Henkel has been operating in Serbia since 2002 combining modern technology and tradition. We asked Mrs Gordana Brasic, President of Henkel Serbia, and Head HR for Serbia, Bulgaria and Romania, in what way are you continuing to innovate and at the same manage that brands retain the tradition they have.
“Henkel’s brand essence is entrepreneurial spirit, we were created as entrepreneurs and this value allows us to last for more than a 142 years. Since our arrival on the Serbian market on 2002., we have invested more than 200 million euros in numerous projects of modernization and improvement of production technology”, says Brašić. “Our team is bold and trustworthy, we innovate constantly in order to offer our customers additional value with our brands and services. We listen carefully to the needs of our consumers and therefore we manage to maintain a balance between traditional and modern values”, says our interlocutor.
How satisfied are you with the results in 2018, and what are your business expectations for this year?
— Last year was very important for us in terms of investments, since we opened new Somat factory in Kruševac, an investment worth 20 Mio EUR. Thanks to the mentioned investments and constant growth of production in our factory in Krusevac, we are exporting our products to more than 36 regional, European and world markets. Our volume of exports in 2018 ranked us among the 15 largest exporters in Serbia. Despite challenging market conditions, our business units were able to maintain and improve positions. Numerous acknowledgements and rewards, both by consumers and among the Henkel company prove that our business strategy is on the right track. We expect the global and local market conditions to remain challenging, however we will strive for the further realization of the plans and global Henkel 2020+ Strategy.
Henkel is very devoted to sustainable business and circular economy, and is one of the founders of the Alliance for the Removal of Plastic Waste. How important is investing in sustainability?
— Our commitment to leadership in sustainability is anchored in our corporate values so membership in the Alliance is quite a natural and logical move for our company. We are pleased that besides us there are many companies that truly care for the community in which they operate as well as for the benefit of the entire planet. Following Henkel’s Sustainability Strategy, Henkel Serbia has achieved significant savings in water and energy consumption, as well as waste generation. Our factory in Kruševac was the first in Serbia to receive ISO 50.001 energy efficiency certificate, as well as the international Gold LEED certificate for leadership in energy design for environmental protection.
What are the further development and investment plans in Serbia, given that Henkel Serbia represents an important part of the company on a global scale?
— We will stay focused on further development and we will continue to invest in our production facilities and innovations, as well as in our employees which are the core value and pillar of our company. Henkel stays committed to being a reliable partner of the community in which it operates, believing that business results are complete only in strong and healthy environment.