Eczacıbaşı VitrA Announces New Investment

VitrA, which accounts for more than 50% of Turkey's total ceramic sanitaryware exports, is increasing production capacity by 20%. With the new investment, annual ceramic sanitaryware production capacity will rise to six million units, while 500 additional jobs will be created. The first phase of the fourth facility, planned to be built alongside three ceramic sanitaryware (CSW) plants operated by Eczacıbaşı Building Products Group in Bilecik - Bozüyük, has been completed. Groundbreaking for the plant took place at the end of 2015, with the first stage featuring new capacity of 250,000 units, focusing primarily on toilet production. The second phase, coming on stream one year later, will create an additional capacity of 750,000 units. The EUR 45.4 million investment will increase VitrA brand annual CSW capacity by 20% to six million units for the Group, which generates more than 50% of the country's total CSW exports. Upon completion of the fourth facility, a total of 38,600 square meters of new production area will be obtained and approximately 500 jobs will be created. On the occasion of bringing the new investment on stream, a ceremony was held on Wednesday, 7 September 2016 at VitrA's production facilities in Bozüyük. Bilecik Governor Süleyman Elban and Bozüyük Mayor Fatih Bakıcı attended the ceremony, along with Eczacıbaşı Building Products Group Chairman Atalay Gümrah, Vice Chairman Oğuzhan Gürsoy, Eczacıbaşı Building Products Plant Director Tuna Tümer and plant employees. Speaking at the ceremony, Gümrah said: "We established the first ceramic sanitaryware plant in Bozüyük in 1977. We extend our thanks to Bozüyük and all Bilecik residents, who have created an important portion of our production capacity for nearly 40 years and have accepted us as fellow citizens."