The Jesenice-based steelworks Acroni reported profit of SIT 841m (EUR 3.5m) last year and sold 265,000 tonnes of steel, valued at SIT 60bn (EUR 250m), in what the company said was its best result ever.
As the company director Vasilij Preseren told a news conference on Wednesday, the state-owned steelworks is very optimistic about the current year as well, as it reported record output, sales and profit figures in the first quarter of the year.
According to Preseren, the shareholders are satisfied with Acroni's performance and gave it a green light at the AGM on Tuesday for four major investments this year.
Allowing for the profit to be used for new investments, the state has proved to be Acroni's best owner so far, Preseren said. He added though that the company might look for a new strategic partner in the future, which would help it turn into a modern company.
The company would moreover have to tackle the problem of human resources since the average age among the 1,350 employees currently stands at 47. This means that 50 to 60 new workers should be recruited annually in the coming years, Preseren explained.
Acroni, which is a part of the Slovenian Steel Group, exports two-thirds of its products, placing 12th among top Slovenian exporters. It is the third largest European producer of thick stainless sheet metal.
Foto:Roman Sipič
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