Social Commitment
Rieter has made two container houses available to the victims of the February 2023 earthquakes. The province of Kahramanmaraş suffered particularly severe damage and losses. It is the heart of the country’s textile industry and home to many Rieter customers.
The earthquakes that shook Türkiye and Syria on February 6, 2023 changed the lives of millions of people in a matter of seconds. This also affected 85 Rieter employees who were working in the region at the time.
Rebuilding lives and livelihoods
In April 2023, Rieter set up a temporary housing container for Rieter employees and a second container for the local population, in order to support the reconstruction of the region. The 20 residential units in each house are equipped with a small kitchen and sanitary facilities.
Kipaş Textiles, a long-standing Rieter customer, provided the land for the buildings. The Istanbul Garment Exporters Association IHKIB donated a third container. Ahmet Öksüz, Member of the Board of Directors and Chairman of the Istanbul Textile and Raw Materials Exporters Association, says: “We have worked with Rieter toward the shared vision of rebuilding the lives and livelihoods of our local community and creating a future that is safe.”
The container houses are more than just a roof over the head. In these protected spaces, residents find support and community, as many families have lost loved ones and their homes. The families will remain in their temporary homes until 2025. By then, the Turkish government plans to complete the reconstruction of residential buildings in the areas that are considered safe.
In November 2023, Rieter sponsored a children's party where 600 young survivors enjoyed hamburgers and popcorn, live music, a soap bubble show and fireworks. Ali Özsamsun, Managing Director of Rieter in Türkiye, says: "Seeing so many smiling faces was probably the happiest day in my more than 30 years of professional life. The relief efforts were made possible thanks to the global Rieter family and will make a real difference to the community here."
For a few hours, the children and young people were able to forget their worries.
Access to repair services re-established quickly
Rieter's repair center was almost completely destroyed in the earthquakes. However, it was able to reopen less than six weeks later. It provides access to much-needed repair services and expertise. This supported the rebuilding of the industry and helped customers to quickly put their spinning mills back into operation.
Rieter supports the construction of an elementary school in India
In India, Rieter supported the construction of a primary school in Gokawadi, a small village near Rieter’s Wing plant in Pune, Maharashtra. The previous school collapsed a few years ago, and since then classes have been held in a temple or in the community hall. Rieter donated CHF 150 000 for the construction of the building, which began in 2022. The schoolchildren have access to clean drinking water and can study in five classrooms. The building is designed to be expandable.
