Kaleseramik R&D Center Leads Innovation in the Sector

Founded in 1957 and holding the distinction of being Turkey's first ceramic tile manufacturer, Kaleseramik has adopted an R&D approach centred on design and innovation since its establishment. The Kaleseramik R&D Centre brings innovative ideas to life in line with changing global dynamics and needs; it not only develops aesthetic and functional products, but also continues to undertake projects that enhance competitiveness for a more liveable world.

In our journey that began in 1957 as one of the most significant industrial endeavours in the history of the Turkish Republic, we at Kaleseramik always act with the mission of being first and setting the direction for the sector. At the heart of this mission undoubtedly lies our Research and Development (R&D) Centre, which brings together knowledge, technology and design. The work we conduct in this centre not only pushes the boundaries of technology and design; it also aims to add value to society and the environment. In this regard, we view our "Care for the World" vision as a guide to our work and continue to work with determination for a more liveable world and a sustainable future.

From Establishment to Global Leadership
Kaleseramik's belief in R&D is based on a history whose roots go back to chemistry, physics and quality control laboratories established in 1974 within Çanakkale Seramik. The increasing competitive environment and the need to keep pace with continuously evolving technology enabled us to formally transform this strong foundation into the Kaleseramik R&D Centre in 2012. Since our establishment, through project-based activities conducted around five main pillars—'cost', 'quality', 'efficiency', 'adding value/functionality to products' and 'developing new areas of use'—we have made significant contributions to both our company and Turkish industry. As a concrete indicator of our work, we have achieved total savings of TRY 143.3 million through the projects conducted by our R&D Centre since its establishment. In 2024 alone, this contribution was realised as TRY 21.7 million.

One of the most meaningful and gratifying developments in our success journey was our qualification for the TÜBİTAK 1515 Pioneer R&D Laboratories Support Programme. This highly prestigious and competitive support is strong evidence not only of our laboratory's technical capacity but also of our unwavering commitment to innovation and excellence. Through this support, we aim to establish a Pioneer Ceramic Technologies R&D Laboratory and undertake groundbreaking projects in fields such as Digital Inkjet, Laser and Microwave Technologies.

Strong Infrastructure and Privileged Technologies
Our R&D activities are based on a strong laboratory infrastructure meeting international standards. Our laboratory, accredited by TÜRKAK according to TS EN ISO 17025 standard since 2019, has extensive competence covering 32 different tests under the headings of raw materials, materials, physical, chemical and mineralogical analysis. In 2024, we further strengthened our capability by adding new equipment to our infrastructure, including the Inktester, which conducts reverse engineering studies and laboratory-based tests with different digital printing machine heads, and advanced strength testing equipment.

Our Centre proudly holds the distinction of being the first and only Turkish laboratory included in the European Ceramic Society (ECerS) guide in 2014. This achievement is one of the most important testimonies to our scientific and technological competence on the international stage.

Success Verified on the International Arena: Reynolds Cup World Second Place
Our latest success in showcasing our R&D and innovation prowess internationally was achieving world second place in the "12th Reynolds Cup Mineralogical Analysis" competition, organised by the Clay Minerals Society and recognised as the most prestigious in its field, emerging ahead of 105 international competitors. In this challenging competition, our nearly flawless analysis of extremely complex samples with hidden mineral composition demonstrated the superior level reached by our laboratory's technical capacity and our ability to understand raw materials in the finest detail. This success is not only a source of institutional pride but also of great importance in demonstrating Turkey's scientific infrastructure's ability to compete on a global scale.

Innovation and Sustainability-Focused Projects
Our R&D Centre is shaping the future of the sector by placing sustainability at the heart of all its projects. With the responsibility that comes from operating in an energy-intensive sector, we are developing innovative solutions aimed at reducing fossil fuel use.

International Collaborations and Projects: Through our "Innovatile" project, supported under the European Union Interreg Next Med call, we are developing a granulation technology that will reduce energy and resource intensity in ceramic production. As an important stakeholder in the Hydrogen Valley (HY South Marmara) project, which aims to create a "hydrogen economy" in the South Marmara Region, we are pioneering the green transition. Additionally, with our "Development of AI-Supported Granulation Technology for Slab Production" project, which we submitted to the Eureka-Smart project call, we are taking ambitious steps in digitalisation and efficiency.

Nationally Supported Initiatives: Through our "Wall Tile Production with Dry Granule Preparation Technology" project, supported under the TÜBİTAK SAYEM 1832 programme, we are directly contributing to our national industry and green transition targets. Additionally, with our TÜBİTAK 1505 University-Industry Collaboration project, we have begun work on enriching ceramic raw materials through new methods.

Product and Technology Development: As of 2024, we have developed a total of 33 series and 69 SKUs of new products in 6 mm and 12 mm thicknesses. By producing the world's thinnest porcelain slabs in sizes of 100x300 cm and 120x360 cm, we have achieved another first. In addition, we have successfully continued new product modelling activities in wall tile and trim production processes. Through our work on laser sintering technology, to be implemented for the first time in Turkey, we are challenging traditional production methods.

Localisation Initiatives: We are investing in domestic technologies to provide cost and efficiency benefits in production processes. In this direction, we have completed the design process in the New Generation Domestic Ceramic Roller Kiln Development project, and we have also put into operation a domestic quality sorting and packaging machine. With investments such as the Digital Effects Preparation Facility we established to localise imported digital effects and paint materials, and the Prototype Mineral Enrichment Facility where we have started test processes for raw material optimisation, we are reducing external dependence in production and providing cost and efficiency advantages.

Awards, Patents and Scientific Contributions
Among the most important indicators of our R&D competence is our patent count, which has reached 18 as of 2025. To date, we have authored more than 100 scientific publications, contributing to both the academic world and the development of the sector.

In 2024, the first-place award we received for our "Electricity Generation and Storage through Piezo Ceramic Composite Material Production" project at the ISO Green Transition Awards and the Incentive Award we won in the 'Corporate Idea' category at the 2025 Golden Idea Awards are testament to our innovative approach being appreciated.

Additionally, we served as sponsors and invited speakers at prestigious events such as the 18th World Ceramic Coatings Quality Congress (QUALICER 2024) held in Spain on 5-6 March 2024, delivering three oral presentations. We also continued our scientific contribution through two oral presentations by providing sponsorship support to the XVIII. International Mineral Processing Symposium held in Eskişehir.

Looking to the Future
As the Kaleseramik R&D Centre, we continue to expand our knowledge network through strong collaborations with Turkey's leading universities and international institutions such as Jaume and Zaragoza Universities in Spain. With our projects focused on sustainability, digitalisation and innovation, we will continue to set standards in the sector and work with all our capacity to leave a more liveable world for future generations in line with our "Care for the World" vision.

Assoc. Prof. Kağan Kayacı
Director of Kaleseramik R&D Centre