The World Paint Industry Meets in Istanbul

Representatives of the USD 164 billion paints and coatings sector met in Istanbul at a joint meeting of the World Coatings Council (WCC) and the Turkish Paint Manufacturers Association (BOSAD). The meeting, which brings together the paints sector in different cities around the world each year, began today at Istanbul Swissotel The Bosphorus under the main sponsorship of the Istanbul Chemical Substances and Products Exporters Association (İKMİB). Joint Meeting Opened with Opening Remarks Senior representatives from 13 different associations operating in many countries, including the United Kingdom, Canada, China, the United States, Mexico, Brazil, Australia, Spain, Germany and France, participated in the meeting to discuss the global paints sector, trends and the sector's future. The meeting opened with remarks by World Coatings Council Board Chairman Tom Bowtell and BOSAD Board Chairman Akın Akçalı, followed by remarks from İKMİB Board Chairman Adil Pelister. Opening remarks were delivered by World Coatings Council Board Chairman Tom Bowtell, who said: "It is exciting to be here, in Istanbul, at the World Coatings Council's annual meeting. Today we are participating in this joint event with BOSAD. To be here in such a special year for Turkey, in the 100th year of the Republic and the 20th year of BOSAD, is a particular honour. Our hosts have shown great warmth and hospitality during the few days we have spent here. Istanbul is truly a wonderful city, and you should all be proud of it." Bowtell continued: "It has been quite a devastating few weeks for Turkey. There was terrible loss of life in the earthquake that occurred just a month ago. Our hearts are with you during this difficult time. I would like to personally thank Akın Akçalı for his leadership of BOSAD in recent years. I commend him. Today, at this joint meeting, we will share critical information about our sector both in Turkey and around the world." Following World Coatings Council Board Chairman Tom Bowtell, BOSAD Board Chairman Akın Akçalı, who hosted the event, delivered his remarks. Akın Akçalı began by expressing his pleasure at hosting this meeting in the 100th year of the Republic and the 20th year of BOSAD. He then thanked İKMİB Board Chairman Adil Pelister for the main sponsorship and made the following statement: "As you all know, we experienced a major earthquake on 6 February that caused destruction. The sorrow we experienced is beyond words, and I remember all our citizens who lost their lives in the earthquake with respect from here. After such a terrible disaster, I express our gratitude to WCC members who did not cancel their programmes in our country and came here to be with us." Became One of the Most Important Events Related to the Paints Sector Akın Akçalı shared information about BOSAD's establishment. Noting that BOSAD has 78 member companies, 95 members and 17 working groups, Akçalı said: "These working groups carry out very beneficial activities for our sector. In particular, our sustainability working group recently prepared the Turkey Paints Sector Sustainability Report and presented it to everyone's information. Looking at our fair and congress work; we held a congress last year after the pandemic. The paintIstanbul&Turkcoat fair we organized in March 2022 saw great demand. It took place with approximately 11,000 square meters of space and 10,000 participants from 80 different countries. It managed to become one of the most important events related to the paints sector in the world." USD 1.4 Billion Export in 2022 Akçalı also shared valuable information about the Turkish Paint Market: "Looking at the Turkish Paint Market, Turkey's per capita paint consumption is 11 kilograms. We have 20 medium and large-scale paint manufacturing companies, totalling 350 producers, and we create jobs for 300,000 people directly and indirectly. We export to close to 200 countries. In 2022, we achieved an export of USD 1.4 billion in total, including raw materials. The countries we export to most are Russia, Iraq, Uzbekistan, Iran and Egypt. In the construction sector, Turkey ranks 5th after the United Kingdom, Germany, France and Italy. When we look at electrostatic powder coatings and varnishes, we are in the top three in Europe." After Akın Akçalı concluded his remarks with wishes for a successful meeting, Adil Pelister, Board Chairman of İKMİB, the event's main sponsor, took the floor. "Our Sector's Goal is to Exceed USD 50 Billion" Adil Pelister began his remarks by thanking colleagues who spared no assistance for the cities affected by the earthquake disaster. In his speech, Adil Pelister shared figures and goals regarding the Turkish Chemical Industry: "As of 2022, within the country's total export of USD 254 billion, our chemical sector ranked first with USD 33.6 billion. Today it has reached approximately 15 per cent of the country's exports. By 2030, our chemical sector's goal is to exceed USD 50 billion." Pelister also referred to the Turkey Paints Sector Sustainability Report prepared jointly with BOSAD: "We have no doubt that this report will be a transparent sharing of activities under the sustainability heading containing social, environmental, governance and economic issues that will have the greatest impact and value for stakeholders, and will be a guiding work for the Turkish paints sector in its transformation towards a sustainable future." "In Which Country the Chemical Sector Develops, Its Economy Grows to That Extent" Concluding his remarks, Pelister said: "We are open to all kinds of cooperation that can raise our chemical sector to the level it deserves on a global scale. When we observe the top 10 economies in the world and the distance they have covered in parallel in the chemical sector, we clearly see that in which country the chemical sector develops, its economy grows to that extent. I believe our common objective should be in this direction." Throughout the day at the joint meeting of the World Coatings Council and BOSAD, important speakers will make presentations. At the same time, a panel will be held at the meeting under the title "Important Developments in the World and Turkish Paints Sector." The panel will focus on sustainability, microplastics and global perspectives on restrictions on biocide use. About the World Coatings Council In 1992, the International Paint and Printing Ink Union (now the World Coatings Council) was established to improve communication in the paints sector and coordinate industry policy on matters of international importance. The Council operates to enable the industry to fully discuss and analyse global outcomes while coordinating the industry's policy development on international matters. In 2005, the Council received NGO status from the United Nations Economic and Social Council, thus opening the way for it to emphasize sector issues to the UN and governing bodies. In 2019, the name of the International Paint and Printing Ink Council (IPPIC) was changed to World Coatings Council. For more than thirty years, the World Coatings Council has worked on issues of international concern to the paints and printing inks industry, providing a forum for exchanging views and cooperation on the major issues and priorities facing the industry and is recognized as a global voice for the industry. https://worldcoatingscouncil.org About BOSAD BOSAD, the Turkish Paint Manufacturers Association, began its professional establishment process in July 2003 with 8 founding members (Betek Boya San. Tic. A.Ş., ÇBS Boya San. Tic. A.Ş., DYO Boya Fabrikaları A.Ş., DYO Matbaa Mürekkepleri San. Tic. A.Ş., Jotun Boya San. Tic. A.Ş., Marshall Boya ve Vernik San. Tic. A.Ş., Meges Boya San. Tic. A.Ş., Polisan Kimya San. Tic. A.Ş., SG-Weber Yapı Kimyasalları San. Tic. A.Ş.) and completed this process, hosting 78 member companies as of the end of 2022. It has achieved an important milestone by reaching 85 per cent participation share in the "National Paint Industry" represented within the recorded economy. Following its establishment, BOSAD has developed sector strength through its effective work, defined as a "Professional Organization." The basic establishment objective of BOSAD is to contribute to the development of Turkish Paint Industry, increase national paint consumption and provide contemporary and healthy products to consumers, give the paint sector an exporter position in the country's economy, and contribute to the current EU integration process on a sectoral basis. http://bosad.org.tr