Choosing the name ‘Moravacem’ speaks of our great respect for domestic values, laws, business ethics, but also of diligent people in Serbia
Since August 2015, when CRH came to the Serbian market, the company has been recording good business results, has participated in significant national infrastructure projects and expanded its business in the concrete production and distribution segment. After more than 5 years, the company, which owns the cement plant in Popovac and concrete plants in Belgrade, changed its brand and logo to Moravacem.
Why did you decide to change the company’s name and logo considering the already established position of the CRH brand on the Serbian market?
Our company is part of a large multinational company, CRH Group, which operates in 30 countries and employs close to 80,000 people. CRH Group has been present on the Serbian market since 2015 when it became the owner of the Popovac cement plant and concrete plants in Belgrade. Three concrete plants in Belgrade and a subsidiary company, Sapphire, which deals with waste disposal, operate under our company.
Choosing the name Moravacem speaks of our great respect for domestic values, laws, business ethics, but also educated, professional and diligent people from Serbia. We are proud of our roots and the history of the Popovac cement plant which spans more than 100 years. We value our past and use it as a solid foundation for building a great future.
On the other hand, Ireland-based CRH is our parent company. We will take the opportunity of being a part of a very successful global family to share know-how, innovations and experiences.
Will there be any other changes besides the company’s name and logo?
There won’t. As a local company, we do not change our priorities which include providing outstanding products and services to our customers, offering great career opportunities for our people, ensuring the highest standards of health, safety and environmental responsibility, and making a positive contribution to our local communities.
“We are proud of our roots and the history of the Popovac cement plant which spans more than 100 years”
We do not anticipate any disruptions for our partners, customers, suppliers or distributors. It is very much business as usual for us.
Has Covid-19 affected the cement industry in Serbia in the past year? What business results did you achieve in 2020?
The global pandemic is a complete novelty in our individual experiences and has brought society and governments to extremes. Many industries, mainly in the service and tourism sectors, have been hit hard and many jobs have been lost. As for our cement industry, the situation wasn’t the same for everyone. In Western Europe, the crisis was felt strongly and large-scale projects were mostly suspended. Eastern Europe did much better, and construction was declared a vital industry.
In Serbia, the situation at the onset of the epidemic was unclear, but demand improved as the months passed. In our business that is the production of concrete, there was strong initial uncertainty but we were able to continue with the implementation of important projects such as the Belgrade Tower under the auspices of the Belgrade Waterfront development.
The Cement Division of CRH Serbia has been working hard on some of the key infrastructure projects such as the Preljina-Požega highway. Another important project was the reconstruction of the copper mines in Bor and Majdanpek. The influx of the Serbian diaspora and the fact that people stayed at home led to a very good demand for cement in bags, too.
Could you tell us how your company used the crisis to achieve sustainable growth and development?
Despite the difficult circumstances, we managed to realize many projects. During 2020, we promoted the new brand of our subsidiary waste disposal company, Sapphire, as well as a new product called ZidoMal, launched a business segment with a help of a new product for the construction industry, Construfil, maintained the uninterrupted flow of production and sales of concrete and cement, and conducted a large number of campaigns related to the safety and health of our employees and their families. We have done a lot despite the situation in the country.
What are the plans for the current year? What will the company focus on?
In addition to changing the company’s brand, this year brings new perspectives and goals to the business environment. We will continue focusing on providing quality products and services to our clients, ensuring the highest standards of responsible behaviour in terms of health, safety and environmental protection, and making a positive contribution to the communities in which we operate.