Opening of Holcim factory in Alesd

Romanian Prime Minister Adrian Nastase told the opening ceremony on Friday of Holcim factory in Alesd, Bihor county, that local cement prices are a concern with Romanian authorities. Nastase pointed out that the Ministry of Public Finance and the Competition Council should discuss this topic, mostly in order to avoid the temptation of promoting on the Romanian market a higher price than the export one. He hailed the Swiss business concern investment in Romania and showed that investment projects are significant for Romania’s economic development.

Swiss ambassador in Bucharest Francois Chappuis said that the Romanian market increasingly attracted Swiss investors and that they came more confidently to Romania. Nastase explained that investment development and, implicitly, the setting up of new jobs, was extremely important, given that Romania’s economic growth due to privatisation and restructuring also entailed lay-offs.

"Romania cannot develop without an investment inflow to back up efforts for economic recovery," said Nastase. Since 1997, when it entered the Romanian market, Swiss company Holcim has invested 270 million euros. The greatest investment project conducted so far by the company, according to Holcim manager general Kurt Habersatter, is the opening of the Alesd factory, which has a cement production line of 3,000 tonnes per day. More than 70 million euros was invested in this factory, which is the most modern cement factory in the country.