The Most Advanced Parquet Factory in Europe Prospers in Đurđevac

Total Croatia News

Foreign entrepreneurs have invested millions and employed many locals.

That not everything is bleak in Croatia and the potential to be successful in business has been demonstrated by an example from Đurđevac, where the first phase of the construction of the most modern parquet factory in Europe has been completed, reports Dnevnik.hr on January 15, 2018.

Foreign investors have invested millions and hired locals, with half of the employees being women. The Croatian products are exported all over the world, and plans for the second phase are underway. “We have invested about 13 million euro in infrastructure, mostly in machines, as well as in the reconstruction of existing buildings and warehouses,” said Christian Koch, the executive director of the company.

During the initial phase, the plant employed about a hundred workers. One year later, the number of employees has increased to 250.

While male workers mostly manage the machines, women are employed in the quality control department. “We have to categorise the products into the first, second, third and fourth class. If the product is not of good quality, we reject it. We’re satisfied with our jobs,” said one employee.

The local mayor is more than happy. Together with investors, he quickly resolved all the local infrastructure issues and built for them access roads for transport of logs. “In order for foreign investors to come to your town, it is necessary to adjust the rules which are mostly outdated and allow them to come and use what we have when we apparently do not know how to use it ourselves,” said Hrvoje Janči, the Mayor of Đurđevac.

Despite investing millions and employing many locals, the entrepreneurs do not intend to stop here. They want to expand their business and hire even more workers. Still, that no longer depends on them but on the Croatian Forests public company, which implements the quotas for raw wood.

“We expect, or at least we hope, a positive decision on the quotas for oak logs from Croatian Forests for this year. That will in large measure determine our further moves,” said Igor Benaković, the general manager for Croatia.

They have enough funds to double the production capacities, and the only (quite formidable) barrier is the Croatian bureaucracy.

Translated from Dnevnik.hr.

 

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