The new management of The Romanian Tobacco Corporation (Tutunul Romanesc - SNTR) wants to change the company's image while investing in new technology. "We are going to start with a market study based on which we will build a new image for our products," SNTR executive manager Marcel Kadar told "Bursa." He added that the change of image would require most of the funds set aside for future investments. In his view, the company would also have to make substantial investments in improving product quality. "By the time Romania joins The EU, the cigarettes made by SNTR will be fully compliant with European standards," Kadar said. SNTR wants to change its current image of a producer of strong, low-quality and cheap cigarettes. The company plans to procure some 6,000 tons of domestic tobacco and thus pass on imports this year. Romania's tobacco market is estimated at some half a billion dollars. Official data indicates that SNTR dominates the market with a 25 percent share, followed by British American Tobacco, JTI, Philip Morris and Papastratos.
SNTR concluded the year 2001 with a turnover of 3,098.1 billion ROL and losses of 216 billion ROL. Two years later, losses had increased to 777 billion ROL.