Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker For travel to the United States on a temporary basis For foreign citizens who want to live permanently in the United States The Visa Waiver Program (VWP) allows citizens of participating countries* to travel to the United States without a visa for stays of 90 days or less Outside of Romania: +40-21-270-6000 (press 8) U.S.-Romania Cooperation on Small Modular Reactors Learn more about quality higher-education opportunities in the U.S that you will not find anywhere else in the world The American Corner program promotes understanding and cooperation between the U.S Thank you to City Council and especially to the teachers and the children for welcoming us here today in this wonderful new school We’re incredibly pleased to see this wonderful building Everyone knows about the strong partnership and the relationship between Romania and the United States And we do so many things together but this school symbolizes an important part of that – the people-to-people that we have between our two countries and I could not be prouder that something like this is a symbol of that relationship This project was made possible through the Office of Defense Cooperation at the U.S a Humanitarian and Disaster Assistance that supports these projects and already in Fagaras we’ve spent already I think USD 2 million through various facilities here Military is not only one of the finest in the world but also understands how to build relationships with partners that go beyond traditional military engagements We have had a project in town that improved a local hospital and healthcare center Now we see this school and we have another medical project coming up That is just a symbol of our partnership with the Romanian people and with the town of Fagaras We use cookies to make our website work better and improve your experience Best in Travel is here! Discover 2025’s destinations The 30 best countries, cities and regions to visit in 2025 Plan your trip with Elsewhere, by Lonely Planet See where a Lonely Planet Membership takes you Subscribe to our weekly newsletters to get the latest travel news, expert advice, and insider recommendations Explore the world with our detailed, insightful guidebooks Stay ahead of the curve with our guidebooks Uncover exciting new ways to explore iconic destinations Every month, we release new books into the wild Search Search Close search menu Explore Best in Travel 2024 Africa Close menu Countries Antarctica Antarctica Close menu Regions Asia Asia Close menu Countries Australia & the Pacific Australia & the Pacific Close menu Countries The Caribbean The Caribbean Close menu Countries Central America Central America Close menu Countries Europe Europe Close menu Countries Middle East Middle East Close menu Countries North America North America Close menu Countries South America South America Close menu Countries The wildflower-rich meadows surrounding Amfiteatrul Transilvania contain about 200 species of plant © James Kay / Lonely Planet As darkness descends in Romania’s Făgăraș Mountains and we contemplate closing the curtains of the hide a brown bear with an impeccable sense of drama appears Half the size of a full-grown adult but still big enough to make me grateful for the pane of glass between us snout alternately lowered to the wet soil or raised to the cool air Moments after our first visitor disappears into the deepening gloom the branching crown of his antlers bowed to the rain-sodden earth just a few metres away He’s still there – invisible but for a patch of white fur – when we surrender to the failing light lower our binoculars and retire for a midnight supper If the evening’s wildlife watching is a lesson in how to build tension, the morning after is rush hour in the Carpathians of Transylvania one small – and a wild boar as stout as a pygmy hippo pass through this crossroads of secret Bumping back down the unmetalled road to civilisation a few hours later we meet a logger’s tractor blocking the way it shunts splintered trunks of spruce out of the road 'The last places that are wild and have these beautiful animals become so valuable that we have to protect them for all of Europe,' says our host Christoph Promberger acknowledging his adversary in the tractor with a nod as he slip-slides his Izuzu pickup down the upper Dâmboviţa Valley Romania is one of the continent’s last wild places: of the countries in the EU, it boasts the most virgin forest, the largest unfragmented forest, the highest level of biodiversity, and the most large carnivores – bears, lynx and wolves, the last of which lured Christoph here from his native Germany The fourth-generation forester, who grew up in what would become the Bavarian Forest National Park (Germany’s first national park) came to study wolves as part of a three-year research project 'I first fell in love with the country, then with Christoph', says his Austrian-born wife Barbara, who also arrived as a student eager to see Dracula’s favourite canines (the Făgăraș aren’t so far from Bran Castle – reputedly and still Romania’s most popular tourist attraction) After witnessing loggers plunder the natural riches of post-revolutionary Romania for many years They launched a fundraising campaign to create a wilderness reserve the Swiss-American billionaire Hansjörg Wyss Keen to make an impression, the Prombergers hired a helicopter to fly him over their target area. But halfway through the tour Wyss, who has recently pledged $1bn for conservation projects around the world pointed to a distant line of mountains – the Făgăraș – and requested a side trip 'It was unbelievable,' recalls Christoph 'It was so wild – flying for over an hour and seeing nothing but forest [Wyss] said that could be a European Yellowstone We hadn’t thought that big.' The billionaire agreed to back them on two conditions: one they secure support from other philanthropists They already had one on their side: Paul Lister, heir to the MFI fortune and a passionate conservationist, had met Christoph through a shared interest: wolves. Lister has been trying to reintroduce them to the Scottish Highlands as part of a rewilding project at his Alladale Wilderness Reserve 'Most informed people realise humanity is facing a very real and growing environmental crisis,’ says Lister 'so what better place to start than by helping to preserve Europe’s last pristine forests Romania is the beating heart of our continent’s ecology and endangered landscapes.' the Prombergers have taken strides toward their revised loftier goal: to establish a major new national park around the Făgăraș Mountains the FCC has brought 225 sq km under its control and established a hunting-free area of 360 sq km Restoring degraded areas of forest is an important part of the plan Christophe takes us to a former clear-cut – an area stripped of every tree – that was replanted seven years ago turning it into a dead zone of sawn-off stumps and poisoned streams it was oily – it was a ‘ground zero’ sort of place,' he says pushing through what is now a thicket of beech the paw prints framed by wild strawberries and forget-me-nots 'The forest just came back to life.' The FCC is aiming for a total of 500 sq km which would form the core of a future park the foundation would give the land to the government on the proviso that it enlarged the protected area to 2500 sq km creating a haven for wildlife stretching from the Olt Valley to Piatra Craiului A wilderness this big, says the FCC, would rival a Yellowstone, Serengeti or Parque Nacional Torres del Paine becoming a major attraction for the region the Prombergers envision it as just the first in a chain of new parks stretching across the Carpathians establishing a green swathe in the heart of Europe – a carbon sink for the entire continent Raising funds is just one of the challenges, though – equally important is winning hearts and minds. After living through the battle to establish the Bavarian Forest National Park 'Locals were totally against [the idea of a national park],' he says 'People who came from Munich to present it got beaten up.' Fast forward 50 years and it is now a national treasure Essentially, the FCC must persuade people that a park would give rise to a ‘green economy’, creating new jobs. Yellowstone, for example, attracts four million visitors a year, double the number of international visitors to Romania – and yet the latter has a far greater potential market, as 500 million Europeans live within a three-hour flight of Bucharest This year, for the first time, TENT is taking groups of travellers into the Făgăraș Mountains on a commercial basis to see the results of the FCC’s work. These ‘conservation journeys’ feature wildlife watching and partnerships with local entrepreneurs working to expand their offerings in a sustainable way A stop on the TENT trips, Amfiteatrul Transilvania feels like an early example of what’s possible for forward-thinking businesses Lying between the limestone ridge of Piatra Craiului and the mountains of Bucegi National Park this family-run operation features a restaurant and cottages surrounded by alpine meadows With an eco-friendly ethos that embraces not just the food but also the buildings (everything is made from local wood and stone), the restaurant is popular with day-trippers from nearby Braşov the site hosts yoga courses and wellness retreats; now the owners plan to renovate the hay barns scattered among the wildflowers According to Constantin Robu, who found this sublime hilltop spot on a hike 17 years ago, the meadows are a natural pharmacy where hundreds of medicinal plants flourish. But you don’t need to ingest any to feel a health benefit at Amfiteatrul: simply watching the tortoiseshells, swallowtails and fritillaries flit among the swaying carpet of orchids and bellflowers is a powerful form of therapy If the campaign to heal the Carpathians stalls the forces that have shaped so much of Europe’s landscape – logging and farming – might tame these wild mountains Romania might mature into a beacon of hope for those fighting to undo the damage to the natural world – a country where growing prosperity doesn’t cost the earth James Kay travelled to Romania with support from Wizz Air and TENT. Lonely Planet contributors do not accept freebies in exchange for positive coverage. Formerly endangered by the illegal clear-cutting of forests and excessive hunting Southern Carpathia’s magical Fagaras Mountains are now center stage of efforts in Romania toward establishing a new national park Nearly 3 million saplings have already been planted on reclaimed land Foundation Conservation Carpathia is partnering with Steppes Travel and the European Nature Trust to run trips in the region where a percentage of the proceeds from each booking gets poured back into rewilding and restoration projects Combining stays in remote wildlife hides with nights at the family-run Amfiteatrul eco-resort guests are invited here to experience the “Yellowstone of Europe.” August 2021 will also see the return of Fagaras Fest: a celebration of the area’s natural heritage Contact us at letters@time.com Christmas Song Aims to Inspire Peace in the Holy Land Pope’s Message of Hope Launched into Space to Orbit Earth Here is Pope Francis’ Schedule for World Youth Day 2023 in Lisbon Marian Apparitions Must Always Point to Jesus Pictured are six of seven Romanian Catholic bishops who died during a fierce anti-religious campaign waged under the communist regime in Romania Pope Francis will beatify them in Romania June 2 Clockwise: Auxiliary Bishop Vasile Aftenie of Fagaras and Alba Iulia; Bishop Ioan Balan of Lugoj Auxiliary Bishop Tit Liviu Chinezu of Fagaras and Alba Iulia; Bishop Valeriu Traian Frentiu of Oradea Mare; Bishop Ioan Suciu apostolic administrator of Fagaras and Alba Iulia; and Bishop Alexandru Rusu of Maramures Not pictured is Cardinal Iuliu Hossu of Gherla (CNS photo/courtesy Romanian Catholic bishops’ conference) By Jonathan Luxmoore • Catholic News Service • Posted May 14 Poland (CNS) — A cardinal incarcerated for 18 years after refusing to abandon his church and a bishop thrown in an unmarked grave after starving to death in an “extermination prison” are among seven communist-era martyrs who will be beatified by Pope Francis during his upcoming visit to Romania “This will be a recognition that Christ was present during all the suffering and a sign of joy in our church’s resurrection,” said Bishop Mihai Fratila of the Romanian Catholic Eparchy of Bucharest “It will also be a reminder that Christians should uphold Christ’s eternal truth and resist compromises We cannot engage in dialogue with the forces of darkness and evil,” he added Preparations are underway for the June 2 beatification of Cardinal Iuliu Hossu and six other Romanian Catholic bishops who died as martyrs after their church’s forced suppression Bishop Fratila told Catholic News Service that a 2,000-page dossier on the prelates had been completed after the 2013 opening of Romanian Communist Party archives went “far beyond cultural and historical questions or motives of revenge,” he said “We knew the facts of the persecution but needed documentation to clarify the communist regime’s logic and motives,” Bishop Fratila said “In all the countries of Eastern Europe we’ve seen it isn’t enough to make the sign of the cross and show piety on paper Being Christian means making choices in our daily lives as these martyr stories clearly show,” he added The beatification Mass will be celebrated in Blaj on the final day of the pope’s three-day pilgrimage The Divine Liturgy and beatification ceremony are expected to attract tens of thousands from the Romanian and Latin Catholic churches both of which were repressed under communist rule from 1948 through 1989 The seven prelates were among at least 600 Catholic clergy arrested and told to find other jobs in October 1948 when their Eastern Catholic Church was declared reunified with Orthodoxy at a widely boycotted synod in Cluj Many priests went into hiding or were killed by security forces during a subsequent campaign to eradicate the Romanian Catholic Church Auxiliary Bishop Vasile Aftenie of Fagaras and Alba Iulia died in 1950 at the age of 50 after 10 months of brutal interrogation Witnesses said his bishop’s feet stuck out of his makeshift coffin when he was buried in the capital’s Bellu cemetery Bishop Valeriu Frentiu of Oradea Mare became bishop of Lugoj in 1913 and later was transferred to Oradea where he opened a seminary and several schools and developed monastic life he died in an “extermination prison” at Sighet at age 77 after being denied medical care Bishop Ioan Suciu became auxiliary bishop of Oradea in 1940 He died from mistreatment and starvation at Sighet in 1953 at the age of 45 Auxiliary Bishop Tit Liviu Chinezu of Fagaras and Alba Iulia froze to death at Sighet at age 50 He had served as rector of the Theology Academy in Blaj and was secretly consecrated a bishop while incarcerated in 1949 with authorization from the papal nuncio was arrested for refusing to submit to Orthodoxy and died from mistreatment while under house arrest at an Orthodox monastery after four years in the Sighet prison a former theology professor and newspaper editor also was held in Orthodox monasteries after surviving Sighet for “instigating high treason” after holding a Romanian Catholic liturgy in Cluj’s university church after dying of septicemia in an underground cell at Gherla Prison a former military officer who had defended Romania’s Jewish minority during World War II also was secretly consecrated by the papal nuncio He survived four years at Sighet and was made a cardinal secretly by Pope Paul VI in 1969 during 14 years’ detention at Caldarusani He died a year later in a Bucharest hospital Cardinal Lucian Muresan of Fagaras and Alba Iulia said the bishops had recognized their church would survive the “calculations schemes and strategies” used against it and had “assured its continuity” by “choosing the hard way of martyrdom.” He said their testimony should “strengthen new generations in troubled times,” and “highlight the importance of martyrdom and sacrifice in a fluid and permissive society.” CatholicPhilly.com works to strengthen the connections between people families and communities every day by delivering the news people need to know about the Catholic Church you and hundreds of other people become part of our mission to inform form in the Catholic faith and inspire the thousands of readers who visit every month Please join in the church's vital mission of communications by offering a gift in whatever amount that you can ― a single gift of $40 Your gift will strengthen the fabric of our entire Catholic community and sustain CatholicPhilly.com as your trusted news source including Brazil’s ‘Mother Teresa’ NEXT: Pope’s Marian pilgrimage to shine light on ethnic Hungarians USCCB: Statement of USCCB on Vatican’s Document Addressing Pastoral Blessings Pope Francis’ May 2023 Prayer Intention | Watch Video Catholic Charities of Philadelphia Returns to Roots Dan Tarrant Brings God to the World Through Catholic Filmmaking The Fagaras Fortress came in second in Hopper’s “Ten Best Castles In The World” ranking, published by Huffington Post. Hopper is an online trip planning engine powered by the world’s largest structured database of travel information Hopper’s top ten castles are “recommended to self-respecting history buffs architecture-lovers or castle enthusiasts” The Fagaras Fortress comes in second in the top, surpassed only by castle Neuschwanstein in Germany, the inspiration behind the famous Disney Castle. Here’s what Huffington Post and Hopper’s has to say about the Fagaras Fortress: If you want to see the fortress for yourself you should know that it is usually closed on Monday and in the summer the visiting program runs between 8 am and 6 pm on weekdays There’s a RON 10 entry charge for adults, RON 5 for students and free entrance for children under 7 years. For the right to take photos you have to pay RON 10. Read Business Review’s story on Transylvania’s fortified churches We use cookies for keeping our website reliable and secure providing social media features and to analyse how our website is used This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page most thoughts tend to go towards tropical rainforests or wide savannas Europe isn’t often the first place to spring to mind when we discuss conservation that doesn’t mean Europe’s flora and fauna aren’t just as much as in need of protection as other places in the world That’s why The European Nature Trust (TENT) and Foundation Conservation Carpathia (FCC) are working together to build a new national park in the Fagaras Mountains region of Romania They hope that the wilderness reserve will be Europe’s largest forest national park Romania probably isn’t the first place many people would think of for a huge national park the country holds exactly the right ecological conditions to make for an excellent example of the diversity of wildlife Europe has to offer The country still has over six million hectares of forests a huge percentage of that is virgin forest it is forest which has been untouched from its primeval state and unaffected by human activity Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis There are more than 3,700 individual species of flora that can be found in the Carpathian mountains and bears roam the woodland and are relatively common Bucharest is within a three-hour flight of every single capital city in Europe That’s closer than Yellowstone is to Washington DC With 500 million people living in the European Union alone that’s a huge potential reach for such a national park Romania is beginning to grow a reputation for its untouched wilderness travel guide Lonely Planet picked out the Transylvania region of Romania as its number one region to visit Street protests in the country in 2015 and 2017 have also helped put Romania on the map the Romanian Government began to sell formerly nationalised land in the Carpathians mountains back to the public Communities and landowner associations gained most of the newly available land but the smaller parcels of less than 50 hectares each were bought by private buyers logging companies have acquired a huge proportion of these privately owned parcels Many of the forests therein were completed cleared by logging companies FCC managed to persuade some of the logging companies to sell As it stands the FCC now owns 21,000 hectares of forests and alpine meadows in the south-central Carpathian mountains It has protected these forests with various applications for governmental protection 65,000 forest rangers are now working to patrol and maintain the forest Not only has FCC managed to protect existing forests its also helped restore some of the forest ravaged by loggers 1.5 million saplings have been planted in clear-cut areas to help restore them to their natural ways and help prevent soil erosion The commission has also helped combat poor forest management methods The human intervention means spruce trees now dominate Carpathian forests FCC tries to re-wild these areas by replanting beech FCC has further plans to conduct more in-depth surveys of animal populations TENT is supporting the campaign with funds and promotion a feature-length documentary about Romanian biodiversity with a wide audience in the country to drum up interest and support in the project There’s already evidence that this kind of ecotourism works in practice The UK is home to Alladale Wilderness Reserve in Scotland spans 23,000 acres in the Scottish highlands Lister has worked on the project since buying the site back in 2003 he and his team have planted around 800,000 trees in Alladale and much more besides We restored our peatlands (there were drains: we blocked them) We’ve educated thousands of local school kids on the environment with outward bound courses We’ve got about four eco-lodges running on renewable energy Alladale has become an epicentre for ecotourism It is evidence that rewilding works and brings in tourists what Alladale has achieved so far is only a tiny part of Lister’s expansive plans He ultimately hopes to fence off Alladale completely and turn it into a wildlife reserve like those found in Kenya and Botswana His dream is to introduce wolves into the area: there’s $40 million in extra revenue attributed to wolf reintroduction Not only is it good for the local community and jobs and tourism We did some research with wild boar some years ago with Oxford University We kind of established that wild boar are great as a management tool for moving soil and helping regeneration When it comes to wolves I don’t support a general reintroduction I just don’t think that’d be the right thing to do when it comes to a country with so much livestock and people and so many roads and railways and motorways I think what we need right now is a South African model it’s not Mother Nature but it’s better than nothing These people would like to get into nature and they want to see it the more hosts and the flora can grow species of insects and birds and even small mammals the goal is to create a 200,000 hectare area of ecological conservation in Europe equivalent to the likes of Yellowstone or Yosemite in America but none are as universally recognised as Yellowstone in the US or the Serengeti in Tanzania Although the proposed national park would be about half the size of Europe’s current largest national park (Schleswig-Holsteinisches Wattenmeer in Germany) that park is mostly sea The Fagaras Mountains park would be much more accessible than that park easily allowing it to make a huge impact on the locality The area already has an outstanding collection of native fauna including bears The only animal in need of reintroduction to the area is the European bison There are plans to have the first group of these animals placed into the national park by 2019 There’s also a huge potential for eco-tourism in the area the FCC is developing the facilities necessary to bring tourists to the region with the right support this project stands a better chance than most of protecting one of Europe’s hidden treasures Give your business an edge with our leading industry insights View all newsletters from across the GlobalData Media network dozens of Greenpeace activists from 14 European countries have mapped 845 hectares of virgin forests in Fagaras Mountains Greenpeace will suggest the Romanian authorities to include these forests in the National Catalogue of Virgin and Quasi-virgin Forests established by the Government the NGO’s analysis shows that 985 hectares of virgin forests in the Cumpanita and Cumpana valleys The figure represents 38.3% of the total 2,575 hectares of virgin forests in the area The activists point out the fact that the few remaining virgin forests are still under threat “Greenpeace asks the Romanian Ministry of Environment and Forests to apply urgently the moratorium imposed by law on all forms of intervention in the forests that can still qualify for inclusion in the Catalog and thus protected,” reads a Greenpeace statement The NGO requires the Government to ban logging in all virgin and quasi-virgin forests until the national inventory is completed Romanians can report illegal logging cases on new Greenpeace platform Business Insider SRL is a carrier of data with personal character registered in the “Registrul de Evidenta a Prelucrarilor de Date cu Caracter Personal” with the no Romania-Insider.com is a trademark registered with the help of NOMENIUS and all exclusivity rights are reserved to the owner of Business Insider SRL Any unauthorized use will be sanctioned according to the provisions of trademarks law 84/1998 The country of Romania is a located in the southeastern region of Europe and is often included as a member of the geopolitical community of the Balkans region The country was a member of the Soviet Eastern Bloc until 1989 but has since joined the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in 2004 and the European Union in 2008 Despite this article being on the country's mountains Romania is best known for its Transylvania Region with its medieval era towns castles and of course the legend of the vampire Count Dracula The peak of Lespezi mountain is the fifth tallest point in Romania standing at an elevation of 8,257 feet (2,516 meters) above sea level The Lespezi mountain peak is located in Arges county which are part of the greater overall group of mountain ranges called the Southern Carpathians The Fagaras Mountains and the Southern Carpathians both serve as its parent range The Parangua Mare mountain peak is the fourth tallest point in Romania standing at a height of 8,264 feet (2,519 meters) above sea level The Parangua Mare is located on the border of Gorj county and Hunedoara county The Parangu Mare is in the Parang Mountains The Parang Mountains and the Southern Carpathians both serve as its parent range For tourists who wish to visit and climb the Parangu Mare peak or the areas around it there is the Agatat Shelter Groapa Seaca Cabin or Obirsia Lotrului Cabin that they can stay in near the start of the route up the mountain The Vistea Mare mountain peak is the third tallest point in Romania standing at an elevation of 8,291 feet (2,527 meters) above sea level The Vistea Mare is located in Brasov county The Vistea Mare is found in the Fagaras Mountains Up near the peak of Vistea Mare is the Refuge Vistea a small hut for tourists and climbers to rest or stay the night in The Negoiu mountain peak is the second tallest point in Romania standing at a height of 8,316 feet (2,534 meters) above sea level The Negoiu mountain peak is located in Sibiu county The Moldoveanu mountain peak is the tallest point in all of Romania standing at an elevation of 8,346 feet (2,544 meters) above sea level The Moldoveanu mountain peak is located in Arges county Moldoveanu is found in the Fagaras Mountains The summit of the peak has an honorary marker to designate it as the tallest point in the country and for tourists to see when the reach the top The mountains of Romania are major destinations for international tourists and as such are an important asset of the Romanian economy The mountains attracted locals and tourists to come climb them and experience and take in the outdoors and stunning scenic views The mountains also provided a variety of outdoor activities for locals and tourists alike to take part in like skiing and river-rafting along the rivers that are near some mountains photos and original descriptions © 2025 worldatlas.com carries on the tradition of more than 40 years in the production of a wide range of welding steel fittings and pressure vessels The products are used in installations and equipment in industries such as: refining as well as the company’s strategic development directions for the coming years A former student of the German High School “Goethe” in Bucharest and a graduate of university education in Economics Horia Enciu has an experience of over 20 years in sales in the field of equipment for oil and gas pipelines and installations Where does the name of the company come from and how was it born ‘Uzina de Prototipuri Reparatii Utilaje pentru Industria Chimica’ (Plant for Prototypes Repairs and Equipment for the Chemical Industry) was established in 1977 to support the development of the chemical and power industries Back then some other major projects were planned in the chemical industry besides the project of the first nuclear reactor of the Cernavoda Nuclear Power Plant the government decided to divide UPRUC into six companies each preserving the know-how and personnel specific to one product type only all the six companies were privatized; in the last six years I have purchased shares in the company from those who got them from the government What is the field of activity of the company you run and what are the targeted industries Horia Enciu: We have two main products: fittings and pressure vessels Since its establishment we have been producing steel fittings – elbows Our competencies are in the field of products for demanding installations with high quality requirements and for which the origin of the product matters and indicates a high quality level where the fluids circulate under pressure and at high temperatures in gas compressor stations where a high pressure is involved who put us on their Approved Manufacturer List (AML) are proof that the products made in Fagaras meet the quality requirements of the demanding markets In 2006 the company started to produce welded constructions and pressure vessels made of carbon steel alloy steel and stainless steel for the oil and gas industry for the shipbuilding industry and for other applications This activity has a long tradition on the UPRUC platform in Fagaras it was taken over by another part of UPRUC What dedicated products and solutions do you offer for the energy sector What tests can be performed in your own laboratory which I mentioned above are installed worldwide – from Houston China and Scandinavia to South America or Singapore Through our commercial partners we deliver to refineries wherever the demands are high and quality is a must Our mechanical testing laboratory has recently been certified according to ISO 17025:2018 This demonstrates our belief that we have to deliver top quality in order to face the competition and develop ourselves constantly for the next at least 42 years This is what our customers expect and secures the jobs in Fagaras What are the figures for 2018 and what are the prospects for the next period Horia Enciu: We concluded 2018 with a turnover of about RON 43,000,000 On average we employ 285 colleagues who every day do their best to keep the tradition and know-how in Fagaras Over the last three years we have seen signs of growth in the domestic market While in 2016 the share of the EU sales was about 80% we increased the share of domestic raw materials acquisitions during a meeting with companies which participated in the construction of the nuclear reactor No to hear that Romanian companies met during trade fairs and exhibitions abroad and started to do business together until then being only aware of the existence of the others on the principle “everything is in ruin” developed and adapted to the 21st century and continued the tradition out of its 42 years of existence UPRUC-CTR SA was active only 12 in communism with the remaining 30 in capitalism… What are the most important projects currently carried out by UPRUC CTR What are your plans for the future regarding the consolidation/expansion of activity in the country and/or abroad pressure vessels for Jupa compressor station and all fittings for the valve stations related to the BRUA pipeline we supplied fittings to refineries and thermal power plants across the world We plan to increase production through better organization and simplification of processes We need continuous increase in efficiency to improve our position in the global market Who are the UPRUC-CTR main business partners Horia Enciu: The main partners are our colleagues Without them and without their involvement none of the things described above would be possible When it comes to the external partners of the organization the main customers in the EU market are the companies which sell fittings those that contract complete deliveries of pipes flanges and place orders for fittings with us the main partners for fittings are the owners of installations and pipelines and the contractors who work for them For pressure vessels and welded components the main customers are the domestic and international companies and contractors who place orders for components or complete installations our partners are domestic and international suppliers As much as 99% of the raw materials are manufactured in the EU repairs and equipment we work with domestic suppliers What share of the investment budget is allocated for the modernization process and what works do you plan for 2019 Horia Enciu: In recent years we have focused on restoring the initial capacity and upgrading the existing equipment We have devised a comprehensive program for reviewing and extending the TDVs (tools For several years we have been planning maintenance in the summer months usually at the end of July – the beginning of August thanks to the efforts of our colleagues in the maintenance department and our contractors we manage to make workovers on the essential machinery to upgrade and to automate them and to prepare them for a new life cycle we are in a process of rethinking the manufacturing flow which will lead us to an even better organization and an increase in efficiency Which are the priority directions included in the company’s development strategy for the next period – market penetration Horia Enciu: Recently we have purchased a production hall and we want to double the surface area related to pressure vessels manufacturing We see a future and very good prospects for the development of these products We are also in a continuous process of getting new approvals from end users in order to allow our customers to keep in stock our goods for an even bigger number of end users What role does the team play in this regard the times when someone was doing and knew everything are gone Nothing can be done without a team and I am constantly working on consolidating and increasing it as it seems that the tradition of the Romanian industry is rather that of the providential man and less of the l team must be the core of success and ensure consistency in the development of the organization Horia Enciu: YES! UPRUC-CTR SA is a member of The European committee of fittings manufacturers (in the EU) which is fighting for the preservation of this industry and to eliminate fraud there is the temptation of fraud made by changing the origin of the goods declaring a different customs duty than the real one on border crossing to avoid the payment of customs or anti-dumping duties etc products with dubious origin reach the market which to an informed person are distinguishable from those with controlled origin by quality documentation and by price and I have also heard about a similar case in Romania there was a lot of discussion about the trades that would disappear about the robots that would replace certain trades and here we are now unable to find the necessary skilled workforce All Europe suffers from the lack of skilled workforce I know about vocational schools in Romania which bring the students in their 9th grade from hundreds of kilometers away I would like to see more efforts done in that area Process optimization is a huge challenge so we are focused on finding the proper solutions for our production