Today the PLAISIO Group presented the financial results of 2018, during the annual presentation to the Hellenic Fund & Asset Management Association. Group sales came up to 309 m. Euro from 286 m. Euro in 2017, improved by 8%. Earnings before taxes came up to 6,1 m. Euro.

2019 coincides with the 50th anniversary since the beginning of Plaisio in 1969. The President, CEO and founder of the Company Mr. George Gerardos, referred to the 50 year history of the company. Fifty years of struggles and great growth that marked significant technological changes from the logarithmic rule to artificial intelligence and machine learning that are the company's pledge for the future.

The Vice President and CEO of the Company Mr. Konstantinos Gerardos, highlighted the milestones of 2018, which are summarized below:

•              The redefinition of Plaisio store identity. The new stores in Chania and Agia Paraskevi, approach the visitor's journey by placing more emphasis on his mood, his desire to devote more time in the stores and to experience the products.

•              Τhe impressive commercial outcome of both the School Period and Black Friday with an increase of 30% and 50% from the previous year respectively.

•              The substantial development of the people of Plaisio, which is summed up by the fact that 57.000 man-hours of training took place and 54 people were promoted to managerial positions in 2018.

Mr. Konstantinos Gerardos also presented the main pillars of the 2019 strategy, which has already begun, dynamically, by launching the “Month per Month” project, a payment method that gives the opportunity of payment with installments, without a credit card, which consists an important service to the customers of Plaisio. The renovation of the Mall store in order to adapt to the new store identity and the implementation of the new technology platform in plaisio.gr, aiming to upgrade the e-shop and to conduct personalized digital marketing as part of the development plan. The above, always work in conjunction with the constant search for new areas of activities and markets to enrich the range of products, for example, with the addition of fashion accessories, gift products and products of decoration, which gave a breath of fresh air to Plaisio stores.

Τhe development plan of the Group already began in 2018 when investments up to 7.5 million Euro were made and will continue in 2019, with additional investments of 10 million Euro.

There was a special reference in the actions of volunteer team #plai_sou, and also in the awards that the Group achieved in 2018, standing out the Retail Business Awards, the distinction for "Operational / Business Improvement" at the Growth Awards and the award of “Emblematic personality” that Mr. George Gerardos was awarded with.