OREANDA-NEWS. December 11, 2012. Companies in Ida-Viru County who are SEB clients have investment plans for the coming year, a flash survey of corporate clients in the county conducted by SEB indicates, reported the press-centre of SEB.

Of the 37 companies polled, 75 per cent are planning investments in the coming year; with half planning investments in excess of EUR 30,000.

Innovation activities in products or services are being planned by 47 per cent of the respondents next year. Innovation plans are not planned by companies oriented towards the domestic market.

Of the companies, 39 per cent are planning to increase their activity on export markets next year, with 19 per cent of the respondents planning to enter new markets. There are several industrial enterprises, as well as representatives of the agricultural sector, who plan to bind their plans with foreign markets.

28 per cent of respondents are planning to hire more staff and, based on that sample alone, Ida-Viru county should expect the creation of at least 40 new jobs. However, these are the recruiting plans of one specific company. 72 per cent of respondents will not make any changes regarding the number of employees.

Eighty one per cent of the respondents foresee an increase in turnover in 2013, and 61 per cent believe that turnover will increase by up to ten per cent.

This October and November, SEB is carrying out an ambitious consultancy project that will see the bank’s representatives call on approximately 900 of Estonia’s small and medium-size enterprises, in all 15 counties. They will be travelling Estonia’s roads in ten Smart minis decked out in SEB’s livery, which will also serve as a reminder about the importance of green transport.

As part of the consultancy project, SEB will also conduct a survey asking companies in the counties to estimate their developments in turnover, changes in staff numbers, export and innovation plans, and proposed investments in 2013.