World Economic Forum Recognizes Arçelik's Ulmi Plant as a Sustainability Lighthouse

October 11, 2022 adhigo

Arçelik’s washing machine plant in Ulmi, Romania ranked among global pioneers in sustainability.

ISTANBUL, Oct. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Arçelik, the global household appliances manufacturer and a subsidiary of Koç Holding, Turkey’s largest industrial conglomerate, today announced its plant in Ulmi, Romania has been awarded Sustainability Lighthouse status by the World Economic Forum (WEF), in recognition of its effective on-site sustainability measures. This follows Arçelik’s existing status as a Global Lighthouse granted by WEF for its Ulmi plant in 2019 and Eskişehir plant in 2021 for the successful adoption of Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) technologies to enhance productivity and performance.

The World Economic Forum’s Global Lighthouse Network (GLN) seeks to promote 4IR technologies to transform production facilities, value chains and business models. In 2021, the GLN introduced Sustainability Lighthouse as a new designation to recognize manufacturers applying innovative 4IR transformations to drive productivity while safeguarding the environment.

Arçelik’s Ulmi washing machine plant is leading the way in efficient and sustainable manufacturing and uses cutting edge technologies for enhanced energy and water efficiency. The Ulmi plant is now designated one of the ten Sustainability Lighthouse sites in the Global Lighthouse Network.

Arçelik CEO Hakan Bulgurlu commented on the honor, saying, “We are proud to be acknowledged as a pioneer for sustainability by the World Economic Forum. It’s a reflection of our deep commitment to sustainability across the organization.”

“We have ambitious environmental goals and believe that innovation is key in accomplishing them. We aim to hit net-zero emissions in all operations by 2050 through green investments in renewable energy, as well as energy efficiency in products and production. Our Ulmi factory serves as a laboratory and sets an example for the entire Arçelik ecosystem. We set out to build not only a production-efficient Industry 4.0 unit, but also one that reflects our commitment to contribute to a better future. And this accolade is well-deserved, thanks to investments in cutting-edge technologies and green manufacturing applications. I’m proud of all my colleagues who worked hard and with drive to make this happen.”

As a global sustainability leader, the Arçelik Ulmi Washing Machine Plant stands out with the following achievements:

The factory is Romania’s first and only production unit to hold the LEED Platinum certification.
The plant uses 100% green electricity. It has renewable energy systems for heating and cooling, such as roof top solar panels (PV) (930 kWp) and concentrated solar power (700 kWth) and plans to increase PV capacity by 160% by the first half of 2023.
A “digital twin” model of the plant self-adjusts the lighting and optimizes the cooling and heating systems. Building Management System uses an algorithm that employs roughly 15,000 real-time data points from more than 650 energy-measurement devices and sensors.
The lighting system uses 62.9% less electricity than a non-automated system, and the need for natural gas boilers is reduced by 34.5% for domestic hot water preparation.
Due to the high-water stress level of the factory location, an advanced wastewater treatment plant was established, treating 100% of domestic and industrial wastewater, and recycling and reusing 68% of its water withdrawal.
All efforts resulted in a 17% energy savings per product, a 25% reduction in water withdrawal per product, and a 22% reduction in Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions per product in production in a year, in line with corporate targets.
Since it began operation, the plant has prevented 684 tons of CO2 emissions.

About Arçelik

With 45,000 employees throughout the world, Arçelik’s global operations include subsidiaries in 53 countries, and 30 production facilities in 9 countries and 12 brands (Arçelik, Beko, Grundig, Blomberg, ElektraBregenz, Arctic, Leisure, Flavel, Defy, Altus, Dawlance, Voltas Beko). Arçelik, which is among the three largest white goods companies in Europe with its market share (based on volumes), reached a consolidated turnover of 6.5 billion Euros in 2021. Arçelik’s 29 R&D and Design Centers & Offices across the globe are home to over 2,300 researchers and hold up to 3,000 international registered patent applications to date. In 2021, Arçelik achieved the highest score in the DHP Household Durables category for the 3rd year in a row (based on the results dated November 2021) in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index of the S&P Global Corporate Sustainability Assessment. Through its leadership position in sustainability and credible decarbonization roadmap for achieving net zero, Arçelik became the first and only company from its industry to receive the Terra Carta Seal by His Majesty King Charles III. Arçelik’s vision is ‘Respecting the World, Respected Worldwide.’

www.arcelikglobal.com/en