Noting that exchange policy should be intervened, which is thought to be an impediment to exports, sector representatives also supported the protection of product copyrights in the sector of increased imitation. The Sakarya Makina Sektörü Joint Mind Meeting, organized in collaboration with DÜNYA Gazetesi, Sakarya Industrialists and Businessmen Association (SASİAD), was held in SASİAD centre. In the event, the moderator was DÜNYA NEWSLETTER Editor-in-Chief Hakan Güldağ. The author of Dünya Newspaper Dr Rüştü Bozkurt was also one of the speakers, and he urged the support of the use of domestic machinery in government and private sector to open up new doors.
Öztürk: We have to work out our problems for growth
SASIAD Chairman Ahmet Öztürk stated that the sustainable growth of the machinery sector, which has a significant place in Sakarya, will only be possible problems are removed. Ozturk said that the most important issue in the machine sector is the unregistered production called "merdiven altı". He expressed that the gathering of machine producers under one roof in Sakarya will provide great benefits both to the sector and to the city.
Acakan: Sector's significance is not understood
Netmak Metal Makina Ltd. Sti. General Manager and Central Anatolian Machinery and Accessories Exporters Association Board member Serol Acarkan argued that the prevailing sector can not yet be understood and said that "Machine sector is the priority sector in the development of Turkey and it is inevitable." There are good companies exporting machines in Sakarya. Currently, there are 110 exporters operating in various sectors in Sakarya however only 55 of them are exporting continuously. Approximately 25 companies are only exporting machines. We are continuing to promote as machine producers. We are trying to improve the sector with attractive campaigns. In textile sector, there are many incentives and supports, but there will be no textile in the future and we need to encourage and increase the use of Turkish machinery. We need to use our resources efficiently. It is wrong to rely only on the automotive sector in Sakarya. We cannot ignore the machinery industry. Sakarya is an important production centre for the production of food machines in Turkey. However, we need to turn it into a brand," he said.
Çalışkan: The problem of imitation must be solved
Kromel A.Ş. Chairman of the Board of Directors, İsmet Çalışkan, noted that they could not have the necessary comfort in the export of food machinery and said that "We cannot compete with those who make unregistered production, do not pay tax, do not pay their insurance, and use illegal electricity. We have 15 engineers and we work with universities. We made braided cheese machine for the first time in the world, but at this point, we are dealing with imitators. Our problem is the companies that imitate us in Sakarya. The government cannot solve these problems from Ankara and these problems can only be solved on the local basis. The government should do inspections on this subject. After a while machine customers come to us if they cannot obtain what they wanted from the machines which are imitation or fake. These customers lose their money and then come to us.”
Kar: We have an important place in the world market
Kar Metal Ltd. Sti. General Manager Metin Kar stated that companies operating in the techno-centre at Sakarya University have an important place in world markets through 17 stakeholders and said: "We have 35 staff including 10 engineers and we aim to address developed countries. We aim to integrate the industrialist in Sakarya and our machine manufacturer in our own region. We must stop the adverse effect on the companies who are doing unlicensed production. They should be amongst us and follow the institutional approach. We should lead the process and gather machine producers under one roof. An inventory must be issued before the industry. We have institutions that make interesting productions so that the government does not underestimate us. I cannot stand that people look at Turkish products with fear. We are working on a project basis with TUBITAK and have two more projects with them. “
Sernikli: We export to 20 countries
Simpa Makina Ltd. Sti. General Manager Berk Sernikli stated that they are exporting to 20 countries despite being a new company and other companies are interested in what we are doing. "This is because Turkey is the most needed country for a world market that is stuck between Italy and China in the machinery sector. Until recently, countries such as Germany, France, Britain and America produced their machines in Italy due to their high costs, but production is no longer attractive in Italy because of rising costs. Currently, the world market is having trouble with China as well. Therefore, Turkey is an attractive choice. 68 percent of world auto service equipment production is in Italy. 50 percent of this is produced in a region as much as Akyazı. Why such a production is not in Sakarya. We produce rim straightening machine in 26 different models. We want to produce balancing machines, to find a place in the world market, however, we have come to a certain point then we're stuck. We need support. The applications we have made to TUBITAK were not what we wanted. I think the government does not support the sector at the point of promotion," he said.
There is a problem of qualification in the sector
They say that they have to compete with those who buy a lathe and consider themselves as machine specialists. Barışsan A.Ş. Board Chairman continued his words as follows: “The machine maker is underestimated, there is a fixed rule in the world, the machine sector should be in the first place. Germany has been developed by giving importance to the machine and industrial sector after the war. In Turkey, the government should give more support to companies that are machine manufacturers and exporters. We export our machines and introduce our country abroad. The most basic sector is machine sector that provides foreign currency entry to the country. Being a machine manufacturer in Sakarya is more advantageous than other provinces, but we also have the problem of a qualified employee.”
Önuçak: Promotion is a positive approach
Taylan Önuçak, Chairman of Ant Group, stated that “the promotion initiative that has been started in the machinery sector over the last months is a positive and nice strategy and it is understood that machinery sector is a very important sector. However, it is the sector that gives the most current account deficit at the same time. The biggest obstacle is the exchange rate policy. This can be stopped by a substantial reduction in the imports. Machinery exports should be easier. The government should encourage the sector. Many countries support their own machinery sector. We want protection from the government, not the money.”
Uluç: Bureaucracy in the sector is giving us a hard time
Uluç Makina Ltd. Sti. General Manager Hüseyin Uluç emphasizes that sector can be developed faster after overcoming the problems. He continued: "My life in the machinery sector started in Tahtakale in 1978. We are operating in Sakarya today I am the first person in Turkey to produce the first machine that cuts slices of products like hazelnut, almond, pistachio and so on. We are exporting to many countries. We have promising productions. We have come to these days without any support from the government. We are always working on new projects, but the bureaucracy brings difficulties.”
Noting that exchange policy should be intervened, which is thought to be an impediment to exports, sector representatives also supported the protection of product copyrights in the sector of increased imitation. The Sakarya Makina Sektörü Joint Mind Meeting, organized in collaboration with DÜNYA Gazetesi, Sakarya Industrialists and Businessmen Association (SASİAD), was held in SASİAD centre. In the event, the moderator was DÜNYA NEWSLETTER Editor-in-Chief Hakan Güldağ. The author of Dünya Newspaper Dr Rüştü Bozkurt was also one of the speakers, and he urged the support of the use of domestic machinery in government and private sector to open up new doors.
Öztürk: We have to work out our problems for growth
SASIAD Chairman Ahmet Öztürk stated that the sustainable growth of the machinery sector, which has a significant place in Sakarya, will only be possible problems are removed. Ozturk said that the most important issue in the machine sector is the unregistered production called "merdiven altı". He expressed that the gathering of machine producers under one roof in Sakarya will provide great benefits both to the sector and to the city.
Acakan: Sector's significance is not understood
Netmak Metal Makina Ltd. Sti. General Manager and Central Anatolian Machinery and Accessories Exporters Association Board member Serol Acarkan argued that the prevailing sector can not yet be understood and said that "Machine sector is the priority sector in the development of Turkey and it is inevitable." There are good companies exporting machines in Sakarya. Currently, there are 110 exporters operating in various sectors in Sakarya however only 55 of them are exporting continuously. Approximately 25 companies are only exporting machines. We are continuing to promote as machine producers. We are trying to improve the sector with attractive campaigns. In textile sector, there are many incentives and supports, but there will be no textile in the future and we need to encourage and increase the use of Turkish machinery. We need to use our resources efficiently. It is wrong to rely only on the automotive sector in Sakarya. We cannot ignore the machinery industry. Sakarya is an important production centre for the production of food machines in Turkey. However, we need to turn it into a brand," he said.
Çalışkan: The problem of imitation must be solved
Kromel A.Ş. Chairman of the Board of Directors, İsmet Çalışkan, noted that they could not have the necessary comfort in the export of food machinery and said that "We cannot compete with those who make unregistered production, do not pay tax, do not pay their insurance, and use illegal electricity. We have 15 engineers and we work with universities. We made braided cheese machine for the first time in the world, but at this point, we are dealing with imitators. Our problem is the companies that imitate us in Sakarya. The government cannot solve these problems from Ankara and these problems can only be solved on the local basis. The government should do inspections on this subject. After a while machine customers come to us if they cannot obtain what they wanted from the machines which are imitation or fake. These customers lose their money and then come to us.”
Kar: We have an important place in the world market
Kar Metal Ltd. Sti. General Manager Metin Kar stated that companies operating in the techno-centre at Sakarya University have an important place in world markets through 17 stakeholders and said: "We have 35 staff including 10 engineers and we aim to address developed countries. We aim to integrate the industrialist in Sakarya and our machine manufacturer in our own region. We must stop the adverse effect on the companies who are doing unlicensed production. They should be amongst us and follow the institutional approach. We should lead the process and gather machine producers under one roof. An inventory must be issued before the industry. We have institutions that make interesting productions so that the government does not underestimate us. I cannot stand that people look at Turkish products with fear. We are working on a project basis with TUBITAK and have two more projects with them. “
Sernikli: We export to 20 countries
Simpa Makina Ltd. Sti. General Manager Berk Sernikli stated that they are exporting to 20 countries despite being a new company and other companies are interested in what we are doing. "This is because Turkey is the most needed country for a world market that is stuck between Italy and China in the machinery sector. Until recently, countries such as Germany, France, Britain and America produced their machines in Italy due to their high costs, but production is no longer attractive in Italy because of rising costs. Currently, the world market is having trouble with China as well. Therefore, Turkey is an attractive choice. 68 percent of world auto service equipment production is in Italy. 50 percent of this is produced in a region as much as Akyazı. Why such a production is not in Sakarya. We produce rim straightening machine in 26 different models. We want to produce balancing machines, to find a place in the world market, however, we have come to a certain point then we're stuck. We need support. The applications we have made to TUBITAK were not what we wanted. I think the government does not support the sector at the point of promotion," he said.
There is a problem of qualification in the sector
They say that they have to compete with those who buy a lathe and consider themselves as machine specialists. Barışsan A.Ş. Board Chairman continued his words as follows: “The machine maker is underestimated, there is a fixed rule in the world, the machine sector should be in the first place. Germany has been developed by giving importance to the machine and industrial sector after the war. In Turkey, the government should give more support to companies that are machine manufacturers and exporters. We export our machines and introduce our country abroad. The most basic sector is machine sector that provides foreign currency entry to the country. Being a machine manufacturer in Sakarya is more advantageous than other provinces, but we also have the problem of a qualified employee.”
Önuçak: Promotion is a positive approach
Taylan Önuçak, Chairman of Ant Group, stated that “the promotion initiative that has been started in the machinery sector over the last months is a positive and nice strategy and it is understood that machinery sector is a very important sector. However, it is the sector that gives the most current account deficit at the same time. The biggest obstacle is the exchange rate policy. This can be stopped by a substantial reduction in the imports. Machinery exports should be easier. The government should encourage the sector. Many countries support their own machinery sector. We want protection from the government, not the money.”
Uluç: Bureaucracy in the sector is giving us a hard time
Uluç Makina Ltd. Sti. General Manager Hüseyin Uluç emphasizes that sector can be developed faster after overcoming the problems. He continued: "My life in the machinery sector started in Tahtakale in 1978. We are operating in Sakarya today I am the first person in Turkey to produce the first machine that cuts slices of products like hazelnut, almond, pistachio and so on. We are exporting to many countries. We have promising productions. We have come to these days without any support from the government. We are always working on new projects, but the bureaucracy brings difficulties.”
Bozkurt: Power cooperation needed
Dünya Newspaper author Rüştü Bozkurt said Sakarya has a significant potential in the machinery sector and it requires cooperation for a promising growth. He continues, “We are saying that there is a machine sector developed in Sakarya, but there is no inventory of machinery. We have to make an inventory first. We cannot solve our problems if we do not improve our neighbourhood relations if we do not share with each other. 15 billion dollars machine was imported to Turkey in 2005. About 9 billion dollars were textile machines and at least 30 percent of these machines were mistakenly preferred. Therefore, total amount of spare machine parks is at least 5 billion dollars. As a result, 5 billion dollars of Turkey's current deficit in 2005 is created by this amount. Hence considering these issues we need to move with respect to common decisions,” he said.
Dünya Newspaper author Rüştü Bozkurt said Sakarya has a significant potential in the machinery sector and it requires cooperation for a promising growth. He continues, “We are saying that there is a machine sector developed in Sakarya, but there is no inventory of machinery. We have to make an inventory first. We cannot solve our problems if we do not improve our neighbourhood relations if we do not share with each other. 15 billion dollars machine was imported to Turkey in 2005. About 9 billion dollars were textile machines and at least 30 percent of these machines were mistakenly preferred. Therefore, total amount of spare machine parks is at least 5 billion dollars. As a result, 5 billion dollars of Turkey's current deficit in 2005 is created by this amount. Hence considering these issues we need to move with respect to common decisions,” he said.