French retailer of sports products Decathlon inaugurated on Thursday, November 16, 2017, the first logistics center in Romania, which is going to supply three countries in the Southeastern Europe: Romania, Bulgaria and Greece. The amount invested in making this logistics center is approx. EUR 4 million and the design and arrangement works lasted for 7 months. The space, which has a strategic importance at regional level, has a total area of 29,000 sqm and it can be extended later by another 10,000 sqm, a storage capacity of 1.5 million items, being able to supply at least 30 stores. Between 50,000 and 180,000 products can be delivered daily to the own store network and to the online customers, depending on the season and orders. The strategic location of the warehouse in the close vicinity of the Capital is an international premiere. Thus, the retailer aims to deliver goods to the capital and to the southern side of the country in less than 24 hours, and to the other regions of the country and Bulgaria in maximum 36 hours. The first Decathlon store could be opened in Greece only next year.
“Romania is a key market for us” stated Jean Francois Mace – CEO Decathlon Romania, at a press conference. “The inauguration of the logistic space of Decathlon highlights Romania’s role in the region and is part of the development strategy of the commercial and distribution national network. The decision to build this center in Romania was a natural one, given by the local growth potential and by the interest in sports showed by more and more Romanians. By the activity of this space, we continue our commitment to 
urge all the Romanian people to practice sport and we strengthen our direction in the involvement and development of the local communities. Thus, within the warehouse, we have around 200 working places available for people in Bucharest and the localities nearby, and by the end of the year 2018 we plan to double the number of the employments and to increase this number from one year to another” stated Gregory Richarte, Logistics manager.
Being present at the press conference, the mayor of the Stefanesti commune Stefan Ionel Robert stated: “This investment within our commune had a significant impact, considering the new created jobs and the fees and taxes to the budget”. The Prefect of the Ilfov County Marius Cristian Ghincea said 
in his turn: “Decathlon doesn’t mean only fees and taxes, Decathlon doesn’t mean only jobs, Decathlon is a magnet for the future companies that will come and invest in this area”.
France is the 4th investor in Romania with more than 3,000 companies that 
are present in all the regions of the country, with a cumulated turnover of EUR 18 billion and 120,000 created jobs, stated Adriana Record, CEO of the French Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Romania, at the press conference.
By the end of the year, Decathlon will open two new stores in Romania, the local network being thus extended to 22 stores, announced the Decathlon 
Romania Real Estate Manager, Alexandru Domsa. They are a store in Piatra Neamt, for which an investment of EUR 650,000 will be done, and a store in Buzau, where EUR 800,000 will be invested.
According to Jean Francois Mace, the future plans include the opening of 3 or 4 new stores.
