GEORGIOS KAFASIS

The company I started-up on January 1st 1988 was initially acting as an exclusive representative of the PROMINENT products in Central & North Greece. It was also the exclusive representative for the same region for the FLUX products, a German Company producing TRANSFER PUMPS.
Soon after, and due to customers requests, the company expanded its activities in other fields like LABORATORY EQUIPMENT, INDUSTRIAL & LABORATORY CHEMICALS, PLASTIC PIPING & FITTINGS, WATER PUMPS, etc.
Also, very soon, the company expanded in supplying small COMPACT UNITS for WATER TREATMENT (mainly chlorination of potable water, swimming pool water, water filtration, water softening and de-mineralization, removal of nitrates, iron & manganese from water for industrial and domestic use) & WASTE WATER TREATMENT PLANTS ( mainly effluents from Galvanizing and Aluminium Treatment Plants, but also small and medium size municipal wastewater).
Following my visit to ACHEMA Exhibition in Frankfurt, Germany, in 1991 I managed to get agreements for cooperation with the following companies in the LABORATORY FIELD :
•FORTUNA GRAF based in WERTHEIM, Germany,
•EDT INSTRUMENTS, based in FOLKSTONE, UK,
•DURAN SCHOTTGLASS, based in WERTHEIM, Germany,

The company was an affiliate company of the German firm PROMINENT DOSIERTECHNIK GmbH, based in Heidelberg, Germany.
The company imported from its mother company the following products :
- Dosing (metering) pumps and Dosing Systems,
- PH, Redox, Residual Chlorine & Conductivity Monitoring and Control Instruments,
- Ozonizing Systems,
- Water-softening, .De-Ionizing and Filtering Systems
My main task in the company was the promotion, demonstration of operation and sometimes the installation of these systems. Our customers were mainly OEM companies, but also end-users.
When I joined the company it was facing financial problems as the sales were very low and it was decided that if no improvement was made in the coming year (1985) the company would close down.
The annual turnover in the year 1984 was 10.8 million Greek Drachmae.
When I left the company at the end of 1987, after disagreement with the labor policy of the management, the annual turnover was 72 million Greek Drachmae, something like 6.6 times more.
The company employed 6 people.

As a training Engineer I was given the task of the daily inspection and measurement of the PHYSICO-CHEMICAL parameters of process & boiler feed water, as well as the effluents.
The company employed about 400 people.

EMPLOYER’s NAME & ADDRESS
THESSALIAN PULP & PAPER INDUSTRY,
8th Km National Road LARISA-SYKOURIO, LARISA, GREECE

My main task was the inspection of the drilling of new underground WELLS (approximately 150-160 m below ground level) for finding and exploiting CARBON DIOXIDE. I was also responsible for the inspection and installation of new equipment as part of the extension of the existing facility.
The company employed about 50 people in all its facilities around Greece.

EMPLOYER’s NAME & ADDRESS
CARBONICA S.A.
Mesochori, Florina, Greece

COMPANY’s ACTIVITY
Purification and Liquefying of CARBON DIOXIDE used mainly in liquid refreshments & beer Industry.

Mitrodorou 24, Athens, Greece.

In 1992 the company’s participation in the CHEMIA Exhibition in Piraeus, Greece, was very successful.
As a result of that the company’s turnover increased to 52 MILLIONS GREEK DRACHMAE, compared to 6 MILLIONS in the its first year of operation in 1988. The turnover rise continued in the forthcoming years with a peak of 147 MILLIONS in the year 1997. ( 1 EURO = 340, 75 Greek Drachmae)
During its operation the company participated in several exhibitions in Greece.
I have personally visited several exhibitions in Germany, mainly the ACHEMA exhibition in Frankfurt, the ANALYTICA exhibition in Munich and the MEDICA exhibition in Dusseldorf, in order to maintain the good relations with the cooperating companies and be informed about new products in the field.
My company employed continuously 4-6 people, and temporarily employed people for certain external work, like ELECTRICAL & PLUMBING INSTALLATIONS and various other works.

Xatzimichali 54, 41334 Larisa, Greece.

COMPANY’s ACTIVITY
Import and Supplying of Water & Waste Water Treatment Equipment, Laboratory Equipment, Pumps, Plastic Piping & Fittings, and Laboratory, Water Treatment & Industrial Chemicals.