Economy

Lupeni is a mono-industrial zone. The Barbateni and Lupeni mines, as well as the Lupeni Coal Preparation Plant, at one time employed more than 80 % of the employed population. The massive lay offs of 1997 and the following years have had serious socio-economic consequences.

The decades preceding 1990 brought a certain economic diversification, with new industires being introduced and the employment of a large number of women. However, the new industries (textile, food, chemical and wood) closed as soon as the mines did.

Lupeni Mine Exploatation
- Vitos Gavrila Street, no 1, phone 0254/560 581

Barbateni Mine Exploatation
- Mierleasa Street, no 24, phone 0254/561 500

Restructured state enterprises:

· ASVIL S.A.
- Reduced its number of employees from 686 to 57
- Changed its line of production. It produced synthethic fibers, now it manufactures detergents, additives, etc.
· TESMA S.A.
- Ceased to function
- Now it has only 13 employees that guard the machinery, as opposed to the 120 that it had in 1998.
· The lay-offs in the mining industry left 3,074 people unemployed

- The aforementioned changes led to a fall in the buying power of the population, which led to substantial lay offs in the service industry as well.
- The enterprises in Lupeni are mostly small ones (with a staff of approximately 50 people). The medium ventures (with up to 250 employees ) are uncommon and cover the domains of lumber, tourism, services and textiles.

- The 300 economic agents that exist in Lupeni are divided in the following groups:
- State-owned enterprises: - 6
- Enterprises engaged n commercial and production activities: - 160
- Stock-based industrial and commercial ventures: - 7
- Collectively-owned commercial business enterprises: - 13
- Family - owned commercial and vocational ventures : - 39
- Individually-owned commercial and vocational ventures: - 77

Of all the above-mentioned firms, only 223 are still in business. The ones that have managed to survive have only very low profits. The major industrial product is still coal.
There are supplementary service providers for business ventures in the area such as accountants, lawyers, information providers and consultants.

Lupeni has an office of the Foundation for the Encouragement of Small and Medium Business Enterprises. Moreover, the project THE HOME OF BUSINESS PEOPLE is close to completion. The goal of the project is to improve firm management, to promote small and medium ventures and ensure access to information.

In Lupeni, the banking system is formed by two banks: BCR (The Romanian Commercial Bank) and CEC (The Romanian Saving Bank)
There are two insurance companies in Lupeni: ASIROM and UNITA.

Total population number: - 32,827
Activ Population (unemployees + employees): 14.985
The total number of employees: - 6.765

Males: - 16.797
Females: - 16.030

Population density: - 0.01 inhabitants/m?

Nationality Structure:
Romanian: - 27,965
Hungarian: - 3,804
German: - 182
Ukrainian: - 14
Polish: - 104
Carpatho-Russian: - 15
Saxon: - 40
Slovenian: - 5
Czech: - 3
Romi/Gypsy: - 713

Religious Structure: Orthodox: - 25,065
Roman-Catholic: - 2,862
Greek-Catholic: - 2,032
Reformed/Lutheran: - 1,429
Other: - 1,432

Natural Increase: - 630

Migration Increase: - 125

Total Increase: - 755

Source: DEEP