Years ago, the construction industry was considered to be a man thing only that had nothing to do with women, but this theory seems to have faded away and female presence has risen unexpectedly in the companies operating in this sector. Even more interesting is that the number of young women in management positions has increased rapidly in these companies, a sign that the industry has refined its past habits. Moreover, the construction industry undergoes a full development process.

Gabriela Stoițer (cover photo) is the youngest marketing manager in the industry of construction material producers, but also the marketing manager of the largest roof manufacturer in Romania, handling an annual budget of more than EUR 1 million in connection with Bilka Steel promotion activities.

She joined the Bilka team in 2014, in a period when the business of the company in Brasov began to diversify and when the marketing activity was ensured mostly by LinksPR, a communication agency with which Horaţiu Ţepeş, the owner of Bilka, cooperated at that time.

„Before joining the team, I worked for Bilka as a communication representative. Bilka was a client of the agency that I was working for and we started communication from scratch, which helped me know and understand the company’s activity, as well as the specific market and their competitors. I admired the company’s vision and evolution, I was familiar with its needs in terms of marketing, so I knew what was to be done. (…) Now, I see that period as training for what came next. Having the know-how was a great advantage both for me and for the company; therefore I skipped the adaptation and induction stages and took over action and implementation attributions. The team was open to changes, supported and assisted me in outlining and implementing marketing actions“, said the 27-year-old executive.

Before her affiliation with Bilka, marketing activities did not represent a priority for the metal roofing manufacturer between 2008-2014, the company focusing on business development, product range extension and distribution coverage across the country.

„Ever since the period when I used to work for the communication agency, I began to draft various projects and proposals for our client companies, actions that were more related to marketing than to communication. Companies were open to my initiatives, but although I wanted to accomplish more, I could not replace their own marketing departments. In my opinion, marketing cannot be made through an agency; the most efficient form of marketing is that inside the company, coordinating the relationship with various agencies. (…) The transition from the PR agency to the company was not difficult. Through the very nature of my job, I began to get used to the companies‘ operations and I enjoyed being involved in the development of each company that I worked with. I knew that time would come to move on the client’s side, although I didn’t expect it to happen so soon. The challenge for me was to switch from the vision and approach of a communication person to that of a marketing person, but my experience in the communication agency proved to be helpful over time. In 2014, when I joined the team, Bilka had already been a leader on the roofing market ever since 2012. The real challenge was to design the marketing strategy for the market leader“, admitted Gabriela Stoițer, the marketing manager of Bilka, a company preparing for a new record on its market this year. The company’s business is on fast forward towards EUR 100 million.

In 2015, the year of Bilka’s first large promotion campaign at national level, the marketing budget amounted to EUR 1 million, double as compared to 2014, being maintained also in 2016.

„The investments in marketing activities reach EUR 1.2 million this year. The budget supplementation is correlated with the company’s growth and the development of new products, but also with the diversification of communication means, the particularization of consumption habits and of advertising messages. At present, in order to achieve the highest possible share of the target audience, the communication mix must include a variety of channels, with individually adapted messages, which means more consistent investments. (…) It is normal for a company undergoing a full development process, such as Bilka, to be sustained also by marketing initiatives well adapted to the market trend. Any business strategy and development of the company and of its product portfolio must be correlated with the marketing strategy. It is essential to know what and how to communicate so that the company’s message reaches the target audience; how much to communicate is a business outcome, when the company faces an ongoing development“, added Gabriela Stoițer.

The largest portion of the marketing budget during the period 2015 – 2016 was directed towards TV and radio campaigns, street billboards and social media, but also to the promotion of each partner in the country. „Apart from the channels mentioned above, an important role in our communication mix is played by the online environment. Considering that most consumers spend an increasing amount of time online, the investments and attention given to this zone are higher. It is important for a company and particularly for its brand to be in line with the current development trends and present in all the media that have a significant impact on the consumers“, continued the Bilka manager.

Gabriela Stoițer graduated two university specializations – Communication at the Faculty of Letters within the University of Bucharest and Political Science – and also holds a Master’s degree in communication from SNSPA (National School of Political Science and Public Administration).

Bilka is getting ready for investments of over EUR 20 million in the forthcoming years

The investment focus in the following years will be on the company’s vertical development, by enhancing the product range dedicated to the industrial sector, but also on its horizontal development, by targeting new sales markets.

„After completing the expansion stage related to the residential division last year, the company is now preparing a new investment budget. In this respect, we are raising at present an investment budget of Eur 20 million.“ The first stage will be dedicated to the extension of the production area, the current space available being fully used. The second stage will include the purchase and installment of the equipment used in the production of corrugated metal sheets, insulated panels, industrial profiles, structural liner trays and turnkey halls dedicated to the industrial sector. (…) The company’s progress is based on a finely tuned business plan, on a future strategy that involves the development of solutions for the industrial sector, a purpose for which there is a planned budget ready to be invested. A company’s growth requires constant investments and Bilka is well aware of that. Ever since the company’s beginnings, its strategies were based on profit reinvestment in order to improve the range of products and services, but also to extend the production area mainly in connection with the residential division“, added Gabriela Stoițer.

10 years after its establishment, Bilka has a new strategic plan envisaging the development of the industrial sector, because the market requires so and the company has the resources to do it.

„What I see printed on my business card 10 years from now is „. Bilka, ambitious to become a European brand

The new development plans set up the premises for another decade of sustainable growth, according to the company’s representative.

„We know what we will do in 10 years and in 20 years, as well. The answer to the question regarding how I see myself over 10 years from now is very much connected with how I see Bilka’s evolution in the next 10 years. Bilka will definitely be an important player at the regional level, as well as a reputable brand through its factories located in the European Union and also in Eastern Europe. The real challenges have yet to come. The marketing strategy for the forthcoming years follows three main directions – maintaining and enhancing public awareness of the company as a manufacturer of complete roofing systems, placing the company among the manufacturers of products dedicated to the industrial sector (insulated panels, corrugated steel sheets, turnkey halls), propelling the company’s brand at European level“, stated the marketing manager of the company founded by Horatiu Țepeș, one of the youngest entrepreneurs in the local construction industry.

In the future, the largest roof manufacturer plans to run promotion campaigns abroad, in order to consolidate the Bilka brand at an international level.

„The decision to steer our marketing initiatives also towards the markets outside Romania is a confirmation of the company’s evolution and of the increasing sales volumes abroad. Not even in 10 years do I picture myself giving up what I am doing now, but I do imagine myself moving forward and using the accrued experience to make the company grow. What I see printed on my business card 10 years from now is „, stated confidently Gabriela Stoițer.

Bilka’s future plans: higher exports, a new business line, and European presence

Bilka’s future strategy will be focused on the development of the industrial sector, but also on the extension of the distribution network beyond the country borders and even the opening of a factory abroad.

„Once the investments in the residential sector are completed, the next step of the company is to develop the production regarding the industrial sector, consisting in turnkey halls for industrial zones and logistics parks – sandwich panels, high-profile corrugated steel sheets, mini-corrugated profiles, structures. The investment related to this sector will be implemented in three years and may be completed in 2020 when the new production hall is furnished and ready. (…) Another important aspect of our strategy for the following years is the increase in export sales and we already have encouraging signals in this respect. In 2016, Bilka exported complete roofing systems in the amount of RON 27 million. Export sales went up by 33% in H1, 2017, as compared to the same period of the previous year. (…) We estimate a comparable growth for the year-end, as well. We noticed the great potential in the foreign markets and a high interest in our products. This is also due to the fact that Bilka is currently the largest manufacturer of roofing systems in Eastern Europe. Given the investments made, we now have the necessary production and logistic means to become a player on the foreign markets“, added the young entrepreneur.

Bilka brand is becoming more and more present on the foreign markets, in countries such as Hungary, Bulgaria, the Republic of Moldova, Ukraine, Poland, France or Germany.

Bilka representatives affirm that the roofing market increased by 5 to 10 percent year over year, exceeding for the first time last year the threshold of 32 million square meters recorded in 2008, during the real estate boom.

In terms of business plans, the company founded by Horatiu Țepeș expects to exceed Eur 100 million turnover by the end of next year.

The domestic roofing market is currently dominated by Bilka, a local company owned by the young Romanian entrepreneur Horatiu Țepeș; other companies operating in this industry are Wetterbest, Lindab, Ruukki or Viking Pruszynski.

Article published on www.wall-street.ro