PENETRATING NEW MARKETS
Epta opens new production plants in Turkey and Columbia

Epta’s market growth objectives are inevitably achieved through the high quality of its products, assistance, the development of the Group’s historic markets, combined with a focus on new markets. This is why one of the avenues of development is to expand its presence in two high growth areas: Turkey and Columbia. Epta already boasts an efficient commercial network in both countries, but has now decided to set up local production facilities to better meet the specific needs of these markets and to considerably reduce lead times. The proximity of production facilities to a target market is a factor that significantly increases the competitiveness of Epta’s products. In addition, by setting up two new production plants and expanding existing facilities in Bradford, Hendaye and Limana, Epta has further increased the overall surface area of its production sites worldwide by over 20%.

In Turkey, Epta is building an 8,000 m2 production plant, which will be completed by the end of 2008 in Çorlu, in the Free Zone of Tekirdag, near Istanbul. This new site will produce latest generation, low energy consumption refrigeration units and refrigeration islands. The products will be distributed mainly to the local market, but will also be sold in areas adjacent to Turkey such as South Eastern Europe, Western Asia and the Persian Gulf. This area has always held strategic importance as it straddles three continents in which the demand for commercial refrigeration products is developing rapidly, as a result of large investments made by major large-scale international retail chains.

Another market that Epta is currently focusing on is Columbia. The Group’s new production plant will cover 2,000 m2 and will be built in Barranquilla. In recent years, the South American large-scale retail sector has demonstrated accelerated growth trends, with positive repercussions for the commercial refrigeration industry. On the strength of its 25 years of experience in the South American market, (head office in Rosario in Argentina), Epta has decided to combine tradition and the commercial strength gained over the years with the technical know-how acquired by the Group’s new organisational structure and to establish a local production facility.

In a continuously evolving market, Epta anticipates change and carefully watches trends of the commercial refrigeration business in Europe and worldwide.
Change is essential to growth and Epta has made this value one of its development drivers.