Intel, world’s largest chip producer, shuts down its software development center in Bucharest, active since 2010. The decision follows the restructuring plan of Brian Kraznich, the new CEO, that converts the global strategy from software to hardware activities.   Almost 200 IT employees will be set free in Romania, from a total of 12 000 fired worldwide, out of 107 000. The Romanian software engineers were developing and researching open source technologies and next-generation computing solutions.  Intel’s independent subsidiary in Galati, Wind River, with 160 employees, will not be affected by the restructuring plan. ...more »

The Ministry of Economy, Commerce and Business Environment, altogether with the Ministry of Public Finance are preparing a new state aid scheme for small projects. Costin Borc, Minister of Economy, declared that so far, the state aids were accessible mostly to multinational companies, as small enterprises could not associate with major projects: "We do not want any discrimination between the Romanian and foreign capital, that is not even possible, but we are thinking that there are investors that could develop smaller projects and benefit also from state aids. The Government's wish is to support production anywhere in Romania."...more »

After losing an estimated 500 million EUR investment from Daimler in Sebes for new a engine plant with 1500 employees, Ministry of Economy, Costin Borc, reveals that Romania might not have been in the cards from the beginning: "The main condition for Daimler's investment was that the production to reach in a maximum of 17 hours from that factory's gate to the plant in Bremen, and from this point of view, Sebes was not a serious competitor for the engine plant, because of the logistic chains." ...more »

The recently created Airbus Helicopters Industries, a division of Airbus Group, is going to need 350 new employees for the H215 helicopter line of assembly in Brasov.  Airbus Helicopters Industries develops a helicopter plant in Ghimbav, and is responsible with building this line of assembly, and also sales and export worldwide. Airbus has partenered with the aeronautics industry in Romania to implement this new project: "2015 turned out to be a year of growth, since the new company Airbus Helicopters Industries was created and opened the road to a stronger collaboration and strengthened our connections with the Aeronautics Industry in Romania", says Serge Durand, general manager Airbus Helicopter in Romania.  ...more »

The Ministry of Agriculture will send 12 attachés within the diplomatic missions from abroad, in order to represent Romania and promote its products for export in countries such as Germany, Spain, Turkey, China Russia, Egypt, Israel, USA (these will be the first 8 countries).  According to the Minister of agriculture, Achim Irimescu, the local producers requested this measure, in order to export more processed or high-quality products, as the ones recently protected at European level....more »

Following the announced acquisition of SABMiller by the Belgians from AB InBev for an estimated 100 billion EUR, the new owners announced the intention to sell the assets and local beer brands from Central and Eastern Europe, including Romania. Ursus, Timisoreana, and Ciucas are the Romanian brands in SABMiller's portfolio that will be up for sale in order to win approval from the European Commission.  ...more »

The Chinese from China Energy Company (CEFC) are the new major shareholders of Rompetrol Rafinare, after closing a deal with KazMunayGas (CN KMG), Kazakhstan’s national company for oil and gas.  The preparatory arrangements for this deal were taken care of by experts from Kazakhstan, China, and Romania, and made possible signing the Memorandum of Agreement on 14 December 2015 in the presence of the Chinese and Kazakhstani Prime Ministers, as well as its validation by the main parties of the transaction on 29 January 2016 (Term Sheet). ...more »

According to Prime Minister Dacian Ciolos during an energy conference held in Bucharest, and following Petro Porosenko's visit in Bucharest last week, Ukraine has a “strong will to continue the efforts for energy connection with the Romanian grid for gas, as well as electricity”, and that “both parties are looking for the resources to make it happen, also by stimulating the Romanian electrical companies to be a part of the project.” In the context of European financing for projects like BRUA (energetic interconnection between western Europe and Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary, and Austria), the PM suggested that the EU should also support and finance the interconnection between the states in the eastern partnership in order to develop the economic cooperation “so that these countries remain connected to Europe not only on a declaration level”, and hopes for Romania to become an “energetic hub.”...more »

The French Immochan will begin constructing the first 13 buildings out of 60 in the Coresi Shopping Resort in Brasov (that they themselves erected as well). The residential investment will reach 100 million EUR in the following years. Immochan will be the sponsor, and Avantgarden Immo Invest, the developer. "The first phase of the project consists of 13 buildings with 60 apartments. The first three will be delivered in April next year, and then another set of three at every three months. The project consists of 60 buildings with 3000 appartments, and it will be finalized in about 7-8 years", reveals Tatian Diaconu, General Manager of Immochan Romania, who also adds that the board intends to reproduce the concept in other big cities like Iasi, Constanta, Cluj, Craiova, Sibiu, and Timisoara....more »

MedLife, the leader of the private healthcare services in Romania, purchased the majority shares package of DentEstet, comprising a network of seven dental clinics with revenue of 5.5 million EUR in 2015. This is the first transaction in the dentistry segment for Medlife. "In the following period, we aim to extend the group of DentEstet clinics with at least one or two units per year, and dentistry is going to become one of the six business divisions within MedLife, along with hyper clinics, labs, hospitals, maternities, and drug stores", says Mihai Marcu, the president of the administration council of MedLife....more »