In addition to the big foreign companies present for years in Romania with places of business in Prahova County, an important world leader has recently announced that it will have a production unit, for the first time, near Ploiesti.
Danish Rockwool Group is building a basalt stone wool factory in Romania, Prahova County, according to the company’s announcement since November 24, 2017, made through a press release.
The announcement is a follow-up on the ROCKWOOL Group’s 24 February 2017 statement announcing its intention to purchase land for capacity expansion in the United States, Sweden, and Romania.
Initial investment in Prahova county of around €50 million will create approx. 150 direct jobs and around another 300 indirectly for services and logistics.
To be located on approximately 30 hectares in the Aricestii-Rahtivani commune near Ploiesti, in Prahova County, the new manufacturing facility will be the ROCKWOOL Group’s first stone wool factory in Romania. It will build further on the Group’s already solid presence in the country, where it has been active for almost 20 years through its sales representative office in Bucharest.
The factory will be a boost for the local economy as most of the raw materials and logistics services will be sourced from within Romania, and most of the people employed directly and in subcontracting companies will be local. The process of issuing the necessary permits and authorisations has been initiated, and stone wool production is expected to begin in 2019.
The factory will help to increase local economy, given that most of the raw material and logistics services will come from Romania, which was confirmed also by the company’s management.
“We have been supplying our Romanian customers with high quality insulation products and services for almost 20 years, and when complete, this new factory will allow us to deliver even higher levels of support in Romania as well as nearby countries. We’re excited to become part of the local community in Prahova and Romania, and want to thank the Romanian government and the authorities in Prahova County and Aricestii Rahtivani for the very good support and collaboration on this investment project,” stated Rafael Rodriguez, Managing Director of ROCKWOOL South Europe.
In turn, Gilles Maria, Senior Vice President in the ROCKWOOL Group commented: “This investment will enable us to better support the Romanian government’s efforts to increase fire safety and energy efficiency in the country’s buildings. We encourage the government to continue working with EU member states on the Fire Information Exchange Platform and other initiatives to further improve fire safety regulations. As the world’s leading manufacturer of non-combustible stone wool products, we look forward to sharing with the government, customers, and other stakeholders the knowledge and expertise we have built up during our 80-year history in making buildings more comfortable, energy efficient, and fire safe”.
We mention that the fact that the Danish group, which is the world leader in the production of basalt stone wool, chose the commune Aricestii-Rahtivani for the debut of its business in Romania, is a confirmation that Prahova County continues to be an attraction for the foreign investors and an important economic area on Romania’s map. Besides, this was highlighted also by the Romanian President Klaus Iohannis, who recently attended a debate called „ The Cities of Romania 100 years from the Greater Union. A smart future for Ploiesti,” organized at the Oil and Gas University of Ploiesti, Prahova County.
“Here, in Prahova, you have all the preconditions for high standards of living. The city of Ploiesti is today one of the most dynamic industrial and logistic hubs in Romania, and that is what explains its ambition to become a smart city where all resources are used for increasing the quality of life of its citizens, a city similar to what we admire elsewhere in Europe and the rest of the world. (…) A smart city is an attractive place to live and work, a community that makes it easier for people to access modern and high-quality public services. The concept of smart city also means (…) a more active involvement of the citizens in local government and community life,” the President said on Wednesday in Ploiesti.
As for the Rockwool Group, it is the world leader in the production of basalt stone wool. It operates 27 factories on three continents – Europe, North America and Asia, having a global network of sales centers, distributors and partners. The unique combination of fire resistance, acoustic and thermal insulation and the extremely well-known sustainability benefits have been proven also the prizes granted by the Welsh Government. The company’s products have been used for civil, commercial and industrial constructions of all kinds, starting with successful projects, including Arena O2 in London and the Hong Kong Airport, to family homes, hospitals and schools, at the local level. The Rockwool subsidiary in France also had an important role in restoring the prestigious Eiffel Tower, the first floor of the tower being subject to a total improvement and receiving the visitors today with a completely restored floor, 57 meters above Paris.
