Bulgaria’s Pleven Cement will not raise its prices, despite higher demand, CEO Strahil Yanchev told local news sources. The weather this winter was good and did not suspend construction works, which helped increase sales, he explained. Pleven Cement posted a profit of BGN 1.1 million for the first quarter of 2005, which shows improved financial performance compared to the year-ago period. The company sold 12,000t more cement than planned. In the summer, sales are expected to rise by 15%. As much as 90% of the output is sold on the domestic market, Yanchev said.
Pleven Cement will invest more than BGN 1 million this year in the development of a marl quarry. Since the company was privatised in 1998 by Greece’s Titan Cement nearly BGN 14 million has been invested in upgrade and elimination of environment damages. A year ago the Pleven-based plant was then acquired by Holcim of Switzerland.
