We had a Very Pleasant Interview with Çağdaş Çağrı

We had a very pleasant interview with Çağdaş Çağrı, Türkiye Country Manager of Eigenmann & Veronelli. Mr. Çağrı shared with us valuable information about the company's products and services in the field of life sciences, and its domestic and international activities.

First of all, we would like to introduce you to our readers. Could you please tell us about your education, professional career and personal interests?

First of all, I would like to start by expressing my condolences to all our citizens who lost their lives in the earthquake disaster in our country. I believe that we will get through these difficult days when we are united as a nation, heal our wounds and come out of this process stronger as a whole country. I was born in Istanbul in 1976. After completing my middle and high school education at Istanbul Erkek Lisesi, I continued my higher education at Boğaziçi University studying Tourism Administration. Following my graduation in 2000, I went to the UK in the same year to pursue a master's degree in finance and business administration at the University of Exeter. After receiving my master's degree, I returned to my country and started my professional career. After short-term positions at Trakya Döküm and Şişecam, and then my military service, I started working at Bayer Türk Industrial Products Department in 2003 as responsible for the sales of synthetic rubber, rubber chemicals and coating raw materials, and have been in the chemical industry for approximately 20 years since then. It was a great opportunity for me to begin my career at a leading manufacturing company such as Bayer, and the training I received during my five years there was invaluable. Between 2008 and 2015, I was the manager of the plastic, rubber and paints departments at Brenntag Kimya, one of the largest players in chemical raw material sales and distribution, where I gained significant experience in the distribution of chemical raw materials. In addition, I had the opportunity to take on an international position in this company as responsible for the entire European market in rubber product groups during my final two years. I have been working as Türkiye Country Manager for Eigenmann & Veronelli since November 2015.  

When was Eigenmann & Veronelli founded? How has your company developed over the past years?

Eigenmann & Veronelli is a manufacturer and distributor of chemical raw materials based in Milan, Italy, founded in 1910 by two cousins, Giovanni Eigenmann and Adolfo Veronelli. Our company, whose main field of expertise is special chemicals, focused on activities outside Italy from the 2000s onwards and established its own legal entities in Spain, Russia and finally in Türkiye in 2013, respectively. Our Türkiye operation, which started as a partnership with a local company, was transformed into a 100% foreign-owned structure by acquiring the remaining shares of the company in 2016. Following this transition, our company achieved very strong growth momentum and succeeded in increasing its turnover from 8 Million Euros to a significant threshold of 45 Million Euros as of last year, over a period of approximately 7 years. This entirely organic growth was driven both by entry into new sectors and by deepening our customer relationships through new supplier agreements. Of course, our company's success was built on correct planning of human resources, operational improvements, proximity to customers, as well as leveraging the positive synergy between the raw materials we produce and the products of the companies we distribute. Despite being the most recently established subsidiary, it is a source of great pride for our entire team that we have achieved the highest sales and profitability among all operations.

Eigenmann & Veronelli offers products for many different industries. Could you please provide information about your company's products and services, particularly in the field of life sciences?

Our life sciences unit consists of personal and home care products, as well as pharmaceuticals and food supplements. Our expert team, particularly in personal care, provides services to Türkiye's cosmetics industry with a broad product portfolio that includes hair, skin, body care and color cosmetic raw materials. Through our laboratory services for formulation and technical support, we meet the evolving innovation needs of our customers in line with market trends. We offer high-performance and efficient raw materials produced by our headquarters in Italy and our suppliers under distribution agreements to the Turkish market.

In which regions, in Türkiye and abroad, and with what product groups do you create solutions for your customers?

In particular, we carry almost all of the main products used in the manufacture of personal and home care products in our portfolio. We offer a very wide product range consisting of surfactants, emollients, emulsifiers, esters, re-fatting agents, active ingredients, herbal extracts and oils, vitamins, rheology agents, silicones, preservatives and UV filters. Although we established a relatively new entity, I believe we have also made important progress in a short time in supplying active and inactive ingredients for human pharmaceuticals and food supplements. The export side is a very new area for our local operation, and we have begun selling to neighboring countries and Turkish Republics products such as esters, emulsifiers, re-fatting agents, antifoam and primary processing auxiliaries used in the rubber sector, which we produce at our own plant in Italy. In addition, our partners, whom we represent, support exports through us where no other distribution network exists in these regions. We also aim to develop Egypt and other Middle Eastern markets in terms of exports in the future in line with our strategic plans.

Especially in recent years, we see that sustainability issues have gained increasing importance. What sustainability approach does Eigenmann & Veronelli adopt?

Eigenmann & Veronelli's center located in Italy has begun producing RSPO-grade versions of some raw materials in its portfolio as part of fulfilling its sustainability commitments, which have gained significant importance in recent years. RSPO (Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil) certification aims to reduce damage to rainforests by ensuring the sustainability of cultivated palm plantations. In addition, waste management, environmental pollution prevention and emission reduction studies are regularly conducted at our production facilities in compliance with all regulations. Beyond that, nearly all of our international suppliers that we represent have sustainability and social responsibility training and action programs at the highest standards. In terms of innovation and R&D, what work have you undertaken as Eigenmann & Veronelli? Our Eigenmann & Veronelli Italy R&D Center is constantly working on new high-performance raw materials with more natural and sustainable characteristics. Polyglyceryl esters and emulsifiers can be named among them.

Does Eigenmann & Veronelli plan to invest in the near and long term? What criteria do you prioritize when planning these investments?

As Eigenmann & Veronelli Türkiye, we have not needed a growth strategy through acquisitions thus far due to our rapid organic growth. However, having reached a relatively mature level with our new management, I see more opportunities for inorganic growth over the coming years. We are much more willing to invest, particularly in sectors where organic growth would take a long time and have strategic importance for further expansion. On the other hand, since we are already the largest subsidiary outside Italy, our management will likely prioritize investments in regions where we do not yet have a presence or where our structure is relatively weaker. With new investments in different countries in the coming years, I strongly believe that Eigenmann & Veronelli will become an even more important regional player in the chemical distribution business.