International recycling

New structures in Turkey

Sewage treatment plants and waterworks in Turkey are often run by private sector businesses.

REMONDIS further expands its activities

Things are looking to change in Turkey: with its wish to join the EU, the country is increasingly orienting itself towards the legal standards of the European Union. In order to provide sufficient support in this process of change, REMONDIS is increasing its business activities within the water and environmental service branch.

REMONDIS has been active in Turkey for three years now and has already enjoyed some major successes. Its present structure is now to be extended considerably. Whilst focus is being put on extending services and infrastructures, it is also looking to increase its local presence in the country.

Company-run water management services
An important cornerstone of the company’s previous activities was REMONDIS Sistem Yapi, a German-Turkish joint venture. At the beginning of 2009, REMONDIS acquired the shares held by the Turkish plant manufacturer, Sistem Yapi, in the joint venture so that the firm is now fully owned by the company group. To underline this change, the company, which is still run in accordance with Turkish law, has been given a new name: REMONDIS Su ve Atiksu Tecnolojeri AS. “Su” is the Turkish word for water; “Atiksu” the word for wastewater. Both emphasize the areas of expertise of the company. REMONDIS Su’s main area of activity at the moment is operating ten water management plants, primarily on behalf of local authorities. Sewage treatment plants and waterworks in Turkey are often run by private sector businesses. Up to now, such work, which is contracted out for set periods of time, has been put out to tender in accordance with the Turkish Public Procurement Act.

Istanbul as the joint head office
In order to push forward the company’s environmental service activities, a separate company was founded in the middle of the year – REMONDIS Atik. The two firms have moved into joint office space which is located in the centre of the Asian part of Istanbul. All sales activities are managed from here as well as the coordination and monitoring of the operations at the plants in REMONDIS’ charge. The current projects mainly consist of municipal sewage treatment plants. They can be extended to between 15,000 and 1,550,000 population equivalents and all are operated using the activated sludge process. By deliberately using the metabolic activity of certain bacterial cultures, organic carbon, nitrogen and phosphor compounds can be broken down. The waterworks belonging to the City of Sivas is new to the company’s portfolio; REMONDIS took over the operation of the plant at the beginning of 2009. Moreover, it has been commissioned by private sector businesses to treat landfill leachate in Bursa as well as to operate a wastewater treatment facility for a centrally organized industrial area in Antalya.

Prospects for international growth

REMONDIS Su is market leader in Turkey, a position it intends to further extend. Besides municipal operation models, the company is also looking to increase its activities within the industrial water management sector. One main point here is material flow management with the solid residual waste from wastewater treatment being sent for recycling. Such services are in high demand among commercial customers in Turkey. REMONDIS Su is also continuously extending its international activities. Its aim is to offer its services on the markets of the neighbouring countries, managing such activities from Istanbul, and so push forward the geographic expansion of REMONDIS Aqua. The first activities have already begun in Rumania and Bulgaria. The emerging countries in the Middle East and Central Asia could be the next port of call as well as Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan. For, just as in Turkey, there is much to do in these countries.