MAN Truck & Bus donates €1 million for earthquake victims

MAN Truck & Bus is donating €1 million as emergency aid for victims of the earthquakes in Turkey and Syria, the company announced. Some of the funds provided will be used directly for material goods and their transport via buses, trucks and vans, with the remainder going to major aid organizations providing humanitarian aid in the affected regions. MAN’s donation also includes five fire engines for use in the earthquake zone.

MAN Truck & Bus’ donation includes five fire engines for use in the earthquake zone. (Photo: Man Truck & Bus)

The company has been closely associated with Turkey since founding its Ankara production site in the 1960s. Currently, none of the company’s employees have been directly affected by the earthquake; however, many relatives and friends have been impacted.

Alexander Vlaskamp, MAN CEO, along with Michael Kobriger, chief production officer, visited the Ankara plant to observe the situation and discuss support activities with the team in Turkey. Vlaskamp expressed compassion for all of the victims and praised the contributions the company’s employees have already made to help them.

Specifically, employees in Turkey started a collection campaign for the earthquake victims on the day of the disaster, and the first transport set off the following morning loaded with winter clothing, blankets, shoes, hygiene articles, food and water. MAN Turkey has sent numerous vehicles which have already brought several hundred relatives of employees, as well as others, from the earthquake area to Ankara.

In cooperation with the Turkish Civil Protection, MAN started a collection campaign for donations, with a large number of relief goods collected and transported on via truck; a second vehicle was used to bring food to a village that had been particularly badly affected. Cash donations collected by MAN employees in Ankara on their own initiative have also been presented to the aid organization AHBAP.

MAN’s Turkish sales company, also based in Ankara, transported relief supplies to the earthquake area with a bus and a MAN TGE in coordination with the disaster control organization, transporting people to Ankara on the way back. In addition, colleagues outside of Turkey have offered to be drivers for possible aid transports, with others supporting local initiatives in their region.

A coordination office for all activities has been set up at the company’s headquarters in Munich, Germany.