Bulgarian exports to Romania have grown by more than 40 percent in the first ten months of last year and already exceed 4 billion euros, reports the Ministry of Economy and Industry. Trade for the same period amounted to 7.25 billion euros, exceeding the initial forecasts of 7 billion euros for the whole of 2021. Romanian investments in Bulgaria by the end of 2021 amount to EUR 366.3 million. Among the registered Romanian companies in Bulgaria are: "Rompetrol" - chain of gas stations (over 30); "Polycolor" - owner of "Orgahim" - Ruse, "Romstal", "E-mag", "Ocean Fish - Verdana", "TotalSoft", "Budmax" (Arabesk). Among the registered Bulgarian companies in Romania are: "Prista Oil", "Bella Bulgaria", "Eurohold Bulgaria", "Kaolin", "Monbat", "Euroins", "Technomarket", "ERBL Food", "Sis Industries". , "Ficosota" and others.
Source: Banker (01.02.2023)

"Ficosota" - owner of the "Milde" and "Emeka" brands, invested 5 million euros in a high-tech line for the production of paper products, doubling its production capacity. The purchased packaging line is of a new generation, fully automated, the palletization is carried out by robots that arrange one pallet in less than 2 minutes, announced Krasen Kyurkchiev - founder and manager of "Fikosota". The new equipment uses patented technology from the US and Italy that allows for the precise production of each roll of toilet paper or kitchen paper. "Investments that have been implemented in 2023, are in the process of being implemented or will be started in 2023 are for BGN 24 million. The upcoming investments until 2025 in the medium term are for about BGN 80 million," he specified. Krasen Kyurkchiev. The toilet paper market in Bulgaria is worth over BGN 121 million with a growth of 22% over the last year. With its two brands "Milde" and "Emeka", "Ficosota" holds a total of 29% market share in value and is the absolute leader in the premium segment. "Fikosota" started this year with over 30% revenue growth, and expectations are for over 450 million BGN sales in 2023. For comparison, "Fikosota" consolidated revenues for 2022 are BGN 365 million, and consolidated profit - nearly BGN 20 million
Source: Capital (31.03.2023)

TESY invests BGN 50 million in a new boiler factory in Shumen and creates up to 40 new jobs The third largest producer of water heaters in Europe, the Bulgarian company TESY is starting the construction of a new plant in Shumen. The value of the investment in construction and equipment amounts to BGN 50 million and will be financed with bank loans. The new plant will be built by the end of next year, and the plans are for it to come into operation at the end of 2024. The 11,500 sq.m. expanded built-up area will have a production area divided into two main halls with highly automated and technological welding, enameling and assembly lines for water containers for thermodynamic and electric boilers, as well as lines for final assembly of heat pump units and thermodynamic boilers . A high-rack warehouse system and about 4 thousand pallet spaces with 6 loading ramps are planned. The administrative-living area will be distributed over three levels, including a robo academy, an office part with 50 workplaces and a relaxation area for 200 people. The planned annual capacity of the factory will be over 200,000 units of finished product. The jobs that will be created will be for between 20 and 40 new employees. TESY realizes its production in 60 countries. The company's annual turnover for 2022 is over BGN 210 million. Every year, sales revenue grows by a double-digit number, with the goal for 2023 being BGN 300 million. TESY has subsidiaries in Romania, Spain, Russia and Greece. Today, the team consists of 1,050 people from 15 nationalities, with some of the employees working in the company since its inception. Since its founding, the company's engineers have created over 69 industrial designs, patents and utility models. To date, the company has a total of 4 factories in Shumen and Smyadovo: a factory for electric boilers with a volume of 6 to 150 L in three price segments (capacity over 1,200,000 units/year); factory for panel convectors (capacity over 200,000 pieces/year; in the process of further expansion); a plant for oil radiators (capacity over 300,000 pieces/year) and a plant for high-volume boilers and buffer vessels (capacity 50,000 pieces/year; products with a volume of 160 to 2000 L).
Source: money.bg (09.06.2023)

The big bakery of "Ficosota": 30 million euros in a new bruschetta plant in Shumen The brothers Zhechko and Krasen Kyurkchievi, managing a production business with annual revenues of almost BGN 600 million, announced the start of construction of a new bruschetta factory of "Fikosota Food" for 30 million euros in the city of Shumen. The new power will be for Bruschette Maretti ("Bruschetti Maretti"). According to information from "Ficosota", this year bruschetta sales are in the amount of BGN 100 million, and after the loading of the future plant, the annual turnover of the product will reach BGN 400 million. Bruschette Maretti are already sold in over 70 countries on all continents and is the largest bruschetta brand in the world. Currently, "Ficosota Food" produces 1,500 tons of Bruschette Maretti per month, and with the new factory I will have a capacity for a total of 4,000 tons per month, or nearly 700 million packets per year. Production areas, a logistics center for finished products, a warehouse for raw materials and an administrative part will be located on nearly 15,000 square meters of open space. The new plant is expected to operate 24/7 in early 2025. The opening of the plant will create 150 new jobs for warehouse workers, high-tech equipment operators, adjusters, technicians, automation engineers, production managers, control of quality, etc. The history of Bruschette Maretti began in 2005 at "Ital Food Industry" (later "Ital Food" and "Ficosota Food") in Shumen. The original shareholders in the company were the brothers Martin and Krasen Kamenski (with 25% each) and "Fikosota Synthesis" (later "Fikosota") of the brothers Krasen and Zhechko Kyurkchievi with a 50% share. At the beginning of 2012, "Ficosota Synthesis" became the sole owner of the bruschetta company, after buying the shares of the Kamensky brothers, who later created the companies "New Bakers" and "The Bakers".
Source: Capital (04.09.2023)