The Company

The company DROMEAS ABEEA was founded in 1979 and is headquartered in the Industrial Area of Serres, with production and building facilities totaling 55,000 sq.m. on a plot of 130,000 sq.m. It employs 271 people, 52 of whom are in management, 30 in sales, and the rest in production. It operates in the production of office furniture, partition walls, and filing systems, as well as complete kitchen and home furniture systems.
DROMEAS ABEEA is today the largest company in its sector in Greece and one of the largest in Europe in terms of infrastructure, technology, facilities, productivity, and product quality.
The departments for wood and steel processing and painting, aluminum casting, plastics and polyurethane, production of metal components, corian, and upholstery constitute specialized and independent production units through which the final products are assembled.
Numerous patents with international diplomas, based on which it produces in many sectors.
The company holds ISO 9001:2000 certification, environmental protection certificate ISO 14000:2004, EMAS, ELOT 1801:2002, ISO/TS 16949:2002, and PEFC (SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT).
In 1999, it was awarded by the European Union for the Health and Safety of Employees.
In 2008, it received the 1st Business Excellence Award (in the large enterprises category) within the framework of the “Competitiveness” operational program of the Ministry of Development.
In 2009, DROMEAS won a tender for furnishing all offices of the European Union worldwide. This is a project with a budget of €31 million, won among 22 top companies from around the world.

How did DROMEAS start?

DROMEAS was created in 1979 as a mobile home manufacturing company, with 13 employees. Through continuous investments and innovative constructions, it became the leading company in the sector within three years. The mobile homes had a significant patent that allowed them, when stationary, to open like a “matchbox” on both sides, more than doubling the usable space. However, the product was seasonal, and socio-economic changes of the period caused a decline in demand. Therefore, in 1987, we shifted focus to office furniture, partition walls, and filing systems.

Was there a gap in the office furniture market?

In reality, there was no gap – at that time we had to compete with established players in the market and a strong leader. We were the small newcomers entering the sector with optimism, seeking gaps to position ourselves. The mobile home production period from 1979-1987 was very important for DROMEAS, as it shaped a structured understanding of the manufacturing craft/industry both internationally and nationally.

What strategy did you follow to differentiate from competitors and attract customers?

Essentially, to produce components that would assemble into the products and were not imported. The context of that period in our country was:

• The strong “protectionism” of domestic production with customs duties averaging 40%-50%.
• The limited capabilities of domestic industry to produce components equivalent to European quality due to the lack of modern technology and production equipment.
• The significant bureaucratic difficulties of imports, quotas, banking system, etc.

In this environment, DROMEAS’s main choice was to continuously invest, as much as possible, to produce components. By exploiting these gaps both philosophically and investment-wise, we made timely moves. Our reward came the first year when we won the tender to furnish the OTE building with 5,000 workstations, which, notably, even today, 20 years later, are in excellent condition.

Did DROMEAS follow an upward trajectory from there?

After the first major successes, we made new investments. There has been, and still is, a sequence of major projects and investments.
At the same time, stores began to open throughout Greece – today there are 35 – to cover almost the entire country. We have an international presence, both in Europe and worldwide. We have a subsidiary company in Sofia and maintain partnerships in Albania, Romania, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Cyprus, France, Germany, Italy, and the United Kingdom. Significant contributions to our development came from the numerous patents with international diplomas held by DROMEAS, which underpin production in many sectors. Many innovative investments in machinery equipment, which do not financially amortize proportionally in terms of production volume, add value and competitiveness to the final product. Therefore, their return is achieved through the strengthening and efficiency of the overall machinery and consequently through the final product. In 2000, the company’s shares were listed on the Stock Exchange, and today DROMEAS competes with major companies from Spain, Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, and the USA, 22 of which it competed against in the EU tender and emerged victorious.

Let’s focus on Bulgaria. When did DROMEAS come to Sofia?

After the fall of the eastern governments, Bulgaria was our nearest market, with Sofia only 200 km from our factory. We realized that people wanted to create a work environment different from what the previous regime provided. Thus, we found fertile ground and, with the right handling and infrastructure, became the first company in Sofia in terms of recognition and sales. Today the company is housed in Business PARK SOFIA, “MLADOST 4”. Our immediate plans include further development with a modern showroom and a seat manufacturing unit.

Does DROMEAS’s capabilities extend beyond furniture production?

Indeed, alongside the subsidiary “KEM,” we produce casting molds and cast aluminum components for the automotive industry of MERCEDES-CHRYSLER and MTU, the German company manufacturing marine engines.

Why should consumers choose DROMEAS furniture?

After continuous investments, DROMEAS furniture is of high standards, quality, ergonomics, aesthetics, respects the user and the environment, all at very affordable prices.

Looking back thirty years, did you imagine how far DROMEAS would go?

With my brothers Ioannis and the late Giorgos, we started DROMEAS with patience and persistence, trying to set achievable goals and sticking to them.
In 2009, DROMEAS won the International Tender and was selected by the European Union to furnish its Organizations and Services worldwide, a project worth €31 million and lasting 2 years with an option for a 1+1-year extension. This achievement is undoubtedly further certification and recognition of the quality and competitiveness of its products, as well as the continuation of major projects it has implemented over its long history. It represents top acknowledgment of its efforts since its founding to develop innovative products, technologies, and production units. It validates the strategic choices for vertical integration across the entire manufacturing process with high-tech equipment.

Today, DROMEAS is the largest company in its sector in Greece and one of the largest in Europe in terms of infrastructure, technology, facilities, productivity, and product quality.

DROMEAS’s subsidiary in Sofia is managed by Mrs. Kleoniki Georgiadou. It is located in Business Park Sofia, “MLADOST 4”, Building 1, Ground Floor.

Tel.: 02 4899720 Fax: 02 4899721
Email: office@dromeas.bg
Website: www.dromeas.bg