Promateris to Become the European Leader in the Production of Biomaterials in 2022
Promateris, a Romanian industrial group and leader in the CEE region in producing biodegradable and compostable packaging, announces that in 2021 the demands for biodegradable and compostable packaging produced by the company in the Buftea factory increased by 110% compared to last year. This growing demand has contributed to the company’s results in 2021. Promateris recorded a 66% increase in turnover for the first nine months of the year compared to the same period last year. The group recorded a consolidated turnover (including the distribution company Biodeck) of 27.5 million euros and a consolidated EBITDA of over 4 million euros, a 112% increase compared to the same period of the previous year.
“Awareness of the risks posed by climate change and especially single-use plastic pollution has led to the adoption of legislative solutions at EU and Romanian level, resulting in increasing public interest in bio-based and compostable packaging. We believe in the green transformation that is taking place in the European Union, and our ambition is to become the largest European manufacturer of low-carbon packaging. During the last three years we have made investments of over 10 million euros in the development of biodegradable and compostable packaging and the recycling of bioplastic. Promateris is on an accelerated growth trend, and we will continue to invest in the company’s development to improve performance, both by increasing the production capacity and by digitalizing our workflows,” stated Tudor Georgescu, CEO of Promateris.
In 2021, the group registered a 36% increase in biodegradable and compostable packaging segment production compared to 2020. The company plans to increase production in this segment by 40% in 2022, thus consolidating its position as a regional leader in Central and Eastern Europe. Regarding the reduction of its carbon footprint, in 2021, Promateris recycled more than 1,000 tons of industrial waste from production. This was made possible by the company’s installed biomaterials recycling line.
Promateris ends 2021 with a series of significant achievements, such as obtaining non-reimbursable financing of 744,000 euros to produce corn starch based raw materials. The grant is offered by Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway through the SEE and Norwegian financial mechanisms 2014-2021, under the ‘SMEs Growth in Romania’ program. The company also obtained a grant of 100,000 euros through the Electric UP program to install photovoltaic panels. This is the company’s first step in the transition to use renewable energy in the production process.
Also, in 2021, Promateris published its first ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) report and obtained/renewed the following certifications: ISO 9001, 14001, 45001, 22000, attesting the organization’s best practices. The company has implemented a state-of-the-art ERP system specialized in packaging production in partnership with the German company Theurer in terms of workflow efficiency.
In 2022, Promateris plans to continue investing in biomaterials to consolidate its position as a leader in the CEE region by developing its production capacity for bio-based & compostable packaging. The company also intends to develop the production of flexible packaging for the food industry and to start the production of biodegradable and compostable raw materials based on corn starch. Promateris will thus become the first company in Eastern Europe to produce raw materials based on corn starch.
In addition, Promateris aims to enter a new market segment – paper packaging, by developing a production facility, a project which will be finalized in 2023.
About Promateris
Promateris is a company listed on the Main Market of the Bucharest Stock Exchange. Promateris specializes in state-of-the-art packaging made from renewable, biodegradable, and compostable materials. In the Buftea factory, the company produces sustainable alternatives to single-use plastic, such as a wide range of bags for retail (T-shirt bags, fruit and vegetable bags, bio-waste bin liners). Promateris operates three business lines: Bio-based and compostable packaging, which produce packaging made from renewable resources, bioplastic recycling, through which it recycles residual waste to be reintroduced into the production process; Electrical cable compounds, through which granules to produce electrical cables are developed and manufactured.
