DowAksa to Continue Operations as Aksa Carbon

Aksa Akrilik completed the acquisition of a 50% stake in DowAksa from Dow Europe Holding B.V. As DowAksa enters a new era under the name Aksa Carbon, Gürcan Koman has been appointed to the position of General Manager.

Aksa Akrilik, a leading acrylic fiber manufacturer owned by Akkök Holding and ranked among the world's largest producers, has successfully completed another significant milestone in line with its vision of growth in advanced materials and innovative solutions. By making a cash payment of USD 125 million, Aksa Akrilik has completed the acquisition of the 50% DowAksa stake held by Dow Europe Holding B.V., thereby becoming the sole owner of DowAksa. Accordingly, the total valuation of DowAksa was realized at approximately USD 450 million.

Gürcan Koman, Vice Chairman of the Akkök Chemistry and Advanced Materials Group, has been appointed to the position of General Manager of the company, which will continue its operations as Aksa Carbon. Having entered the carbon fiber market in 2009 and established the 50-50 joint venture DowAksa with Dow Europe Holdings B.V. in 2012, Aksa Akrilik has become one of the strongest candidates vying for leadership in carbon fiber production with its acquisition of all shares of DowAksa.

Aksa Carbon to become a global player for Turkey
Emphasizing that the acquisition of full ownership of DowAksa is an important milestone for Aksa to become a global player not only in acrylic fiber production but also in carbon-based advanced material solutions, Cengiz Taş, Member of the Board of Akkök Holding and Head of the Chemistry and Advanced Materials Group, stated: "The integration of the entire DowAksa into Aksa Akrilik is not merely an acquisition; it is a restructuring of knowledge, experience and technology in the field of advanced materials. In the new era, Aksa Carbon will be one of Turkey's globally influential companies in the field of high-performance materials, particularly carbon fiber. This restructuring is a strategic reflection of our vision. We aim to provide higher added value to Turkey's defense industry, deliver strong solutions to international industrial organizations, and increase our country's competitiveness in carbon fiber and advanced materials. Gürcan Koman, who will lead this transformation process, will make significant contributions to Aksa Carbon's global targets with his extensive experience and technical expertise within Aksa Akrilik."

Gürcan Koman appointed as General Manager of Aksa Carbon
With the transformation process at Aksa Carbon, the leadership structure has also changed. Gürcan Koman, Vice Chairman of the Akkök Holding Chemistry and Advanced Materials Group, who possesses deep expertise in chemistry and advanced materials technologies, has been appointed to the position of General Manager. A graduate of the Chemical Engineering Department at Middle East Technical University, Gürcan Koman began his career in 2006 within Aksa Akrilik. Koman has held management positions in numerous critical units including process and product development, R&D, production and investment. Since 2019, he has served as Plant Director at Aksa. Appointed as Vice Chairman of the Akkök Chemistry and Advanced Materials Group as of 1 January 2025, Koman will lead Aksa Carbon's growth targets in the new era with the experience he has gained in local and global markets.

Global leadership goal in carbon fiber
Under its new name, Aksa Carbon is not merely a carbon fiber manufacturer; it is also positioned as a solution provider directing the transformation of strategic sectors. With pultrusion technology developed at its Yalova facilities, carbon fiber-reinforced laminate plates used in wind turbine blade root sections are produced. These advanced technology products provide advantages in both cost and performance, while increasing Turkey's domestic contribution rate in wind energy projects. Thus, Aksa Carbon becomes one of the strategic actors in sustainable growth in areas such as energy, defense and infrastructure. Carbon fiber, which can be produced by only a limited number of countries, stands out as an indispensable production material across numerous sectors—from defense to aviation, from automotive to construction—thanks to its high strength and lightweight properties.