PULS GmbH announced that it has officially opened a new production site and administrative office buildings in the former royal capital Chomutov in the Czech Republic. The administrative and the storage buildings, which resemble the form of the PULS DIN rail power supplies, are finished with large aluminium plates and are rounded at each end to reflect both the style and the materials of the PULS products. The remaining facade is finished with darkly enamelled glass panels.
A specialized consultant bureau was commissioned to assess the materials used in the construction process and their environmental impact. Particular attention was given to minimize energy consumption; exterior jalousies act as sun shelters that remove the need for air-conditioning, the glass lamella panels open automatically at night to cool the interiors and use the concrete of the building as a thermal buffer. The building is also designed to fully utilize natural lighting and artificial light is largely avoided. The production lines are located in the middle of the building which has a central court-yard so providing plenty of daylight. Glass doors disperse light through hallways and skylights illuminate larger areas. One of the most important developments is the introduction of burn-in cabinets with an integrated energy-recovery system which are planned to be put into operation at the end of 2007. Through this method 84% of the energy consumption is saved.
Altogether €17 million was invested; including €9 million for the main building with 6.200 square meters of construction site and the remaining land. A further €8 million was used for the plant and machinery. The whole project is strongly supported by the Czech government, which granted incentives of up to 50% of the total investment. Therefore, the company claims, the capital cost is significantly reduced on top of the low labor rates in the country, resulting in a powerful competitiveness for PULS in the global market.
