EMI Group: From a Romanian Entrepreneurial Story to a European Industrial Access Leader
The conversation between Jérôme France and Cristian Hostiuc on ZF Live, the flagship business programme of Romania’s leading financial publication, Ziarul Financiar, offered a clear picture of EMI Group’s trajectory: a business born in Romania that has evolved into one of the most dynamic consolidators in the Western European industrial access industry.
When Jérôme France first arrived in Romania in 2000, he could not have imagined that, two decades later, EMI Group would operate companies in Romania, Belgium, and the Netherlands, with firm plans to expand further across Europe. What began in 1998 as a business founded by his father grew organically and then strategically through a unique model: acquiring and integrating entrepreneurial companies known for strong maintenance services and highly specialized technical solutions.
A model built on proximity, service, and rapid intervention
Today, EMI Group provides a full spectrum of industrial access systems, from industrial doors, high-speed doors, and metal shutters to solutions for retail, logistics, critical infrastructure, and military environments. Yet maintenance remains the defining element: the ability to respond quickly, anytime, anywhere.
In Romania, the group has more than 200 employees, most of whom are specialized technicians. Every year, EMI manages over 8,000 interventions locally and maintains approximately 30,000 pieces of equipment under service contracts.
“In this industry, an access system is not just a door, it is a critical part of the logistics flow. A single failure can block production or deliveries. This is why clients need partners who can respond fast and have local teams ready,” says Jérôme France.
A group in accelerated international expansion
If in 2024 the group’s turnover was around EUR 43 million, in 2025 EMI Group is approaching EUR 80 million, consolidating its operations in Belgium and announcing its entry into the Netherlands through the acquisition of Damm Deurentechniek B.V.
Romania remains the operational core of the group, generating approximately EUR 30 million. The growth model relies on acquiring companies deeply rooted in their domestic markets : founders who stay involved and reinvest at group level.
“We realised that to have a future, the company needed to be five times bigger. And that couldn’t be done organically alone. M&A became the natural direction. The founders we work with stay in the business and bring tremendous value,” says Jérôme France.
A portfolio of leading clients and complex projects
EMI Group works with major industrial players in Romania and across Europe, from Dacia, Coca-Cola, and Ford to large logistics networks and retailers, as well as complex projects in the military and aerospace sectors. Whether it is giant aircraft hangar doors with openings exceeding 40 metres, specialized solutions for NATO infrastructures, or unique systems delivered in Ukraine, the group stands out through its ability to engineer customised, high-precision solutions.
A European perspective and a multicultural team
During the ZF Live discussion, Jérôme France also highlighted the cultural nuances observed across Western markets. Denmark, he noted, is a prime example of a deeply digitalized and trust-based society. “These exchanges of experience are essential. We learn from the best practices and strengthen the group with European know-how.”
A long-standing ambassador of Romania
After more than 20 years in Romania, Jérôme France says the country is no longer “a low-cost market,” but a competitive, modern, technologically advanced environment capable of delivering at European standards.
“I often say I am an ambassador of Romania. The country has evolved tremendously. Romanian companies are now operating at Western levels, and in a world full of contrasts, Romania brings extraordinary energy.”
