Decor Floor will launch this year the B2B architecture materials digital marketplace in Romania, according to CEO Octavian Moroianu. He estimates the company will reach a turnover of EUR 18 million this year, with automation being key for securing future growth.
How would you describe 2021 from the perspective of your company? What were the main objectives you achieved last year?
2021 was a year of recalibration for Decor Floor. After 2020, that taught us the valuable lessons of being adaptive and reactive at the speed of light, in the last year we redesigned our structure, strategy and market position. In the last eight months of 2021 our company went through a complete rebranding process and today we are ready to start a new chapter that will mark our biggest evolution.
Being already a mature company on the market, we found the necessary resources to start the rebranding process while accomplishing numerous other important milestones.
An important turning point for Decor Floor in 2021 was the delivery of several contracts for interior glass partitions, which sum up more than EUR 500,000. This achievement, together with the refurbishment works executed for an important office building on Barbu Vacarescu Boulevard, complete the bigger picture that Decor Floor is projecting for the next years.
At the same time the company delivered one of the most complex projects in Romania so far – @EXPO by ATENOR, that included 7100 sqm of ventilated façade system for buildings B1 and B2, more than 18,000 sqm of raised access floor and 2,400 sqm of floor and wall ceramics. In 2022 the project is scheduled to be completed with another 7,800 sqm of ventilated facades system and 24,000 sqm of raised access floor, for the completion of building A. Moreover, Decor Floor was contracted for 4,500 sqm of complete fit-out works, for a major tenant at @EXPO. This project will be implemented in 2022.
The complexity of these projects impacted our organization at different levels, including Logistics & Warehousing. To be able to follow the complexity and dynamics of our projects we decided to upgrade our warehouse location in ELI Park 1, from 1,300 sqm to 2,500 sqm.
From an operational point of view, in 2021, we experienced some project delays due to workforce shortages. The rising cost of materials and supply chain disruptions also had a negative impact on the total margin of the company. These are factors that seem to continue affect the market in 2022, but now we are closely working with all our partners to identify effective methods to cushion the impact on projects.
Decor Floor’s financial evolution is marked by a growth turnover trend. In 2020 the company surpassed the pre-pandemic volume of business with 10%. In 2021 the turnover was 40% higher compared to 2020, and up by 50% versus 2019.
Which are your main goals in 2022? (business, culture, company, market, etc.)
2022 is likely to be an exciting year for us. We forecast a turnover of EUR 18 million based on a strategic mix of diversity and complexity of the targeted projects.
This is an organic growth of the company that will be marked by the launch of a new corporate identity.
The new brand, “wemat,” focuses on the power of community raised in the first 17 years of presence on the Romanian market. Wemat is a composed name of two words – we and matter – that communicates one of the main values of the company – togetherness – as well as the strength and expertise of our team, which impacts the undertaken projects.
For us outstanding matters, which is why our mission is to create the highest level of quality experience for our customers, which exceeds their expectations.
One of the major objectives for Wemat in 2022 is launching a new business line – the very first B2B architecture materials digital marketplace, in Romania. The 1.0 version will be live during Q2/2022 and it will firstly be available for our current customers to facilitate faster response times regarding inquiries and orders. The second phase, beginning Q3/2022, will push the platform towards clients with whom we are not currently developing B2B relationships. The investment in 2021 was EUR 120,000, and in 2022 it represents more than 10% of the company’s budget.
While the new strategic brand aims to strengthen our leader position in the market, it is also designed to empower its employees by creating new career opportunities. In 2022 the total direct employees’ number in Romania will increase from 50 to 64 people.
With the new workforce added, we will focus on contracting more projects from the Medical, Education, Hospitality and Sports segments.
All the departments within the company work in a CRM system, completely developed by us since 2016. In 2022, more than ever, this will play an important role by optimizing the dynamics between departments. We successfully create cross-functional working and efficient planning for the company’s objectives.
The newly defined vision of the company is to build an esteemed ecosystem where to provide turn-key solutions for fit-out projects, in the construction industry. We are committed to do so while ensuring a positive and prosperous impact on society. For us, this is just as important as delivering premium products and services! One of the most rewarding feelings is working with enthusiastic associations that are invested in helping and improving people’s lives. In 2022 we will continue to partnership with NGOs like Asociația Ajungem Mari, Sothis, Autism Voice, Inocenti, Artsafari and Asociația Studenților de la Mincu.
What trends will shape the market in 2022 from your perspective?
Last year’s retrospective outlines the personality and complexity of the business environment in 2022, which continues to focus on better new technologies, rethinking the standard office spaces and deepening the concepts of sustainability and safety.
We are aware that the market will be struggling for the better part of the year, as the pandemic context is not over yet, and its aftermath is felt all through every supply chain. It is a sure thing that the way of doing business has to change including the way of designing buildings, or construction processes.
At the same time, there is a growing interest for projects in the medical and educational field, with an emphasis on the technical quality of products and services. We strive to offer and deliver the perfect package for each project, especially of this kind, because we believe that these segments are one of the most important investments during a lifetime, improving and saving the lives of thousands of people.
Automation will be one of the main pillars in 2022. Human creativity backed by digitization technology manages to facilitate business innovation and constant adaptation to market needs. These technologies provide a high level of predictability and efficiency – technologies that improve customer service, but also the internal organization of a successful company.
Whatever the 2022 trends might be, #WE are always ready to build and adapt to a better tomorrow, while focusing to be our best version today.