The 9th edition of the Trenchless Romania Conference & Exhibition, Romania’s flagship event dedicated to Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD) technologies for public utility installations, took place on October 8, 2025, in Bucharest. As every year, the event was supported by the International Society for Trenchless Technology (ISTT) and is part of the international circuit of industry-specific events. The underground construction sector is not only rapidly evolving but also plays a key role in modernizing urban infrastructure and protecting the environment.

Over the course of its eight previous editions, the conference has grown year after year, bringing together local and international experts, top companies, technology providers, and decision-makers from both the public and private sectors. This year’s central theme focused on innovation, sustainability, and digitalization. Alongside valuable technical presentations, case studies, and innovations reshaping how we understand underground network development, digitalization now plays a vital role in designing and executing trenchless works. From advanced underground scanning and mapping technologies to data analysis and predictive maintenance, digital transformation has become the main driver of efficiency and safety in this field.

We were honored by the presence of Mr. Irinel Ionel Scrioșteanu, Secretary of State at the Romanian Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure, who delivered a message of support to participants and emphasized the importance of adopting innovative technologies in underground infrastructure. He highlighted the need for a transition to sustainable solutions with minimal environmental and community impact, as a core part of the national infrastructure development vision. His attendance underscored the institutional support for initiatives promoting modernization through cutting-edge technology and collaboration between authorities, industry, and academia.

Also present at the event were representatives from both national and international associations, including: Florian Burnar, representing the Association for Partnership on Projects and European Funds (Romania) and Thorsten Schulte, Board Member of the German Association for Trenchless Technology (BGT).

This year marked the launch of the Trenchless Romania Academy – a special program developed with the support of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Construction Robotics in Bucharest, aimed at promoting the next generation of professionals in trenchless technologies. By strengthening the link between academia and industry, the academy seeks to inspire young engineers, students, and future specialists to explore innovative and sustainable solutions for underground infrastructure development.

Trenchless Romania AWARDS 2025

A major highlight of the Trenchless Romania Conference & Exhibition is the Trenchless Romania Awards – an occasion dedicated to recognizing performance, innovation, and the significant contributions of professionals and companies in the trenchless technology field in Romania and the region.

This year’s Trenchless Romania Awards 2025 were presented to:

Irinel Ionel Scrioșteanu, Secretary of State, Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure – for his active involvement in promoting and implementing modern and sustainable infrastructure projects.

Fodor Laszlo, Founder & CEO of Imocon – for his entrepreneurial spirit and innovations in trenchless technology, supporting the industry’s development.

Dante Scremin, CEO of Dantec Robotics – for over 15 years of experience in pipeline rehabilitation using CIPP (Cured-In-Place Pipe) technology.

In the second half of the day, attendees had the opportunity to participate in a high-value technical workshop:

„Trenchless Engineering Excellence: Pipe Bursting & CIPP, SIPP Methods” organized with the support of partners TRACTO and BLEJKAN – two internationally renowned trenchless technology companies.

This practical and interactive session offered participants direct access to experts from both companies, who explained when, how, and why each rehabilitation method is used – from pipe-bursting to CIPP (Cured-In-Place Pipe) and SIPP (Spray-In-Place Pipe)