BILKA, the leader on the roofing market, ended 2017 with a turnover of EUR 86 million, which was 45% higher compared to EUR 60 million in 2016. Residential products remain a top-selling category, accounting for 90% of the total sale volumes. The remaining 10% is represented by the category of industrial products.

The sustainable growth of the company is mainly due to its expansion and investments, which reached EUR 30 million over the past 11 years; the most recent investment amounting to EUR 5.56 million was made last year with the acquisition of the Hidromecanica 2 Brasov industrial platform, where the company started a new development project.

“This year’s results confirm that our strategy is well shaped and appropriate. However, apart from last year’s EUR 86 million turnover, we also take into consideration other two performance indicators. The first one is the number of covered houses and in this respect, we manufactured and sold 57,000 complete roofing systems last year; the second indicator reflecting the performance of a company in this field of activity is the consumption of pre-painted steel, which is the raw material used in 95% of the products that we sell. In 2017, Bilka used 80,000 tons of pre-painted steel, being the largest consumer of such material in Eastern Europe”, declared Horațiu Țepeș.

In 2018, the company continues the investment plan started last year with the acquisition of the Hidromecanica 2 Brasov industrial platform; this investment amounting to EUR 20 million is due for completion in 2020.

“Our focus in the forthcoming period is on the investment plan initiated last year and on the development of our industrial division. We will start renovating the platform and, at the same time, we have already commenced the procedures for the acquisition of the required production equipment and raw materials and for the expansion of the team in charge of this division. Investments will be completed in 2020, but their first outcomes will be noticed by the beginning of 2019, when we estimate that the production of insulated panels will be ready for launch”, stated Horațiu Țepeș.

The roofing market, a new record in 2017

Last year, the roofing market grew on average by 10%, up to approximately 38 million sqm. According to the company’s estimates, metal roofing accounts for 70% of the overall roofing market and this share is expected to increase on the short and medium term.

“We expect the trend of the past years to maintain also in 2018. There are premises for growth in this industry, at least in the following 10 years. On the one hand, there is a need to expand not only the residential but also the industrial and agricultural construction sector in Romania. On the other hand, the last years’ investments in production capacities and product range diversification were made specifically to meet the new construction needs. We expect a 10% increase in the total roofing market this year, and a 25% advancement for Bilka”, mentioned Horațiu Țepeș.

INFO

BILKA, the leader on the roofing market and the largest consumer of pre-painted steel in Romania, ended the year 2017 with a turnover of EUR 86 million. In 11 years of activity, BILKA covered over 200,000 houses and made investments exceeding EUR 30 million. The production lines are fully automated, relying on the latest technologies available worldwide. In 2017, BILKA sold its products all over the country and abroad via more than 500 stable dealers. BILKA products are exported in several countries, among which Bulgaria, Hungary, the Republic of Moldova, Germany, Poland, Slovakia and Ukraine.