Media coverage

Depaco-Wetterbest, the first metallic tile producer to organize authorized vocational courses in Romania

Depaco has obtained the necessary accreditations from the Ministry of National Education through the National Authority for Qualifications and the County Agency for Payments and Social Inspection.

“Wetterbest School makes it possible for some technicians to enter the construction industry with an important piece of theoretical and practical knowledge regarding metallic coatings, who are more responsive and aware of the importance of their work. The initiative reflects our desire to increase the quality of the works, to the direct benefit of the final customers who invest in construction or renovation projects. In a construction work, the quality put into work is at least as important as that of the materials used. From our experience, most of the problems occur during assembly and is a general issue in the construction industry. Creating a structured training framework for specialists in the field is proof of the company’s responsibility towards its customers” – Valeriu Irimescu, CEO

Depaco opens its second Wetterbest sale regional center in Cluj

Depaco, one of the leaders of the local roof systems industry, part of the Teraplast Group, continues its business consolidation policy and opens a regional sales center in Cluj-Napoca. The existence of the new center will allow a better service in Transylvania, customer benefiting from a showroom and a contact point with the Wetterbest brand, where they will be able to find out more about the products needed to build or renovate roofs and where they will be able to place orders. The first Wetterbest regional center was opened in April in Timişoara and is part of the company’s strategy to operate in as many areas as possible in the country.

Wetterbest metallic fence shingles, a modern alternative to classical fence shingles

The Wetterbest Group adds a new product category to its portfolio, adjacent to the metallic tile segment – metal fence shingles. The new products represent a modern and superior alternative to classical fence shingles and can be used for fencing commercial, residential and industrial areas.

Wetterbest metal fence shingles are made of double pre-painted DX52 deformable steel, through a galvanizing process and multilayer pre-painting in electrostatic field, which gives them increased environmental resistance and during mechanical handling. Furthermore, the zinc layer protects the steel from corrosion and keeps the paint layer unaffected for a long time and ensures a pleasant appearance on both sides of the fence shingles.

How the change of generations looks like in a Romanian family-owned business competing with multinationals

Entrepreneurship is not genetically transmitted, and the handing over of a family business to the next generation is not always after a set plan. Nevertheless, Irimescu Sr. and Irimescu Jr. contradict this theory completely.

“The advice my father gave me was to try to negotiate everything, to pay attention to the people in the company and not to sell lies so that I can sleep peacefully at night“, confesses Valeriu Irimescu, the 27-year old man who, at the end of 2016, took over Depaco (Wetterbest brand) the metallic tile producer, a business worth over 30 million Euros.

The young man graduated from business management at the University of Bucharest and then continued with a Master’s program in International Business Risk Management at the Academy of Economic Studies but he has been working for the group founded by his father since he was 21.

Depaco plans after takeover by teraplast: consolidation and exports to key markets. Romania is the second European market in the production of metallic roofs

Teraplast’s acquisition of Depaco’s majority shares creates new horizons for the business founded by the Romanian entrepreneur Dragoş Irimescu, so one of the company’s development plans will be set up for a new phase where the metallic roof manufacturer will enter.

In an interview for wall-street.ro, Dragoş Irimescu, the founder of Depaco and Valeriu Irimescu, the Romanian entrepreneur’s son, the Company’s current executive director, talked about Depaco’s plans with the Wetterbest brand at local level, what challenges the two face and how they see the company’s development and the metallic roof market in the following years.

According to Valeriu Irimescu, the company’s plan is that by the end of 2019, 10% of the total turnover of the company specialized in roofing solutions to be represented by exports.

Wetterbest, a 65% growth in the first semester of 2017

Wetterbest Group announces remarkable results for the first 6 months of 2017: a turnover of 70 million lei (+ 65% over the similar period of 2016), a consolidated profit of 7 million lei (2 times higher) and volumes of 2,000,000 square meters (+40%). For the year 2017, the company’s representatives are planning total investments of EUR 1 million, allotted specifically for the acquisition of state-of-the-art equipment, the extension of its production lines and infrastructure development. The objective is to support a steady two-digit annual growth rate above the market average.

Wetterbest exports products to seven European countries: Bulgaria, Serbia, Hungary, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Belgium and France. For 2017, the company expects to export about 100,000 square meters of products worth 1 million Euros.

Wetterbest® Faltz, traditionally folded panels

Wetterbest® Faltz is obtained by pre-folding the minirolls of flat sheet with a special machine. The peculiarity that makes it remarkable is the double folding of the panels, which gives it watertightness and increases its resistance to infiltration. Furthermore, the assembly becomes simple and quick due to the assembly of the pre-folded panels on small slopes starting at 3.5 degrees and continuing with vertical plating.

Faltz adapts to any type of construction and architecture: new or old houses, renovations or restorations, as well as residential, commercial or industrial buildings, and gives them a traditional touch. In addition, Wetterbest® Faltz panels can also be used to cover the façade area.

Wetterbest® launches Colosseum, the fifth metallic tile profile in its portfolio

The new product is distinguished by the distinctive geometry of the slim, sleek and ample metallic tiles, inspired by the Roman Colosseum’s architecture, with both aesthetic and functional advantages for the roof.

From a functional perspective, Wetterbest®’s Colosseum metallic tile allows rapid drainage of the accumulated water at the roof, facilitates the rapid release of snow, and provides increased resistance to mechanical handling. In addition, the contoured base provides the possibility of minimal overlapping of the tile panels without loss of material during assembly. The result is a roof that has fewer visible joints, uniform, economical and durable.

As far as the design is concerned, the new profile borrows from the elegance of the ceramic tile that it resembles and gives the roof a traditional touch due to the simplicity that characterizes the tile panels. Colosseum is suitable for both for new construction and renovation projects, with a corresponding slope of at least 12°.

Wetterbest launched the "Wetterbest for the community” Association

Wetterbest group launched the “Wetterbest for the community” Association, with the purpose of helping young people from disadvantaged backgrounds to develop and have access to education. The activity of the association will mainly target the community in Băicoi and the neighboring areas, but in the future will also address national projects.

“I feel that each person has an implicit duty to contribute to the development of the community in which he/she lives. The association is the way in which we contribute to the community where we work every day, along with the Wetterbest School project where we organize free assembly courses. With “Wetterbest for the Community” we want to give to many children and young people as possible in Băicoi a chance to education and personal and professional development, in order to become the vectors of change”, said Dragoș Irimescu, Wetterbest’s General Manager.

Wetterbest School - a professional response to problems arising from unprofessionalism

Wetterbest School for roof installers was set up by the company’s desire to train active participants in the field of roofing and roof coverings.

Although in the last decade the importance of diplomas and qualifications has been greatly diluted by phenomena such as “diploma factories” and the presence of many self-declared experts on the Internet, there are places where lack of skills, that is to say, qualification, is seen immediately. Many of us see it in the crooked walls of our homes, in the pipes mounted on seemingly impossible routes, or in the roof that, although guaranteed for decades, needs repair almost immediately after its installation.

In the absence of educational programs focused on vocations and skills, or even at the guild level, combined with the massive use of unskilled labor on construction sites, the result is natural: inappropriate work, misconduct, wasted money and a consumer convinced that “this is what it’s like in Romania”.

Over 30% advance for Wetterbest sales in the first four months of the year

From January until April 2016, the Wetterbest Group recorded a turnover of approximately 30 million RON, a 36% increase compared to the same period of last year. All three companies in the group: Depaco (manufacturer of metallic tiles, trapezoidal sheet and drainage systems), Polnebo (importer of sheets, membranes, screws and attic windows) and Cortina (producer and distributor) participated in the reported sales.

Sales growth was driven mainly by the increase in demand for Wetterbest products, boosted by favorable weather. Additionally, the increase was due to the expansion of the products portfolio launched last year, such as the Wetterbest Gladiator metallic tile, the Wetterbest Click flat roof and the W60 trapezoidal sheet, which enjoyed success among customers, in line with the growth tendency of the demand for high quality materials.

Wetterbest, a 30% growth of its turnover in 2015

In 2015, Depaco company, one of the leaders of the local roof systems industry, present on the market with the Wetterbest brand, achieved a turnover of 107 million lei, a 30% growth compared to 2014.

” The obtained growth is significant and even exceeded our expectations. But we are even more satisfied with the fact that we have managed to consolidate our business and provide a healthy medium- and long-term development base. We have focused on increasing production and productivity, improving the organization and the team’s professional training. Important achievements were the finalization of consistent investment projects and the launch of three new products (Wetterbest Click, Wetterbest Gladiator and W60)”, said Eng. Dragoș Irimescu, Depaco General Manager.

Wetterbest proposes a third new product, W60 trapezoidal sheet, with a 60 mm fold height

In the first part of the year, Wetterbest launched two new profiles: the Wetterbest® Click folded flat sheet and the Wetterbest® Gladiator Roman type metallic tile profile. Starting in October, the company proposes a third new product, the W60 trapezoidal sheet, with a 60 mm fold height, ideal for industrial buildings that need a strong roof or where the lost framework is used. It is a special product, very resistant to bending due to the profile with angles close to 90 degrees. The product will also be available in the 1 mm thickness steel version.

Depaco’s development strategy, one of the leaders of the local roof systems industry, present on the market with the Wetterbest® brand, provides for the regular development of its product portfolio.

Wetterbest, a 25% growth in the first 9 months of 2015

Depaco announces an increase of 25% in the first nine months of 2015, reaching a turnover of 78 million lei and a volume of approximately 2.5 million sqm of metallic tiles. The company’s development strategy provides for the regular development of its product portfolio.

The group, which includes Depaco, Polnebo and Cortina, advanced 22% over the same period, to 100 million lei. For this year, the company’s representatives have proposed to reach the 100 million lei level for Depaco and 130 million lei for the Group.

” The results obtained in the first 9 months are satisfying and we trust that we will meet our goals for this year. Of course, we also depend on the weather conditions and the evolution of the market, but the premises are very good”, said Dragos Irimescu, General Manager of Depaco.

Wetterbest® Gladiator, a metallic tile with symmetrical profile and legendary resistance

Depaco launched Wetterbest® Gladiator, a metallic roof system inspired by the elegance of the classic Mediterranean roofs, which brings to the forefront the Roman profile with symmetry to the longitudinal axis.

The most important application of symmetry to the longitudinal axis is the zig-zag mounting, which offers the possibility of mounting only three metallic tile modules in the same point, unlike the classic assembly requiring four modules, as well as the possibility of mounting regardless of the position, one under/above the other, both the left and the right sheet.

Wetterbest® Gladiator is a very good choice for homes located in geographical areas with high salinity such as the seaside, where salt and sand winds are frequent.

Depaco opens a new Wetterbest production line, part of an 1.5 million Euros investment process

Depaco, one of the largest manufacturers of roofing systems, has opened a new production line, the fourth from the Baicoi plant, as part of an investment process of 1.5 million Euros.

Wetterbest Gladiator brings to the forefront the Roman profile with symmetry to the longitudinal axis. The new production line is part of a sustained investment program of over 1.5 million Euros between 2015 and 2016.

The company has planned to deliver more than 200,000 square meters of Wetterbest Gladiator from its Baicoi plant by the end of 2016 through its national distributor network.

Roof made of folded panels, easy to install due to the click system

Metallic roofs are among the most popular types of roof coverings, the metallic sheet is sufficiently durable and aesthetically interesting to be used even for facade cladding, for example.

Folded panels ready for installation offer the same aesthetic satisfaction and resistance as the sheet is folded on site and, in addition, it bring great simplicity and ease of installation with the plate click joint system.

The plates are joint easily on by click overlaying, without tools and special technical abilities. It is a 100% Romanian products of Depaco, it was launched on the market this year and is found on the market as Wetterbest Click.

Depaco, over 3,5 million Euros investments from 2013 until 2016

Depaco announces its intention to continue its investment plan in Romania. Thus, between 2015 and 2016, the company will employ over 1.5 million Euros in: storage facilities, infrastructure, complementary machinery for the drainage system and new production software.

In recent years, sustained investments have been made to consolidate local production and provide state-of-the-art technologies. For example, over the period 2013-2014, the company invested over 2 million Euros. An important step taken last year was the start of production in Oltenia (Podari, Dolj county).