In the heart of Romania, a company born from the state-owned industrial giants of the communist era is now betting big on the future of European sustainability. Tudor Georgescu, the General Director of Promateris, isn't just following the Green Deal—he's aiming to stay several steps ahead of it, transforming local corn into compostable solutions for cities from Vienna to Copenhagen. In this interview, he shares his vision for a bioeconomic future, the stark realities of building a champion for innovation, and why the greatest risk to his business isn't competition, but the struggle to find a local workforce.
Chemical Bonds: Mr. Georgescu, thank you for speaking with us. Could you introduce yourself and tell us about Promateris?
Tudor Georgescu: My name is Tudor Georgescu, and I am the General Director of Promateris. We are one of Europe's leading manufacturers of packaging made from bioplastic materials and the raw materials themselves. A key differentiator for us is that we are fully integrated under one roof—we produce everything necessary for packaging manufacturing in-house. I'm 38 and have been with the company for over a decade, leading a transformation that has completely reinvented the business.
CB: The company has a long history, dating back to 1957. How has this legacy shaped the modern Promateris?
TG: The company was originally a state-owned enterprise called Mase Plastice, one of the largest plastic manufacturers in the Eastern Bloc. It went through several iterations, but when I took over, we moved to our current location in Buftea and executed a full rebranding to Promateris. While the products, equipment, and business model have been completely transformed, part of the company's cultural heritage—its human resources and skill sets—remains. Ours is a story of transformation from an unprofitable, inefficient producer of all kinds of plastics to a market leader in the new bioeconomy.
CB: What is the core of your business model today?
TG: We built our model around the European push for sustainability, particularly regulations like the PPWR (Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation), which will mandate compostable materials for a range of products like thin plastic bags, coffee capsules, and fruit stickers. The goal is for these materials to be recycled with bio-waste. We create packaging that performs perfectly in composting conditions. We started with finished products like bags for the selective collection of bio-waste—you can find our bags in cities like Vienna, Copenhagen, and Bratislava. Now, we are among the top 3-5 specialised companies in Europe for these products.
CB: You mentioned full integration. What does that entail?
TG: After establishing ourselves in the bag market, we began producing our own raw material: granules made from corn starch and polymers. This is a highly efficient part of our operation, as the corn starch is sourced locally from Romania, one of Europe's largest producers. We've created a supply chain that turns local agricultural resources into high-value raw materials. These granules have multiple applications, from waste collection bags to biodegradable agricultural films. We're even innovating further by integrating fertilisers and vitamins into these films to support plant growth.
CB: This sounds highly innovative. What is the role of R&D at Promateris?
TG: It's absolutely crucial. In a national context where research has declined, we were determined to restart this engine. We created a research department and were fortunate to attract young, specialised professionals who wanted to return to Romania. This, coupled with significant CAPEX investments—over €30 million in top-tier technology from Western Europe—has allowed us to develop everything we have today. Our core process is extrusion cooking, and through R&D, we've mastered how to think about, process, and combine materials to create these innovative products.
CB: How do you view the role of traditional plastic versus bioplastic?
TG: We are rational people. Plastic is an essential material for modern life—from medical supplies to sanitation and electrification. It's not a bad material; it's extraordinary. The problem is its overuse in single-use applications. For these, alternatives exist. We don't see paper or pulp as the most sustainable options in many cases. However, for specific applications like organic waste collection, bioplastic performs extremely well. It's made from renewable resources, can be composted with the waste, and offers a superior end-of-life process. Each application has its place, and for bio-waste, compostable bioplastic is the right material.
CB: What do you see as the major opportunities and risks for your industry?
TG: The major opportunity is the intelligent valorisation of local agricultural resources. By moving from selling raw materials to producing high-value-added goods locally, we can contribute to GDP, create better jobs, and improve environmental impact. This is a major opportunity for a Romanian export champion.
The major risk is the increasing inability to hire a local technical workforce. Today, we import almost 50% of our workforce. We've built a wonderful, multicultural team, but we are concerned about the long-term sustainability of relying on people who may one day decide to return home. For a company rooted here, that is a significant risk.
CB: How does your work align with the European Green Deal?
TG: We started this business to embody the spirit of the Green Deal—sustainability, innovation, and the bioeconomy. We don't just follow regulations; we aim to anticipate them. If there are discussions about compostable fruit labels, we are already developing them. We follow these legislative initiatives with curiosity and enthusiasm, seeing them as real opportunities for progress. We are already working with next-generation materials like PHA, a biopolymer that biodegrades in all environments.
CB: Has the Romanian state supported your initiative?
TG: Frankly, based on our experience, we haven't benefited from meaningful state support. A significant part of our investment, between €3 and €5 million, came from the Norwegian Government through grant programs focused on environmental policies. That helped us tremendously. In contrast, our competitors in countries like Italy often have a large share of their investments supported by national programs. In Romania, we have yet to find the right structure to access similar support. The impact of the Romanian state on our development has been essentially nonexistent.
CB: Finally, as an entrepreneur and shareholder, how do you view the future?
TG: I am fundamentally entrepreneurial; I enjoy building businesses, assessing risks, and creating agile teams. However, I look ahead with some concern. As Romania seems to become dominated by a handful of multinationals, I wonder what the future holds for entrepreneurs. Will we become small robots in systems controlled by large funds, with limited freedom and creative drive? I would like to see more examples like ours in Romania—companies that keep the entrepreneurial spirit alive.
