“The vision is for BA Glass Romania to become the preferred partner for customers’ growth and development, and to be recognised as more than just a production facility. The company aims to strengthen partnerships with teaching institutions and become a reference point for manufacturing education, where young talent can learn and lead in the industry,” Marco Marques, Managing Director Southeast Europe, BA Glass told The Diplomat-Bucharest.

“Romania is the largest market in Southeast Europe for BA Glass and we are the market leader; this also motivated the capacity increase in the region. Additionally, BA Glass Romania is becoming a source of talent, with many employees now serving as BA ambassadors across Europe.”

How would you describe BA Glass Romania’s evolution over the past two years, both operationally and commercially?

Operationally, BA Glass Romania has made remarkable improvements, driven by the completion of a significant investment cycle and the strong combination of experience, talent, and youth within the plant team.

Commercially, while expectations were higher, the results were affected by broader market conditions, particularly inflation, which has temporarily slowed growth.

What were the main challenges the company faced in the Romanian market during this period?

The main challenge has been a growth below expectations of the Romanian market and influenced by global trends, which has eroded much of the expected progress.

The market’s growth curve has flattened sooner than anticipated, but there is optimism that double-digit growth will return, making Romania a powerhouse in the Balkan region.

What significant improvements or milestones are you most proud of from the last two years?

The greatest achievement is the development of a strong team spirit in the Bucharest plant, where senior employees actively mentor the younger generation, who in turn are taking on more responsibility. This positive dynamic is present across all levels of the organisation.

What shifts have you observed in the demand for glass packaging compared to other materials like plastic or aluminium?

Glass packaging was heavily impacted by the energy crisis following the Ukraine war, more so than other materials.

In Romania, in particular, we face the highest energy costs among all countries where BA Glass have operations, which has created opportunities for alternative materials.

However, glass remains crucial for a circular economy and for health reasons, as food contact with plastic is undesirable.

How do rising energy prices and supply chain disruptions influence your operations?

Rising energy prices have a significant negative impact on cost structure, reducing margins and putting stress on capital expenditure (CAPEX). This, in turn, affects the ability to invest in new technology, sustainability, and efficiency.

However, the crisis has also motivated improvements in efficiency in other business areas, pushing us to put all under scrutiny and to find notable improvements.

What role does Romania play within BA Glass’s broader regional strategy in Southeast Europe?

Romania is the largest market in Southeast Europe for BA Glass and we are the market leader, this also motivated the capacity increase in the region. Additionally, BA Glass Romania is becoming an source of talent, with many employees now serving as BA ambassadors across Europe. This means that Romania sits at the core of SEE region.

What investments have been made in energy efficiency, recycling capacity, or digitalization?

The company recently completed its first major investment cycle in Romania and has begun digitalising the plant. New furnace management and automation technologies are being deployed to improve efficiency, process stability, and safety.

In recycling, In a period of uncertainty BA Glass decide to enter a long-term contract with a recycled glass supplier to ensure stability and foster further capacity. This is still still an ongoing process, because our goal is to eliminate the need to export recycled glass out of Romania, cullet is a valuable material and must stay for the benefit of all not only some.

What is your vision for BA Glass Romania over the next three to five years?

The vision is for BA Glass Romania to become the preferred partner for customers’ growth and development, and to be recognised as more than just a production facility. The company aims to strengthen partnerships with teaching institutions and become a reference point for manufacturing education, where young talent can learn and lead in the industry.

What major trends will drive the future of the glass packaging industry in Romania?

Glass stands out as the packaging material of the future due to its health, sustainability, and consumer appeal. The direction should be to promote glass as the preferred choice.

Glass’s infinite recyclability cements its role at the heart of a true circular economy, while its premium image continues to win over both consumers and producers.

As the industry innovates with lighter, more efficient containers, glass steadily replaces less sustainable materials in all segments.

Also worth mentioning the proposal to include jars in the Deposit-Return System, we can´t fool ourselves, if something worked once doesn´t mean will work all the time, the ecosystem around jars is very different from the other type of packaging. Rather than imposing regulation, the focus should be on education and encouraging responsible recycling.

What opportunities do you believe Romania offers for BA Glass going forward?

The greatest opportunities lie in the people, machines every can buy, people capital is a much hard to come by. Not so much as an opportunity more of a hope, is for lower energy costs.