Traian Halalai, EximBank: We play a significant part in EU funds absorption

Bucharest, April 22, 2015 – EximBank is a valuable partner for the companies implementing projects funded by EU money and the bank’s partnerships with companies such as Grafoprint Timisoara, Romchim Protect Bacauor Romcab Targu Mures are just a few samples of the role EximBank is able to have in supporting the investments projects on medium and long term said Traian Halalai, President of EximBank during the conference ”European Funds 2015-2020 – New financing opportunities for Romania”.

”Grafoprint is one of our clients with the longest experience in managing projects with European funding. Last year the company has implemented a project of modernizing its activity funded with non re-imbursable funds from the European Fund for Regional Development and a contribution of 1.8 Million Lei form EximBank. What makes this project special is the fact that is the 20th that the company is implementing with European funds. We have succeeded in answering the demands imposed by the European funds implementation process and we have now the opportunity to continue our collaboration since we are now preparing the financing of the next project”, said Traian Halalai.

Grafoprint one of the first private printing companies in Timisoara has implemented its first European project in 1994, with an investment in paper processing and printing.

”Consistency is important to us. We have implemented more than 20 European projects with values ranging between 2000 and 250.000 Euro. We have generated employment, increased production and we are now exporting 10% of our products. We are aiming at increasing this value with the involvement of EximBank. We do believe that not only thinking positive is important but also acting positively.”, said Radu Dimeca, Administrator of Grafoprint Timisoara, during the conference.

Another wide scope project funded with European funds and EximBank financing is the new Romcab factory – one of the largest manufacturers of cables and electric conducive materials – opened in Acatari, Mures.
”Should we have not beside us Romanian capital banks we would not have succeeded in transforming ourselves from an entrepreneurial company into one implementing procedures and continuing negotiating large European projects impacting the local and regional economy ”, said Sebastian Vladescu, President of the Board Romcab, during the same event.

The new production facility in Acatari has been funded through the European Fund for Regional Development and EximBank has granted to Romcab a mix of products amounting at almost 2000 Million Lei.

”Increasing our contribution to the European funds absorption process has been one of the most important objectives of EximBank and will continue to represent one of the main strategic directions of our activity. The value of the financing facilities granted by EximBank for supporting the projects funded by European funds amounts at almost 300 Million Lei for the last two years and we are confident that we will register a significant increase on this segment. This is due also to the fact that EximBank is preparing to develop also the specific activities of a development bank which will translate in an deeper involvement of the bank in the European funds absorption process and also in playing an important part in the implementation of national and regional projects for infrastructure development.”, said Traian Halalai.

The EximBank representative emphasized the fact that the development bank project is not related to establishing a new entity but to an extension of the current mandate of EximBank by taking over the activities of a development bank.

The operational model will concentrate on financing the real economy and increasing the efficiency of the macroeconomic policies with a focus on facilitating the EU funds absorption between 2015-2020 by ensuring the co-financing of the projects that represent Romania’s engagements towards EU.

”We are ready to get involved in financing and developing of Romanian economy and EximBank holds all the competitive advantages to implement the specific operations of a development bank: solid business model generating profits year over year, improved assets structure, high solvency rate and a highly professional team able to implement and manage this project. Meanwhile, the companies may access the products offered by EximBank for the European funded projects, namely co-financing and pre-financing loans, and letters of comfort”, added the President of EximBank.

EximBank is a specialized institution whose threefold product portfolio focused on financing, guarantee and insurance, enables it to grant assistance to current activities and development of exporters, SME-s and companies involved in projects pertaining to key economic sectors, particularly those contributing to the absorption of EU funds.