Interview with Mr. Zafer Keçeler

Attaching great importance to innovation and R&D studies, Dersan has been developing products for the paints and coatings industry for more than 20 years. In the interview we held, Mr. Zafer Keçeler, General Manager of Dersan, gave information about the products offered by Dersan.

First of all, we would like to get to know you, could you please briefly tell us about yourself, your educational and professional background?

I was born in 1980 in Istanbul. I started my professional career as a mechanical technician in 1996. Since 1996, I have worked as a journeyman, master and master trainer at Dersan Makina, and I am currently continuing my career as General Manager.

Could you please tell us about the development process of Dersan from its establishment to the present day?

Our company was established in 1980 by our father Kenan Keçeler to perform contract manufacturing for the automotive and machinery industry under the conditions of that time. Our company, which continued with such production until 1996, entered the coating equipment sector by shifting its focus to the production of coating machines. Our company, which has built experience through producing automatic painting machines, automatic spray guns and nozzles for more than twenty years, now consists of the products it manufactures, with 80% of its sales derived from the latest investments it has made.

We know that Dersan is a company that places importance on innovation and R&D studies. Can you provide information about the products and technologies you have developed?

Our company is fundamentally an R&D company. It introduces innovation to the sector by developing a new product every year. In addition to our DERMIX AG-4000 AC model gun, which earned us a TÜBİTAK R&D success certificate, we also offer complete systems to our customers with the DERMIX SC-A model electronic control unit, which enables control of automatic spraying equipment and was developed by our company this year. Our R&D personnel continue to work with the goal of identifying gaps in the sector and introducing new products to the market.

The surface treatment and coatings sectors in our country are showing rapid development. In this context, as Dersan, which sectors and what kind of products and services do you provide?

We support and provide solutions to the automotive, furniture, food, health, agriculture, forestry, steel and construction industries with our spray systems such as painting, humidification, lubrication, and others. Our main products are Dermix series transfer pumps, paint machines and nozzles, spraying and metering guns, humidification and lubricating nozzles, chocolate and candy guns, dough cutting nozzles and electronic control units capable of controlling these products.

To which countries and with what kind of products and services does Dersan export?

For now, we provide services to Germany, Kazakhstan, UAE, Uzbekistan, Kosovo and Iran for all equipment used in painting, humidification, lubrication and spraying processes.

Can you provide information about Dersan's environmental policy and sustainability approach? What can you say about your work on occupational health and safety?

With our environmentally friendly production practices, recycling is among our priorities in our production area, offices and storage facilities. Since the machines we use incorporate the latest technology, there is no risk to the user or the environment. The health and safety of our employees are among our company's priorities. Our company regularly organizes training on occupational safety and worker health, and avoids production processes and chemicals that pose risks to human health during the production and testing stages of our products.

Does Dersan have short and long-term investments, and if so, what are they? What criteria does Dersan base its investment planning on?

Through investments in machining equipment and measuring devices, over the next 2 years, our company aims to strengthen its production to increase production capacity and raise our domestic sourcing rate to higher levels. Additionally, within 8 years, our company plans to move to its new facility in order to consolidate all departments such as sales, service and production. In making its investments, our company prioritizes the production of products that will completely eliminate dependence on foreign countries, taking into account the interests of the country and the nation.