La Fantana
New production facility
At the end of October, a new production line for filling bottled carbonated and non-carbonated water in 0,5 liter PET packaging was ceremonially put into operation at the La Fantana water factory in Mitrovo Polje. This act also marked the tenth anniversary of the opening of the factory. "In the jubilee year of the factory's operation, we invested in a new product and a new production line. This is the result of ten years of successful operation of our factory, and we already have an export contract for the new product. With the new product in addition to the already existing options, La Fantana is ready to respond to all the needs of the market when it comes to the supply of high quality water. We are proud of the appearance of the new bottle, which is specially designed and attracts attention with its elegant appearance. And what is especially important, we are proud of our water, which as a natural mineral water belongs to the highest category of water and whose quality has been unchanged for 10 years," said Dejan Antić, General Manager of La Fantana for Serbia. La Fantana has so far invested over three million euros in the factory. Plans for further investments at the moment are focused on a new production line, with the aim of starting bottling of water in 1,5 or 2 liter bottles in the near future.
University of PEP
International scientific conference
The fifth international scientific conference entitled "Employment, education and entrepreneurship", under the auspices of the College of Business Economics and Entrepreneurship (VŠ PEP) from Belgrade, the Ministry of Economy and the Ministry of Trade, Tourism and Telecommunications, was held on October 28 and 29 in Belgrade. At the opening of the scientific conference, a cooperation agreement was signed between the University of PEP and the Russian New University from Moscow, the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Gabon and the University of the Business Academy from Novi Sad. On Saturday, October 29, a round table was held with the topic: "Costs and economic effects of the process of joining and accession of Serbia to the EU and economic effects after full membership". In addition to Professor Milan Beslać from the PEP College, the round table was attended by: Prof. Dr. Dušan Janjić, Member of Parliament prof. Dr. Miladin Ševarlić, president of the Association of Belgrade Economists, prof. Dr. Gojko Rikalović, Nebojša Atanacković, president of the Union of Serbian Employers and academician prof. Dr. Radmila Grozdanić, from the College of Business Economics and Entrepreneurship.
Nelt
Traffic growth from 28,5%
After three years of unified operations of all companies in the organizational system of the Nelt Group, significant results were achieved. In 2015, a turnover of 702 million euros was achieved, while through organic growth, signing contracts with new principals and clients, as well as starting new businesses in 2015, the Nelt Group increased the number of employees by 250 and by the end of the year expects an increase in revenue of 28,5, 12 percent. Today, 4000 companies within the Nelt Group employ nearly XNUMX people in seven markets, which makes it one of the most successful domestic business systems. In order to respond to the needs of consumers in the best possible way, Tako Lako Shop was acquired last year, which in the meantime has become the largest online sales platform in Serbia. In accordance with world standards in socially responsible business, Nelt joined the Global Compact of the United Nations, and published the first Report on Sustainable Business "We Distribute Responsibly".
Atlantic Group
Net profit growth
In the first nine months of 2016, Atlantic Grupa achieved sales revenues of 502 million euros, which represents a drop of 2015 percent compared to the same period in 4,9. Operating profit before interest and taxes (EBITDA) amounts to EUR 55,7 million and is down by 6,9 percent, while net profit after minority interests increased by 1,3 percent and amounts to EUR 30,7 million. "The decline in sales is due to the termination of cooperation with the largest private brand customer in the Sports and Active Nutrition segment and the depreciation of the Russian ruble and the Serbian dinar. If the mentioned effects are excluded, sales revenues grew three percent compared to the same period last year. Profit from operations was reduced to the greatest extent by previously announced significant investments in the development of distribution of own brands in Germany and Austria, while at the same time almost all business segments recorded a significant increase in profitability," explained Zoran Stanković, Vice President of the Finance Group.
UniCredit bank
Dinar car loans
In mid-October, UniCredit Bank signed a cooperation agreement with one of the leading car dealers on the territory of Serbia - AutoČačka, and thus secured a dinar loan for the purchase of new and used cars. This dinar loan is another product of UniCredit Bank that aims to support the process of dinarization, i.e. restoring confidence in the local currency. A car loan offered by AutoČačka is approved without a down payment or deposit, and provides clients with an ideal solution by providing a sufficient amount of funds, an adequate repayment period and a competitive interest rate. The loan is granted to permanently employed persons who transfer their income to UniCredit Bank, in the maximum amount of two million dinars and with a repayment period of up to 10 years. The nominal interest rate is variable and is formed as the sum of the value of 3M BELIBOR and the margin of 3,99 percent per year. In addition to full-time employees, all those who receive their pension on an account opened at UniCredit Bank can apply for this loan. In this case, the maximum loan amount is 1,2 million dinars, the repayment period is up to seven years, and the nominal interest rate is variable and is formed as the sum of the value of 3M BELIBOR and the margin of 3,60 percent per year.
Saatchi & Saatchi and Hemofarm Foundation
Three awards at the Golden Drum Festival
At the 23rd Golden Drum Festival, the most important regional festival of creativity, the Saatchi & Saatchi Belgrade agency in cooperation with the Hemofarm Foundation won a gold, silver and bronze award. In Ljubljana, the Saatchi & Saatchi Belgrade agency won the Golden Drum in the integrated campaigns category, the Silver Drum in the PR category, and the special Drum Adriatic 2016 Bronze award, which is awarded to the most successful agencies in the Adriatic region, with the campaign "The most important call in life". Hemofarm Foundation, as a partner of the Ministry of Health, initiated a campaign called "The most important calling in life", in order to raise awareness of the importance of organ donation and transplantation. With the support of Direct Media and Fusion Communications, this campaign drew public attention to donation and the need for a national consensus on the adoption of a new law on organ transplantation. In Serbia, at this moment, thousands of people are waiting for an invitation for an organ transplant. Unfortunately, most of them will not welcome that invitation. By adopting a new law that would introduce a model of presumed consent and by raising society's awareness, the situation in Serbia would be improved, as well as the life prospects of people waiting for a transplant. As part of the campaign, June 6 was declared the National Donor Day. The new law on transplantation should enter the parliamentary procedure by the end of 2016.
McCann Belgrade
Agency of the year
The McCann Belgrade agency was declared the most successful agency of the year in Serbia at the Festival of Integrated Communications Kaktus 2016. According to the jury's assessment, the McCann Belgrade agency had the highest number of points won by its campaigns, in the competition of 135 submitted works. This is the second time in a row that the McCann Belgrade agency has been recognized as the agency of the year, and it has also been awarded for two projects, in the Mobile category for the application "ARt - the largest virtual exhibition of all time" and in the Profit integrated campaign category for "Lion Popcorn" Carlsberg Serbia . "The Agency of the Year Award at the Cactus Festival means a lot to us. We are bringing a very demanding year to an end in a wonderful way. We are, of course, also proud that we have won this recognition for the second time and that we have been continuously recognized for our work by the business and professional public," said Olivera Perković, Managing Director of the McCann Belgrade agency. This year, the McCann Belgrade agency was declared the most successful agency from Serbia at the Golden Drum international festival, while at the regional BalCannes I&F McCann Group, within which McCann Belgrade operates, was the most successful agency network with the most works at the final show.
Bank Intesa
New offer of housing loans
Banca Intesa further improved the offer of housing loans indexed in euros, which it now approves at an even lower interest rate, and was the first to introduce loans for the purchase of real estate in euros with a fixed monthly installment during the entire repayment period of up to 20 years. Housing loans insured with the National Housing Loan Insurance Corporation (NKOSK) are now available with an interest rate starting at 2,59 percent (2,79 percent plus six-month EURIBOR) on an annual basis and a repayment period of up to 15 years, which is the most favorable offer on the market when it comes to euro-indexed loans for the purchase of real estate with a maturity of 180 months. Loans with a repayment period of 15 to 30 years are placed with an annual interest rate of 2,70 (from 2,90 percent plus six-month EURIBOR), while loans secured by NKOSK with a fixed monthly installment are approved for up to 20 years with an annual interest rate of 3,5 percent during the entire repayment period. Loans are available without a fee for early repayment of the loan from personal funds and without the obligation to take out life insurance, with a minimum participation of 20 percent of the purchase value of the real estate, and the offer will be valid until the end of the year.
Delta Real Estate
Purchased Holiday Inn Hotel and BelExpo Center
The company Delta Real Estate became the owner of the Holiday Inn hotel and the BelExpo center in Belgrade. Holiday Inn Belgrade is a four-star hotel, offering guests 140 rooms and 7 meeting rooms. The BelExpo Center is a multifunctional space, connected to the hotel, which covers 2500 square meters. "Although the Holiday Inn Hotel has good business results, our intention is to improve the business as much as possible and provide our guests with even better service," said Živorad Vasić, Vice President of Delta Holding and General Manager of the Crowne Plaza Belgrade Hotel. "The BelExpo Center has a great untapped potential in the organization of events, which fits perfectly with Delta Real Estate's strategy to develop congress tourism in Belgrade, in which business is not seasonal, but lasts throughout the year." By purchasing the Holiday Inn Hotel and the BelExpo Center, Delta continues to expand its operations in Serbia in strategic businesses, agriculture and real estate development. It also strengthens the cooperation with the InterContinental Hotels Group, which now takes place through the three brands of this hotel group. Delta is now the owner of the Holiday Inn and Crowne Plaza hotels in Belgrade and the future InterContinental Ljubljana hotel, which is scheduled to open in the spring of 2017. Delta is ready to start the construction of the InterContinental Belgrade hotel, for which there is already a plan and location. InterContinental Hotels Group is the largest hotel group in the world. It includes more than 5.000 hotels operating in 100 countries, through 12 hotel brands.
Philip Morris
New competition "Get to work"
The competition for the new, eighth cycle of the national donor program POKRENI SE ZA POSAO, implemented by NGO ENECA with the support of Philip Morris in Serbia, opened on October 25 and will last until January 31 of the following year. The program aims to support the start-up and development of small and family businesses throughout Serbia. All citizens with sustainable and creative entrepreneurial ideas have the opportunity to apply for the competition through the website www.pokrenisezaposao.rs. Through the START FOR BUSINESS program, 100 new entrepreneurs will receive grants for the purchase of equipment necessary to start or improve their own business this year. In addition, as before, the users will have a large number of trainings at their disposal, as well as the advisory assistance of economic experts, who will guide them in the basics of small entrepreneurship. "For the last seven years, this program has proven that there are a large number of people in Serbia with outstanding and sustainable entrepreneurial ideas, and all the businesses launched through this program speak in favor of that." We are very proud of the results of all 606 businesses that we have supported so far, as well as the fact that more than 2000 people are employed in these businesses today. In the year of entrepreneurship, we are launching another cycle of support for entrepreneurs who are just starting to develop their business ideas," said Ivana Radmilac Đurđić, communications manager for Southeast Europe at Philip Morris.
Carlsberg Serbia
Park improvement action
The Carlsberg Serbia company organized an action to decorate the nature park "Tikvara" in Bačka Palanka in mid-October. About 100 employees of the Carlsberg Serbia company participated in the volunteer action, which was supported by the Bačka Palanka Youth Office and JP Sports and Recreation Center and Nature Park "Tikvara". On this occasion, volunteers cleaned the coast and part of the city beach, removed garbage and cleared vegetation. The goal of this action was to beautify one of the favorite gathering and socializing places of the residents of Bačka Palanka, as well as to raise awareness about environmental protection. "I am extremely proud that a large and successful company recognized the importance of investing in the local community and that together with the employees of Carlsberg Serbia, we contributed to the development of one of the most beautiful areas in Bačka Palanka, the nature park," said Darko Božović, director of JP SRC "Tikvara".
