Tungal Metrou, the former Antrepriza Exploatare Lucrari Constructii Subterane (AELCS), which built 485 km of underground tunnels in Bucharest, has invested around 10-15m euros in recent years to change its equipment and machinery after underground works were blocked.

Tungal group, Tungal Metrou is also part of, has shifted to private civil engineering works after investments in underground infrastructure plummeted, but for 2009 expects a 20% turnover decline, to 170m RON (40m euros), as a result of the low number of new projects started this year, reads Business Construct magazine.

"In 2004 the company was privatised and we realised our heavy equipment was no longer necessary," stated Dan Tapu, deputy chairman of Tungal group.

The AELCS name changed into Tungal Metrou in 1991 through a government decision, and between 1991-1994 certain underground works, begun before '89, were continued.

"The first mentality change came in 1994, after privatisation, when the company built the first blocks, behind Unirii store, which belonged to the National Bank," explains Tapu, who joined the company in 1993, when he was 27.

Subsequently, the company switched to superstructures and is involved in the construction of projects Citadella Titan and Platinium complex near Mihai Bravu highway.

However, most of the company's projects are still underground ones. Since 1994, the company has participated in the construction of over 150 civil and industrial buildings. Tungal last year also became a real estate developer, building a 35-apartment block in 13 Septembrie street, which it sold in 6 months. The company also has two land plots with a total area of 2,800 square metres in Bucharest for real estate developments, but has frozen investments for the time being.

Tapu considers that in 2010 the business will resume its growth because of the high demand