VitrA Tiles has been inducted into the Global Lighthouse Network (GLN), recognised as a Factory Lighthouse alongside 21 members of the World Economic Forum’s initiative for leaders in manufacturing innovation.
GLN is a World Economic Forum initiative highlighting manufacturers showing leadership in using Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies to “transform factories, value chains and business models, for compelling financial and operational returns”.
Eczacıbaşı Group (VitrA Tiles’ parent company) CEO Atalay Gümrah and VitrA Tiles CEO Hasan Pehlivan gave acceptance speeches at the awards ceremony on January 15, 2024, during the Davos Summit, detailing how “innovations in manufacturing have improved performance and enabled them to navigate volatility and achieve success that extends beyond the bottom line”.
This achievement is said to be especially significant, as VitrA Tiles is reportedly the first company in the ceramic tile sector to be acknowledged by the World Economic Forum for its use of Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) technologies.
Atalay Gümrah, the Group CEO of Eczacıbaşı Holding, said: “We are thrilled that our Bozüyük Production Facility has been selected as one of GLN’s Factory Lighthouses, in recognition of the leadership we have shown in deploying Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies. Facing disruptions in manufacturing from climate change, a volatile financial landscape, and geopolitical crises that have led to fluctuating energy prices, particularly in Türkiye, this recognition underscores how we looked at these challenges not as setbacks, but as catalysts for further innovation and growth, harnessing 4IR to enhance our operational competitiveness.”
VitrA Tiles’ Bozüyük site reportedly used its digital transformation roadmap to focus on intelligent process and production controls with a 19% increase in overall equipment effectiveness, a 56% decrease in scrap, a 14% decrease in energy consumption and a 43% increase in the use of recycled content last year.
Hasan Pehlivan CEO of VitrA Tiles said: “While our solutions might be unique, the challenges we face are global and we recognize the value of a global community in solving global challenges. The future of manufacturing is not about just one company, or one sector, or a single country, but about bringing the global community together to address major challenges. I believe the GLN has much to contribute to this journey, and I welcome this excellent latest initiative from the World Economic Forum.”
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