Exim Banca Românească grants RON 5.2 M loan to Sophia Group Iasi

Exim Banca Românească granted to the Sophia group of companies in Iasi, one of the important players in the production and commercialization of textile decorations in Romania, a financing totaling 5.2 million lei within the SME Invest program. The funds supported the investment in a new headquarters in Iasi that includes warehouses, textile factory, showroom and office area, in the context of accelerated expansion of the store network.

The Sophia brand was founded in 2004 by Anamaria Stefan Georgescu with the desire to create a unique business concept in Romania: expanding a network of franchises at national and international level in the field of interior design, offering customized products made to order and consultancy, with a focus on luxury curtains and drapes. In 2005 the company opened its first store in a franchise system, and currently the brand has a network of 30 franchises in Romania and one in Miami, USA, as well as distributors in major cities around the world.

“Our strategy in recent years has focused on developing the franchised store network, and the rapid expansion has led us to rethink the logistics and production process in order to have an optimal delivery time and to cover the demand for our stores. We are delighted that we managed, with the support of Exim Banca Românească, to benefit from financing under the SME Invest program, facilities that allowed us to carry out our activity in the best conditions, but also to inaugurate the new headquarters. With the financing secured, we can focus on achieving the strategic objectives we have set, namely strengthening our position on the profile market and developing the distribution activity both locally and abroad“, said Anamaria Stefan Georgescu, founder of Sophia.

In addition to trade, an important part of the company’s activity consists in making custom-made textile decorations – curtains, drapes, bedspreads, tablecloths etc. – in the three creative workshops in Bucharest, Iasi and Moțca. Each product is customized according to customer requirements, so that the company’s portfolio includes projects for both private homes and HoReCa – such as Cassis hotels (Les Roches Blanches) in France, or castles in the province of Languedoc, such as Château Saint Pierre de Serjac, and cultural institutions – Union Museum in Iasi, Alexandru Ioan Cuza Palace in Ruginoasa, Mihail Kogălniceanu Museum, Vasile Alecsandri National Theatre in Iasi, Queen Mary Museum.