President visits Prominent water treatment company

President George Abela has praised Maltese workers for their skill and willingness to learn, saying they were the secret to the island’s economic success.

The President made the remarks during a visit to hi-tech water treatment company Prominent at the Bulebel Industrial Estate.

Dr Abela toured two of Prominent’s three factory buildings, chatting with workers and observing some of the highly skilled manufacturing processes at work.

The factory, he said, was a good example of how Malta’s manufacturing sector had shifted from low-skilled, labour-intensive work to hi-tech, highly-skilled sectors.

“I remember telling German Chancellor Angela Merkel that Malta has no resources other than its people, who are both highly skilled and very quick to learn,” the President said.

Founder and chairman Viktor Dulger was also on hand to welcome Dr Abela.

Prof. Dulger started Prominent in Heidelberg, Germany, 52 years ago.

The firm now has seven other manufacturing branches and 55 subsidiaries around the world, with the products it makes in Malta finding their way to over 50 countries.

When it set up shop in Malta in 1989, Prominent had just 10 employees. It now employs over 100 people, including engineers, technicians and other skilled workers.

Prof. Dulger praised the Malta branch of Prominent as “one of the pillars” of the firm and said that despite challenges, he had never regretted the decision to invest in Malta a quarter of a century ago.