ifm builds a “Green Factory”
ifm builds a “Green Factory” in Sibiu, Romania
Building work started on 1 March this year. The building site will cover an area of roughly 13,000 m². The aim is to have the new building in Sibiu, Romania, certified with the Gold Medal of DGNB (German Sustainable Building Council).
As one of the world's leading manufacturers of industrial sensors, ifm is also one of the largest employers in the Sibiu region, currently boasting more than 650 employees. The foundation stone for the plant in Romania was laid seven years ago – but the story is far from over: Successful development of the location has now resulted in its expansion. On 7 April this year, the company organised a festive event to announce the start of work on a new ifm factory, including sales headquarters in Sibiu.
“ifm's relationship with its global customers is a very special one, and Romania is no exception. We have an extensive product portfolio, offer innovative solutions and are proud of our highly trained employees. And I humbly say: ifm is an important pillar on which key players in all industries rely. This project, for which we have gathered here today, ensures closer proximity to our production colleagues in a lovely and prestigious building for a premium supplier in the field of industrial automation. ifm is an exceptional employer and fully committed to the community of Sibiu – I am proud to be part of this family”, said Florin Molosit, Managing Director of ifm electronic Romania, during the ground-breaking event in early April.
“Over the last seven years, ifm has proven to be a strong and successful company”, explains Alex Măgdoiu, Managing Director of ifm efector and prover Sibiu: “The decision to build this new factory was based on the idea of merging sales and production activities. We are therefore looking forward to having both an administration and production building, with the two divisions connected by a corridor. This is the first step in our new project.”
The goal: A factory certified to DGNB
Work started on 1 March this year. The building site will cover an area of roughly 13,000 m². And the special feature: It is going to be a completely green factory. “We are delighted to have the opportunity to build a certified green factory. ifm has thus decided to meet the standards of the German Sustainable Building Council (DGNB). ifm aims to have the first factory in the world to receive Gold Medal certification according to the DGNB international system. Various aspects such as ecological, economic and socio-cultural factors are assessed – both during construction of the building and its subsequent use. The entire energy system will be optimised to achieve this level of certification. This also includes the use of photovoltaic modules and heat pumps, as well as the latest generation of materials and technologies”, explains the ifm management in Sibiu.
Trusted partners
Representatives of the district authorities and established ifm partners took part in the celebratory event held at the beginning of April. They included CON-A, which helped with the design and plans to assist with the construction of the factory, SIFEE Action, which specialises in installations, and the project management firm Optimahaus that helped acquire the land and will contribute significantly to the overall realisation. “Sibiu is an excellent location where we have found qualified people and reliable partners. We want to continue adding value to the economy of Sibiu by creating jobs in various sectors”, says Alex Măgdoiu.
Beyond time
During the event on 7 April, the company also held a symbolic ritual and buried a "time capsule" to preserve memories and ifm's current plans for the future. In line with the motto "growing successfully in security" (quote from the ifm philosophy), the company promises to continue driving the future of the industry.
