31th March 2022

SEMIKRON has made a generous one million euro donation to help people in Ukraine. “We can all do so much more – and it’s our duty to do so,” commented Karl-Heinz Gaubatz, SEMIKRON CEO and spokesperson for the management, referring in particular to the shareholders’ private donations that make up the lion’s share of the one million euros that will go to Charkiw-Nürnberg e.V.., the twinning association promoting the partnership between the twin cities of Kharkiv and Nuremberg which is organising humanitarian aid for the city of Kharkiv. Added to the shareholders’ donations was an additional 6-digit contribution from SEMIKRON Elektronik GmbH & Co KG. By making this donation, SEMIKRON owners and SEMIKRON the company would like to help alleviate the suffering of the people in Ukraine.

In the four weeks since the conflict in Ukraine started, the country has seen immeasurable suffering and destruction. Numerous towns and cities are under siege – including the capital Kyiv, Mariupol and Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second largest city in the north and twin town to the city of Nuremberg since 1990. The number of casualties the conflict has taken is immense and the suffering unspeakable. According to the United Nations Human Rights Council (UHCR), an estimated 3.5 million Ukrainians have fled their homes for the West since the conflict began.

“Our association is truly overwhelmed at this wonderful donation from SEMIKRON. We are fortunate enough to have long-standing partners in Kharkiv that we can rely on to get the much needed help to the people of Kharkiv directly. We’ve been making money transfers to them since the first week of conflict and they have since distributed more than 2,000 food packages and critical medical supplies to children’s hospitals and homes for the elderly; the school for the blind has also received assistance, and we managed to get supplies of hoses and firefighting clothing out to the fire services. We’ve also provided financial assistance to other initiatives organising the transport of relief supplies. But with this donation and the help of the City of Nuremberg, we will be able to get a huge consignment of relief supplies such as food, medical supplies and firefighting equipment to Kharkiv by rail. This generous donation will also help us play an active role in the longer term efforts that will be needed to rebuild the city after all the destruction. For let there be no doubt, say our Ukrainian partners, Kharkiv will rise again!”, commented Antje Rempe, chair of the Kharkiv-Nuremberg twinning association.

The war in Ukraine has shaken the people of Europe to the core, including businesses. SEMIKRON hopes that its donation will be an example to others and encourage other businesses to provide humanitarian assistance to Ukrainians, whether those fleeing the country or those left behind.

Photo: Karl-Heinz Gaubatz, CEO SEMIKRON International GmbH and Antje Rempe, chair of the Kharkiv-Nuremberg twinning association.

About SEMIKRON

SEMIKRON is one of the world's leading manufacturers of power modules and systems primarily in the medium output range (approx. 2 kW up to 10 MW). Our products are at the heart of modern energy efficient motor drives and industrial automation systems. Further application areas include power supplies, renewable energies (wind and solar power) and electric vehicles (private cars, vans, buses, lorries, forklift trucks, and more). SEMIKRON's innovative power electronic products enable our customers to develop smaller, more energy efficient power electronic systems. These systems in turn reduce the global energy demand.

SEMIKRON is a family owned business founded in 1951, headquartered in Nuremberg, Germany. Today the company has a staff of more than 3,000 people in 24 subsidiaries worldwide. This international network with production sites in Germany, Brazil, China, France, India, Italy, Slovakia and the US ensures fast and comprehensive service for customers. By establishing the ONLINE SHOP, SEMIKRON increased its presence for customers.