Gefco plans to handle transportation of Ford cars produced in Romania

Ford, which last year acquired Automobile Craiova car manufacturer, is to launch production in Romania in 2009.

“Ford is our client internationally. We are currently discussing with group officials the [handling] of Romanian production,” Gefco Romania’s General Manager, Denis Renard, told Business Standard.

If the French group wins the contract with Ford, Gefco Romania is likely to exceed the estimated 30 percent growth in turnover for 2009, up to €31 million. However, Renard said that the impact of the possible Ford contract will become visible only as of 2010.

He added that the French group decided to expand to Romania because the region has development potential. “The best opportunity is access to the sea, given Romania has a harbor, and this means a lot for a logistics company, “Renard added.

Of the total Gefco business, some 60 percent is made up by the auto industry. One of the company’s main clients is Dacia car maker, controlled by French Renault group. “We have a team at the Dacia plant, loading cars onto a train to [the harbor of] Constanta. From that point, cars are transported by sea to France, Spain, Portugal, Algeria, and Tunisia,” Renard said.

Gefco plans to consolidate its business on the Romanian market and is considering acquisitions of local companies. "We are interested in purchasing companies or structures operating in logistics and distribution fields. It could be either a large company or one less known," Renard said.