The ETi factory in Craiova, a greenfield investment exceeding 70 million euros and the Turkish group’s first international production unit, has been awarded the prestigious “TPM Excellence Award Level 1” by the Japan Institute of Plant Maintenance (JIPM). This recognition, announced on April 17, 2025, confirms the top operational performance and excellence in production practices of the Romanian facility.
Strategic Investment and Commitment to Quality
Inaugurated in 2016, the Craiova factory represents not only ETi’s first international investment but also the largest greenfield investment in Romania’s sweets sector in the last decade. Spanning a total area of 75,800 square meters, with 18,500 sqm dedicated to production, the unit employs over 400 people and plays a key role in the local economy. The factory is strategically designed to serve markets in the Balkans, Central, and Eastern Europe, with capacity for future expansions.
This award places the Craiova factory among the elite units of the ETi group. The company marked an industry first, becoming the first in the global bakery and chocolate sector to receive JIPM distinctions for production excellence worldwide. Besides the success in Romania, the ETi cake factory in Eskişehir, Turkey, achieved the highest level of recognition, “World-Class Manufacturing,” and the biscuit factory received the “TPM Special Award Level 3.” Through the consistent implementation of the Total Productive Management (TPM) system, ETi has accumulated an impressive total of 22 JIPM awards since starting this journey in 2003.
ETi CEO: “A Defining Moment on Our Path to Excellence”
Stephane Batoux, Global CEO of ETi, emphasized the importance of this achievement, considering it a crucial step in the company’s journey towards operational excellence.
“For ETi, being the first company in the world in the bakery and chocolate field to receive this distinction is a source of indescribable happiness and pride,” stated Batoux. “Behind this achievement lies not only our unwavering dedication and perseverance over the years but also the commitment of our employees, who have embraced this system as a way of working and integrated it into our organizational culture. I would like to express my sincere thanks to the members of the ETi Board of Directors, Ahmet Görgülü and Hakan Polatoğlu, who played an essential role in the successful implementation of TPM in all ETi factories, to our colleagues, business partners, and everyone who has been with us on this journey that began in 2003.”
The TPM (Total Productive Management) system is a Japanese methodology focused on continuous improvement (Kaizen) and the involvement of all employees to achieve the goal of zero breakdowns, zero defects, and zero accidents. ETi, founded in 1961 in Turkey by Firuz Kanatlı under the motto “There is no higher purpose than the happiness of humanity,” is today a global player in the food industry, with 9 production facilities, over 7,500 employees, and a portfolio of brands sold in more than 50 countries. The company continues to innovate, holding 21 international patents and constantly investing in research and development.