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Fronius opens new Production and Logistics Center in Austria
(07.23.2007)
Powered by PV, the center showcases renewable energy use in the business
world.
Brighton
,
Michigan
– Fronius recently opened a new Production and
Logistics
Center
in
Sattledt
,
Austria
. Housing over 650 employees and occupying a site of more than
410,000 square feet, the new facility incorporates state-of-the-art
equipment and procedures, including one of the largest photovoltaic
systems in
Austria
. Not only does the design reflect Fronius' environmental beliefs,
but our dedication to our employees with special features such as
on-site day care and fitness centers.
Powered by the
in-house 38,000 square foot photovoltaic system can provide up to 75% of
the facility's power requirements and provides a great working model to
showcase Fronius inverters. The system can produce 603kWp
(kilowatts, peak), which is enough to power 160 private households.
In addition to the PV system, a biomass thermal station with a 1500
kW capacity provides the energy for 80% of the center's required heat.
"Power sources such as petroleum, natural gas, and coal can simply
not be reckoned with over the long term. We can rely on sun light
for the foreseeable future. As summer peaks, we are working
especially hard on storing the collected solar energy for the winter
months," said Klaus Fronius, <title>.
Providing an open,
bright, and welcoming atmosphere, the new center has won employees over
with beautiful atriums, open islands of communication, and well-lit work
areas. Disabled persons can move freely around the center without
obstructions, and all have noticed the feeling of open air and space.
"As a family enterprise, the well being of our employees is
especially close to our hearts. Providing a healthy work
environment is the responsibility of our company," said Brigitte
Strauß, who, with her brother Klaus Fronius, took over management of
the company in 1980. In addition to well designed work areas, the
center includes an in-house day care and well-appointed fitness rooms.
Gathering all
production and logistics operations into one, central location in
Sattledt has helped to improve efficiency for all three Fronius business
units - battery charging systems, welding technology, and solar
electronics. The heart of the new facility is an ingenious
internal kanban logistics system that combines with optimized production
procedures to create an exceedingly efficient process from the Research
and Development stage onward. "The increase in order volumes
over the last six months would not have been possible with existing
production facilities," says Project Manager Herbert Mühlböck.
"The decision to relocate and reorganize the entire production
department into one location was made at exactly the right time.”
The Sattledt facility joins Fronius' current production facilities in
Austria
, the
Czech Republic
, and the
Ukraine
, along with ten sales subsidiaries in Europe and
North America
.
About Fronius
Fronius, a world market leader in high frequency welding technology
and photovoltaic inverter manufacturing, is headquartered in
Wels
,
Austria
. The
US
subsidiary, Fronius USA LLC, has its headquarters in
Brighton
,
Michigan
. Founded in 1945, Fronius has over 60 years of experience in developing
innovative power conversion technologies and employs over 1800 people
globally.
More than 250,000 Fronius solar inverters have been installed worldwide.
For more information, please visit http://www.fronius-usa.com/
or contact us via email at pv-us@fronius.com.
Contact:
Fronius USA LLC
Solar Electronics Division
10421 Citation Drive
Suite 1100
Brighton, MI 48116
E-mail: pv-us@fronius.com
Tel: 810-220-4414
Fax:810-220-4424 |
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