“Industry in Romania will gain ground because it is impossible to leave the natural resources we have unused. We at Chimcomplex use salt to make caustic soda. One ton of salt we buy for EUR40 goes into one ton of caustic soda we sell for EUR450 to EUR460. We make 100,000 tons of caustic soda a year, and will increase production to 140,000 tons by 2020,” said Virgiliu Bancila, chairman of Chimcomplex Borzesti who attended the event.
He says that although Romania has oil, natural gas and coal, they are not used enough.
“Romanian entrepreneurs need support, the government must not hinder us or discourage us, create an environment of empathy towards Romanian entrepreneurs who have the courage to take chances for Romania,” Bancila added.
Chicomplex Borzesti seeks to double revenue by 2020 and make acquisitions to develop.
“We want to put to the viable assets of the Oltchim plant to good use.”
A chemical industry plant if well integrated into the national system not only uses its resources but also provides products and contracts to a lot of companies horizontally, says Ioan Calinescu, professor with the Faculty of Applied Chemistry and Materials Science of the Bucharest Polytechnic University.
“Resources generate added value. Soil is an important natural resource for Romania. It is important that we preserve our resources,” said Angelo Nicolae, chief executive of Brisegroup, one of the largest entrepreneurial agribusiness companies in Romania.
The government must provide support to the local industry through special policies and investments in infrastructure, the participants to the ZF event said.
Industry contributed 23% of Romania’s GDP last year, slightly down on 2015, but more than the EU average of 19%, according to the National Statistics Institute and Eurostat data.
(English version by Loredana Fratila-Cristescu)