"Keraben Zorka keramika" founded with 3m EUR worth of investment - strategic partnership between "Zorka keramika" and Spanish "Kerabena"

- Serbian manufacturer of tiles "Zorka keramika" and Spanish "Keraben" have signed the contract on strategic partnership, which anticipates investment of 3m EUR in Serbia and export to the markets of the Balkan countries - it was announced today (October 14th, 2009).

According to the announcement, newly founded company "Keraben Zorka keramika", in which Serbian and Spanish companies have the share of 50% each, will be exporting its products from the base in Serbia to the market of the whole Balkans.

- In addition to the investment of 2-3m EUR, we also expect export of about 2m square meters of "Keraben" tiles to the markets of Macedonia, Montenegro, Albania, and Bosnia and Herzegovina - said the President of Austrian "Alas holding", a part of which is Novi Sad-based "Zorka keramika".

He added that, thanks to that, over 50% of incomes will be made from export.

According to the announcement, "Keraben" is going to open a showroom in Serbia and form the sales team. "Zorka" met the criteria of "Keraben" thanks to 14.5m EUR worth of investments in "Keramika" by "Alas holding".

Spanish "Keraben" group registered turnover of 175m EUR in 2008, over 60% of which from export. "Keraben" produced 15m square meters of tiles in Spain and 2.5m in foreign countries last year, and it has more than 1,000 employees.

According to the website of "Zorka keramika", that company was privatized in December 2003, it operates within Austrian "Alas holding", it has 168 employees and annual production capacity of 2m square meters of floor tiles.