acquisition of peanut and sunflower seed producer, Penelopa. The Bulgarian market would become the company’s main export destination.

The company exports 8 percent of its Bucharest production to Bulgaria and the Republic of Moldova.

“Exports will become increasingly more important in our business. To date, the Moldova was more important in this area, but through the recent acquisition in Bulgaria we will have a larger distribution network,” according to a statement for Business Standard by Sotiris Yannopoulos, General Manager of Star Foods Romania and Bulgaria.

The main potato chip and snack producers in Romania are Star Foods, Intersnack, Best Foods and European Foods.

According to Yannopoulos, the company’s own products makes up 50 percent of total turnover, while the remaining 50 percent comes from distribution. Star Foods distributes 7Days croissants, Bake Rolls, and Swiss Rolls, owned by Chipita.

Star Foods Romania has been part of PepsiCo since November 2004.

Business Standard
21 ianuarie 2008

Bulgarian meat and meat products producer Mekom plans to expand its business in the Western Balkans and Romania. Operational cost will be covered by a public offer of €12.2 million for 16.6 percent of the company’s shares, according to Bulgarian newspaper Dnevnik.

The company owns several farms where it raises sheep, rabbits, cows and ostriches, and it exports 70 percent of its production to France, Italy, Greece and Switzerland.

Mekom products are sold on the premium segment where the margin of profitability is 15-20 percent.

This is an interesting one:


Romstal starts global expansion with Russia

Autor: Ziarul Financiar
Data: 24-01-2008

Romstal, a Romanian distributor of sanitary ware and electrical equipment, which budgeted turnover worth approximately 429 million euros this year, up 38% on last year, will open its first two stores in Moscow in February and March, and targets an at least 100-store network in the long run.

"Our target is to open 300 stores in Russia over the next 10 years. We expect the Russian market to deliver; otherwise there is no point in going there. If we target expansion, it wouldn't make any sense to open less than 100 stores," Enrico Perini, CEO of the Romstal Group and majority shareholder of the Romstal group, told ZF. Romstal currently has 175 stores on six markets: Romania, Italy, Bulgaria, Serbia, the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine.

According to company estimates, sales on the Russian market are expected to reach 6 million euros this year, 9 million euros by 2009, and 19 million euros by 2010.

Perini (Italian-born Romanian citizen), who set up Romstal in 1994, explained that the first 2-3 years would be decisive for expansion in the Russian region. The main reasons for entering this market are the high number of consumers and the accelerated increase of the Russian constructions market, as well as the fact that the market is still not mature.

"Europe is our region, and ultimately the world. However, we cannot think in those terms right now, because we are in a much smaller league. If we want to become a big company, we need to increase our size by at least 10 times. We need to start with a country in order to do that, and that country is Russia," explained Perini, who targets a turnover in excess of 1 billion euros at group level, by 2010.

According to current estimates, the Romstal group will post business worth 1.1 billion euros by 2010.

Last autumn, Romstal bought the entire 10-store network of Doming, a Serbian-based distributor of electrical and sanitary ware equipment, which holds 20-25% of the local market.


Sursa: www.zf.ro/articol_157970

Business Standard
21 ianuarie 2008

Bulgarian meat and meat products producer Mekom plans to expand its business in the Western Balkans and Romania. Operational cost will be covered by a public offer of €12.2 million for 16.6 percent of the company’s shares, according to Bulgarian newspaper Dnevnik.

The company owns several farms where it raises sheep, rabbits, cows and ostriches, and it exports 70 percent of its production to France, Italy, Greece and Switzerland.

Mekom products are sold on the premium segment where the margin of profitability is 15-20 percent.

^^ Just saw it, Le Clerk :) This is what you were talking about in the 'Transportation & Tourism' thread i believe :cheers:


btw .... Another Bulgarian investment in Serbia :)

Kaolin bought the Serbian mine "Yugo-Kaolin" in Zajechar :cheers:

РТС: Българска компания купи Мината за нерудни изкопаеми във Валево, Сърбия

Белград. Компанията “Юго-Каолин” от Зайчар, чийто собственик е българската фирма “Каолин” купи за 79,4 милиона динара /81 динара = 1 евро/ Мината за нерудни изкопаеми във Валево, предаде Радио Телевизия Сърбия /РТС/. “Юго-Каолин” е откупила 98,98% от акциите на Мината за нерудни изкопаеми, съответно 7 443 акции на цена от 10 655 динара за акция.

^^ Just saw it, Le Clerk :) This is what you were talking about in the 'Transportation & Tourism' thread i believe :cheers:



Yeap, that's what I was talking about. :cheers:

this bulgarian investments in serbia are all really small, I would like to see some green field investments from bulgaria not only buying of some minor companies.
However some of the biggest investments from serbia are
acquisition of Telekom Srpska with 1 000 000 mobile users and more than million fix line users from Bosnia for 700 000 000 euro by Serbian telekom as well green field investment in the Montenegro 3rd gsm operator again by Telekom Serbia
Delta company bought biggest retailer in Republika Srpska BiH as well as second biggest in Bulgaria I think picadilli is the name, and are distributors for Nike for russia ukrain serbia BiH montenegro and others having shops in Moscow kiev etc.
ist point (copper production) company from serbia bought Wiena based austrian fleet of river boats for transport, 100 000 000 euro worth investment into Austria:nuts:
Hemofarm pharmaceutical company invested in completely new factory in Banja Luka, Republika Srpska, Bosnia
there are some more but I can´t remember in the moment

this bulgarian investments in serbia are all really small, I would like to see some green field investments from bulgaria not only buying of some minor companies.
However some of the biggest investments from serbia are
acquisition of Telekom Srpska with 1 000 000 mobile users and more than million fix line users from Bosnia for 700 000 000 euro by Serbian telekom as well green field investment in the Montenegro 3rd gsm operator again by Telekom Serbia
Delta company bought biggest retailer in Republika Srpska BiH as well as second biggest in Bulgaria I think picadilli is the name, and are distributors for Nike for russia ukrain serbia BiH montenegro and others having shops in Moscow kiev etc.
ist point (copper production) company from serbia bought Wiena based austrian fleet of river boats for transport, 100 000 000 euro worth investment into Austria:nuts:
Hemofarm pharmaceutical company invested in completely new factory in Banja Luka, Republika Srpska, Bosnia
there are some more but I can´t remember in the moment

Delta's investment in Piccadilly is Serbia's only investment in Bulgaria. By the way, Piccadilly has only a few stores and is certainly not #2 retailer in the country.

Aren't Technomarket and 2be (technomobile?!?) greenfield investments? Prista Oil are comming too.

Aren't Technomarket and 2be (technomobile?!?) greenfield investments?

Monbat bought a battery recycling plant in Serbia last year and are currently building a second one as well.

Technomarket has grand plans for Serbia. It finally bought our the Serbian shares and now that it owns the whole company, it will start building its own stores similar to the Bulgarian ones. Technomarket currently rents in Serbia.

Delta's investment in Piccadilly is Serbia's only investment in Bulgaria. By the way, Piccadilly has only a few stores and is certainly not #2 retailer in the country.

yes it is 2nd, in sofia as I know they have very few stores but they are strong in other parts specially at black see coast, thats what I read in our news papers, 1st in bulgaria in market share is austrian chain billa

^^ Picadilly is a Varna-based company, they have 6 stores in Varna, 2 in Sofia and one in Tarnovo and Burgas, total 10.

As a comparison, Kaufland has 14, CBA has more than 100 (although they are smaller), METRO has 10 (but they are times larger than Picadilly), Fantastico has 29 in Sofia, Plus are already building lots of stores (plans are to have 200 ones in Bulgaria till 2012). But yes, certainly Picadilly is 2nd largest non-Sofian chain of stores.

So, mostly foreign companies now control Bulgaria's food retailers?
Here in ex-YU, situation is very interesting, as there are three domestic companies still going strong and keeping foreigners pretty much out - Slovenia's Merkator, Croatia's Agrokor with their Konzum/IDEA brands and Serbia's Delta. Each now has a ~2 billion euro annual turnover.

Basically yes, just like in the telco, banking and oil sectors. It is an inevitable process IMO...nowadays big companies do not have countries of origin, they are international monsters.

Delta's investment in Piccadilly is Serbia's only investment in Bulgaria. By the way, Piccadilly has only a few stores and is certainly not #2 retailer in the country.

^^ Bulgarian in Serbia
-------------------------------------------------------
FIbank bought "MB bank" Nis
Bulcvet bought cosmetics firm "Nevena" from Leskovac
Bulcvet bought "Metalica" Ivanac
Media Sviat bought newspaper "Pobeda" from Krusevac
Media Sviat bought "Srbijanka"
Rubin Pleven aquired glass factory in Paracin
Brikel bought the tyre factory "Trial" in Krusevac
Italcimenti bought "Vulkan" cement factory, Dimitrovgrad

^^ Picadilly is a Varna-based company, they have 6 stores in Varna, 2 in Sofia and one in Tarnovo and Burgas, total 10.

As a comparison, Kaufland has 14, CBA has more than 100 (although they are smaller), METRO has 10 (but they are times larger than Picadilly), Fantastico has 29 in Sofia, Plus are already building lots of stores (plans are to have 200 ones in Bulgaria till 2012). But yes, certainly Picadilly is 2nd largest non-Sofian chain of stores.

Ok, that is what I read in our newspapers, they were simply lying then

Car batteries maker Monbat eyes Balkan region for acquisition targets

Monbat, the Bulgarian manufacturer of car batteries, said it is looking to acquire production assets in the Balkan region.

The company is interested in the purchase of production facilities as it is facing capacity shortages, said Atanas Bobokov, chairman of the managing board.

Monbat is in the midst of a two-year investment program worth 44 mln levs which will increase the output capacity of its plants in Montana and Dobrich.

The mainstay Montana plant has already achieved 80% of the planned boost to 2.55 mln car batteries annually. It was operating at only twice that capacity in the beginning of 2007.

The capacity of the Dobrich plant, operated by subsidiary Start, should increase to 200,000 batteries annually.

The anticipated launch of lead recycling factories in Serbia and Romania should enable Monbat to substantially cut production costs. Lead accounts for 70% of production costs. The company said the larger its recycling business the more it will be protected against fluctuations in lead prices.

The company ingested 34 mln levs in investment last year, sending it on its way to a 30% boost in sales in 2008 and 2009. The target for end-2009 is 243.34 mln levs. Gross profit is projected to double over 2007 to 46 mln levs.

The investment projects will continue to be financed with company funds and bank loans. 'The timing is not right for raise capital on the bourse,' said Bobokov.

'My personal target is 40 levs per Monbat share in 2008,' said the company official.

Monbat shares jumped 7.59% to 27.64 levs on Thursday on a volume of 146,000 shares.

In related news, Monbat specified that the 19.42 mln lev profit figure reported earlier referred to pre-tax earnings.

The company also said it will most likely distribute a dividend of around 0.18 levs per share for 2007 but the shareholders will have the final word.(Dnevnik)
---------------------------------------------------------------------



Bulgarian mining co Kaolin buys Serbian quarry for 1 mln euro

Local mining company Kaolin said it has paid 1 mln euro for a 99% stake in Serbian silica sand quarry Nemetala.

The deal was executed by Kaolin's Serbian subsidiary Kaolin Jugo.

The acquisition is in line with the company's strategy for market expansion across South-eastern Europe.

In December 2007, Kaolin acquired for an undisclosed amount M.I.D. AL Shpk, a leading producer of limestone in Albania.

In Serbia, Kaolin operates two subsidiaries. Yugo Kaolin, in Zajecar, produces silica sand and clay. Kopovi produces industrial materials.

The company, majority-owned by Alfa Finance Holding (67.85%), also owns а 51% stake in Ukrainian silica sand quarry Papernianskyi, one more mining concession in the same country аs well as production facilities in Romania.(Dnevnik)

Autor: Ziarul Financiar
Data: 01-02-2008

ButanGas Romania, one of the leading players on the local LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) market, controlled by businessman Iosif Constantin Dragan, has budgeted investments worth 15.5 million euros for this year to expand its commercial network, with one option being to take over regional LPG players.

"In Romania, the overall estimated value of proposed investments in 2008 could reach 15.5 million euros.

The investments will be directed towards commercial network expansion (by taking over regional LPG players), modernising equipment and LPG distribution stations, and expanding the LPG storage facilities in Midia Navodari (the only marine terminal in Romania)," said Florin Preda, general manager of ButanGas Romania. However, he did not specify if the group was in negotiations to take over LPG players, nor did he provide any names.

Sursa: www.zf.ro/articol_159273

^^ Butangas' Bulgarian equivalent is Bulmarket, it is a company from my hometown, owned by an ex-minister.

They have their own LPG port near Ruse, a number of methane gas stations, a railway cargo transport license (they operate their own cargo trains), and are now building a biodiesel factory.

http://www.bulmarket.bg/

Check out Butangas' presence in Europe!!



Albania http://www.tirana-butangas.com.al/
Austria http://www.drachengas.at/
Bulgaria http://www.butangas.bg/
Germania http://www.drachengas.de/
Grecia http://www.petrogaz.gr/
Italia http://www.butangas.it/
Maroc http://www.butangas.ma/
Polonia http://www.dragongaz.pl/
România http://www.butangas.ro/
Serbia-Montenegru http://corporate.butangas.com/serbia/

Bulgarian cell phone retailer 2be opened its first outlet in Skopje. Here is a lousy cell phone shot

http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee251/djurob_bucket/01022008016.jpg

Bulgarian cell phone retailer 2be opened its first outlet in Skopje. Here is a lousy cell phone shot


^^ Thanks! :okay:

btw, They have very nice commercial policy here ... using one funny gold fish (http://www.vbox7.com/play:ab61caf8) character :) Defenetely 2be's TV commercials are a lot better than those of Germanos here.

^^ Thanks! :okay:

btw, They have very nice commercial policy here ... using one funny gold fish (http://www.vbox7.com/play:ab61caf8) character :) Defenetely 2be's TV commercials are a lot better than those of Germanos here.

Germanos don't even have TV commercials here... they only advertise in printed media.

vbox7 clips almost never open for me for some reason :(

Germanos don't even have TV commercials here... they only advertise in printed media.

vbox7 clips almost never open for me for some reason :(

^^ vbox7 are a problem for me too . This one needed like 10 minutes to start playing and it is not because of my internet connection.

Try this one (http://www.vbox7.com/play:1ddc48f6). Germanos are using one puppy in their commercials. A funny nervous talking puppy (http://www.vbox7.com/play:29c27af8). But since last autumn 2be kicked them in the arse with their 3D Gold Fish character. :lol: It's a lot funnier and i believe it was more successfull from advertising point of view ;)

Ok, that is what I read in our newspapers, they were simply lying then
Picadily has a relatively small share of the total market but according to this article (http://www.investor.bg/?id=59802)(in Bulgarian) the new owner- Delta Maxi, Serbia plans serious expansion in the next few years.Their plans are to open 20 more supermarkets and 40-50 shops in the smaller towns.

The Bucharest Stock Exchange may issue a take over bid for the Slovenian Stock Exchange. Warsaw and Athens Stock Exchanges are also interested in a take over of the Slovenian Stock Exchange.


BVB ar putea prelua Bursa slovena
de A.N. HotNews.ro
Vineri, 1 februarie 2008, 17:26 Ultima ora


Bursa de Valori Bucuresti (BVB) "ar putea fi interesata" de lansarea unei oferte de preluare a bursei slovene, a declarat presedintele-director general al BVB, Stere Farmache, citat de Reuters.

"Bursa de la Bucuresti are potential de dezvoltare. BVB functioneaza intr-o tara de dimensiuni mari din cadrul UE, astfel incat aria activitatii sale poate fi extinsa, asa ca nu excludem aceasta posibilitate", a afirmat Farmache.

Presedintele BVB a spus ca Bursa de la Bucuresti are potential de dezvoltare, atat pe plan intern, cat si in regiune.

Hellenic Exchanges, grupul care detine Bursa de la Atena, va licita pe 8 februarie pentru un pachet de 64% din actiunile bursei de valori slovene (Ljubljanska Borza). De preluare este interesata si Bursa de la Varsovia.

I am interested what mobile operators 2be are working with in Macedonia?

BSE can hardly take care of themselves (pathetic number of IPOs, terrible share capital increase procedures, awful marketing, daily frauds and manipulations not taken care of, etc.) yet they're interested in taking over someone else. :lol: Ridiculous.

Business Standard
04 februarie 2008

The Warsaw Stock Exchange (WSE), one of the largest stock exchanges in Central and Eastern Europe, intends to launch the Sibiu share market in the first six months of the year. WSE bought a share package at Sibiu Financial Monetary and Assets Exchange (SIBEX) last year as part of its strategy to become a regional financial center in Central and Eastern Europe.

Ludwik Sobolewski, President and CEO of the Warsaw bourse, said that WSE has allocated time and important resources for this project, but he did not mention how many listings he expects for the Sibiu Stock Exchange.

Teodor Ancuta, SIBEX President, said at the end of 2007 that he estimates daily liquidity to amount to €10-15 million on the spot market. Sobolewski mentioned that Romanian and Polish brokers will have access to the Sibiu share market.

In early January, the Sibiu Stock Exchange became a member of the Association of Futures Markets (AFM), an international organization that comprises stock exchanges from emerging futures markets in Europe, Asia, South America and Africa.

“Romania is one of the countries where we have encountered problems because the legislation is more restrictive, but we have also found that the representatives of the Sibiu bourse are very determined to collaborate very closely,” Sobolewski says.

WSE owns 1.8 percent of SIBEX. “I think Romania has great potential, and the competition between the Sibiu and Bucharest Stock Exchanges can only be positive,” Sobolewski added.


Welcome, Poland. Great to have you here! :cheers:

BTW: Technomarket is Opening another store in Bosnia and Herzegovina city Zenica!

www.dzananov.ba

I think technomarket is Bulgarian or Romanian?

And they have a store in Zenica in the center! they have 2/3 stores in Sarajevo and one in (Banja Luka but I'm not sure)

^^Technomarket is Bulgarian. It has a store in Romania, too, in Targoviste, and plans to open 4 stores in Bucharest and 1 in each city above 100.000 inhabitants. :cheers:

Technomarket a deschis primul magazin la Targoviste, alte 10 magazine - pana la sfarsitul lui 2008

Technomarket, ce activeaza in domeniul retailului de electronice si electrocasnice pe piata din Bulgaria si Serbia, a deschis primul magazin din Romania, in orasul Targoviste, informeaza un comunicat remis Agentiei Rompres. Introducerea noului brand pe piata din Romania s-a petrecut in aceeasi zi cu incheierea tranzactiei prin care fondul britanic de investitii Equest Investments Balkans Limited, prin subsidiara Lynx Property BV, a devenit oficial proprietar majoritar, cu 75% din actiuni, al Domo Retail.

Equest detine in proportie de 100 la 100 si actiunile lantului regional de magazine Technomarket. Cu tranzactia Domo s-a creat "cel mai mare grup de retail specializat in electrocasnice, electronice si IT&C din sud-estul Europei, in ceea ce priveste cifra de afaceri, care va adopta pe toate pietele pe care activeaza o strategie de dezvoltare bazata pe doua branduri: Technomarket si Domo".

Magazinul recent deschis la Targoviste este un pilot de format mai mic, introducand conceptul Technomarket in Romania, pe o suprafata de 1300 mp si oferind spre vanzare 3500 de articole. Urmatoarele magazine din Romania vor avea un format specific Technomarket, cu o suprafata de 3000 mp, comercializand aproximativ 8000 de articole. In urmatorii trei ani, se vor deschide 4 magazine in Bucuresti si cate un magazin Technomarket in orasele cu peste 100.000 de locuitori. Reteaua va ajunge la peste 30 de magazine, din care cel putin 10 vor fi deschise pana la sfarsitul anului 2008.

Articol bazat pe un material furnizat de agentia de presa Rompres.
SMART financial - www.SMARTfinancial.ro ©

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Zuarul Financiar
Data: 06-02-2008

Mobexpert group, owned by businessman Dan Sucu, is set to invest 8m euros this year when it adds 4 new large stores to its national network, after last year it opened just one store in Sofia, Bulgaria.

"The Sofia store is similar to the one in Brasov. It hasn't quite reached the level of those in Bucharest, which are the network's strongest. In Romania, we became a brand after 15 years, whereas we've only been present for several months in Sofia," Sucu explained.

The Sofia store, which opened in September 2007, has registered very good results, with a 15% average monthly increase in sales, company data reveals.

Last year, the group generated turnover worth 168m euros, up 12% against 2006 and estimates turnover to increase 10% this year, in line with market growth, to 185m euros.

"We largely generated the growth we expected to post in 2008 in 2007. We are more restrained now, because we must leave room for manufacturing activities," added Sucu.

Mobexpert sales increased by average of 28% at a regional level compared with 2006. Group research shows the home furniture and d?cor segment generated 77% of sales, while from the office furniture segment accounted for 23%. On the Bucharest market, sales advanced by 25% against 2006.

"2007 brought higher-than-expected results for Mobexpert group. In retail, last year was a year when we opened several lines that we will continue to follow in 2008. Among them, the first Mobexpert hypermarket outside Romania, in Sofia, marked our consolidation as a regional player. On the manufacturing segment, we launched the Targu-Mures project, in order to meet the productivity and turnover increases we have outlined until 2012," Sucu added.

Mobexpert's exports fell by 11% last year compared with 2006, while the company's representatives anticipate the trend will continue this year as volumes are directed to the regional market amid Mobexpert's expansion. As a result, whereas in 2006 deliveries on foreign markets accounted for 38% in production, they reached 27% of the total last year, with the margin expected to reach 20% this year.

"(...) I am retaining export activities because this way we can monitor Western trends," said Dan Sucu.

The group will focus on the relocation of some plants to a new project located in Targu-Mures that will require investments worth 28m euros. In the wake of this move the production activity of ConfoMex, StudioMex, IleforMex and MuresMex plants will be relocated to new spaces. The group's most up-to-date logistics platform will be launched in the same location, as part of the same project, and become operational in the second quarter of 2008.

Mobexpert wants to see its turnover increase three times by 2012, a 50% increase in plant productivity compared with 2006, and also strengthen its position as a regional player in furniture retail.


Sursa: www.zf.ro/articol_159828

Any pics of the Technomarket store in Targoviste?

I think technomarket is Bulgarian or Romanian?

And they have a store in Zenica in the center! they have 2/3 stores in Sarajevo and one in (Banja Luka but I'm not sure)
Yes they have a shop in BL.

Any pics of the Technomarket store in Targoviste?

Can't find any on the web. :ohno:

Romanian "Altex" to Step on Bulgarian Market


The Romanian computer technic and electronics chain Altex intends to open its first shop in Bulgaria in the beginning of 2009, informs sgrada.com.


http://images.ibox.bg/2008/02/13/altex/220x112.jpg

The expansion strategy of the company includes partnership contracts with international trade chains as Carrefour, Real and Billa, with Bulgaria being the first external market, on which Altex plans to step.

According to the executive director of the chain Adrian Urda, apart from Sofia, the company will target also other big towns in Bulgaria. At the moment Aletex is negotiating with its potential strategic partners with which the company hopes to work also on the Romanian market.

In Bulgaria Altex plans to concentrate its shops in the trade parks and is not excluding the possibility for acquiring an already existing chain. Beside Bulgaria, Altex plans to continue its expansion in Southeast Europe at the end of 2009 and the beginning of 2010, including Moldova and Ukraine.

The Romanian market for computer technic and electronics registers a turnover of 1.1 bln EURfor 2007and it is expected this year to rise with 15% to 1.3 bln EUR.

As a result, Tender SA is the largest shareholder in the Serbian company, and intends to call for a general shareholders meeting to change the company's management.


Tender a cumparat 25% dintr-un holding de servicii si echipamente de telefonie din Serbia

Autor: Mediafax
Data: 13 Feb 2008

Tender SA a achizitionat, recent, aproape 25% din actiunile Pupin Telecom din Serbia, compania romaneasca devenind astfel cel mai mare actionar al acestui holding, format din cinci firme specializate in furnizarea de echipamente si servicii de telefonie, informeaza Mediafax.

"Suntem in continuare in proces de achizitie si vom participa si la o majorare de capital de doua milioane de euro. In acest moment, am devenit cei mai mari actionari. Undeva in luna martie, cel tarziu inceputul lunii aprilie, vom convoca adunarea generala a actionarilor pentru a decide asupra unei eventuale noi formule de management", a declarat omul de afaceri Ovidiu Tender, care detine grupul Tender, fara sa precizeze pretul la care a achizitionat participatia.

http://www.citynews.ro/TriGranit-pe-locul-trei+20+3829

TriGranit pe locul trei

Un recent clasament al PropertyEU, una dintre cele mai prestigioase publicatii internationale de specialitate, claseaza TriGranit Development Corporation pe locul 3 intre cei mai mari 100 de dezvoltatori imobiliari din Europa.

In cei peste 10 ani de experienta, TriGranit s-a dovedit a fi unul din jucatorii importanti de pe piata Central-Est Europeana imobiliara.

Lorant Varga, CEO Trigranit, a declarat ca in curand corporatia va ajunge pe locul intai, la nivel Central-Est European, ca apoi sa devina numarul 1 in fiecare tara in care actioneaza.

TriGranit este dezvoltatorul care a construit Polus Center Cluj si care lucreaza la Polus Center Constanta.

Alexandra Petrusca


TriGranit is on 3rd rank of the top 100 Real Estate Developers in Europe.

M-am cam plictisit de Tri-Carton astia; pina nu se apuca de Espanada sint zero barat :nuts: pentru mine. Salutari zinei, anyway ...

Business Standard
19 februarie 2008

Transactions on the Romanian market last year totaled €5 billion, with the most intensive activity in the real estate sector, according to advisory and audit company, KPMG Romania. The company’s specialists are expecting the number of investors from Central and Eastern Europe to increase significantly on the local market.

“To date, British, Austrian and German investors have come to Romania. We already have many demands to evaluate companies on behalf of investors from Poland and Hungary. I believe that the number of these countries will increase in the coming period,” said Wilson Balachandra, Partner, Transaction Services for KPMG Romania.

Other sectors that attracted investors last year were financial services, retail and the pharmaceutical industry. KPMG consultants are expecting the rhythm on the Romanian merger and acquisitions (M&A) market to be as intense in 2008, although somewhat less ambitious, due to major business opportunities on the local market.

The largest transaction in 2007 was the takeover by KazMunaiGas of 75 percent of the Rompetrol group for €2.5 billion, making up half of the total value of the M&A market.

The most attractive sectors for M&A in 2008 will be production and construction, as well as distribution and pharmaceuticals, and KPMG’s Partner believes there will an increase in private equity transactions.

Ziarul Financiar
Data: 19-02-2008

The largest constructions company on the Polish market, Polimex - Mostostal, listed on the Warsaw Stock Exchange, has acquired the Coifer group, one of the largest players on the metallic structures market, in a transaction that will take place over several stages and could eventually amount to 25 million euros. Polimex - Mostostal has acquired a 75% stake in Coifer for 18.75 million euros, with the remaining shares to be purchased at a future stage for a sum ranging from 2.5 million euros to 6.25 million euros, according to representatives of the Polish company. The Coifer group was held by Italian businessman Piero Francisci who controlled 60% of the shares, and by minority shareholders Corina Zaharia and Alexandru Zarnescu. Contacted by ZIARUL FINANCIAR, businessman Piero Francisci declined to comment on the transaction.

Bulgarian insurance companyBulstrad (http://www.bulstrad.bg/en) to expand in Romania and Greece.

ЗПАД Булстрад e уведомило КФН за намерението си да извършва дейност по застраховане на територията на Румъния и Гърция, съобщиха от надзора.

За миналата година застрахователната компания отчете печалба от 984 хил. лв. спрямо 1,6 млн. лв. за 2006 г. Получените премии за миналата година, нетни от презастраховане, нарастват с 23,3% спрямо 2006 г. до 121,9 млн. лв.

Възникналите претенции, нетни от презастраховане, са на стойност 73,28 млн. лв. при 65,86 млн. лв. за предходната година.

Днес акциите на ЗПАД Булстрад поевтиняха с 0,57% до 173 лв. за брой при изтъргувани 20 лота.

Teraplast produces construction and plastic materials.



Teraplast va investi 66 mil. euro in extinderea productiei si dezvoltarea la nivel regional

Ziarul Financiar
25-02-2008

Grupul Teraplast Bistrita, producator de materiale de constructii si materiale plastice, va investi in urmatorii cinci ani 66 de milioane de euro in relocarea si extinderea capacitatilor de productie, precum si in dezvoltare regionala, in tari precum Bulgaria, Serbia, Ucraina sau Ungaria.

Cea mai mare parte a programului de investitii va fi derulata anul acesta, cand Teraplast va investi 22,6 milioane de euro pentru continuarea procesului de relocare inceput in 2006, a carui finalizare este estimata pentru sfarsitul anului 2008.

"Fabrica se afla in prezent intr-o zona centrala a orasului si nu mai putem sa ne extindem. Activam pe o piata aflata intr-un cadru investitional atractiv, avand in vedere deficitul de locuinte de pe piata locala si de investitiile care vor fi derulate in urmatorii ani prin programele operationale, iar programul de investitii este necesar", a declarat Emanoil Viciu, directorul general si presedintele Consiliului de Administratie al Teraplast.

Grupul isi va reloca cinci din cele opt unitati de productie intr-un parc industrial, situat la aproximativ zece kilometri de Bistrita, in localitatea Saratel. Proiectul va fi desfasurat pe o suprafata de aproape 20 hectare, unde grupul intentioneaza sa construiasca alte doua fabrici noi.

In locul actualei fabrici, care se afla pe un teren de 6,5 hectare, actionarii Teraplast iau in considerare asocierea cu un investitor imobiliar. "Nu ne-am hotarat daca vom vinde terenul sau vom dezvolta, in calitate de partener, un proiect imobiliar", a spus Viciu.

Investitiile din urmatorii cinci ani vor fi acoperite din surse proprii si credite bancare, la care s-ar putea adauga fondurile obtinute in urma listarii a 25% din titlurile Teraplast la Bursa de Valori Bucuresti, operatiune programata pentru prima parte a acestui an.

"Suntem pregatiti pentru listarea la bursa, suntem in stadii avansate pentru acest proces si intentionam ca pana la jumatatea anului sa derulam acest IPO. Deocamdata, bursa e agitata si nu e bine sa iesim cu barca pe o mare agitata", spune Viciu.

Comisia Nationala a Valorilor Mobiliare a aprobat prospectul preliminar de oferta publica initiala al Teraplast la 31 ianuarie 2008. Valoarea nominala va fi de 0,1 lei pe unitate, iar operatiunea este intermediata de compania de brokeraj Raiffeisen Capital & Investment. Pretul la care se vor vinde actiunile urmeaza sa fie stabilit in functie de reactia investitorilor.

Grupul are in vedere si extinderea regionala, in perioada 2010-2013, prin achizitii sau investitii directe in Serbia, Bulgaria, Ucraina si Ungaria.

In prezent, ponderea exporturilor in afacerile consolidate se afla la circa 6,8% si vor urca anul acesta la 10-10,5%.

Pe langa compania omonima, grupul bistritean mai detine firmele Plastsistem si Politub, in cadrul carora Teraplast SA detine participatii de 70%, respectiv 50%. Plastsistem produce panouri sandwich pentru constructii comerciale si industriale, iar Politub, detinut in proportie de 50% de compania franceza Socotub, produce tuburi din polietilena pentru retelele de gaz si apa.

Teraplast SA este controlata in proportie de 94% de patru actionari, respectiv SIF Banat-Crisana, Marley Ungaria (membra a grupului belgian Aliaxis) si doua persoane fizice, printre care si Emanoil Viciu, care detine 30% din actiuni.

Teraplast produce sisteme complete de canalizare interioara si exterioara, alimentare cu apa si incalzire, finisaje interioare si exterioare, profile pentru tamplarie PVC, ferestre si usi cu geam termopan.

Grupul estimeaza pentru anul acesta o cifra de afaceri consolidata de 91 de milioane de euro, in crestere cu 30% fata de anul trecut.

Teraplast are in prezent 682 de angajati si intentioneaza sa mareasca numarul salariatilor cu 20% anul acesta.


Sursa: www.zf.ro/articol_162427

Бугарска банка ја презеде „Силекс банка“
25.02.2008 20:41

Централна кооперативна банка од Бугарија ја презеде „Силекс банка“. Комисијата за хартии од вредност ја прогласи за успешна понудата за откуп на акциите од скопската банка.

Централна кооперативна банка ја известила комисијата дека презема 62,57% од акциите на „Силекс банка“. Заедно со претходно купениот удел од 16% , сега бугарската групација ќе поседува 78,6% од „Силекс банка“.

Оваа банкарска трансакција се проценува на 10,6 милиони евра.

Софиската банка од НБ на Македонија доби дозвола за преземање и на Поштенска банка. Иако, преговорите се водат со месеци, конечна одлука нема.

Во Поштенска банка главниот збор го има владата која освен 33% поседува и златна акција. Останатите две третини од Поштенска банка се во сопственост на „Еуростандард“ банката.
TRANSLATION
The Central Cooperative Bank of Bulgaria has purchased 62.57% of the stocks of Macedonia's Sileks Bank for 10.6 million Euros. Together, with the previous purchase of 16% of the stocks, the Bulgarian bank now owns a total of 78.6% of Sileks Banka.
The Peoples Bank of the Republic of Macedonia has also given the green light for the purchase of the Poshtenska Banka in Skopje, however no concrete decisions have been made for a takeover yet.

http://a1.com.mk/vesti/default.asp?VestID=90103

Business Standard
27 februarie 2008

The Warsaw Stock Exchange (WSE) intends to increase its participation in the Sibiu bourse by up to 5 percent. At present it has 1.81 percent of the capital of the Sibiu Monetary-Financial and Commodities Exchange (SIBEX).

“The Sibiu bourse has indicated its intention to acquire a further 3.19 percent of Sibiu stock exchange shares from its present shareholders, to a maximum level of 5 percent, which is presently permitted by law,” said Teodor Ancuta, President of SIBEX.

The National Commodities Commission received a draft from the Ministry of Economy and Finance for the modification of the capital market law, which would raise the maximum permissible level of shares that can be owned of a Romanian stock exchange. “We hope that by 15 March this threshold will be raised, especially since this legislation has no equivalent in European Union legislation regulating this area,” added Ancuta.

SIBEX’s management has proposed to its shareholders an increase of some €4 million in share capital, up to €6 mln. According to capital market regulations, SIBEX must have a share capital of at least €5 mln by the end of this year, in order to continue as a market operator.

5% is too much lol

http://www.gtc.com.pl/html/img/logo_gtc.gif

GTC (PL) strengthens its position in CEE


Subsidiaries of Globe Trade Centre S.A. (GTC) are beginning to carry out new investments in Romania and Bulgaria.

GTC Bulgaria has acquired 75% of shares in the company building a shopping mall in Stara Zagora, Bulgaria.

GTC Romania has purchased land for a residential investment in Bucharest.



B U L G A R I A

GTC Bulgaria will build the first modern shopping center in Stara Zagora. Stara Zagora is a city located on the route from Sofia to the Black Sea coast. In this city of 180,000, two investments important for the Bulgarian market are currently underway: the country’s largest brewery, being built by Heineken, and construction of a thermal power station. GTC acquired a plot of 12,500 m² in the city and plans to construct a shopping mall with net area of 23,000 m². The opening of the mall is planned for Spring 2009. The value of the investment is €42 million, of which €5.5 million represents the cost of purchase of the site (€4.1 million is the part attributable to GTC Bulgaria).

The shopping center in Stara Zagora, GTC’s second investment of this type in Bulgaria, is being carried out with the participation of a local partner holding 25% of shares in the venture. In May of this year, GTC Bulgaria also acquired a majority stake in a company constructing a shopping mall in Varna. The company is currently planning further investments in this sector in Bulgaria, which has one of the lowest levels in the region of modern retail space per resident. Since EU accession, dynamic growth of the commercial sector is expected in this country. The demand for modern buildings will grow along with growth in the income of the local population, additionally strengthened by purchasing power.



R O M A N I A

GTC’s latest investment in Romania began with acquisition of 66,7% of shares (cost: €9,61 million) in the company possessing 46,500-m² plot, on which 85,000 m² of apartments will be built (57,000 m² is the part attributable to GTC Romania). The site is located in northern Bucharest, in a popular and rapidly growing residential district, not far from the investment (100,000 m² of middle- and upper-class apartments) which GTC acquired in early July of this year, near the prestigious American School.

This investment is planned to be completed in 2009-2010. In addition to holding a majority share, the company will also be responsible for management of the project, for which it will receive a fee equal to 5% of the investment costs (excluding the cost of land).



After this transaction is finalized, GTC’s completed and under development investment portfolio in Romania will include:

427,000 m² of residential space

115,700 m² of retail space, and

98,400 m² of office space.



Meanwhile, the development projects conducted by GTC in Bulgaria will include:
60,700 m² of retail space, and

8,500 m² of office space.


Source: GTC
http://asia-re.com/system/main.php?pageid=2616&articleid=9359


:)

Romanian company Siveco takes over Bulgarian IT company for 3 million euro
http://english.hotnews.ro/stiri-business-2467808-romanian-company-siveco-takes-over-bulgarian-company-for-3-million-euro.htm

IT company Siveco Romania has taken over Bulgarian firm IT Latona for 3 million euro and is currently negotiating the purchase of other similar companies by the end of the year, Siveco Executive Director Irina Socol declared on Thursday, quoted by Romanian news agency Mediafax.

Out of the total value of the transaction, the purchase price is actually 2 million euro but the other 1 million euro represents the total investments Siveco plans for the newly bought Bulgarian company.

Socol declared that the Bulgarian market has two main advantages for Siveco: on the one hand, Bulgaria is very close to Romania and the Bulgarian market has a great potential for growth.

Siveco Romania estimates a 20% growth from the 70 million dollars registered last year, to 84 million dollars in 2008. Siveco registered a 65% growth last year as compared to 2006.

^^Cross broder investments in the Balkans are finally picking up! Great trend!!!

Romania plans to float Romtelecom minority stake

BUCHAREST (Reuters) - Romania plans to float at least 10 percent of leading land-line telephone operator Romtelecom, majority-owned by Greece's OTE, this year, the government said yesterday. The float was scheduled for 2006 but has been repeatedly delayed after recent selloffs came under the spotlight on suspicion of commercial espionage. «We wish that this year, this fall, to successfully finalize the listing procedure on the bourse,» Telecoms Minister Karoly Borbely said in a statement. The Cabinet said the procedure will take around eight months to complete and that the planned stake on float could be raised. The government, which holds a 46 percent stake in the company, said the procedure to select a consultant to advise on the sale will be relaunched.

Autor: Ziarul Financiar
Data: 28-02-2008

La Fantana, the largest watercooler bottler on the Romanian market, anticipates sales worth 5 million euros in Serbia this year, up 40% against 2007.

On its two markets (Romania and Serbia) the company has budgeted total sales worth 33 million euros in 2008, up 65% against 2007, amid an increase in the consumption of watercooler-bottled water.

La Fantana estimates to sell 108 million litres this year, compared with 90 million litres in 2007. Acquiring a similar company in a country in the region could accelerate the regional expansion of the business.

The company's development plans include expanding the portfolio of products and services. Last year, the bottler also entered the household consumers segment. La Fantana held around 70% of the local watercooler market and around 60% of the Serbian market. The company's main rival on the Romanian market is local player Cumpana, which last year acquired a smaller player, Aqua Regis.

Sursa: www.zf.ro/articol_163024

Romanian company Siveco takes over Bulgarian IT company for 3 million euro
http://english.hotnews.ro/stiri-business-2467808-romanian-company-siveco-takes-over-bulgarian-company-for-3-million-euro.htm

IT company Siveco Romania has taken over Bulgarian firm IT Latona for 3 million euro and is currently negotiating the purchase of other similar companies by the end of the year, Siveco Executive Director Irina Socol declared on Thursday, quoted by Romanian news agency Mediafax.

Out of the total value of the transaction, the purchase price is actually 2 million euro but the other 1 million euro represents the total investments Siveco plans for the newly bought Bulgarian company.

Socol declared that the Bulgarian market has two main advantages for Siveco: on the one hand, Bulgaria is very close to Romania and the Bulgarian market has a great potential for growth.

Siveco Romania estimates a 20% growth from the 70 million dollars registered last year, to 84 million dollars in 2008. Siveco registered a 65% growth last year as compared to 2006.

^^


ASESOFT places an unsolicited bid of 100 million EUR to take over SIVECO

Asesoft is a Ploiesti based Romanian IT&C company with exports in the EU, Russia and Middle East. The company's turnover for the last year was at 104 million EUR.




Daily Business
28.02.2008

Sebastian Ghita, presedinte Asesoft International, asteapta un raspuns de la Siveco in doua saptamani

Asesoft a facut o oferta de 100 mil. dolari pentru a prelua Siveco Romania
Publicat pe 28 Feb. 2008
Grupul de IT&C Asesoft International a facut o oferta nesolicitata de 100 mil. dolari pentru preluarea companiei de IT Siveco Romania, oferta urmand sa primeasca un raspuns oficial in circa doua saptamani, a declarat pentru DailyBusiness Sebastian Ghita, presedinte Asesoft International.
"Asteptam raspunsul consiliului director al Siveco Romania la mijlocul lunii martie, termenul care ni s-a dat pentru primirea unui raspuns la oferta noastra", a spus Ghita.

O parte din actionariatul Siveco a fost de acord cu oferta de preluare in timp ce o alta parte a sustinut ideea ca pot aparea oferte mai bune, a mai spus Ghita.

Reprezentantii companiei Siveco au facut public joi dimineata, in cadrul unei conferinte in care au anuntat o preluare in Bulgaria, faptul ca au primit mai multe oferte de cumparare, inclusiv una de la Asesoft.

"Asesoft nu are un buget special destinat achizitiilor de companii, insa in momentul in care consideram ca exista o oportunitate pe piata, suntem capabili sa atragem capital care sa ne permita sa facem o oferta de preluare", a continuat Ghita.

In 2008, Asesoft International isi propune sa se extinda prin achizitii in domeniile in care activeaza (telecom, distributie, servicii IT, solutii IT profesionale dedicate afacerilor-n.r) si sa atraga in grup de manageri de top, a mai spus Ghita.

Oferta de 100 mil. dolari vine dupa ce in septembrie 2007, compania cu sediul in Ploiesti a facut o oferta de achizitionare a 30% din Siveco Romania pentru 30 de mil. euro.

Oficialii Siveco Romania nu au facut nici un comentariu legat de oferta de 100 mil. dolari anuntata de Sebastian Ghita.

Asesoft International a fost fondata acum 10 ani, fiind o companie cu capital privat integral romanesc. Grupul Asesoft International are in componenta TeamNet, firma care ofera solutii software, Asesoft Net, cu portaluri pe Internet, cu o profitabilitate de la 20 la 40%, Asesoft Smart si Asesoft Distribution.

Infiintata la inceputul anului 1992, Siveco Romania SA este o casa de software din Romania care asigura o mare parte din volumul total al exporturilor de produse software din Romania in tari din Europa, Orientul Mijlociu si spatiul CSI. Intre actionarii Siveco Romania se numara Intel Capital, Polish Enterprise Fund V (fond de investitii administrat de Enterprise Investors), Siveco Netherlands B.V.

Compania Siveco estimeaza o crestere de 20% a cifrei de afaceri in acest an, pana la 84 mil. dolari.

Asesoft obtine circa trei sferturi din business din activitatile de distributie, estimate la 104 mil. dolari pe anul trecut.

^^ Le Clerk what happened ? :) Big Fish, Small Fish ?

http://www1.istockphoto.com/file_thumbview_approve/1007655/2/istockphoto_1007655_big_fish_eats_small_fish.jpg

BTW which is the Bulgarian IT company?

^^ Latona (http://latona-bg.com/web/latonanew/home.nsf/0/996B202D5576FC00C2256D78003A19CA?OpenDocument) I never heard it though. Did you ?

^^ Le Clerk what happened ? :) Big Fish, Small Fish ?

http://www1.istockphoto.com/file_thumbview_approve/1007655/2/istockphoto_1007655_big_fish_eats_small_fish.jpg

Seems like it. :) There is going to be a lot of mergers and acquisitions in Romania and in the neighbourhood markets this year. Romanian companies have grown large enough on the national market and now have the power to expand by taking over other companies which give them opportunities for business abroad. :cheers:

Ahhhh Lotus Domino based site, reminds me of the Sofia kindergardens' affair :)

Nope, haven't heard about them.

Seems like it. :) There is going to be a lot of mergers and acquisitions in Romania and in the neighbourhood markets this year. Romanian companies have grown large enough on the national market and now have the power to expand by taking over other companies which give them opportunities for business abroad. :cheers:

^^ This is all good :cheers: more business between each other, better for all of us.

^^ This is all good :cheers: more business between each other, better for all of us.

Definitely, and I expect this trend of investments in neighbouring countries to grow in the coming period. :cheers:

Romania IT Firm Buys Bulgarian Partner
http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/main/news/8400/

06 March 2008 Sofia - Romania's largest software business, SIVECO, took over its Bulgarian counterpart LATONA after years of cooperation, a Bulgarian news portal reported Wednesday.
The move marks the first Romanian investment in the Information Technology sector abroad.
The negotiations on the deal between the two companies from the two newest European Union countries had been going on since 2003.
Irina Sokol, the head of the Romanian company said the “the Bulgarian market provides SIVECO with the opportunity to develop large-scale projects.”
The deal is seen as a result of the complete compatibility between SIVECO and LATONA.
Both companies have been successful in incorporating the integrated information system for Bulgaria's National Health Insurance Fund.
SIVEKO offers efficient EAS solutions, Document Management, Business Intelligence, eLearning, eHealth, eAgriculture, eCustoms, and eBusiness solutions at national and international levels. It also specializes in developing complex and large-scale IT projects, and has 1800 customers in 35 countries.
The company was founded in 1992. It exports software products to the European Union, the Middle East and Eastern Europe.
Its shareholders are Intel Capital, Polish Enterprise Fund V, and SIVECO Holland B.V. The company received first prize at the world IT championship, WSIS. Its educational projects have been approved by the European Commission as "Best Practice."
Bulgarian LATONA was founded in 1995, and has specialized in consulting services for business processes restructuring, project management, efficient manufacturing organisation, incorporation of ERP solutions, and professional education.
The company has a partnership programmes with global leaders in the IT and business consulting such as IDS Scheer, SAP, Autodesk, Oracle, and IBM.

^^ It was posted on the previous page :)

Marfin Investment Group to Acquire a Controlling Interest in Sunce Koncern d.d

http://www.prnewswire.co.uk/cgi/news/release?id=221590

ATHENS, March 6 /PRNewswire/ -- Marfin Investment Group ("MIG") announces that it has signed an agreement with the shareholders of Sunce Koncern d.d. ("Sunce") for the acquisition of a controlling equity interest in the company.

Sunce is one of the largest Croatian groups in the tourism and leisure sector. The company owns and operates 11 hotels (approx. 5,000 beds) situated in prime locations along the Adriatic coast under the Blue Sun Hotels & Resorts brand. The hotels also include 1 conference centre (800 seats), 26 tennis courts (WTA and ITF events) and 3 wellness/ SPA centres.

Finally, Sunce owns as well a majority stake in the airport of Brac Island and over 860,000 square meters of land of the highest quality (T1 rated) fully permissioned for construction and development.

Today, Sunce is a clear and recognised leader in Croatia's renowned and fast growing tourism industry, and thanks to its strong brand recognition and development projects it is set to strengthen further its position as a showcase of Croatia.

In the context of the transaction, Sunce and MIG will participate (90%) in the realisation of the health-tourism project Stubicke Toplice, based on the model of Public to Private Partnership with the County of Krapina and Zagorje, won by the company through a competitive tender in late 2007. The project will create one of the largest health-tourism complexes in the region, with 2 hospitals and 3 hotels (over 1,100 beds) plus a whole array of wellness, recreational and business facilities.

Total consideration to be paid by MIG is EUR 155m for approximately 75% of Sunce. Furthermore, MIG plans on undertaking substantial additional investments in the business post-acquisition, leveraging on its strong current position and expanding in all sectors currently covered by the company.

On the occasion of signing of the memorandum of understanding, Mr. Jako Andabak (Chairman of Sunce) made the following statement:

"We are thrilled to welcome MIG as a majority shareholder of our Group in a move that will allow Sunce to meet its exciting growth challenges from a position of substantial financial and strategic advantage."

Mr. Andreas Vgenopoulos (Executive Vice-Chairman of MIG) stated:

"MIG is delighted by this first investment in Croatia, a country with excellent growth prospects and a leading tourism sector. This investment fits perfectly MIG's regional and sectorial strategy, and it represents an investment in three of MIG's stated key sectors, ie Tourism & Leisure, Healthcare and Infrastructure. The Sunce acquisition is further testament to MIG's regional reach and ability to source significantly value accretive transactions for its shareholders, as well as its commitment to further investments in Croatia. Last but not least, we are truly delighted to be striking a longer term partnership with Mr. Andabak, potentially spanning other sectors in Croatia."

The transaction is subject to satisfactory completion of due diligence and is expected to close in the second quarter of 2008, following the receipt of all necessary approvals.

Business Standard
07 martie 2008

The owners of the Oradea group of Simcor companies, one of the largest producers in Romania of aircrete (AAC) and construction materials, are engaged in advanced discussions for the sale of the business to an investor already present on the market. The transaction, which could be concluded shortly, is estimated to be worth some €60 million, according to sources close to the deal.

Quotes sources added that Enterprise Investors, which administers the Polish Enterprise Fund and which has the BCA Macon Deva business in its portfolio, is in pole position in negotiations to take over Simcor, having made a bid exceeding €60 mln. The German businessman Stache Lutz, main shareholder of the Simcor group, and his associate, Mihai Voiculescu, carried out discussions with several potential investors.

Contacted by Business Standard, Mihai Voiculescu, representative of Simcor Oradea, indicated that he could not divulge confidential information on the negotation process until the deal is concluded.

By the closing of this edition, Enterprise Investors officials could not be contacted.

If Enterprise Investors acquires the Oradea group it will become the largest producer of AAC in Romania, with a total annual production capacity of some 550,000 cubic meters, representing 25 percent of local production, valuated in 2007 at 2.2 mln cubic meters. At present, Macon Deva produces an annual 240,000 cubic meters of AAC, while the two Simcor factories in Oradea and Suceava have a total annual production capacity of 315,000 cubic meters.

The Simcor group has nine companies, and its aircrete business produces the greatest yield, worth €25 mln, followed by its annual production of 230,000 tons of lime in Targu Jiu and Medgidia. Other companies produce, among others, mortars and adhesives, prefabricated concrete, electrical poles, and fireplaces.

Petrom set to expand internationally
www.zf.ro, 10 March 2008

Petrom, the largest Romanian company, at the end of last year accounted for 31% of petroleum products sold through filling stations in Moldova, 18% in Bulgaria and 13% in the former Yugoslavia (i.e. Serbia and Montenegro) through 257 filling stations, an increase from 211 at the end of 2006.

As a result Petrom's retail investments abroad amounted to around 70m euros last year, with the figure per petrol station standing at 1.5m euros.

Petrom entered the markets of Bulgaria, Serbia and Montenegro in early 2006, when it acquired filling station networks through which OMV, the company's majority shareholder, operated on these markets. Practically, foreign markets are the only ones where Petrom has grown in terms of the number of filling stations. The company also announced that it intended to keep the 550 filling station domestic network at a constant level and break even in the next two years. Domestically, Petrom has relinquished around 100 filling stations to boost efficiency.

Considering, on average, an OMV filling station sells around 5 million litres of fuel each year, double the volume sold by a Petrom station, the oil company's international sales revolved around 1.1bn euros last year.

Retail sales in Moldova account for around 20% of sales posted on the Romanian market, where 3.7 million tonnes of fuel were sold last year just through filling station networks, while the remainder, 5 million tonnes, is represented by sales on the wholesale segment. Under the circumstances, retail on the Bulgarian market amounts to around 1bn euros each year.

Practically, over two years, Petrom has managed to boost its presence in Bulgaria and the former Yugoslavia by around 40%.

The company's target is to reach an around 20% share both on the Bulgarian market and in the former Yugoslavia.

Another interesting market in terms of Petrom expansion may be that of the Ukraine, where the company announced it might enter both the exploration and production segments, as well as the retail one through a filling station network.

Petrom
• At the end of last year accounted for 31% of petroleum products sold through filling stations in Moldova, 18% in Bulgaria and 13% in the former Yugoslavia (i.e. Serbia and Montenegro) through 257 filling stations, an increase from 211 at the end of 2006
• Retail investments Petrom operated abroad last year amount to around 70m euros, given that investments in a petrol station amount to around 1.5m euros

[B]Practically, over two years, Petrom has managed to boost its presence in Bulgaria and the former Yugoslavia by around 40%.

The company's target is to reach an around 20% share both on the Bulgarian market and in the former Yugoslavia.

Another interesting market in terms of Petrom expansion may be that of the Ukraine, where the company announced it might enter both the exploration and production segments, as well as the retail one through a filling station network.

Petrom
• At the end of last year accounted for 31% of petroleum products sold through filling stations in Moldova, 18% in Bulgaria and 13% in the former Yugoslavia (i.e. Serbia and Montenegro) through 257 filling stations, an increase from 211 at the end of 2006
• Retail investments Petrom operated abroad last year amount to around 70m euros, given that investments in a petrol station amount to around 1.5m euros

Impressive performance to boost sales on Bulgarian and Sebian market by 40% in just 2 years! The market share target in both country is also impressive.

Also, another interesting fact is that Petrom's sales now come mostly from abroad (BUlgaria, Serbia and Moldova) with a total of 62%. :cheers:

^^OMV currently develops a lower end of gas stations called Avanti. I don't know who's behind it now? OMV or Petrom.

Rompetrol also announced aggressive expansion on the Bulgarian market.

This is what happens when our petrol company is managed by crooks (mutri as we call them).

Impressive performance to boost sales on Bulgarian and Sebian market by 40% in just 2 years! The market share target in both country is also impressive.

Also, another interesting fact is that Petrom's sales now come mostly from abroad (BUlgaria, Serbia and Moldova) with a total of 62%. :cheers:

This is because OMV transferred all of its BG and SR gas stations to Petrom.

^^OMV currently develops a lower end of gas stations called Avanti. I don't know who's behind it now? OMV or Petrom.

Rompetrol also announced aggressive expansion on the Bulgarian market.

This is what happens when our petrol company is managed by crooks (mutri as we call them).

OMV and Petrom are 2 different companies, although OMV owns 51% in Petrom. They operate separatelly on the Romanian market, and my thinking is that they will operate separately in the region, as well.

It seems awckward to me that OMV develops lower end gas stations in Bulgaria. They develped only high-end gas stations in Romania and, in fact, have among the best stations here, together with MOL and Petrom and Rompetrol.

I hope Petrom will develop some nice gas stations. In fact, that's what they need to increase their market shares in Bulgaria.

This is because OMV transferred all of its BG and SR gas stations to Petrom.

Ah, OK, now I remember this....it happened about two years ago, OMV needed some fast money and sold some of the stations to Petrom. What are Petrom's main rivals in Bulgaria?:cheers:

OMV and Petrom are 2 different companies, although OMV owns 51% in Petrom. They operate separatelly on the Romanian market, and my thinking is that they will operate separately in the region, as well.

It seems awckward to me that OMV develops lower end gas stations in Bulgaria. They develped only high-end gas stations in Romania and, in fact, have among the best stations here, together with MOL and Petrom and Rompetrol.

I hope Petrom will develop some nice gas stations. In fact, that's what they need to increase their market shares in Bulgaria.

Avanti is an Austrian chain of gas station which OMV acquired a few years ago. I probably did not express myself correctly. They Avanti gas stations are not necessarily lower end. They sell just the most popular fuels and are supposed to be situated in smaller towns and on secondary roads.

Autor: Ziarul Financiar
Data: 11-03-2008

Investment company Innova Capital, which controls watercooler distributor La Fantana, aims to triple the value of the company to over 110 million euros, through regional expansion and flotation on the Stock Exchange by 2010.

"This year, we intend to expand La Fantana onto regional markets. The acquisition budget for the next 12 months amounts to 10-25 million euros. We would prefer to buy one single company and consolidate it rather than to allocate this budget for the acquisition of several companies," says Krzysztof Krawczyk, a partner with Polish-based private equity company Innova Capital.

With that in mind, Innova has its eyes on the Czech Republic, as well as another market in Central and Eastern Europe, which "seem promising", estimating that they will decide on an acquisition in the first half of the year.

The main takeover targets are players that either hold significant market shares, or are the only players on the market, and will contribute to turning the La Fantana group into a regional leader on the water bottling and distribution market.

Innova Capital controls, through investment fund Innova 4, the majority stake in La Fantana, while Cristian Amza, the company's founder, holds around 10% of shares. Set up around seven years ago by investment fund Oresa Ventures, La Fantana was sold by its majority shareholder to the Polish fund Innova 4, in May last year, following an over 35 million-euro transaction.

Currently, the company operates both domestically and on the Serbian market, and posted turnover worth 20 million euros last year, up 35% on 2006. In addition to expansion on neighbouring markets, Innova Capital wants to float La Fantana on the Bucharest Stock Exchange by 2010.

"Taking into consideration the trend on international markets, La Fantana will most likely be listed on the Bucharest Stock Exchange by 2010. Whether it will be listed on an additional stock exchange, as well, will depend on the acquisitions it had made until that point. We will make a decision on the time of the listing in February or March of next year," added Krawczyk.


Sursa: www.zf.ro/articol_164338

The move is meant to restructure the company's activities in Europe.

Colgate-Palmolive pleaca din Romania
Autor: Ziarul Financiar Data: 12-03-2008 Compania americana Colgate-Palmolive va opri productia de pasta de dinti a fabricii de la Brasov, ca parte a unui program amplu de restructurare, iar intreaga productie va fi mutata in Polonia pana la sfarsitul acestui an, informeaza Mediafax.

Programul de restructurare al companiei americane nu vizeaza doar fabrica din Brasov, ci si alte trei fabrici din Europa: Anzio (Italia), Gebze (Turcia) si Salford (Marea Britanie).

"Compania Colgate-Palmolive si-a declarat intentia de a consolida productia de produse de curatat din Europa de Est. Acest anunt face parte din programul de reorganizare al activitatii anuntat anterior, program ce va eficientiza si intari operatiunile companiei. Planurile de consolidare vor fi implementate treptat, de-a lungul unei perioade de tranzitie, urmand sa fie finalizate pana la sfirsitul anului 2008. Ca urmare a acestui proces, fabrica din Brasov va fi inchisa, productia urmind sa fie transferata la fabricile companiei din Polonia", se precizeaza in documentul citat, semnat de Gabriela Popescu, reprezentant al companiei in relatiile cu presa.

Cei 45 de angajati de la Brasov au fost deja instiintati de intentia inchiderii fabricii si au fost asigurati de tot spijinul dupa momentul disponibilizarii. Mai multe detalii, pe www.mediafax.ro.
Sursa: www.zf.ro/articol_164591

Bulgaria's pharmaceuticals company Sopharma (http://www.sopharma.bg/main.php) announced plans for aggressive foreign expansion, Ognian Donev, the company's chief executive and chair of the board of directors, told Bloomberg newswire in an interview published on March 12.

In 2008 the company is set to buy assets in Romania, Serbia, Ukraine and Poland in what should be an attempt to raise sales and its bottom line.

Sopharma targets a 20 per cent increase in revenues and 17 per cent rise in net profit this year, Donev told Bloomberg. Last year, net profit was up 17 per cent to 32 million leva on revenues of 355 million leva, an increase by 72 per cent. This gave the company to a 20 per cent share of the Bulgarian generic drugs market, second only to Iceland-based Actavis Group, which controls 33 per cent of the market, according to Martin Schloh of A.T. Kearney consultancy.

“Sopharma is likely to face steeper competition in Poland and Romania, both of which are part of the European Union, with many players on the market,” said Ilian Scarlatov, capital markets director at Sofia International Securities brokerage, as quoted by Bloomberg. “We have yet to see how the Polish project will work out.”

Sopharma is the non-financial blue chip on the Bulgarian Stock Exchange with its sectoral exposure spanning pharmaceuticals, real estate, trade, shipping, health insurance and a hospital, according to Donev.

Donev would not name which companies targeted by Sopharma's takeover plans. Yet he said that Sopharma was to soon buy a pharmaceutical plant in Serbia, once the local financial regulator gives its assent to the deal.

Buying a plant in Ukraine makes economic sense because Sopharma is the second-largest player on the Ukrainian drug supply market. Besides, the company purchased last year Ukraine-based OAO Vitaminy and its facilities are to soon undergo renovation and expansion.

Regarding Poland, the Bulgarian company has tied up with local peer Natur Produkt Zdrovit. The joint venture has plans to build a pharmaceutical plant in Poland.

Donev would not rule out plant purchases in Macedonia and Latvia as well.

Sopharma's expansion plans are reasonable in view of the company's export-oriented approach. At present the company is present on 28 markets, the more notable ones being Russia, Ukraine, Poland, Latvia and Kazakhstan. Exports account for 60 per cent of Sopharma's sales. In 2007, exports rose 40 per cent.

Altex owns a PC production unit in Chiajna, near Bucharest, whose output is about 10.000 PC-s per month.



Altex va exporta calculatoare in Grecia

Cotidianul.ro
March 17, 2008

Aparut in editia din 17 Martie 2008
Producatorul de calculatoare al grupului va vinde pe pietele externe, sub brandul Myria, computerele asamblate la Chiajna.

Complet Electro Serv (CES), compania din cadrul grupului Altex care asambleaza computere sub brandurile Davio si Myria, va exporta computere in Grecia, ne-au declarat surse din piata. „In momentul de fata sintem in negocieri cu un retailer din Grecia pentru a exporta desktopuri marca Myria. Speram ca in doua, trei luni sa finalizam contractul“, ne-au declarat sursele citate.

Intrebat de posibilitatea de a comercializa computerele Myria pe piata externa, Dan Ostahie, presedintele Consiliului de Administratie al Altex, ne-a declarat ca „exista planuri in acest sens, dar nu s-a semnat nimic“. „Totul depinde foarte mult de contract, pentru ca noi putem livra oricit“, a mai spus Ostahie referitor la numarul de unitati pe care compania doreste sa le comercializeze prin retailerul din Grecia. Totusi, el a admis ca ponderea exporturilor catre Grecia ar putea fi de aproximativ 20% din productie.

Intentia Altex de a fi prezenta pe pietele externe cu marca sa Myria dateaza inca de anul trecut. Compania a anuntat atunci ca vrea sa vinda desktopuri pe pietele din jurul tarii, existind varianta ca distributia sa se faca prin propriile magazine. Aceasta in conditiile in care Altex si-a declarat in mai multe rinduri intentia de a patrunde si pe pietele externe. „Totul depinde de oportunitatile care vor aparea. Probabilitatea cea mai mare este de a comercializa Myria prin magazinele proprii, dar nu excludem nici posibilitatea de a vinde prin alte retele“, declara anul trecut Gabriel Jitaru, chief executive officer CES.

Complet Electro Serv a incheiat anul trecut, cu o cifra de afaceri de aproximativ 67,5 milioane de lei, vinzarile de computere totalizind in jur de 66 de milioane. Compania produce sisteme desktop si notebookuri sub marcile Davio si Myria. Ultima marca a fost lansata de companie in noiembrie 2006, fiind initial un brand de computere. Ulterior insa, Altex a pus numele „Myria“ si pe alte device-uri precum DVD-playere, LCD-uri sau televizoare cu plasma. Potrivit datelor societatii, anul trecut, brandul Myria reprezenta 2% din numarul unitatilor PC produse de CES, iar cota de piata se cifra la 1,5%.

CES detine la Chiajna o unitate cu o capacitate maxima de productie de 10.000 de computere pe luna, investitia pentru aceasta linie cifrindu-se, la nivelul lui 2006 cind a fost inaugurata fabrica, la 1,4 milioane de euro. Altex, liderul pietei de produse electrice, electrocasnice si IT&C, a avut in 2007 o cifra de afaceri de aproximativ 300 de milioane de euro.

^^Only if you buy some Xtrema (http://xtremapc.gr/index.php) PCs (see the gallery ;))

Hungary TriGranit starts EUR 140 m project at the Black Sea in Romania

Hungarian real estate developer TriGranit has on Tuesday laid the foundation stone of a EUR 140 million multifunctional regional centre in Constanta, a Romanian town at the Black Sea.

The future commercial and entertainment centre is to be located at the main road of the city, which creates a link between the northern and southern part of Constanta, which has a population of about 350,000 people.

The project, which is estimated to cost about EUR 140 m, is to create 2,000 jobs.

The centre will host 170 stores, a 16,000-sqm hypermarket (Auchan), restaurants, a cinema with eight projection rooms and other entertainment facilities. It will also feature services such as travel agencies, banks, post office and pharmacies.


Opening of the multifunctional shopping and entertainment centre is expected in the first half of 2009.

TriGranit is an international real estate investment, development and management company, which is presen tin 11 countries in Central and Eastern Europe. It has had projects worth EUR 2 billion and plans to embark on developments worth EUR 8.5 bn in the years to come.

Hungary TriGranit

Silesia Towers in Katowice (Poland) 125m/55m. :cheers:
http://www.silesiatowers.pl/

http://bi.gazeta.pl/im/4/4384/z4384264X.jpg

http://images26.fotosik.pl/65/d7b0b84842ad90c5.jpg

The construction starts later this year...
estimated cost 500 mln PLN ~ 140 mln Euro

^^
Trigranit seems to be very active in the region.
BTW, Great project!

^^

Trigranit has also a project worth 200 million EUR for a 3rd mall in Brasov.
In addition, Trigranit will develop projects in Arad, Timisoara, Bacau and Galati.


TriGranit, 200 mil. euro la Brasov pentru al treilea mall
Business Standard
19 martie 2008

Dezvoltatorul imobiliar maghiar TriGranit Development, constructorul Polus Center Cluj, a anuntat ca va incepe, in acest an, dezvoltarea celui de-al treilea centru comercial din Romania in Brasov. Suma alocata proiectului se situeaza intre 140 si 200 mil. euro.

Compania a lansat ieri Polus Center Constanta, o investitie de 140 mil. euro, care va fi finalizata in al doilea trimestru din 2009. Suprafata construita a proiectului va fi de 105.000 mp, din care 50.000 mp reprezinta suprafata inchiriabila. Mall-ul va dispune de 170 de spatii comerciale, a caror suprafata variaza intre 35 si 3.500 mp. Hipermarketul ancora al centrului va fi Auchan. In prezent, mall-ul a fost inchiriat in proportie de 62%, ceea ce reprezinta 28.000 mp din intreaga suprafata inchiriabila. Reprezentantii TriGranit se asteapta la 10-12 mil. vizitatori pe an. “In prezent, detinem in Romania o suprafata totala de 110 hectare teren, din care 30 de hectare sunt destinate investitiilor viitoare. La Brasov, am achizitionat un teren de 22.000 mp, pe care vom incepe in acest an dezvoltarea celui de-al treilea mall, care va necesita o investitie cuprinsa intre 140 si 200 mil. euro”, a declarat pentru Business Standard Arpad Torok, chief leasing officer in cadrul TriGranit Development.


Dezvoltatorul a mai anuntat ca va construi alte proiecte imobiliare in Arad, Timisoara, Bacau si in Galati. Anul trecut, TriGranit a finalizat primul mall in Romania, Polus Center Cluj, in urma unei investitii de circa 140 mil. euro. Centrul comercial a fost vandut fondului austriac de investitii Immoeast contra sumei de 210 mil. euro, intr-un contract de tip forward purchase (contract portivit caruia un proiect va fi preluat de la dezvoltator in momentul finalizarii). Acelasi tip de contract a fost semnat cu Immoeast si pentru proiectul din Constanta, pretul vanzarii fiind de 185 mil. dolari. Dezvoltatorul va proceda la fel si in cazul centrului comercial din Brasov. In momentul de fata, Romania reprezinta a treia tara ca tinta de dezvoltare pentru TriGranit, dupa Rusia si Polonia.

Monbat invests EUR 3.6 mln in a accumulator battery recycling plant in Serbia and EUR 6.9 million in recycling plant in Romania

Monbat will invest EUR 15.9 in an industrial battery factory in Dobrich and will expand its current accumulator battery factory in Montana. The plant in Serbia will open in June while the Romanian one will be operational in October'08. Total investments of the company in new production facilities in 2008-2009 are going to be EUR 32.9 million.

Днес Монбат АД обяви инвестиционната си програма за периода 2008 - 2009 година. Като най-динамично развиващото се предприятие за производство на акумулатори в Югоизточна Европа, определи своята амбициозна стратегическа цел, а именно повишаване на конкурентоспособността и нареждането в челната тройка сред най-големите компании в акумулаторния бизнес. За целта инвестиции ще бъдат направени в следните направления:

1. Увеличаване на производствения капацитет и достигане на капацитет от 3 100 000 стартерни батерии годишно до юли 2009 г., спрямо 1 200 000 през 2006 г.
2. Удвояване на производственият капацитет на телекомуникационни, стационарни батерии до 200 000 броя до края на 2008 г.
3. Учредяване на ново дружество в гр. Добрич за производство на тягови батерии за електрокари, като през 2009 г. ще бъдат произведени 250 000 елемента, а през следващите две години капацитетът ще достигне 750 000 елемента.
4. Модернизация на производство в Монбат АД и Старт АД - замяна на стари машини и увеличаване на възможностите за формовка на акумулатори
5. Програма за привличане на млади и перспективни инженерни кадри - изграждане на 45 жилища, които да бъдат придобити безвъзмездно след изтичане на дългосрочен договор.

Общият размер на инвестициите ще достигне 64.2 млн. лева. За увеличението на производствения капацитет на Монбат АД и Старт АД, дружеството е заделило 16.4 млн. лева, като 2.4 млн. лева са предназначени за 2008 г., а останалите 14 млн. лева за 2009 г. Модернизацията на производството на Монбат АД и Старт АД ще струва 1.9 млн. лева, а удвояването на производственият капацитет на телекомуникационни, стационарни батерии 1.1 млн. лева.

Предвиждат се два завода за рециклиране на стари акумулатори в Р. Сърбия и Р. Румъния. Заводът в западната ни съседка ща бъде пуснат в експлоатация през месец юли тази година, а инвестицията ще бъде на стойност 7 млн. лева. Новото предприятие в Румъния пък ще заработи от октомври 2008 г., а стойността му ще възлиза на 13.4 млн. лева. Паралелно с двата завода за рециклиране ще бъде увеличен и капацитета на този в Монтана.

Най-амбициозно е учредяване на ново дружество в гр. Добрич за производство на тягови батерии за електрокари с общ размер на инвестицията 31 000 000 лева. Производственият капацитет ще достигне 750 000 тягови елемента до 2010 г. По години сумата на инвестициите е разпределена по следния начин:
2008 г. - 10 000 000 лева
2009 г. - 11 000 000 лева
2010 г. - 10 000 000 лева

Средствата за осъществяване на инвестиционната програма ще бъдат набрани чрез банкови заеми (16 млн. лева), както чрез собствени средства и корпоративен облигационен заем възлизащи на 48.2 млн. лева.

^^ Welcome neighbours! :cheers:

^^ The business of recycling in general is a very profitable one as companies are forced to recycle under very strict penalties. Monbat is making a smart move.

Slovak company Idops invests EUR 15 mln in a new construction materials factory near Karlovo

They are planning a biofuels factory. Production will be exported to Romania too and later on to Macedonia and Serbia.

Словашката фирма Idops ще инвестира до 15 млн. евро за три години в производството на топлоизолации в България, съобщи Deutsche Welle.

До дни се очаква да се финализира сделка за продажбата на част от старата база на машиностроителния завод в Карлово. Idops има амбицията да започне с производството си в Карлово още през юли. Първоначално продукцията от там ще се предлага в България и Румъния, но по-късно ще се произвежда също за Сърбия, Македония и други европейски пазари.

Сделката в Карлово е само първата стъпка на фирма Idops на българския пазар. Компанията планира и реализиране на проекти свързани с производство на биогориво и изграждане на високотехнологични паркинги.

Проектите на Idops за производство на биогориво от биологични отпадъци са на базата на швейцарска технология и висока компютъризация на системите, които могат да се обсулжват от малък брой оператори. За изграждането една такава самостоятелна единица за производство на биогориво ще е необходима площ от около 4-5 декара. Системата е напълно екологична и няма да замърсява околната среда.

В най-скоро време словашката фирма има намерение да представи конкретни планове за системите си за биогориво на потенциални български партньори, казва Васил Вълчев.

Словашката фирма Idops е основана през 1990 година, като първоначално концентрира дейността си в областта на специалните строителни технологии. Днес тя предлага също автоматични системи за паркиране и инсталации за производстовото на биогориво. Годишният оборот на фирмата възлиза на около 30 млн. евро.

Проектите на фирма Idops в България са показателни за нарастващия интерес на словашките фирми към страната. Досега акцентът в икономическите връзки между двете държави е бил главно върху търговията, като за 2007 година износът на Словакия за България е нарастнал с около 80 % в сравнение с 2006 година и е достигнал 225 млн. щатски долара.

Sopharma acquires the Serbian pharmaceutical factory "Ivanovic i sinovi"

The Serbian company is the 9th largest pharmaceutical company in Serbia. Sopharma will invest in building new production facilities there. Up to that moment, Sopharma has 12 factories in Bulgaria as well as factories in Russia, Ukraine and Poland. The investment program of the company is to build or acquire new factories in Romania and Macedonia in 2008.


Да можеш да чакаш, да искаш да чакаш, да знаеш да чакаш, това е любов. Пардон, това е Сърбия. Или поне така казва предприемач с установен бизнес в северозападната съседка. За родения в Белград изпълнителен директор на "Софарма" Огнян Донев всичко това може и да е познато, но чакането като че ли приключи. След първия опит да влезе на сръбския пазар през 2005 г. през седмицата той съобщи, че е получил разрешение от сръбската антимонополна комисия да придобие местен фармацевтичен завод - Ivancic i sinovi (Иванчич и синове) в Белград. През 2005 г. "Софарма" опита да изкупи местния производител "Сърболек", но не успя.

Сегашната сделка е част от стратегията на българската компания да се превърне в силен регионален играч, като до края на годината придобие производствени мощности в Румъния, Сърбия и Македония. В момента "Софарма" притежава 12 собствени завода в България, както и заводи в Русия, Украйна и Полша (виж карето).

Според Огнян Донев става въпрос за "малка, много модерна и изцяло пазарно ориентирана компания, с която имаме сходство в идеологията за правене на бизнес". Цената на сделката не се съобщава. Белградската компания е основана през 1991 г., като отначало се занимава само с продажби на дребно. Производството стартира през 1995 г. и в момента фирмата има 21 продукта. По думите на генералния й мениджър Братислав Иванчич продажбите за 2007 г. са около 315 млн. динара (3.965 млн. евро), а печалбата след облагане с данъци - 721 хил. евро. Компанията работи с всички 2500 аптеки в Сърбия. В производството са заети 52-ма души.

"Дружеството има свободни производствени площи, на които започваме изграждането на чисто нов модерен завод за твърди лекарствени форми", отбелязва Огнян Донев. Според сръбското законодателство до 2009 г. са крайните срокове за въвеждане на европейските изисквания за добра производствена практика.

"Софарма" планира да регистрира голяма част от лекарствата си в Сърбия и да ги произвежда в новия завод. "Това ще отнеме доста време, но иначе не можем да присъстваме сериозно на пазара", отбелязва Донев. По думите му наличието на собствена фирма обезсмисля поддържането на търговско представителство в Белград и те ще бъдат слети.

Пазарът на лекарства в Сърбия и Черна гора по данни на Business Monitor International се оценява на 680 млн. долара по цени на дребно към края на 2006 г. Прогнозите са, че през 2007 г. той е достигнал 720 млн. долара, а през тази година ще е в рамките на 771 млн. долара.

На пазара в Сърбия се конкурират 49 местни фармацевтични компании, като повечето от тях са малки и средни фирми. На тях обаче се падат над 60% от приходите от продажби на медикаменти. Водещите компании са три - Hemofarm (собственост на германската Stada), национализираната и в момента държавна Galenika и Zdravlje (част от исландската "Актавис"). За периода 2004-2005 г. Hemofarm държи пазарен дял от 47.7% сред местните производители. Заводът, който "Софарма" ще придобие, е на девета позиция.

Doverie AD, the authorized franchiser of Mr.Bricolage plans to expand in BiH, Albania, Montenegro and Kosovo

http://www.trimo.bg/uploads/RTEmagicC_422778c796.jpg.jpg

The plans of the company are to open 2 stores in Serbia till the end of 2009 and at one or more in Macedonia.

"Мосю Бриколаж" има десет магазина в България и разработва проекти и в Сърбия и Македония, за които има права


Българската компания "Доверие Брико", която държи правата на френската верига от типа "направи си сам" "Мосю Бриколаж" за България, Македония и Сърбия, преговаря да развива марката в още няколко страни в региона - Албания, Босна и Херцеговина, Черна гора и Косово. Информацията съобщи изпълнителният директор на "Мосю Бриколаж" за България Андрей Евтимов. Преговорите с френската компания са пред финализиране, съобщи той.

"Доверие Брико" е основано през 1999 г. с цел да развива френската верига у нас и в някои други страни в региона. В момента "Мосю Бриколаж" има десет магазина в България и разработва проекти и в Сърбия и Македония, за които има права от години. От българската компания обявиха, че искат да използват опита си, натрупан на българския пазар, и да развият веригата и в другите страни. Стремежът на дружеството сега ще е насочен да навлезе в Албания и Косово, както и в бившите югославски републики - Босна и Херцеговина и Черна гора.

Пазарът в тези страни още не е развит, а ние искаме да приложим опита си от България, каза Евтимов. "В България инвестирахме в добри локации на неясния пазар, което сега ни се отплаща", каза още той.

Конкретните планове на компанията са до края на 2009 г. да отвори поне един магазин в Сърбия, а можело и два. Също така се очаква да има и поне един обект в Македония. Предстои и развитието на търговската мрежа в България.

На българския пазар основният конкурент на "Мосю Бриколаж" е германската верига "Практикер". Компанията има вече магазини в седем града на страната и също планира да развива още мрежата си.

Според представителите на пазара "направи си сам" бизнесът в България ще расте и през следващите години. Очаква се в България да отворят магазини и нови за пазара вериги. Още през тази година ще са готови първите обекти на австрийската "Баумакс", която ще работи в няколко града на страната. Интерес към пазара на един или друг етап са заявявали и други чужди вериги, които работят в Европа

Ziarul Financiar
27-03-2008


The transaction between Petrom and Ring Oil Holding & Trading took place in 2006, but the acquisition costs for the shares were only made public in Petrom's 2007 report.

Petrom, the largest Romanian company, paid around 100 million euros for the 74.9% stake in Cyprus-based Ring Oil Holding & Trading, which brought about Petrom's entry into Russia, one of the world's most coveted markets for exploration and production.

The deal was carried out in 2006, but the price of the stake was only revealed in Petrom's report for last year.

The Cypriot-based company was controlled by Russian shareholders, and held the entire stakes in six Russian companies, which in turn had a portfolio of exploration fields in Russia.

"The sum only represents the value paid by Petrom for the acquisition of the 74.9% stake in Ring Oil. The total value of the transaction differs, because it also includes certain taxes," said Petrom representatives, who also specified that the parties agreed not to disclose the value of the transaction.

In addition to the acquisition that brought Petrom to an extremely valuable region in terms of resources, the company performed a whole series of major acquisitions, which include the purchase of petrol station networks held by OMV, Petrom's majority shareholder, which are present in Romania, Bulgaria and Serbia.

According to Petrom's report, the acquisition of OMV Romania cost 380.1 million RON (107.8 million euros, calculated at the average exchange rate in 2006). For OMV Bulgaria, Petrom paid 138 million RON (39 million euros), and for OMV Serbia, 5.6 million RON (1.6 million euros). In all three companies, Petrom holds 99.9% of shares. The value paid by Petrom for the three companies amounted to 234.4 million euros, and brought Petrom 178 petrol stations. At the beginning of this year, Petrom managed to reach 31% of the market of petroleum products sold through petrol stations in Moldova, 18% of the Bulgarian market and 13% of the Serbian market.

The number of petrol stations increased to 257, compared with the 211 held by the company at the end of 2006. Therefore, investments in retail abroad conducted by Petrom last year amounted to around 70 million euros, considering that an investment in a petrol station stands at around 1.5 million euros.

Petrom posted net profit worth 532 million euros last year, down 18% against 2006, due to lower production and amid a strong RON in the first three quarters of the year.

The company's turnover reached 3.68 billion euros (12.2 billion RON), down 1% against results posted in 2006, when turnover stood at 3.71 billion euros (13 billion RON).

Sursa: www.zf.ro/articol_166552

HotNews.ro
Miercuri, 26 martie 2008, 15:43 English | Business


Romania and Ukraine will open next week the negotiations on the mining plant at Krivoi Rog, the Ukrainian Industrial Policy minister, Vladimir Novitky, announced. The first discussions will take place between interdepartmental work groups.

"It is essential to find out whether out partners want money or anything else for their participation. The dialogue will move then to Slovakia. only then can we have a clear image on how we can move on: create a joint venture or opening the plant for privatization", the official said.

Finally, a Bulgarian investment worth mentioning;)

Apparently, a Bulgarian firm will invest between 1-2 billion euros into construcion of a thermo-electric power plant (650 megawatts) in Kovin, about 50km northeast of Belgrade. :cheers:

Ковачки строи ТЕЦ в Сърбия за 1 млрд. евро - 2008-03-28 19:04

Бизнесменът Христо Ковачки смята да построи топлоелектрическа централа в Сърбия, съобщи вчера генералният директор на „Траял корпорация“ Петър Петров. Новата ТЕЦ ще бъде с мощност 650 мегавата и ще бъде построена до 4-5 години. Централата ще струва между 1 и 2 млрд. евро и ще бъде изградена на 50 км от Белград, в района на град Ковин. Въглища за централата ще бъдат използвани от местната мина, като твърдото гориво се добива чрез специален способ, поясни Петров.

Предвижда се токът от новата ТЕЦ да е значително по-евтин, отколкото от газова мощност. Причината е, че природният газ се купува на много по-високи цени от въглищата и ще оскъпи централата. Въглищата в мина „Ковин“ са по-калорични от тези в българските мини „Марица-изток“. Твърдото гориво е и с най-ниско съдържание на сяра - само 2%, което го прави много добро за горене в ТЕЦ-овете. Петров добави, че не е проблем такива въглища да бъдат внасяни и за централите в България, но трябва предварително да се направят изчисления на транспортните разходи.

Ковачки притежава още 15 компании в Сърбия, занимаващи се с различен бизнес. Най-голямата е производителят на гуми „Траял“, чиято продукция е предназначена основно за износ. Компанията притежава и фабрики за защитно облекло, филтри за въздух, вода.„Траял“ притежава и фабрика за експлозиви, в която произвежда ракети против градушка. „Дружеството бе закупено в тежко финансово състояние, но постепенно го вдигаме на крака“, каза Петров. Той очаква компанията да има 50 млн. евро оборот през 2008 г. До момента Христо Ковачки е инвестирал в нея 11 млн. евро, а през 2008 г. се очаква да бъдат вложени още 18 млн. евро.

^^ That's pretty big, but was the comment "worth mentioning" necessary?

Hristo Kovachki is the Bulgarian Berezovsky:)
Being known to nobody only a few years ago he became one of the richest Bulgarians(probably even the richest), ofcouse with the help of the currently governing coalition.However, they keep loosing support rapidly and I`m asking myself about his fate because it`s obviously that he can`t explain where his milions(bilions) came from and it`s not surely that the next government will legalize his wealth.

In regards to his potential investment in Serbia, I`m quite sure that he will realize it because at least for now I`ve never heard for some of his projects to fail.

BTW, a few days ago he was guest in the morning block of a popular Bulgarian television and announced that in his mines and TPP`s work about 30,000 people in Bulgaria and 8,000 in Serbia.I don`t know how trustworthy is this but sounds to me impressive, especially having into consideration the trend for expansion of his business(influence).

^^ A typical oligarch and a shady person, perhaps even a criminal. BTW it's not the current government that made him that rich, it was the previous one, the NDSV one. Since NDSV are participating in the coalition, he's growing richer and richer.

^^ A typical oligarch and a shady person, perhaps even a criminal. BTW it's not the current government that made him that rich, it was the previous one, the NDSV one. Since NDSV are participating in the coalition, he's growing richer and richer.

The guy made his first money in gambling! He was smarter than the rest by staying in the background for many years and survived.

meh, not a direct neighbor but anyway

Greece's Alpha Bank to buy Ukraine's Astra Bank


ATHENS, March 27 (Reuters) - Alpha Bank, Greece's third-largest lender, said on Thursday it reached a deal to buy a majority stake in newly established OJSC Astra Bank in Ukraine as part of plans to expand in the region.

Alpha Bank said it agreed to buy 90 percent of Astra Bank at a price reflecting Astra's equity capital of 9 million euros ($14.2 million).

"With this acquisition, Alpha Bank gains a presence in a fast growing market in one of the largest countries in southeastern Europe," the lender said.

Astra Bank plans to set up a nationwide branch network by 2010, targeting 50 branches by the end of this year which will mean an investment of 130 million euros.

Ukraine's banking market has been on the radar screen of other Greek banks as well.

EFG Eurobank has acquired Universal Bank, Piraeus Bank has bought International Commerce Bank, Marfin Popular owns Marine Transport Bank and the Bank of Cyprus controls AvtoZAZ Bank. (Reporting by George Georgiopoulos, Tatiana Fragou; Editing by Rory Channing)

http://www.reuters.com/article/rbssFinancialServicesAndRealEstateNews/idUSL2778703820080327

GREEK INVESTMENTS IN BULGARIA SOAR SINCE 2005

Globul, Postbank (now Eurobank EFG Bulgaria), United Bulgarian Bank, Delta, Chipita and Thrace, Coca-Cola HBC Bulgaria, Global Finance, Germanos, Intralot, Intracom. This is just a snapshot of Greek landmark investments in Bulgaria. Spanning finance, telecommunications, food and beverages, apparel and paper through to retail trade, they represent sectors in which Greece is seeking an international presence. All attest to the diversity of business permeation between the two neighbours.

Probably because of its proximity and similar business mentality, Bulgaria is a natural point of interest to Greece. This interest has risen sharply since 2005 when Bulgaria’s accession to Nato and forthcoming EU membership started sounding investment security bells to Greek business.

In a sign of growing confidence in Bulgaria’s economic potential, Greece also set up the Hellenic Business Council in Bulgaria (NBCBG) in 2005. This private non-profit organisation, which aims to intensify Bulgarian-Greek business ties and investments, has on its board Greek-born CEOs running companies and financial institutions in Bulgaria and about 50 Greek-owned corporate members.

Close scrutiny shows that Greek representation in Bulgaria comprises Greek companies, both small and large, and the Greek arms of international giants. Bilateral trade and foreign direct investment (FDI) over the past three years also attest to Greek companies’ robust entry in Bulgaria.

Greece has remained Bulgaria’s second-largest partner in South Eastern Europe after Turkey and the third-largest EU partner after Germany and Italy. Collectively, the three countries hold more than 60 per cent of Bulgaria’s foreign trade turnover, according to preliminary figures from the National Statistical Institute (NSI) for 2007.

Bulgaria exported goods worth 2.39 billion leva (in FOB prices) in the 12 months to December 2007, a 13.8 per cent year-on-year increase from 2.1 billion leva. Greek imports to Bulgaria during the same period totalled 2.65 billion leva (in CIF prices), up 16.5 per cent on the year from 2.28 billion leva, the NSI said.

Principal export items remained metals such as copper and steel, wheat, apparel (knitwear) and steel, whereas the main imports consisted of metals, apparel and cars, motorbikes and bicycles.

The investment figures draw an analogous-to-trade chart.

Last year, Greek FDI in Bulgaria totalled 543.0 million euro, 512.4 million euro in 2006 and 324.2 million euro in 2005, according to statistics from Bulgarian National Bank (BNB).

The three-year investment bonanza comes after a decade of cautious Greek encroachment into the Bulgarian market. Yet, even if cautious, Greece remained one of the countries vesting the highest trust in Bulgaria. With a total investment backlog in excess of two billion euro, Greece ranks as the fourth-largest investor in Bulgaria, lagging only behind Austria, the Netherlands and the UK.

Since, during the same time period, Bulgaria became a hotspot for speculative investors (more than 60 per cent of FDI last year went to real estate and tourism) and Greece falls into the category of long-term investors, the uptick of Greek FDI did not have a substantive effect on the overall FDI structure.

For years, Greece’s share of overall FDI has remained steady at eight to nine per cent (8.89 per cent in 2007). Nonetheless, its share in investments related to new technologies and expertise has soared in recent years, local analysts said, adding that Greek investment mainly fell into that 40 (non-speculative) per cent of overall investments. Bulgaria’s southern neighbour invests primarily in machinery and equipment and finances brand/product launches of its subsidiaries in the services sector. This means that Greece – while busy building its business outreach in Bulgaria – has had a solid impact on its neighbour’s effort to build a sustainable economy. In doing so, the country raises industry standards, creates new jobs and helps Bulgaria catch up with other EU economies, according to sources from The Sofia Echo.

Yet Greek investment in Bulgaria has not always been so smooth. A privatisation attempt by Greece’s largest electricity utility, the state-run Public Corporation of Greece (PPC), met a sticky end in Bulgaria. In 2004, PPC emerged winner in a tender to buy Bobov Dol thermal power plant. Soon afterwards, however, Bulgaria’s Privatisation Agency (PA) recalled the privatisation procedure as flawed. Though the PPC is still contesting this decision in court, its chances of winning the litigation are slim. While the PA ventured to re-sell Bobov Dol a fortnight ago, the PPC responded by shelving its investment plans for Bulgaria. PPC told top executives at Maritsa-Iztok, another Bulgarian lignite coal extraction and power producing complex, it would not line up as an investor of a new power facility in the complex, but would remain a coal buyer. Yet analysts claim that PPC’s case is more of an exception than a rule, stemming from local factors rather than from any general Bulgarian reluctance to do business with Greece.

Bulgaria’s investments in Greece are on a smaller scale but have also been rising in the past three years. Dimitrios Zofas, the first economic and commercial affairs adviser with the Greek embassy in Bulgaria, told Pari daily that Bulgarians were primarily interested in speculative purchases of land and real estate in northern Greece as well as in financial instruments traded on the Athens stock exchange. He also believes that Bulgaria will follow Greece’s pattern in Bulgaria and will soon venture into investments in other sectors as well.

According to local experts, Bulgarian-Greek business ties are yet to reach their peak. The steady increase in bilateral trade and investments over the past few years certainly indicates an upward trend.

http://www.sofiaecho.com/article/greek-investments-in-bulgaria-soar-since-2005/id_28423/catid_29

^^ Greece is too expensive for us to put money in. Our investments go to Serbia and Macedonia primarily, but Bulgaria, Romania and Greece are a good example of how to benefit from mutual cooperation. I just can't wait for BG and RO to join Schengen so the full integration can be completed.

^^atm yes, nevertheless Greece has not enjoyed big foreign investments during the last years (even the Greek investments in the US have been more than the American investments here after 2000).

Serbia's first major investment in Slovenia, a market that so far has been traditionally closed to Serbian investments :cheers:

This move creates one of SouthEastern Europe's largest IT firms, with an annual turnover of 300+ million euros and 1,600 employees.

“Serbia can be software industry leader”


7 April 2008 - Issue : 776
Software development will become Serbia’s big export brand as the country has some top experts in the IT industry, said the owner of the ComTrade Group Veselin Jevrosimic, whose company is one of south-east Europe’s biggest in the information and technology field.
The state should be committed to the goal of turning software development into a national brand, added Jevrosimic. He said, “Software is a product with which Serbia can show to the world that it can work on the development of information technology solutions just as India or China have done.” ComTrade will soon buy leading Slovenian software company HERMES SoftLab, which would be the first major Serbian acquisition of a Slovenian firm. According to Jevrosimic, the acquisition will lead to the merger of the ComTrade Group and HERMES SoftLab which would create one of the biggest information technology groups in central and south-east Europe. This newlyestablished group will provide services not only for the Balkan and European markets, but also for financially much more powerful markets, such as those of the United States or the Middle East.

And speaking of Greece...

Greek investors willing to invest €3bn in Serbia

Belgrade/Athens, April 1, 2008 – Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Bozidar Djelic said today that Greek companies and investors are willing to invest nearly €3 billion in Serbia during the next three years, which would create thousands of new jobs and increase Serbia’s exports.

In a statement to the news agency Beta via telephone, Djelic said that with investments worth €1.8 billion, Greece is the third largest investor in Serbia, while more than 120 Greek companies are doing business in the Serbian market in the areas of telecommunication, finance, tourism, real estate and the textile industry.

He said that at a meeting organised by the Greek-Serbian business council, more than 120 Greek businesspeople pointed out the problems they have doing business in Serbia such as the slow pace of administration and difficulties in obtaining construction licenses.

Djelic said that he received support from the Athens Chamber of Commerce for removing the €35 tax on Serbian citizens for obtaining a Schengen visa from May this year. He voiced hope that the Greek government and other countries will accept this initiative.

I presented Serbia’s policy on the issue of Kosovo-Metohija to Greek officials and asked them not to accept the violation of international law and the independence of the southern Serbian province, said the Deputy Prime Minister.

He said that he met with advisor to the president of the European Commission whom he requested to introduce free of charge visas for Serbian citizens.

According to Djelic, the next step in Serbia’s association with the EU could be taken in April, when EU representatives will be able to determine which further steps must be taken in order to remove visa restrictions for Serbian citizens by the end of 2008.

We also spoke about the signing of the Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA), but for the time being there are no specific steps in relation to it, Djelic said and recalled that a police action last week in Nis showed again that Serbia is dedicated to cooperation with the Hague tribunal.

Djelic met with President of the Athens Chamber of Commerce, representatives of nine companies, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and representatives of the Greek Ministry of Economic Development and Ministry of Interior.

Earlier today, Djelic said that there may be investments in agriculture, real estate, tourism and industry and added that the Athens Chamber of Commerce supports his initiative to make Greek visas for Serbian citizens free-of-charge this summer.

According to him, the Athens Chamber of Commerce will send a letter to the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs asking it to issue visas to Serbian citizens free-of-charge.

Djelic also said that in order to increase investments at local level, it is necessary to adopt a new law on concessions, as well as to solve the problem of issuing construction licences.

He said that Greek businessmen wanted to know when Serbia will adopt European standards and at which speed it will move towards membership in the EU.

President of the Athens Chamber of Commerce Constantin Michalos said that Djelic encouraged Greek companies to continue investing in Serbia and added that in the next few years an increase in Greek investments in Serbia can be expected.

BTW, that's true, there is that trend among richer Bulgarians buying plots/villas/appartments in some resorts in Northern Greece. There were some articles about that in the newspapers, AFAIK this trend was fueled by our EU entry. I've been to Sandanski last summer, there were lots of Greeks there, some restaurants and shops were owned by Greeks, it was a common thing to hear people there speaking in Greek. The same happened to my hometown, now there are lots of Romanians there and during the weekends you'll more probably hear people speaking in Romanian than in Bulgarian, especially near the shops in the downtown.

I remember people traveling to Sandanski for shopping for years now, even before Bulgaria joins the EU, and generally the last few years, especially after Bulgaria's entry to the EU i see lots of BG cars in the highway, and even in my city, most of them are here for business obviously.

Bulgarian Technomarket (electronics) will open a store in Bratislava :cheers:

Bulgarian Technomarket (electronics) will open a store in Bratislava :cheers:

Wow! Where did you get the news from? Cool!!

^^
http://reality.etrend.sk/131175/komercne-nehnutelnosti/petrzalska-danubia-sa-bude-rozsirovat
slovak only

^^ JEZES MARIA! :) Didn't expect that Technomarket will reach that far.

Anyway , thanks for the news pt82! :okay:

Alen Mak relocates most of its production lines to Ukraine

Ukraine and Russia comprise of 60% of the market for the Bulgarian cosmetics company so they decided to move their production facilities to Ukraine to avoid taxes :bash:

От козметичното дружество "Ален мак" обявиха, че са взели решение за преместване на производство в Украйна, където са основните продажби на фирмата през последните години, съобщи regal.bg.

"Ален мак" ще организира собствено производство в Киев и така ще се опита да избегне високите мита, данъци и такси, които оскъпяват продукцията му.

"Продажбите в Украйна формират 30% от общите ни приходи от козметични продукти през 2007 г. Митата, ДДС и транспортните разходи обаче оскъпяват продукцията ни и затова решихме да стартираме производство там", обясни Петър Терзиев, който управлява дружеството, собственик на козметичната фирма - "Ален мак България".

По думите му те са наели площи и мощности в Киев, за да произвеждат шампоани, балсами, боя за коса и течни миещи препарати. Фирмата, която ще развива бизнесът там, е регистрираната в Украйна ОАО "Ален мак" .

Тя вече е сключила договор с местно предприятие, чието име от "Ален мак" не пожелаха да обявят. Капацитетът на мощностите е 3.5 млн. бои за коса годишно и 250 млн. опаковки шампоани и балсами и ще бъде натоварен максимално, като първата готова продукция ще излезе до седмици.

Компанията очаква да върне чрез него и старите си пазари в Русия и страните от ОНД. В момента тя изнася за Украйна и Русия около 60% от продукцията си, още 20% са за страните от бившия Съветски съюз и други.
"Пренасяме в Киев производството на течни продукти, което изисква употреба на много вода - тя е евтина суровина и пренасянето й под формата на готов продукт изисква значителни и неоправдани разходи. Производство на пасти за зъби, за което имаме уникална линия, остава в България", отбелязва Петър Терзиев. Той допълва, че в Пловдив ще продължат да се произвеждат и всички продукти от портфолиото на фирмата, предназначени за вътрешния пазар.

"Ален мак" е втората българска козметична компания, която решава да инвестира в чужбина. През лятото на 2004 г. габровският производител на козметика СТС построи завод в град Солничногорск, близо до Москва. Фабриката има капацитет да произвежда 4.8 млн. пасти на месец, 1 млн. кремове, шампоани и други

^^ Alen mak is ... you know "red money" out of the laundry ;) ... let them relocate to Siberia if they want.

Himimport to invest $50 mln as a part of public-private partnership for rennovation of Kazan (Tatarstan, Russia)'s international airport

Правителството на руската републлика Татарстан и холдингът "Химимпорт" ще създадат съвместно дружество за реконструкция на международното летище в столицата Казан, в което българите ще вложат 50 млн. долара.

Това според агенция РИА Новости е обявил изпълнителният директор на "Химимпорт" Иво Каменов след срещата с татарстанския президент Минтимер Шаймиев. Според президента Тарастан ще участва в дружеството с материалната база на летищния комплекс. За републиката той е много важен, защото тя се опитва да спечели организирането на световните студентски игри Универсиада 2013.

"Договорихме се и сериозно ще инвестираме в Тарастан. Това е изгодно и за двете страни", допълва Каменов.

Проектът ще се изпълнява в рамките на публично-частно партньорство, като властите нямат намерение да продават летището. Основен консултант вероятно ще бъде Световната банка, а в реконструкцията като подизпълнители ще се включат и компании от други държави.

Летището в Казан е построено през 70-те години и от 1998г. е на 100% държавна собственост.

Interesting...Bulgaria and Tatarstan = friends forever :D

Interesting...Bulgaria and Tatarstan = friends forever :D

MKs will be the happiest of all! ;)

Interesting...Bulgaria and Tatarstan = friends forever :D

MKs will be the happiest of all! ;)

interesting, today I understood your posts from a discussion in the Hellenic Agora...

:rofl:

So i am Macedonian, not slav macedonian and certainlly not bulgarian-macedonian, no bulgar or tatar tribes ever came to macedonia!

^^ So our friend GreatMakedon seems to be a rascist ... :D

^^ So our friend GreatMakedon seems to be a rascist ... :D

Turnovec, you should rename yourself to Tatarnovec!:lol::lol:

^^ :lol::lol::lol: :okay:

http://www.tatars-bg.org

:D

^^ :okay:

btw did you hear the rumours that Putin will marry Alina Kabaeva (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alina_Kabaeva) ... and she appeared to be a ... Tatar ! :uh::lol: :fart:

Aaaright we're back in the game :D

2be, a Bulgarian cell phone chain, plans to have 30 stores in Macedonia by year end. It currently operates 110 in Bulgaria and 8 in Macedonia. The company plans to enter the Romanian market, but it's plans have been delayed so far.

С 30% до 83 млн. лв. нараснаха приходите на 2be за 2007
22.04.2008 16:05

Към края на 2007 г. веригата магазини за мобилни технологии и услуги 2be регистрира ръст на приходите си от 28% в сравнение с 2006 година, обявиха от компанията. Нетните годишни приходи са в размер на 83 млн. лв.

Нетната печалба пък възлиза на на 364 хил. лева, което е спад от половин милион лева в сравнение с 2006 година, като спадът се дължи на направени инвестиции в информационни технологии и модернизация, обясниха от компанията. За миналата година те са за 4 млн. лв.

Към края на 2007 магазинната мрежа на 2be включва 110 обекта в страната, като е планирано до няколко месеца броят им да достигне 120.

Относно обявените преди време планове за навлизане на пазарите в Румъния и Македония от веригата обясниха за Investor.bg, че процесът по стъпване в Румъния върви малко по-бавно от очакваното, а що се отнася до Македония прогнозите са до края на годината 2be да има до 30 работещи магазина в страната.

В коментар за това защо се е забавило стартирането на бизнес там от компанията заявиха, че първоначалната им информация за много подходящи за покупка мобилни вериги на местния пазар не е била съвсем точна, тъй като някои от веригите вече са част от по-голяма мрежа, а други не покриват критериите на купувача. Ето защо най-вероятно 2be ще изгради собствена мрежа в Македония.

^^ Welcoooooooooooommmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm !!!!! :cheers:

Technomarket DOMO Group (company registered in the Netherlands and majority owned by British investment fund Equest) plans to accelerate its expansion in South East Europe. The company operates the Technomarket electronics hypermarkets and the their smaller format DOMO. DOMO already has 16 store in Bulgaria and plans to open another 20 by year end. DOMO is also a leader on the Romanian market. Technomaket already operates in Romania, Macedonia, Serbia, Bosnia, Montenegro, Kosovo and Albania. It plans to launch it first stores in Slovenia, Slovakia and Croatia later this year.

"К и К електроникс" ще развива "Техномаркет" и "Домо" на БалканитеЦелта е да стане водещ търговец на техника в регионаот

Българската компания за търговия с техника и инвестиции в имоти "К и К електроникс" планира активна експанзия на двете си вериги - "Техномаркет" и "Домо", в балканските страни и Централна Европа, съобщи единият от собствениците на групата, Николай Китов. Целта е да стане водещ търговец на техника в региона, като за тази година очакваните продажби във всички страни са около 1 млрд. евро.

"К и К електроникс" е създател на "Техномаркет", а през миналата година купи румънската верига за техника "Домо". Стратегията предвижда компанията да налага "Техномаркет" като хипермаркет за продажба на техника в големи обекти, а "Домо" - като верига за техника в близост до дома. В момента "Домо" има 16 магазина в България, като последните четири бяха отворени в рамките на един месец. Повечето от тях са част от по-големи търговски комплекси, в които "Домо" си сътрудничи с германската верига "Кауфланд". Последните три са самостоятелни обекти. Плановете са до края на годината компанията да отвори още 20 обекта в страната, съобщи управляващият директор на веригата Николай Александров.

През тази година ще продължи и експанзията на "Техномаркет" в страните от региона, каза Китов. Веригата вече работи в Сърбия, Македония, Албания, Косово, Босна и Херцеговина и Черна гора. През тази година българската компания ще започне да развива веригата в Словакия, Словения и Хърватия.

"Правим първи стъпки на европейския пазар", каза Китов.

Бизнесът във всички страни се контролира от групата "Техномаркет Домо груп", регистрирана в Холандия. Компанията има за партньор "Екуест", който в различните страни държи различен дял от бизнеса.

През последните години "К и К електроникс" инвестира в проекти за недвижими имоти, като започна да строи едни от първите търговски паркове в България. В Плевен вече работи един от тях. В момента компанията строи и търговски парк на столичния булевард "Владимир Вазов". Има проекти и за Видин и Варна, които обаче още не са започнали да се строят. "Техномаркет" има около 40 на сто от пазара на техника в България, като основните й конкуренти са "Технополис", "Зора", "Технолукс" и др.