Turkey - a new market for Sweco

Experience pays off. Thanks to a good reputation in the business due to earlier, well-executed projects, Sweco’s environmental consultants got the assignment to build a ‘green’ sewage plant in Turkey. In the long run this may lead to a substantial establishment on one of the world’s most interesting markets.

In September 2006 a consultant assigned to build a sewage plant in Eskisehir, 200 kilometers west of Ankara, Turkey, contacted Sweco. He was familiar with Sweco’s experience on many similar projects, especially in the eastern countries, during the last 15 years. Since Turkey is an important future market, there was no hesitation from Sweco to accept the assignment.

– Turkey is an important market since EU has a large budget for investments and expert support for water and the environment for the next five years. That is one part in their program for EU membership, explains Guy Taylor, project manager at Sweco Environment. Development banks like EIB and World Bank are also running large programs for Turkey.

Sweco’s assignment involves investigating, prospecting and building inspection of an environmentally friendly sewage plant. The existing plant was struggling at the time with treatment capacity and malfunctions.

– About 30 percent of the spillage was released untreated, says Guy Taylor.

Guy and his colleagues – the project has employed a total of 8 people – had their work cut out for them. The goal, which will be reached if nothing unforeseen happens, is to build a sewage plant that apart from reducing spillage will also produce electricity and heat from biogas.

– When the plant is finished, it will be up to 60 percent self sufficient regarding electricity.

Day-to-day work is quite different in Turkey compared to other countries. There are both pros and cons, says Guy.

– In contrast to many other countries, Turkey has very competent technical consultants and building contractors. We’ve had a continuously good collaboration where we’ve exchanged ideas and experiences. What have been hardest to get used to is the very strong patriotic culture and the hierarchical structure that sometimes makes people in an elevated position concern themselves with details of which they have no knowledge. On the other hand it’s been positive to feel the support from the owners and the CEO.

Phase one and two are now completed apart from the building inspection. The plan is for the new sewage plant to be fully operational from mid 2010. After that Sweco’s environmental consultants are hoping for more projects in Turkey. They have actually already got one.

– We’ve just started working on an ARV-project financed by EU for building control of a contractor, and educating the water and sewage managers of the municipality in efficient asset management. This is done in the city of Nevsehir in the tourist area of Cappadocia, concludes Guy Taylor.