Banca Comerciala Romana (BCR) is granting RON 182.8 million (EUR 36 million) worth of financing to NewCold Romania SRL, a member of Dutch global leader in automated cold-storage solutions NewCold Group, the bank announced.
The financing will support the development of Romania's first fully automated cold-storage facility, an important step in modernising the country's logistics infrastructure and introducing advanced automation and energy-efficiency technologies.
The project is co-financed by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), which is providing an equal amount of RON 182.8 million. EBRD lending will benefit from a partial EU guarantee under the EBRD InvestEU Framework for Sustainable Transition. BCR and EBRD will provide overall up to RON 695.6 million for the first two phases of the project and for a future expansion thereof.
"This partnership reflects BCR's commitment to supporting projects that modernise Romania's logistics and industrial infrastructure. Together with the EBRD, we are pleased to support NewCold in developing one of the most advanced automated cold-storage platforms in Europe, an investment that sets a new standard in energy efficiency, digitalisation and operational performance. Through vertical, high-bay storage that uses the full height of the building, with fully automated systems and reduced emissions, this project contributes to modernising the food supply chain and strengthening Romania's economic competitiveness," said Catalin Jaloba, BCR Head of Real Estate Finance.
In a separate statement, Vlaho Kojakovic, EBRD Director for Real Estate, said the investment brings a new generation of automated, energy-efficient logistics infrastructure to Romania. "By supporting NewCold's expansion, we are helping the introduction of cutting-edge technology that sharply reduces energy use and emissions, strengthens supply chain resilience, and raises industry standards. It is exactly the kind of green, competitive transformation the EBRD is committed to delivering," he noted.
The facility will be located in Stefanestii de Jos, Ilfov County, and will introduce a fully automated logistics model designed for efficient resource use and reduced environmental impact.
According to estimates, the project will reduce energy intensity by around 50% compared with conventional cold-storage warehouses, significantly cut greenhouse-gas emissions, and optimize space and operational flows through integrated digital systems.
Through this investment, NewCold will offer producers, processors and distributors in the food industry access to modern, fully digitalised logistics infrastructure, supporting the development of the local business ecosystem and strengthening Romania's position as a regional logistics hub in Central and South-Eastern Europe.
BCR provides a full range of financial products and services through a network of 20 business centres, 18 mobile offices dedicated to companies and 297 retail units in cities with over 10,000 inhabitants, 73% of which operate cashless. BCR is one of the main banks in the payments market, offering clients an extensive national network of around 2,000 ATMs and multifunctional machines, as well as complete Internet, mobile, phone and e-commerce banking services.
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