As of July 1, 2024, Castellana Co. operates under the leadership of a new top management consisting of the owner and CEO Anton Vuljaj and business director Zdravko Vučinić.
In the past two years, Castellana has undergone a business transformation that has resulted in significant financial, organizational and operational progress, confirming its position as one of the leaders in the distribution of tires, auto parts and service in Montenegro.
From July 1, 2024 to today, as long as Vuljaj and Vučinić have been at the helm of the company together, the following key results have been achieved:
- 30 percent revenue growth, with an annual turnover of around 25 million euros including VAT and a further growth trend;
- 30 percent growth in profitability, with particularly pronounced progress during 2026;
- 35 percent increase in employee salaries;
- increasing assets through investments in real estate and vehicle fleet;
- regular repayment of approximately 2,5 million euros of loan obligations without a single euro of new debt;
- acquiring the status of exclusive distributor for the world's largest tire brand Michelin;
- breaking with negative practices from the previous period;
- improving the personnel structure through selection according to professional and moral standards;
- strengthening the managerial potential of young staff;
- establishing greater discipline and accountability throughout the system;
- creating a new organizational structure and a clear management hierarchy.
In addition to complete wholesale logistics, Castellana today operates through a network of 16 retail stores and 2 car service centers, as well as a team of around 150 employees. Castellana is currently the largest retail chain in Montenegro in this area.
OWNER Anton Vuljaj says that since mid-2024, he has again, after several years, taken on a more active operational role in managing Castellano.
"In the past two years, we have carried out a transformation of the system - from business reorganization to strengthening discipline and responsibility to financial consolidation. Of course, we are continuing with this process. We are particularly proud that as one of the first steps, we significantly improved the conditions of employees, which we will also continue, because we believe that a stable and successful company must build its growth together with its people," said Vuljaj, who last year received the award for Manager of the Year in Medium-Sized Enterprises from the Association of Managers of Montenegro (AMM).
"Castellana today has the soundest foundations and the strongest potential for further growth since its founding almost three decades ago, and I expect that we will take advantage of that. We have serious plans for the next 3 to 5 years," said Vuljaj.
Business Director Zdravko Vučinić says they are focused on a sustainable and healthy business model – “stable revenues, good profit margins, improving liquidity, sustaining market share and, above all, bringing the company into the low-debt zone.”
"That's why in these two years we have chosen a more moderate, but sustainable pace of development instead of trying to aggressively expand. We believe that a strong company in the long term is built through discipline and stability, which we have worked intensively on," Vučinić points out.
A special dimension to the new development phase of Castellana is given by the unusual professional profile of Zdravko Vučinić, whose engagement in top management is the result of long-standing friendship, trust and strategic partnership with the owner.
Vučinić, who also has a formal education in management, is a former editor of the economic editorial office and deputy editor-in-chief of the daily newspaper Vijesti.
He has been engaged as a Bible teacher/preacher for almost 10 years through the independent missionary and non-commercial project Christian Network EX-YU, active in several countries in the region and Europe. In this field, which is Vučinić's primary occupation and life orientation, he has so far held more than 600 lectures in 7 countries and via social platforms, is the author of 10 books and hundreds of texts and studies.
In addition, Vučinić has been dedicated to the study of natural medicine and healthy lifestyles for almost 20 years, for which he has received professional training in the United States. He is the author of more than 1.300 individual programs of natural healing and detoxification of the body. Among those who have used and continue to use this system of prevention and recovery of the body are famous personalities from Montenegro, from the world of business, politics, the security system, culture, entertainment, media ...
Vuljaj and Vučinić say they have been best friends for 17 years and best friends for 14 years.
"Our long-standing friendship, godfathership and mutual trust represent the foundation of Castellana's stable business, and in general all of our joint activities, businesses and projects," concluded Vuljaj and Vučinić.
Download the app and follow the news
FOLLOW US ON
