Chemical industry snapshot
Updated with 2025 data
Industrial production indices (%) unadjusted series previous year = 100
Out of 950 registered companies, only 20 employ more than 250 employees, thus being considered big companies, and 56 are medium size, employing between 50 and 250. All the other companies are micro and small enterprises.
In 2025, the R&D investments in the chemical sector from Romania remained low, at a level of 3,5 million Euro, representing just 0,4% of total R&D expenditures. Most of the R&D investments were carried out to mitigate the impact of their activity on the environment or to develop new technologies or more sustainable products and mostly were done by few big companies in the market
Romania’s FOB exports to EU(27), versus Romania’s CIF imports from EU(27)
The structure of chemical exports in 2025
The structure of chemical import in 2025
How are we doing?
In 2022, the chemical industry from Romania invested 2,43 million Euro in research and development. Most of the R&D investments were carried out in order to mitigate the impact of their activity on the environment or to develop new technologies or more sustainable products.
Strenght
- A strong petrochemical base
- Abundant natural resources (raw materials and energy)
- Available processing capacity
- Strategic location for production and distribution
- Long tradition of chemical production
Challenges
- Low level of innovation and specialization
- Relatively small local players
- The industry is fragmented in many associations
- Low level of value added local processing (export of raw materials and import of processed goods)
- Lack of integrated value chains
- Lack of a national development concept
Opportunities
- Potential for cooperation with universities, research institutes in the area of R&D and talent development
- Explore more markets outside EU for export
- Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) potential
- EU membership
- Market size and growth potential
- Develop strategic programs within the frame of the Green Deal
- Create synergies among the key players in Chemical Industry – including partnerships with related Associations
Threats
- High competition, especially for smaller companies
- Inconsistent public policies
- The chemical sector is not seen as an essential sector
- Ageing population
- Energy prices
- Migration of workforce abroad
- Vulnerability to external shocks
- Poor transport infrastructure
- Lack of capacity of Romanian Authorities to facilitate major investment programs
Our contribution to a competitive Europe
For our sector to remain competitive and for the country to become attractive for new investments, companies must benefit from a clear industrial strategy and economic objectives set by the legislators, through adaptation of often out-of-date Romanian legislation to new technological developments, and through simplification and reduction of bureaucratic hurdles for new investments.
The Romanian chemical industry has begun to adapt its products and production processes to changing consumer behavior. The market and demand for more sustainable products are growing, but not as quickly as originally expected due to the weakening economy and the higher prices of more sustainable products
The Romanian chemical industry cannot achieve self-sufficiency across all sectors. Instead, it should prioritize its core strengths and focus on markets where Romanian producers and products demonstrate favorable prospects, both domestically and internationally.
