Zoran Petrovic, director of Tebodin - We focus on industrial sector and real estate market

(Zoran Petrovic) The Serbian market has many comparative advantages that are not sufficiently exploited, such as numerous intergovernmental free trade and other agreements. There is a development potential here, but it just needs to be fully utilized. We should not forget the educated workforce that speaks foreign languages better than their regional counterparts and has a great desire to continue learning.

– Thanks to our major, long-term clients, as well as the trust that we have earned and our strong commitment to our work, we have managed to live through good and bad times and keep on going on the investment-constricted Serbian market – Petrovic says.

Which moments from your decade-long operations in Serbia do you consider crucial?

– The most important moment for us was when Knauf Insulation commissioned us to do our first project in Serbia. That’s when Tebodin decided to set up a company here. Up until that point, we only had companies in neighboring countries. We did well and did not stop working even during the 2008 crisis, because we believed in the Serbian market. As it turns out, this was a good decision, because in 2012 we started working with Tigar Tyres on developing their projects. This is still an ongoing engagement. At the same time, we entered the real estate segment, where we are currently working on one of the biggest commercial developments ABLOK in New Belgrade.

Your company has grown the most in the last three years. Which factors contributed the most to that?

– Finding your very first client is the first challenge, but when you find one and they trust you, you should do your best not let them down. Doing our first job well is a great reference for other investors who are looking for a reliable partner. That’s how you let your work speak for itself and that’s how your business grows. We keep track of our clients’ development and we grow as they grow. Apart from quality, our commitment to our work is something that truly sets us apart from the competition.

What business principles applied in your mother company did you manage to use on the local market and establish as new standards in your business segment in Serbia?

– Tebodin, with Dutch roots, was acquired by Bilfinger Group in 2012, which has German roots. Tebodin leverages the best of both worlds: drawing upon German discipline and precision, while at the same time harnessing Dutch entrepreneurship and pioneering spirit. At the moment, the demands are clearer and more ambitious than ever before, and our company is doing its utmost to continue growing. Our main focus continues to be on the industrial sector and real estate markets. It is important that investors see us as a flexible and reliable partner that can offer a full range of services in line with the best international standards of practice…

What are your plans for the decade ahead and what developments on the Serbian market could possibly influence them?

– We will continue to contribute to the development of the industrial sector which is important for creation of new jobs and the overall growth of the Serbian economy. Our goal is to double our turnover and employee base in the next decade. We aim to strengthen our capacities in the engineering design services, which will complement our Project Management capabilities, fully taking care of the entire project lifecycle. We expect our company to continue developing in line with the Serbian economy.

(Note: The text of the articles has been taken from the CorD magazine)

BilfingerTebodin d.o.o. Beograd

Knauf Insulation d.o.o. Beograd

Tigar Tyres doo Pirot

Zoran Petrovic

ABLOK New Belgrade

Tigar Tyers

investment project management