Chemical Sector Platform Says Yes to 'Stability and Investment', No to 'Terrorism'

The Chemistry Industry Development Summit organized by the Chemical Sector Platform on 15-16 December in Ankara saw discussions of the sector's main challenges and exploration of solutions. Turkey's chemical industry, which holds a place among high value-added production potential and strategic sectors of the economy, focused on formulas to reduce the foreign trade deficit reaching 40 billion dollars. The sector, targeting 50 billion dollars in exports in 2023, found solutions in: Strengthening industry-public-university cooperation, state incentives for high value-added and technological product production, accelerating sectoral clustering, and improving quality in vocational training by creating new vocational training methods tailored to industry needs. At the conclusion of the summit, Chemical Sector Platform members conveyed a message of unity and solidarity for Turkey's stability while condemning terrorism. The 8th Chemical Industry Development Summit, organized by the Chemical Sector Platform (KSP) this year, took place on 15-16 December. Under the term presidency of the Rubber Association, member organizations of the Chemical Sector Platform including BOSAD, İKMİB, Rubber Association, KİPLAS, Composite Manufacturers Association, PAGEV, PAGDER, TKSD, as well as bureaucrats, Academics from universities across Turkey, sector companies and experts gathered at the 8th Chemical Development Summit to evaluate steps to be taken regarding the future of the chemical sector. At the summit's opening; KSP term President Rubber Association Management Board Vice Chairman Şirzat Karayel, Turkey Chemical Manufacturers Association (TKSD) Management Board Chairman Timur Erk, Istanbul Chemical Materials and Products Exporters Association (İKMİB) Management Board Chairman Murat Akyüz, OSTİM Management Board Chairman Orhan Aydın, Ankara Chamber of Commerce (ATO) Management Board Chairman newly elected Gürsel Baran and Republic of Turkey Ministry of Science, Industry and Technology Undersecretary Prof. Dr. Ersan Aslan each delivered speeches.

At the 8th Chemical Industry Development Summit sessions were held with the following titles: "Foreign trade effects in the international dimension of the chemical sector", "Investment, production and clustering models in the chemical sector", "2023 Workforce planning - Education Professional Competence and Certification in the Chemical Sector", "Evaluation of the 2017 investment-based incentive system".

The session titled "Foreign trade effects in the international dimension of the chemical sector" was chaired by İKMİB Management Board Chairman Murat Akyüz. Participating in the session were: Imports General Directorate Deputy General Director Cavit Özdem, Exports General Directorate Deputy General Director Hakan Kızartıcı, İKMİB Management Board Vice Chairman Ahmet Faik Bitlis and DOW's İhsan Necipoğlu. It was emphasized that chemistry, ranking third in Turkey's exports, needs to increase the added value in exports and focus on mid and high-technology product exports in order to raise its 15 billion dollar export volume to higher levels. In the session titled "Investment, production and clustering in the chemical sector", issues of making the investment environment more attractive and increasing sectoral synergy through clustering were brought to the agenda. The speakers in the session chaired by TKSD Management Board Chairman Timur Erk were: Mustafa Yılmaz from DOW-AKSA, Ministry of Development Economic Sectors and Coordination General Director Emin Sadık Aydın, Republic of Turkey Prime Ministry Turkey Investment Support and Promotion Agency Project Director Mustafa Erdönmez, Haluk Erceber from Organic Chemistry, Environmental Impact Assessment General Director Mustafa Satılmış from the Republic of Turkey Ministry of Environment and Urbanization, Selçuk Denizligil from BASF and Cemalettin Doğmuş from the Republic of Turkey Ministry of Transportation, Maritime Affairs and Communications.

Basic production and investment targets and expectations in the 10th Development Plan, as well as international direct investment projects were addressed. Within this framework, analysis of the clustering model for the chemical sector was conducted.

In the session, the Ministry of Environment and Urbanization's new Environmental Legislation and Applications were discussed while officials from the Ministry of Transportation, Maritime Affairs and Communications conveyed applications and recent developments on the transportation of hazardous materials by road. In the session chaired by BOSAD Management Board Chairman Ahmet Yiğitbaşı on "2023 Workforce planning - Education Professional Competence and Certification in the Chemical Sector", Professional Qualifications Institution Social Partners and Projects Department Head Şennur Çetin, Occupational Standards Department Head Yaprak Akçay Zileli, KİPLAS General Secretary Saadet Ceylan and TKSD General Secretary Mustafa Bağan each delivered speeches. In the meeting, improving quality in vocational training stood out as the goal to address the need for qualified personnel, one of the most significant problems in the chemical sector in general, and information on Professional Qualifications Certificate was provided and work conducted was presented. The importance of industry-public-university cooperation came to the agenda in improving the quality of vocational training. Increases in activities connecting universities with the private sector were discussed. Agreement was reached on creating a portal that would allow academics' knowledge and experience as well as students' projects to be shared in a digital environment.

On the second day of the 8th KSP Chemical Industry Development Summit, sector representatives gathered in a session evaluating the 2017 Investment-Based Incentive System.

Speaking in the session moderated by Ankara Chamber of Industry General Secretary Yavuz Cabbar; Prof. Dr. İbrahim Kılıçaslan, General Director of Industry at the Republic of Turkey Ministry of Science, Industry and Technology, Branch Manager Orhan Çetinkaya at the General Directorate of Industry, Deputy General Director Dr. Mehmet Yurdal Şahin of the Incentives Implementation and Foreign Capital General Directorate at the Republic of Turkey Ministry of Economy provided information on investment support and incentives directly concerning the chemical industry. Items of the Turkey Chemical Sector Strategy Document Action Plan covering 2017-2020 were discussed. At the summit, CNN Türk Economy Manager Emin Çapa also delivered a presentation on the chemical industry, science and technology that will shape the future. At the conclusion of the 8th KSP Chemical Industry Development Summit, Chemical Sector Platform members and participants opened a banner reading "We Condemn Terrorism", reaffirming their confidence in our country and conveying a message of unity.