A BET THAT PAID OFF

WHAT COMMON may have a five-star hotel in Hawaii, the palace of Prince of Dubai and luxury houses in Swiss Alps? One of the basic building materials, the famous slate of Kavala Akrolithos SA. It is a business venture that begins as supplementary work of George Chatzisavvas, who in 1979 went to the first extracting shale from Paggeo region. Then extended to the processing of raw materials and other natural stones from various regions of the country and abroad. The biggest Plus the Akrolithos SA is an integrated plant with modern processing facilities, showrooms and offices in total area of 60,000 sq.m. With a turnover of about 8.5 million. Euro is the largest company in the sector in Greece and one of the strongest in the European market, even in competition and sonorous Italian names. The company "runs" George Chatzisavvas. His son, John works there in recent years, while the youngest daughter, Euphrosyne, after his studies will take a piece of decoration. The Macedonian company owns two quarries in Paggeo an area of over 500,000 sq.m. of which mined the stone Kavala (Akrovounio). Even is the exclusive distributor of the products of the quarry and a processing plant in Mandra Xanthi, where it is produced and processed a sandstone material under the name "Mandra stone." Besides, the company since 2009 expanded also in pebbles production by establishing a new modern plant, in an area of 13,000 sq.m. George Chatzisavvas notes that the last two-three years, the company follows an aggressive export policy, in order to compensate the losses recorded of the domestic market. Akrolithos Company exported Kavala slate from the early 1980s, however, in 2009-10 the exports more than doubled. Only from the last year increased in 60% to 30% of total sales. From neighboring Italy, Germany, Switzerland, the Scandinavian countries to the USA, Kavala slate occupies more and more powerful units. Advantages of natural stone, according to the businessman, competitive prices (because of the inexhaustible raw material, the vertically integrated nature of the company and reasonable labor costs) and the durability of the raw material. "The lack of the government support even in the basic" says entrepreneur as "still has not even upgrade the port of Kavala to facilitate companies of eastern Macedonia." It is indicative, supplement, that "to go a load of Thessaloniki on the French market in Marshall costs do not exceed 500 euros. ... To go from Kavala to Thessaloniki port can be reached by the customs agents and even 600 euros. " Akrolithos largely exports by the sea (since the cost of sea transport is significantly lower than the road) and every week 3-4 trucks loads in area of Alps. In recent years, Kavala slate primarily used in the luxury residential properties. No support George Chatzisavvas especially stands on absence of competent bodies of the international exhibitions, a tactic completely opposite to that followed in other countries. For example, Turkish businesses have the full support of chambers and governmental bodies. "A major deterrent," notes the president of the company, "which, however, was overcome with hard work about the German market, delivery on time, persistent efforts and continuous presentations in exhibitions and events." He pays particular attention to the fact that foreign customers pay "hot money" and give good prepayments (unlike their Greek customers), which facilitates the export business.