COS Invests 1.6 Million EUR to Launch a R&D Workspace Centre

COS, the pioneer of the Romanian fit-out market, continues its national development strategy and announces the premiere launch of a Research & Development (R&D) workspace Centre in the Northern area of Bucharest, following a 1.6 million EUR investment. MASIA, the new 2.000 sqm space, is designed to function both as a serviced space for tenants and as a test space for customers’ future work setups.

The launch marks 25 years of activity for COS, which was one of the first players in the local fit-out market, having contributed significantly to the development of this sector in Romania. In recent years, COS has expanded its expertise by investing in its own spaces portfolio, which currently reaches a total of 4,200 sqm in all its 4 locations in Cluj, Bucharest, Timișoara, and Iași.

The new MASIA proposes a revolutionary approach to shared workspaces, as it also includes a testing feature where customers are able to pilot various ways of working before applying them in their own spaces. MASIA also embodies COS’ TrueFlex design concept, a refined approach that encompasses 3 key elements: flexibility, mobility, and adaptability. COS stands out as a pioneering player in the workspace market to promote a fully human-centered design, focusing on people’s well-being through interior design, which has been directly linked with employee performance.

“Recent developments have highlighted the undeniable significance of flexibility in the evolving business landscape. Over the years, we have conducted comprehensive studies on the direct impact of physical spaces on business performance and decided to make strategic investments in shared spaces, collaborating closely with our customers to understand their unique requirements and explore innovative work methodologies. Today, we are confident that resilient businesses rely on the ability to adapt spaces to accommodate team dynamics, facilitate diverse setups such as collaborative environments and hybrid workspaces, and create multifunctional spaces capable of seamlessly accommodating physical, technological and social changes,” says Christophe Weller, COS founder and CEO.

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With COS business having grossed a total of 28 million EUR turnover in 2022, COS’ serviced offices portfolio is estimated to reach 0,6 million EUR annual revenue. COS’ first owned space was Stables in Cluj, which works primarily as a services office space for renting, with the newly launched MASIA being the second one.

“The local fit-out market holds strong potential, as Romania continues to attract investors and develop. But innovation is essential in maintaining COS’ competitive edge and market leadership. This is why we strongly believe in generating added value through research and development and fostering process efficiency through digitalization and tech infusion,” says Cezar Scarlat, Managing Partner and co-founder of SARMIS Capital, COS’ majority shareholder.  

According to experts at COS, the current average investment in interior design and build space ranges from 500 to 800 EUR per square â metre. For premium projects, the investment surpasses 800 EUR per square metre. With the one-stop-shop trend having evolved in Romania and clients preferring to work with integrator companies, COS has been the first design & build company on the local market, offering complete consultancy, interior construction, design and furniture solutions.

25 years since its launch, COS generated a cumulated revenue of 345 million of EUR, being the first player to initiate national expansion and to introduce innovative concepts and solutions in Romania, such as the carbon neutral carpet, modular LVT (luxury vinyl tiles), high adjustable desks, sound masking systems and other architectural elements. Currently, almost 50% of COS` revenue is generated by customers outside of Bucharest.

COS constantly introduced innovative concepts and solutions in Romania and has signed so far a total of 19.000 projects for 2.700 large customers such as Orange, Telecom, ORACLE, HP, IBM, Pfizer, KPMG, PWC, ERNST & YOUNG, ACCENTURE, BRD, CITIBANK, RADISSON Hotel Chain or Daruieste Viata (the Hospital built at Marie Curie).

Active on the local market since 1998, COS [with the initial name Corporate Office Solutions] is the largest integrator of turnkey solutions for interior spaces in Romania and activates across the entire spectrum of relevant segments: offices, industrial spaces (interior fittings within logistics parks and industrial facilities), hospitality, healthcare (interiors for clinics and hospitals) and education. COS has exclusive partnerships in Romania with suppliers such as Steelcase and Interface, international leaders in the furniture segments, respectively solutions for flooring, but also with local manufacturers.