The Romanian unit of German building materials and cement maker HeidelbergCement said on Thursday it registered a rise of more than 22 per cent in consolidated turnover to some Euro 194m last year from its three Romanian divisions.

"Last year’s rise is due mainly to the big construction works that followed the floods. The cement market also rose by some eight per cent, and the favourable weather conditions allowed the construction works to continue until December. Cement sales rose 10 per cent in 2005," the company told SeeNews in a statement.

The forecasts for this year show a 6-7 per cent rise in turnover due to an estimated seven percent rise of the domestic cement market and a planned expansion of the company’s concrete stations network.

The three local companies altogether invested around Euro 17m last year mostly in raising labour productivity, modernisation and environment protection. Carpat Beton opened four new concrete batching plants last year. The investments planned for this year will amount to some Euro 25m and will go for alternative fuel installations, upgrade of the Fieni cement plant and improving environment protection measures.