With 33 years of experience, professionalism, and quality performance, Somet has been front and centre of Romania’s budding construction industry. Andrei Stanciu, CEO, tells us how the company is reaching even greater heights in civil construction.
THE BEST OF BUCHAREST
In the heart of Eastern Europe, Bucharest – the capital of Romania – is home to a construction sector that is slowly emerging as a key player of the industry landscape.
Indeed, between January and August of last year, the output of the Romanian construction sector rose by 13.2 percent over a short period, having a major influence on business trends and significantly impacting European markets.
One company leading the shift into more advanced construction projects is Somet, who has influenced the sector since its founding.
Yet, despite its noticeable growth, Romanian civil construction remains in its infancy, which naturally induces challenges for businesses arising in the space.
However, one of Somet’s defining factors is its ability to adapt, navigate, and overcome any challenges, regardless of complexity. This is particularly achievable given the company’s loyal staff base who possess ever-growing capabilities.
“Our ability to adapt is key to overcoming challenges, thanks to a very capable team of people,” opens CEO of Somet, Andrei Stanciu.
Stanciu’s father founded Somet in 1991, which was first established as a joint-stock company, partnering with core specialist CCIB Grup Metrou, which allowed the business to gain valuable experience and knowledge.
Evidently, Stanciu’s passion and tenacity for not only the business but also the wider industry can be traced back to his family roots and childhood. This led him to study at Ion Mincu University of Architecture and Urbanism located in Bucharest.
Fast-forward to 2017, and Somet foresaw the next generation of management taking the helm, with Stanciu assuming the role of CEO in 2018.
“Our ability to adapt is key to overcoming challenges, thanks to a very capable team of people”
Andrei Stanciu, CEO, Somet
PASSION FOR PERFORMANCE
Since the company’s inception over 30 years ago, it has become a pioneer of metro infrastructure works in Bucharest. However, in more recent years, Somet has expanded into other project areas such as commercial hotels and residential housing across the city and surrounding regions.
For instance, the company recently completed the Străulești depot, the newest and most up-to-date metro facility in the capital. With a total area of 22,000 square metres (sqm) across 86,000 cubic metres (m3) of concrete, the state-of-the-art depot has a total capacity of 13 lines, of which seven can be used to repair trains simultaneously.
In a similar vein, the company has recently enjoyed the completion of the ambitious multimodal terminal, located on top of the Străulești depot in the northern area of Bucharest. The three-storey construction space has capacity for 660 vehicles, as well as a waiting room for public transport passengers, commercial spaces, access areas to above-ground parking, and direct access to metro station 4 (M4).
Measuring 40,000 sqm, the types of work performed on the multimodal project comprised the building of continuous foundations for the floor of the connecting gallery via earth fills and stabilised ballasts, the building of curtain walls and aluminium joinery, and the inclusion of ALPHATON® cladding in a ventilated system.
In the continuation of its metro work portfolio, Somet recently signed its biggest project to date – the Metro 6 (M6) line which connects Bucharest to Henri Coandă International Airport.
“It is a difficult, challenging project but also very beautiful, and we are proud to be the ones to build it,” Stanciu expands.
On the flip side, Somet is also proud of its civil and industrial construction arm of the business, which has really taken shape in the last five years.
One of the most outstanding examples, the Marriot 5-star hotel, known as Autograph by Marriot, is not only the shining star of the city’s tourism sector but demonstrates the cutting-edge capabilities of Somet.
Existing as a Class A historical monument, and classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the team had to carefully plan and execute construction with precision and according to the highest standards.
Located directly in the city centre, the restoration of Autograph by Marriot involved significant façade remodelling works, alongside the building of metal structures for the upper floors, as well as implementing reinforced concrete infrastructure and superstructure works.
The continuously successful work and enviable reputation of Somet would not exist without the vital aid of the company’s suppliers, who are a cornerstone of each operation.
“We have truly good intentions and foster healthy relationships with our beneficiaries, as we believe that respect is a key factor in having good relations with our suppliers and, of course, respecting our payment deadlines to them,” comments Stanciu.
A UNITED COLLECTIVE
With a dedicated employee base of 150 members of staff, Somet’s highly capable team has been instrumental in navigating the issues that naturally occur for a sector on the rise.
“I strongly believe in the power of the team that we have created to push things forward,” Stanciu asserts.
“Because Somet is a family-owned company, we promote this closeness inside our team.”
Stanciu values the team that Somet has cultivated, and as such endeavours to acknowledge their meritable achievements as much as possible.
As the company’s staff base continues to expand, Somet cares deeply about the team’s career development goals, purposefully monitoring performance and rewarding staff accordingly.
On the project front, Somet sees 2024 as the year that its capabilities will soar to even greater heights, further cementing itself as leader in the Romanian construction industry with the acquisition of new and exciting metro projects.
