Episode description

In the latest edition of “Talking Trade,” Jackie Bojor of the FRD Center in Bucharest, Romania, discusses opportunities in the region for Midwest companies. 

Bojor is the director of business development for the Factor Regional Development Center’s Bucharest location. The advisory firm offers consulting, market research and other services focused on entering new markets and mergers and acquisitions. 

She notes Romania is seeing more activity from American businesses and specialists in clean energy, pointing to investments in small nuclear modular reactor development from an Oregon company called NuScale Power. 

“As U.S. officials have recognized recently, Romania is a regional pillar of stability, energy security and economic development,” Bojor said, adding the country has a “very strong” industrial manufacturing sector that continues to grow. 

American-made vehicles, aircraft, electrical machinery and equipment are among the most in-demand products in the Romanian market, she explained. 

She also said Romania is looking to advance its agricultural industries with more digital technology. 

“In terms of transport and infrastructure, there are billions of euros to be received from the European Union, and this will generate a lot of interest from foreign investors, from foreign manufacturers looking to expand their businesses into Romania,” she said. 

The discussion also touches on potential stability concerns among U.S. companies related to Romania’s proximity to the war in Ukraine. Bojor says Romania is “quite safe” in terms of conflict exposure, noting the eastern European country has been a part of NATO for decades. 

“Practically, we have very strong facilities and a strong presence of NATO members here,” she said. “This is a stable economy, a stable country, and we have seen actually quite a lot of interest from companies which had their operations in the past in Ukraine and also in Russia.”