Ecolabel company "ÖkoFEN" expands internationally and offers even more green jobs
The idea of climate protection has reached the centre of society and is motivating more and more people to do without fossil fuels. The demand for climate-friendly heating systems is therefore steadily increasing worldwide.
In order to keep pace with the development, ÖkoFEN is currently expanding its European headquarters in Niederkappel, Upper Austria, as well as its two branches in France and Germany, thereby creating countless new green jobs. A total of 44 million euros is being invested at the three locations to expand production and logistics space.
"It is important for us to offer people high-quality jobs close to home. In our opinion, a decentralised strategy and short working distances are the best solution for people and the environment," explains ÖkoFEN managing director Stefan Ortner.
Expansion of the production area in Upper Austria
The great demand for climate-friendly pellet heating systems from Austria necessitates the expansion of the European headquarters (as already reported). The original planning of the doubling had to be updated. The production and logistics site in Niederkappel is now more than doubled in size to a total of 40,000 m². The groundbreaking ceremony for this 32 million euro project took place in April 2021. The completion of the building shell of the two-storey hall is planned for Christmas 2021, the final completion of the construction project as well as the start of production operations is dated for summer 2022. The expansion will increase the company's production capacity to up to 50,000 pellet heating systems per year.
Expansion of ÖkoFEN branches in France and Germany
Heating with pellets is also booming outside Austria. That is why the pellets specialist is also expanding its ÖkoFEN branches in France, as well as in Mickhausen in Bavaria.
ÖkoFEN is investing a total of 12 million euros in these two locations and is also creating decentralised jobs close to home, away from large conurbations.
Sustainability is the focus of the construction projects
Sustainability and environmental awareness have top priority in all construction projects. All three buildings are being constructed in timber in cooperation with regional companies. In addition to measures to promote biodiversity, attention is also paid to minimising the sealing of surfaces. For example, the parking spaces at the European headquarters in Mühlviertel will be integrated into the basement. For a holistic concept, the topics of regional heat supply through pellets, as well as power supply and mobility are also of central importance. The existing photovoltaic systems will be expanded and additional power storage units as well as 100 charging stations for e-cars will be installed. The company thus proves once again that economic efficiency and sustainability can be perfectly combined and the best solution for people and the environment can be implemented.
Turnover over 100 million for the first time in the 2020 business year - 50 new green jobs in Niederkappel
ÖkoFEN draws an extremely positive balance for the year 2020: In total, the company from Mühlviertel already delivered around 15,000 heating systems worldwide in the previous year. As a result, ÖkoFEN increased its consolidated sales by around 50 percent to 115 million euros in the 2020 financial year. In the course of its expansion, the company is expanding its teams at the production sites in Niederkappel and Lembach in the Rohrbach district and is offering 50 new jobs in various production areas - primarily in assembly - as well as in order picking and warehouse logistics. The award-winning top employer is characterised by a pleasant working atmosphere. In addition to dispensing with shift work, ÖkoFEN attaches great importance to bright and clean workplaces as well as quiet work without noise. In addition, work is done at individual assembly stations without assembly lines and piecework.