Insight

Mustafa Tecdelioğlu, chairman of BESİAD

Turkey’s growth as a focal point for automotive, domestic appliance, as well as other engineered product manufacturing and exporting, has seen the country’s fastener sector develop significantly over recent years. Here we speak to Mustafa Tecdelioğlu, chairman of BESİAD (the Turkish Fastener Manufacturers Association) about the development of the Turkish fastener market and opportunities for the future.

What distinguishes Turkish manufacturers from their competitors?
“Turkish companies are young and dynamic with a flexible structure. They have new machine technology and are fast and competitive with the use of domestic raw materials. Most importantly, Turkey has favourable proximity to the market. Thanks to our geographic location products can be transported via air, road, rail or sea with very fast delivery.

As a country we have ambitious, brave, reliable industrialists who can be quickly motivated, think fast and take charge. We are a country with dynamic, productive companies that are determined to work, whilst always thinking of growth and investment.”

What are the advantages/benefits of being a Turkish company?
“Turkey, in the field of fasteners, is one of Europe’s largest markets and one of the most major manufacturers. We are not foreign dependent because we can produce our own raw materials. We are also a sector that can produce its own moulds and can build its own heat treatment, packaging and coating facilities.

We are an industry that has obtained hundreds of patents related to fasteners and the majority of our companies all have quality certificates. We export fasteners to over 160 countries all over the world. The machinery used in Turkey is the latest technology and is capable of producing industry specific and standard fasteners for industries such as automotive, white goods, steel construction, machinery, furniture, electric and defence.

Fifteen years ago, imports were twice the amount produced in Turkey. This figure has now dropped to a minimum. Turkey has become an important country within the fastener sector and cannot only meet its own needs but also export. Turkey’s fastener industry continues to grow to become more informed and stronger. We are an industry that thrives on keeping Industry 4.0, artificial intelligence, as well as unmanned production with automation, on the agenda.”

What is the current situation within the Turkish fastener market?
“Turkey is a very large user of fasteners, as well as a country that is in the Top 3 in Europe for the production of fasteners. Producing 2 million vehicles annually with a target of 3 million, Turkey is also the largest manufacturer of commercial vehicles in Europe and an exporter of white goods to the whole world.

The majority of the world’s largest fasteners wholesalers already have warehouses or offices in Turkey. Würth, Bufab, Böllhoff, Dresselhaus, Max Mothes and Optimas operate in Turkey individually or with a Turkish partnership. Coating licensees such as Magni, Dörken, NOF Metal Coatings, Atotech and machinery producing companies such as SACMA Group, Carlo Salvi, Jagura, Asai Sunac, Chun Zu, Hyodong, and Nedschroef Machinery, are all represented in our country.”

How do you foresee the shape of the Turkish fastener market changing over the next decade? What do you think the challenges will be for the big and small companies?
“The world is globalising. Turkey is growing 3% – 5% annually. In parallel, our sector is growing. In addition to the growth of the country, the fastener sector will continue to grow further with the increase of domestic raw materials, trained manpower, and technological machinery investments. This will help the Turkish fastener industry to be one of the world’s major production bases. I think in the future we will be among the top two major producing countries in Europe and the Top 8 in the world. We expect the production figures in Turkey in the coming years to exceed 2 million tonnes.

The high-quality expectations of the automotive sector and the demand for zero errors is one of the main challenges for the Turkish fastener industry. A significant amount of investment and employment are required for error-free production, as well as sorting and inspection capabilities. Turkish fastener manufacturers are spending a considerable amount of time and money making these investments to ensure they can produce the required quality and avoid any expensive product recall risks.

Competition from Far Eastern companies also poses another challenge, which Turkish companies will continue to handle. In addition, tariff barriers imposed by countries to protect their companies makes competition more difficult.”

Find BESİAD at Fastener Fair Turkey on Stand 1008

www.besiadturkey.com