China’s XCMG deploys machinery to Turkey quake-affected area

XCMG Machinery, the Chinese multinational, state-owned heavy machinery manufacturing company, has said that it is working to provide emergency assistance to Turkey after two of the biggest earthquakes in Turkey’s history struck the region on February 6, 2023.

In a statement, the company said that its subsidiary, XCMG Turkey, which is stationed in Ankara, the capital of the country and 700 kilometres away from the earthquakes’ epicentre, had set up an emergency rescue group immediately following the earthquake. Led by Liu Jiansen, vice president of XCMG Machinery and General Manager of XCMG Import & Export Co, the group has been keeping in close touch with the frontline and has dispatched rescue teams around the clock.

XCMG has approximately 600 units of excavators in Turkey, and XCMG Turkey activated their emergency response protocol immediately and reported the local situation to XCMG headquarters, while coordinating three XCMG excavators that were deployed near Gaziantep to deliver aid in the disaster area, the statement said.

"We also joined the construction machinery association in Turkey and signed up with the local authorities, prepared to respond to emergency rescue at any time," said Liting Jin, country manager of XCMG Turkey.

"The Turkish government has requisitioned all handcarts and transportation vehicles, the XCMG equipment has arrived in disaster areas to aid rescues, and we are also coordinating with our clients in Turkey to bring more assistance."

As of now, over 100 XCMG staff and dealers are mobilised to help with the earthquake rescue. And as a member of the Chamber, XCMG Turkey also arranged flights, accommodations and supplies for rescue teams departing from China to aid the earthquake relief operation.

On February 7th, a family of three were trapped in a collapsed three-story building in Iskenderun, Hatay Province. XCMG sent out an excavator immediately for the rescue mission, and following eight hours of non-stop work, operator Kerim Cesur removed the collapsed floor, bricks and rebars with caution and successfully saved the family.

On February 8, an XCMG rescue team travelled 20 hours to Kırıkhan, Hatay, one of the most remote regions of Turkey, where the roads have been seriously damaged by the earthquake. Working in freezing rain and low temperatures, operator Nevrez Ünsal saved two residents trapped from two collapsed buildings.

On the same day, XCMG operators, TALİP ÖZTÜRK and Emre Öztürk, who are father and son, arrived in Gölbaşı, Adiyaman as first responders and worked for more than 10 hours to save a child from the ruins.

Rapid Response

Furthermore, in the five hours after the first earthquake, XCMG purchased the first batch of recuse supplies, including blankets, baby products, hygiene products and more that total over 50,000 Turkish lira and delivered them to the hard-hit area at once, while working with local clients and dealers to deploy excavators, cranes and loaders and arrange operators to provide assistance, the company said.

The mobilisation follows XCMG enacting a 2017 earthquake and disaster relief protocol, which follows the principles of unified leadership, local management, fast response and coordinated assembly and action.

XCMG Turkey, was established in 2018, with its headquarters in Ankara. Last year, XCMG participated in the construction of the Hunutlu Thermal Power Plant, China's largest direct investment project in Turkey.