Visiting Romania: Automation Market Insights

Visiting Romania: Automation Insights, Local Dynamics & a Look Ahead

Last week, accompanied by our COO Mateusz Ozga, I visited Romania to meet our Automa.Net members and understand how they use the platform in their daily operations. Over just a few days, we had the privilege of visiting 14 companies across Cluj Napoca, Sibiu, and Bucharest. We have also met new prospects!

On Monday, we met with teams at Ultratech, SyncrelTech, Apelogic, and Electroglobal in Cluj. On Tuesday, we headed to Sibiu to meet with Foxline, Dexa Technology, and Tehnica De Automatizare Sibiu (TAS). Finally, Wednesday took us to Bucharest, where we visited Global Industrial Stock, EXIM Electrozep, Electri Future Solutions, the Electroglobal Bucharest branch, and East Electric – a machine-building company.

These conversations were incredibly valuable. We saw first-hand how Automa.Net is being used across Romania’s automation sector – not just as a search tool, but as a connector between suppliers, buyers, and entire teams. But our trip wasn’t just about software.

A nice smiley robot at Ultratech SRL office! ;)

A Country on the Move – But With Challenges

Romania’s industrial automation market is dynamic. Most of the companies we visited are suppliers to OEM’s or manufacturing companies. We also met some Tier 2 or Tier 3 suppliers, producing machines for large OEMs in Germany, such as Volkswagen and Bosch. It’s clear that this model has helped Romania grow its GDP – the economy continues to expand, and access to over €90 billion in European funds (about 22% of GDP) gives the country some runway for stability.

Great meeting with Ciprian Carlan at Ultratech Int SRL (in the middle).

However, the long-term picture is more complex. Many leaders we spoke to expressed a desire to move beyond contract manufacturing and build real “Made in Romania” brands. Supplying foreign OEMs is good for short-term profits and salaries – but it doesn’t create lasting strategic value for the country. There’s a growing hunger to invest in innovation, brand identity, and local ownership of value chains.

Meeting with Electroglobal in their Bucharest branch

Political Uncertainty Is Impacting Business

Unfortunately, Romania is currently facing serious political turbulence. The 2024 presidential election was annulled due to alleged Russian interference, leading to mass protests and the resignation of President Klaus Iohannis in February 2025. The rise of far-right parties, especially AUR, and their leader George Simion is shifting the political landscape (source: AP News).

This uncertainty was mentioned in a few meetings we had. It’s clearly affecting business decisions, investment appetite, and strategic planning. Even though GDP is growing, confidence remains fragile.

What’s Next?

We came to Romania to listen and learn – and we left with a notebook full of insights. The industrial sector here is full of talented teams, and the potential is huge. At Automa.Net, we’re more committed than ever to helping these businesses grow – not just as suppliers, but as innovators and leaders in European automation.

To everyone who welcomed us – thank you. It was a privilege. We’ll be back.

Viorel Neagu at Global Supplier Stock SRL in Bucharest

Marcin Krzączkowski,

Managing Director at Automa.Net