"Alas holding" invested 75m EUR since 2001 - expansion to region and EU announced

Company "Alas holding", a member of Austrian "Asamer" group, announced today (December 15, 2009) that it had invested 75m EUR in stone production and processing and the industry of building materials in Serbia since 2001.

According to the announcement, in spite of the economic crisis, the company fulfilled its investment plans and kept all the workers in 2009.

The company's priority in 2010 is to establish new partnerships in the markets of the region and EU where it has never appeared before.

This year "Alas" invested 14.5m EUR in "Zorka Keramika" and strategic partnership with the leader in production of ceramic tiles - Spanish company "Keraben".

In the following period, additional 2-3m EUR will be invested in annual production and marketing of 2m square meters of "Keraben" tiles in Serbia.

Company "Zorka Keramika" has started realization of 750,000 EUR worth of investment in the system for reduction of energy consumption during production process, which will reduce consumption of fuels in "Zorka Keramika" by 15%.

According to the announcement, the consequences of the economic crisis in 2009 were felt the most by the companies that belong to "stone" group and are engaged in public construction works financed by the state, which is also hit by the economic crisis.

"Alas holding" comprises "Zorka Keramika", "Zorka Opeka", "Zorka Alas Kamen" and "Alas Rakovac".