ifm opens certified “Green Factory” in Sibiu, Romania
23 May 2023 – After just over a year of construction, ifm has opened its “Green Factory” in Sibiu, Romania. The building has been gold-certified by the German Sustainable Building Council (DGNB). On an area of 13,000 square metres, the family-owned company with main locations in Essen and Tettnang will combine development, production and sales in the future.
As a university city, Sibiu is one of the biggest innovation and technology drivers of the region, and ifm is one of the most important employers in the area with over 650 employees. For the traditional company, this was the reason to expand the location with a new factory including headquarters for sales.
The particularity: The factory is a “Green Factory” that sets sustainable standards in ecological, economic and sociocultural terms. An aspect that has always been a concern of ifm’s management, as Martin Buck, Chairman of the Board and co-CEO of the group of companies, and Christoph von Rosenberg, CFO Member of the Board of Directors, emphasise.
Construction at record speed
ifm managed to realise the construction project in only 14 months. Work only started on 1 March 2022. From now on ifm manufactures its products for the international market on an area of 13,000 square metres. The DGNB certification is a clear signal that ifm is committed to sustainable management. Several requirements have to be fulfilled for the award: In addition to economic and ecological sustainability, the initiative evaluates not only the construction, but also the building’s subsequent use. To meet the requirements, ifm generates electricity for the Green Factory through photovoltaic modules and uses heat pumps to produce the required heat.
Martin Buck, Chairman of the Board and co-CEO of the group of companies, on a tour of the Green Factory.
In addition, the latest generation of materials and technologies were used in the construction in order to create a durable factory. The factory in Sibiu is a role model: ifm endeavours to implement all new buildings according to DGNB standards in the future. “In Sibiu, we can rely on a strong network of partners and have highly qualified employees,” explained the management in Romania. Fully in line with the slogan “ifm - close to you”, the location brings sales and production together. The IT hub, which is being built at the same time, also delivers on this promise. As part of a global network, it ensures a consistently high level of service – 24/7, worldwide.