BALFIN Group activity started in 1993 in Vienna, Austria, when Samir Mane started its first business. Currently BALFIN Group is present and operating in Austria, Albania, Kosovo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia, Montenegro, the Netherlands, USA, and Canada. The Group employs over 5,000 people, whose dedication and passion remain key to our success story.
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- 1993
Mr Samir Mane founded Alba-Trade in Vienna, Austria, specialising in the trade of electronic equipment and home appliances. Simultaneously, Neptun commenced its electronic equipment retail activities in Tirana, Albania.
- 1993
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- 1998
Neptun expanded into North Macedonia, replicating its success in Albania in the electronic equipment trade. While in 2007 entered in Kosovo and in 2024 in Bosnia and Hercegovina.
- 1998
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- 2002
BALFIN Group entered the real estate development industry with the establishment of Mane TCI, which later evolved into two separate entities: Balfin Development and Balfin Construction. Today the Group is active in this industry in Albania, North Macedonia, Austria, Canada, and the USA.
- 2002
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- 2005
The first shopping mall in Albania, QTU, was inaugurated, revolutionising the shopping experience. Currently, the BALFIN Group owns three of the largest shopping malls in the Western Balkans. In the same year, the Group established Albania’s first supermarket chain, Euromax, and founded Fashion Group Albania, introducing well-known Western fashion brands.
- 2005
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- 2007
To enhance the management of commercial, logistics, and residential spaces, ACREM (Albanian Commercial Real Estate Management) was created. Neptun also entered the Kosovo market, becoming the first electronics network in the Western Balkans to operate in three countries.
- 2007
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- 2009
Rolling Hills Luxury Residences is Albania’s first premium residential community, introducing a new concept of modern living in the country.
- 2009
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- 2011
TEG, the largest shopping centre in Albania and one of the largest in the region, was inaugurated. The Jumbo network was launched in Albania, later expanding to Kosovo (2014), Bosnia and Herzegovina (2017), and Montenegro (2019).
- 2011
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- 2012
Skopje City Mall opened its doors as the biggest shopping mall in North Macedonia. In 2017, this shopping centre was sold. Tirana Logistic Park, the first logistics park in Albania, began operations.
- 2012
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- 2013
BALFIN Group acquired AlbChrome, marking its entry into the mineral extraction and processing industry. This company was sold to an international group in 2022.
- 2013
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- 2014
BALFIN Group has commenced construction of Vala Mar Residences, a premium gated community located on the Adriatic Sea, just 45 minutes from Tirana.
The Group became a shareholder in Tirana Business University, directly contributing to the education of future generations.
- 2014
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- 2015
Construction of Green Coast, the largest tourism investment in the Western Balkans, has begun. This project, with an investment exceeding 1 billion euros, includes hotels, residences, services, and various other facilities
- 2015
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- 2016
SPAR was introduced to the Albanian market, and today it stands as the largest international supermarket network in the country.
- 2016
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- 2017
Began the construction of Skopje East Gate, which includes a shopping and entertainment center (East Gate Mall), a residential complex, and an office park. It represents the largest foreign investment in North Macedonia.
- 2017
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- 2018
BALFIN Group acquired NewCo Ferronikeli in Kosovo and, within four years, transformed it into one of Europe’s leading ferronickel production companies. It was later sold to an international conglomerate.
Balfin Real Estate was established, quickly becoming a key player in the real estate market, with offices in Albania, Switzerland, Kosovo, and North Macedonia.
In the same year, BALFIN Group expanded its real estate development activities to Austria, launching its first residential building complex.
- 2018
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- 2019
BALFIN Group entered the banking industry by acquiring Tirana Bank, Albania’s first private bank, which has since become the fastest-growing bank in the country.
- 2019
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- 2020
Happy was established, offering loyalty and personalised marketing services with its key product, Happy Card.
- 2020
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- 2021
Construction commenced on the M-Gallery hotel located in Green Coast, in collaboration with the Accor Group.
Construction began on Univers City in Tirana, a unique multi-functional residential area featuring modern urban infrastructure.
- 2021
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- 2022
Construction began on Vlora Marina, the largest marina in Albania and one of the most modern marinas in the Mediterranean.
West Park, the first retail park in Albania, opened in Korça, introducing a new retail sales concept.
- 2022
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- 2023
On its 30th anniversary, BALFIN Group decided to consolidate all CSR activities under the umbrella of a foundation. As a result, the Mane Foundation was established to more effectively manage and address social investments.
The Group entered the U.S.A. real estate market with the establishment of BALFIN Americas, focusing on real estate projects across the United States.
Balfin Asset Management was established, providing premium services in managing tourist residences and facilities.
- 2023
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- 2024
The first real estate project in Canada commenced, marking the establishment of Balfin Canada and expanding BALFIN Group’s presence to its 11th country.
Galeria by TEG, the only shopping mall in the Albanian riviera and La Vista a commercial and leisure facility both located in Green Coast were opened to the public.
- 2024