‘Chemical Valley’ to Be Established in Adana

Preparations for the 'Chemical Substance Production Technologies Center,' proposed by Çukurova University and commonly known as the 'Chemistry Valley,' which began preparations last year, have advanced to the second phase with support from the Ministry of Development and organizations affiliated with TOBB.

Preparations for establishing the 'Chemical Substance Production Technologies Center,' proposed by Çukurova University and commonly known as the 'Chemistry Valley,' which began last year, have advanced to the second phase by the Ministry of Development and organizations affiliated with TOBB. With the center's completion in the coming year, efforts will be made to produce chemical substances not currently manufactured in Turkey, thereby achieving significant reductions in import figures in this field. The center, with a budgeted allocation of TRY 5 million—TRY 2 million for construction—will have its financing secured through the Çukurova Development Agency's 'Guided Projects' list via support project financing. According to the Çukurova Development Agency's report, The Turkish Chemical Industry consists primarily of facilities producing various chemical raw materials and consumer products such as petrochemicals, soap, detergents, fertilizers, pharmaceuticals, paints and varnishes, synthetic fibers, and soda. While a significant portion of companies operating in the sector are small and medium-sized enterprises, large-scale firms and multinational corporations also operate in this space. Seventy percent of the raw materials used are imported. The primary input for plastic production is sourced 90 percent from the petrochemicals sector. The plastics and rubber sector is dependent on imports at over 90 percent. The chemical sector employs approximately 300,000 people.

Approximately 2,600 Chemical Substances and Preparations Are Produced in the Chemical Sector

Turkey's largest petrochemicals company was Petkim, formerly a state-owned enterprise that was privatized in 2007. Petkim, 51 percent of which was purchased by Socar-Turcas for USD 2.04 billion, has an annual capacity of 3.2 million tons at its Aliağa Petrochemistry Facility in İzmir. Petkim sources naphtha, which it uses as a primary input for products it manufactures as raw material for many sectors, from Tüpraş, the country's sole domestic producer, and from abroad through imports.