More than three decades ago, at a time when the Romanian economy was only beginning to discover the rules of capitalism, a small store covering just 150 square meters in central Bucharest became the starting point for one of the best-known Romanian brands. On June 1, 1993, Dan Șucu opened the first Mobexpert store inside the Unirea shopping center, laying the foundations for a business that would gradually transform from a simple retailer into an integrated group operating in manufacturing, logistics, retail and services. The Mobexpert story is, in fact, the story of the transformation of Romania’s furniture market. From the first office furniture pieces to large-format stores, in-house manufacturing, logistics platforms, e-commerce and new Concept Store formats, the company has evolved together with consumers’ tastes and needs. Today, the group is a 100% Romanian company founded and owned by entrepreneur Dan Șucu, with thousands of employees, factories in Romania and a nationwide network of stores.

From a 150-square-meter store to a nationwide group

In the early 1990s, Romania’s furniture market was very different from what it is today. The range of products was limited, modern retail concepts were almost nonexistent, and furniture manufacturing still operated largely according to models inherited from the communist period. Against this background, Dan Șucu chose to start with a small store mainly focused on office furniture.

On June 1, 1993, the first Mobexpert store opened inside the Unirea shopping center, occupying approximately 150 square meters. The investment quickly proved its potential, and the next step was to integrate manufacturing into the business. According to the company’s own timeline, the first factories were put into operation in 1994, while in the following years the group built and acquired manufacturing units, including facilities in Dej and Târgu Mureș.

This strategy was one of the keys to Mobexpert’s development. Instead of remaining dependent on external suppliers, the group built its own production capacity, gradually transforming the company into a vertically integrated business. By the 1990s, Mobexpert had already become one of Romania’s most important furniture manufacturers and exporters.

Mobexpert Pipera, the moment that changed the Romanian market

One of the most important moments in the company’s history came at the beginning of the 2000s. In 2001, Mobexpert opened its store in Pipera, a unit covering approximately 13,000 square meters and bringing to Romania a retail concept close to Western European standards of the time.

For Romanian shoppers, the experience was completely different from what traditional stores had offered. Furniture, home accessories and interior design solutions could be discovered in a large, carefully organized space, allowing customers to see products in settings resembling real homes. The company would later replicate the model in several cities and build increasingly large stores.

The expansion, however, was not limited to retail space. Starting in 2004, Mobexpert introduced services such as transportation and assembly, loyalty programs and installment payment options. In this way, the company began selling not only furniture, but also a broader package of services associated with furnishing a home.

By the time the group celebrated its first 25 years, it had reached 10 large-format stores, additional stores and partners, eight factories, approximately 2,000 employees, three logistics centers, three Outlet stores and specialized divisions such as Mobexpert Office and Mobexpert Horeca.

Romanian manufacturing, one of the foundations of the business

One of the elements that sets Mobexpert apart from a retailer relying primarily on imports is its own manufacturing activity. The company controls several stages of the process, from product design and development to manufacturing, distribution and sales to the end customer.

According to information currently published by Mobexpert, the group owns eight furniture factories located in four production centers in Bucharest, Dej, Târgu Mureș and Suceava. These facilities manufacture a wide range of products, from home and office furniture to chairs, armchairs, sofas and mattresses.

In 2026, local manufacturing remains an important part of the company’s strategy. Mobexpert CEO Adelina Badea stated that approximately 60% of furniture sales are represented by products manufactured in the company’s own factories. At the same time, Mobexpert has increased its focus on its “Made in Romania” collections, with product development and adaptation to current trends becoming important priorities.

This focus also has an economic explanation. Local production allows the company to maintain greater control over certain stages of the supply chain and reduce its dependence on imports for certain product categories. At the same time, for Romanian consumers, the local origin of a product has become an increasingly important purchasing argument.

A company that has learned to reinvent itself

Mobexpert has not remained tied to the business model that brought it success in the 2000s. Over the past decade, the company has invested heavily in e-commerce and in diversifying its store formats.

The pandemic accelerated this transformation. According to CEO Adelina Badea, before the pandemic the online store accounted for approximately 8–10% of the business, while afterwards its share increased to around 25% of turnover. In certain stores, sales generated through the online channel can account for 30–40% of total sales.

At the same time, the group developed Concept Store locations. These occupy smaller areas than the large-format stores and allow the brand to reach cities where a very large retail space would not necessarily be economically justified.

In 2026, the Mobexpert brand operates 12 hypermarkets and eight Concept Store locations, in addition to its online business and Outlet operations. The current strategy focuses on consolidation, following the accelerated expansion of previous years.

From furniture to a complete living ecosystem

Mobexpert’s transformation can also be seen in the diversity of its products and services. The company is no longer perceived simply as a furniture manufacturer or retailer, but as a provider of solutions for furnishing and decorating homes.

Its portfolio includes furniture for living rooms, bedrooms, dining rooms, kitchens and offices, as well as sofas, armchairs, mattresses, lighting fixtures, textiles and a wide range of decorative products. Interior design services, transportation and assembly further complete the customer experience.

An interesting example of the brand’s ability to maintain established products in its portfolio is the Jazz range, which has remained available for many years and continues to be sold. At the same time, the company regularly updates its collections in response to changes in style and international trends.

To identify new directions, Mobexpert teams attend international industry trade fairs. Events such as the Milan furniture and design fair are important sources for monitoring trends, identifying suppliers and developing partnerships. The supplier selection process focuses not only on the product itself, but also on the factory’s capabilities, infrastructure and production organization.

Dan Șucu and the continuity of an entrepreneurial model

Although Dan Șucu is no longer involved in every operational detail of the company, the founder’s influence can still be seen in its organizational culture. Executive management is led by Adelina Badea, who became CEO in 2020 and has overseen a period during which the company has gone through significant changes in consumer behavior, digitalization and retail transformation.

One of the distinctive aspects of this story is the continuity of the team. The company emphasizes that some employees have remained with Mobexpert for decades, demonstrating that the group’s development has relied not only on investments in stores and factories, but also on the accumulation of substantial internal experience.

Today, Mobexpert has approximately 2,100 employees. Annual turnover is estimated at approximately €270–279 million, depending on the year and reporting source, confirming the scale the group has reached after more than three decades of activity.

A Romanian brand looking toward the next decades

Mobexpert’s history is one of the most visible Romanian entrepreneurship success stories to emerge after 1990. From a 150-square-meter store in central Bucharest, the company has grown into an integrated business encompassing manufacturing, retail, logistics, services and e-commerce.

In 2025 and 2026, the company’s direction has focused increasingly on consolidation, efficiency and the development of a complete living ecosystem. New stores, digitalization, automation of logistics processes and the expansion of collections manufactured in Romania are among the directions announced by the company’s management.

More than a story about furniture, Mobexpert is the story of a company that has grown together with modern Romania. It began in a Bucharest that was only starting its economic transition and managed to transform an entrepreneurial idea into a brand present in the everyday lives of millions of consumers. And the fact that, after more than 30 years, the company continues to invest in local manufacturing while adapting its business model to new purchasing habits shows that the Mobexpert story is still very much in progress.

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