Ciprian Iacob: KDT Romania's plans for 2026

Late November in Comănești. The sky was gray, the rain was light but persistent, that late autumn dampness that you can feel in your bones. We had set up the meeting the day before—Ciprian Iacob had come to the office especially for us, even though he was leaving for China that evening, to KDT. We arrived in the middle of a production meeting at Sanitop – he was somewhere inside, sorting out technical details with the team.

We wait a few minutes. While waiting, I notice that a building that seemed unused in the past is now bustling with activity—workers, construction materials arranged methodically, activity that suggests something is being prepared here.

Modesty that conceals ambition

When we meet, Ciprian is his usual self: pragmatic, direct, almost casual. We sit in his office, where the windows overlook the production department where bathroom furniture is manufactured. Sanitop, the company he runs, has been producing bathroom furniture for DIY stores for many years. On the table between us, Ciprian's cell phone vibrates from time to time. On WeChat, the group of KDT dealers from around the world is active.

“Everyone wants to work with China now,” Ciprian begins. “There's a hunger, a fantastic buzz in all areas. People call me, asking how to do it, when to go to the fair.”

He shows me his screen—scrolling through messages from dealers around the world, pictures of expanding factories, updates on orders and deliveries. “We exchange experiences, discuss equipment,” he explains.

He is constantly connected to a global network of KDT dealers, receiving real-time information about what is happening in the industry, about orders, about developments. It is this type of access to information that allows him to always be one step ahead.

“We go with our clients to China and organize factory visits,” he continues. “People discover China for the first time and enjoy it. Going there is like attending business school.”

Lessons in pragmatism from China

But the lessons he learned from the Chinese are not about maximum automation or huge volumes. They are more subtle.

“They don’t recommend fully automated factories, especially for overseas markets,” explains Ciprian. “We implement automated cells, not fully automated factories. I’ve seen factories in China that had a fully automated workflow, but also had a backup factory nearby. They worked automatically, but had a place to intervene manually if necessary.”

It's a pragmatic business lesson: advanced technology, yes, but with built-in redundancy. Intelligent automation, not blindly following trends.

“We have concrete examples,” he continues. “We visited an automated factory there (in China) that had a workflow consisting of cutting, bending, drilling, and sorting. They occupied 60% of the hall with the automated workflow. The remaining 40%? That was their backup factory, the area where they could work manually.”

The service that makes the difference

“We discovered, somewhat surprisingly from customer feedback, that we have above-average service personnel,” Ciprian admits. It doesn't sound like bragging—it sounds more like an objective observation that surprised even him.

“Many distributors focus solely on sales. We have invested in people who know how to program PLCs and configure drivers. We have an online service team, and our engineers are currently undergoing three weeks of training in China.”

It's the kind of long-term investment that doesn't immediately translate into sales figures, but builds reputation. And reputation, in this industry, means recommendations.

Bucharest, Brăila, and the expansion plan

“The market wants us in Bucharest,” says Ciprian. “It’s a big market there, there are small producers who need us. My colleagues asked me, they explained that we have to be there.”

The showroom in Bucharest is set to open in February-March 2026. A team of professionals will serve customers there. But when Ciprian talks about it, I understand that it's not just about a presentation point. It's about being where decisions are made, where money circulates faster, where KDT's manufacturer also wants to be.

“If this project with Bucharest is confirmed,” he says, choosing his words carefully, “we want to move forward. In Transylvania. Maybe Timișoara. Cluj is too expensive, but you can do something 100-odd kilometers from Cluj and people will come.”

Basically, Ciprian isn't talking about a showroom. He's talking about a national network: Moldova here in Comănești, Muntenia in Bucharest, Transylvania somewhere in the Cluj-Timișoara area.

“We want to expand the showroom space in Comănești and move the warehouse area to Brăila,” he explains pragmatically.

Brăila is strategically chosen—a free zone, with direct reception from China. The equipment arrives there from China, stays in stock, and goes directly to the customer for sale. It's a move that means larger stocks available in Romania and, at the same time, tax optimization. Ciprian doesn't go into details about this, but it's clear that every move is carefully thought out.

The building that speaks louder than words

At the end of the discussion, Ciprian gives us a tour of the building under renovation. “Look what we're doing, what we're setting up,” he says almost casually. “Let's hope it will be good.”

But when he starts describing what will be there, I realize it's much more than just a renovation.

He shows us—still only in our imagination, because the work is still in progress—where the offices will be: simple, compact, aesthetic, and functional furniture, already ordered from China. The meeting room and small events room: a massive table, already purchased, a space designed for training and demonstrations. A small terrace in preparation for “cigarette breaks,” as he says with a smile. The server room. Organized storage. Decor details – mirrors on the walls, tools displayed in the hallway.

The building has two floors. It is the height of a normal office building—neither high nor low. Industrial machinery and KDT equipment have a separate dedicated showroom.

He talks about all this in a modest way, as if they were minor adjustments. But the details he describes—the furniture already ordered, the massive table for training sessions, the organization of the space for optimal flow—all speak of someone who does not improvise. Someone who has thought through every detail. Knowing him, it's about more than just KDT equipment.

“We're renovating this building,” he says simply. “It will be an expanded showroom, a training room, a place where customers can come to see the equipment and understand how it works.”

Ambitions that show in the details

When you meet Ciprian Iacob, you learn to read between the lines. He doesn't talk about “vision” or “transformation.” He doesn't make grandiose statements. But the buildings he renovates, the furniture he orders from China, his plans for Bucharest and Transylvania, his investments in his team and service—all of these tell a story about the ambitions of a man who has built a success story in recent years with WoodMatic—KDT Romania.

“If the market helps us, we'll be okay,” says Ciprian. “We want to grow. We hope the market will help us.”

As I leave Comănești on that gloomy November afternoon, I am convinced of one thing: whether the market helps or not, KDT Romania is preparing for expansion.

2026 is shaping up to be the year when KDT Romania makes the leap from a solid presence to a national player with a network of showrooms and service centers across the country. Maybe even a wider range of equipment, not just KDT. And hand tools, why not. The infrastructure it is preparing can support that too.

And when you look at the details Ciprian puts into the building under construction in Comănești, you understand that it's not about hope. It's about planning.