The Minister for the Economy, Investment and Small Business, Chris Cardona and the Minister for Social Dialogue, Consumer Affairs and Civil Liberties, Helena Dalli, today presided over the opening ceremony of the new section of the Hotset Malta Limited factory as part of an investment involving an outlay of €550,000 by the German company.
This project is expected to lead to the creation of 25 new jobs and should see the turnover of the company exceed €5.6 million.
Minister Cardona described Hotset Malta Limited as a German company with a worldwide reputation which also makes part of the Maltese business family. The state visit of the President of Germany, Joachim Gauck in Malta along with the launch of this new project by Hotset Malta Limited, further attest to the fact that Malta and Germany enjoy an enduring relationship said Minister Cardona.
“Today’s celebration is also significant because it comes on the eve of the workers’ day celebrations; and what better way is there to celebrate workers’ day than by celebrating this new milestone being reached by Hotset; a company which has been working hard to create more job opportunities and to enhance the capabilities of their employees through professional training whilst always striving to improve their working conditions,” Minister Cardona said.
Minister Cardona said that this positive characteristic, encompassing the relationship between the company and its employees, is a characteristic which is common to a number of German companies and something which enterprise should learn from.
Minister for Social Dialogue, Consumer Affairs and Civil Liberties Helena Dalli remarked how women employees at Hotset Malta Limited constitute almost 70% of the total workforce, with the company managing to position itself at the top in recent years in the rate of female employment participation.
Minister Dalli emphasised how job creation has always been a top priority for this Government, with various incentives being rolled out to encourage more women to enter the labour market. These include free child care facilities amongst others whereby families are saving up to €6,000 yearly per child. Government has also successfully implemented the klabb 3-16 and the breakfast club initiatives and also other measures in the provision of childcare services before school opening hours and after-school hours. These provide affordable and accessible support structures for parents to enter or remain in employment and advance in their career whilst providing extra-curricular educational programmes for children.
Dr Dalli remarked how during the past two years, Malta has registered the largest increase in the amount of women engaged in employment (6%), shifting the total percentage of working women from 44% to 51%.
“These results fill us with courage and determination to continue implementing measures which help more people reach their full potential” concluded Minister Helena Dalli.
Mr Ralf Schwarzkopf, son of Eugene Schwarzkopf, founder of Hotset GmbH, also addressed those present and the press during the event and thanked Minister Cardona, Malta Enterprise and Malta Industrial Parks for their continued support to the company and affirmed that without the assistance provided, the company could not have reached this new milestone in its successful history in Malta.