Siemens’ crisis response: A new ’green’ factory
Güncelleme Tarihi:
by Johannes Hillje
Oluşturulma Tarihi: Nisan 04, 2009 00:00
ISTANBUL - Siemens Chief Executive Officer Peter Löscher opened the company’s new factory in Gebze, southeast of Istanbul, on Thursday with the words, "This is our answer to the crisis."
"We have done it in Turkey because you have earned it," Löscher said, underscoring the country’s importance as a regional hub for Siemens, a global electronics and electrical engineering company.
With one-fourth of the Turkish population in school and 4 percent of the country’s gross domestic product spent on education, Turkey shows great promise for a successful future, Löscher said. "Turkish young people are hungry and ready for challenges."
The factory opening took place just 13 months after construction began in March 2008. The new facility stretches across an area of 150,000 square meters and cost 100 million euros to build. Energy Minister Hilmi Güler, German Ambassador to Ankara Eckart Cuntz and Siemens’ CEO of Energy Wolfgang Dehen and Turkey CEO Hüseyin Geliş joined Löscher in inaugurating the factory by pressing a symbolic button.
A model ’green’ factory
Löscher said the new site is a model "green" factory due to its energy efficiency and environmentally friendly systems and design. He said it fulfills the criteria for the United States’ benchmark Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, or LEED, certificate, achieving 25 percent energy savings through the use of highly efficient, technological and innovative systems for lighting, heating, cooling and ventilation. Highly efficient toilets, waterless urinals and the collection and use of rainwater will reduce water consumption 50 percent.
The factory will employ about 2,000 workers and focus its production on new energy technologies. Together with the company’s other factory in Istanbul’s Kartal region and its regional offices, it will bring Siemens’ Turkish workforce to 6,000 people. Turkey CEO Geliş said the building of a new factory in a time of economic crisis shows how important Turkey is to the German company. "Twelve percent of Turkey’s energy demand is met by Siemens technology," he said, adding that the company will continue its growth in the region.
According to Dehen, three factors drove the company to increase its investments in the energy sector and open the new factory: demographic changes that will increase demand for energy, particularly in Asia; the finite nature of fossil-fuel resources, which require greater energy efficiency and optimization of the energy mix; and the need to reduce carbon dioxide emissions because of climate change. "Energy has to be clean, sustainable and affordable," Dehen said.
Energy Minister Güler said investments in the energy sector have to continue despite the crisis. "We will invest $120 million in this sector through 2010," he said, adding that the coming years will be the age of hydrogen energy and that Turkey will expand its focus on wind energy. "We already use Siemens turbines, but I also propose that Siemens should start to produce turbines here in Gebze," he said.
With one-fourth of the Turkish population in school and 4 percent of the country’s gross domestic product spent on education, Turkey shows great promise for a successful future, Löscher said. "Turkish young people are hungry and ready for challenges."
The factory opening took place just 13 months after construction began in March 2008. The new facility stretches across an area of 150,000 square meters and cost 100 million euros to build. Energy Minister Hilmi Güler, German Ambassador to Ankara Eckart Cuntz and Siemens’ CEO of Energy Wolfgang Dehen and Turkey CEO Hüseyin Geliş joined Löscher in inaugurating the factory by pressing a symbolic button.
A model ’green’ factory
Löscher said the new site is a model "green" factory due to its energy efficiency and environmentally friendly systems and design. He said it fulfills the criteria for the United States’ benchmark Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, or LEED, certificate, achieving 25 percent energy savings through the use of highly efficient, technological and innovative systems for lighting, heating, cooling and ventilation. Highly efficient toilets, waterless urinals and the collection and use of rainwater will reduce water consumption 50 percent.
The factory will employ about 2,000 workers and focus its production on new energy technologies. Together with the company’s other factory in Istanbul’s Kartal region and its regional offices, it will bring Siemens’ Turkish workforce to 6,000 people. Turkey CEO Geliş said the building of a new factory in a time of economic crisis shows how important Turkey is to the German company. "Twelve percent of Turkey’s energy demand is met by Siemens technology," he said, adding that the company will continue its growth in the region.
According to Dehen, three factors drove the company to increase its investments in the energy sector and open the new factory: demographic changes that will increase demand for energy, particularly in Asia; the finite nature of fossil-fuel resources, which require greater energy efficiency and optimization of the energy mix; and the need to reduce carbon dioxide emissions because of climate change. "Energy has to be clean, sustainable and affordable," Dehen said.
Energy Minister Güler said investments in the energy sector have to continue despite the crisis. "We will invest $120 million in this sector through 2010," he said, adding that the coming years will be the age of hydrogen energy and that Turkey will expand its focus on wind energy. "We already use Siemens turbines, but I also propose that Siemens should start to produce turbines here in Gebze," he said.