EFESO Management Consultants launches new office in Romania

EFESO Management Consultants has launched a new office in Romania, its second in Central and Eastern European, https://www.consultancy.eu/ informs.   The new office in Bucharest will spearhead the company’s expansion plans in the Romanian market, and serve as a hub for its services to clients across the Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) region. The Romanian team will focus manufacturing services, in particular factory environments.   Bruno Machiels, co-CEO at EFESO Management Consultants, said the firm’s expansion into CEE comes in response to growing client demand. Facing rising costs in their traditional markets, a growing number of Western European manufacturing groups are moving their factories to lower cost countries such as Hungary, Poland, Romania and other CEE countries.   Central and Eastern Europe countries are also seeing mounting demand from multinational groups that are shifting (some of) their Far-East production back to nearshore locations, with the aim to make supply chains less complex and more agile.   “The manufacturing landscape is undergoing a seismic shift, with factories and supply chains being relocated and rebuilt globally. CEE countries offer significant cost advantages, including wage differences of around 76% between Germany and Romania, along with other investment incentives,” said Jost Kamenik, a member of the firm’s Group Management Committee.   “The right calibration of production- and supplier networks via relocation and optimization makes the difference. We have the team to do this,” he added, pointing at the 20-person team assembled to kickstart the Romanian venture.   On top of the relocation trend, a wave of technological disruption is changing the face of factories – a development known as smart factories. Machiels said that the firm is well positioned to help clients tap into the power of digital. “Our cutting-edge digital factory planning tool suite is at the forefront of industrial innovation. It offers advanced layout and material flow optimization during all planning phases.”   “This technological advantage ensures superior planning quality, enabling manufacturers to navigate today’s challenges and build robust, future-ready facilities that drive long-term growth and competitive advantage.”   Luca Lecchi, co-CEO at EFESO Management Consultants, added: “At EFESO Management Consultants, we have consolidated and expanded our services to provide our clients with comprehensive support in factory planning, from concept to realization. Romania presents excellent business opportunities.”   The firm’s second CEE office is in Budapest, the capital city of Hungary. Across its footprint, EFESO Management Consultants – which is backed by private equity – has offices in 30+ countries worldwide.