Interview with T. Emrah Sözer, Production Director of Sözer Makina

" We conducted an enjoyable interview with T. Emrah Sözer, Production Director of Sözer Makina. Sözer noted that the company's export success is an indicator of Sözer Makina's quality, and stated that as a firm, their goal has always been to create differentiation through high-value-added machinery. "

Could you briefly tell our readers about yourself, your education, and your professional background?

I was born in Istanbul but am originally from Rize. I graduated from Şişli Terakki High School and then from the Industrial Engineering Department at Kadir Has University. During my university years, I participated in various engineering projects under the scope of the Machinery Engineers Chamber to which we were affiliated, and also gained experience in the production, machinery and industry sectors through various project work at companies such as Arçelik, SPK Boru, and Şişecam. After graduation and military service, I began my working life at Sözer Makina, our family business, as a member of the third generation. Over approximately a decade at Sözer Makina, I have served in various roles, and currently I continue my work at the firm as Production Director.

Could you provide information about the establishment process of Sözer Makina and the stages it has gone through until today? What is the current structure of your company when considered in terms of production facilities, machinery park, number of employees, as well as turnover and production volume?

Sözer Makina was founded in 1946 by Ali Sözer in Istanbul-Karaköy. He was a graduate of Sultan Ahmet Technical School, which was one of the quality schools of its time, from the Lathe and Finishing Department. Through his way of thinking, he left a legacy of wise counsel that would set an example for generations to come. Sözer Makina is a company that has been held as an example in domestic machinery manufacturing in Turkey since the second half of the 1900s. Our firm, operating under the "SÖZER" brand, has focused particularly on the paints and chemical sectors since 1970 to the present day. We have been engaged in machinery manufacturing for three generations under the Sözer brand name since our establishment. Our company has progressed from Ali Sözer to his sons as the second generation, and then reached us as the third generation in the present day. Blending the Sözer discipline instilled in us by our elders with the engineering education we have received, we work with all our effort to carry the torch forward to future generations. Conscious of the value we possess, we continue our work with enthusiasm, always striving to create added value. Sözer Makina, which began its journey in a small workshop in the Karaköy Thursday market, has continued its operations in a modern factory with a total closed area of 4,750 m² in the İMES Organized Industrial Zone in Dilovası, Kocaeli, with its developing and growing structure. We keep our machinery park as modern and comprehensive as possible according to present production conditions and machinery manufacturing quality standards. As a company that exports 60% of machinery production abroad, we always strive to emphasize standardization and quality production. In this context, alongside universal lathes and equipment, we continue our production with our new-generation CNC machines and equipment in recent years. Last year, we added to our machinery park a 5-axis CNC-controlled double-column vertical machining center with table dimensions of 3,150 x 2,040 mm. Our aim is to ensure continuity of standardization even when large parts are processed on these machines. Communication plays a very important role in the management of human relations. A well-established communication network and organized movement of employees will affect firm-level success as well as improve institutional image and employee productivity. We provide our staff with various in-company training, and by sending them to vocational schools, we ensure their specialization in their fields. By periodically including our employees in meetings held within our organization, we hear the views of those working in the field, and we refine our final decisions in accordance with this information. Another factor affecting motivation and added value is financial support. We provide this support to our employees on favorable repayment terms when they need it, within our capabilities. We also try to organize various events to strengthen their social development and communication. Sözer Makina, with its current structure and experience, endeavors to provide services to all customers at an equal level, without distinguishing between large and small firms. Whether a customer requests a laboratory device with 10-liter capacity or a fully automatic PLC-system turnkey project with daily 60-ton capacity, we make it our priority to offer proximity and solutions. Because we never forget these values: our customers are our benefactors, we always seek what is better and produce what is higher in quality, we never forget business ethics and honesty no matter what the circumstances, we "age with wisdom" without growing old, and we strengthen the Turkish economy as we grow stronger.

What sectors does Sözer Makina primarily serve and what types of products does it supply? Could you provide detailed information about your company's products, brands and services, particularly in the scope of interior and exterior facade paints?

Today, as Sözer Makina, we serve primarily the paints industry as well as chemicals, construction, cosmetics, and agricultural chemicals sectors. Our main area of expertise consists of mixers capable of serving different viscosities. Within our product range, we have the equipment that should be present in a chemical company: mixers, vacuum and scraper high-speed mixers, perl-mill wet grinding machines, basket-mill type wet grinding machines, high-capacity platform mixers, planet malaxors for medium-viscosity products, combined multi-shaft vacuum and scraper mixers, zet-mixers for high-viscosity products, putty mixers, liquid filling and weighing machines, kettle discharge presses, mixing impellers and various pumps and many other machines. In addition to high-capacity versions of all our products, we also manufacture laboratory-type versions for small-scale productions. With the growth of our Turkey, the recognition of the Sözer brand has begun to increase abroad as well. Our company, which made its first export in 1986, today exports 65% of its annual production to 39 different countries with more than half a century of accumulated knowledge and experience.                            

When manufacturing our machines, we carefully examine world machinery technology and particularly the products of our competitors in Europe.

At this point, we also wish to note that particularly in recent years, at trade fairs we have attended in Europe where we have exhibited our machines, we have received feedback that our products can easily compete with theirs in terms of design and technological aspects, and that with our favorable prices we rank ahead of many companies. Additionally, wherever in the world, we can provide solutions in terms of post-sales installation, technical service support, and spare parts supply at all times. It is a source of pride for us that today there is not a single non-functioning machine of ours either in Turkey or in any of the countries to which we have shipped. We have various products used in the production of interior and exterior facade paints, particularly in the paints sector. Sözer Makina is a company that has spent particularly the last 44 years manufacturing mixer mixing machines used in the chemical industry. The most important and distinguishing characteristic of our company is that we engage in customer-oriented manufacturing. When establishing standards in our products, user comments have been evaluated over the years and our machines have been shaped accordingly, and we continue to conduct continuous R&D work to produce new types of machines. For example, when we suggest to a user, "If our machine had this feature, you could reduce your production processes and thus increase product quality in this way," the user appreciates this suggestion. Our goal is always to create differentiation through high-value-added machinery and to reduce manufacturing processes while elevating quality to the best possible levels. Furthermore, our approach in line with win-win principles will take the commercial relationship we maintain with our business partners to higher levels. Alongside machines with single-shaft mixing systems that have existed for many years, our combined mixers with two or three-shaft systems, which we have prepared for our country's seriously developing paints and building chemicals sector, are experiencing significant demand. The target customer base for our machines in this category consists of companies that produce products at viscosity levels of 1,500–3,000,000 centipoise. Combined mixer machines are manufactured in compliance with "CE" and "Occupational health and safety standards." Ex-proof features at ATEX Zone 1 EEx dIIB T4 standards, vacuum, pressure, semi- or fully automatic recipe control systems, and PLS control system are offered as optional features. Combined mixer machines can be manufactured in capacities between 1,000 liters and 5,000 liters. Models above 2,000 liters are positioned on platforms.

What types of work do you conduct in the areas of innovation and R&D as Sözer Makina? Do you have projects developed within the scope of university-industry cooperation, and if so, what are they?

As Sözer Makina, we place importance on KOSGEB and TÜBİTAK projects. We benefit from support through projects we have prepared in various periods. We have benefited from support under the general support projects heading of KOSGEB, which includes many titles such as qualified personnel, international fair participation, software, catalog and advertising support. We have also implemented various projects within the scope of TÜBİTAK projects, and we have ongoing work in this direction. As of today, we are implementing a project for a machine that has never been produced in Turkey before. The target customer base for this machine again consists of companies that manufacture products at viscosity levels between 1,500–3,000,000 centipoise. We are bringing to life the "Combined Malaxor Machine" project by combining the previously produced high-speed mixer technology with the planet malaxor system that we have also been manufacturing for years in a single machine. The total production capacity of our newly designed machine is 1,250 liters with a useful volume capacity of 1,000 liters net. Different capacities will be produced over time. The machine will feature both a high-speed mixer blade system for dispersing and two planet mixers that will rotate around their own axis and around the kettle's inner circumference. Our machine will have a dispersing blade system capable of reaching 1,925 m/sec peripheral speed to perform the dispersion operation with a 55 kW 1,500 rpm motor, and on the other hand, planet mixer systems with 45 kW output at 100 rpm. The advantage of the planet system is that the blades can rotate both around their own axis and while offset from the kettle axis, making contact with all points around the kettle's interior. In this way, for example, a blade located 10 centimeters above the kettle bottom can make contact with all product at that height within the kettle. Through these processes, an optimum mixture is targeted. As fast-acting mixers and planet malaxors, these processes were already possible with two different SÖZER machines, but in this machine, the work of two machines will be accomplished with a single unit. Consequently, user cost will decrease by approximately 70 percent, and final production time will also be reduced by 40 percent. Our goal is always to create differentiation through high-value-added machinery, reduce manufacturing processes, and elevate quality to the best possible levels.

Could you discuss your domestic and foreign sales activities? To which regions do you primarily sell, and what types of products do you export domestically and internationally?

As a company that has been serving since 1946 in Turkey, our machines are found in almost every company working in our sectors. We try to participate in all trade fairs held domestically that are related to the sectors we serve. Our goal at this point is to reach new companies, present our new machines to our existing customers, listen to their feedback, and develop solutions. As a company that made its first export in 1986, the most important factor in reaching this point has been the trade fairs we have attended abroad. Because as your visibility increases, so do your sales. Additionally, we make it a point to participate in all fairs with our machines. When visitors to our stand see our products in front of them rather than just in a catalog, their perspective changes. Particularly as a result of the fairs we attend on the European continent, people's remarks such as "I saw this company before in Germany, in France!" ensure that the company name stays in people's minds and that awareness develops that products of this quality are made in Turkey. Additionally, in our domestic and foreign activities, we place advertisements and conduct promotional work in trade journals, newspapers and bulletins related to the sector. The machines we manufacture and all facilities we establish on a turnkey basis are of quality and caliber that can provide service abroad. "As a company that has been exporting since 1986, we now export 65 percent of our annual production to 39 different countries. Our export success is an indicator of our quality. Europe, Africa, Asia, Middle Eastern countries and Turkish Republics constitute our primary export markets. Particularly in recent years, following the increase in our recognition in Europe, we receive numerous distribution requests. Our European competitors' prices are two to three times higher than ours. We have witnessed another advantage of participating in trade fairs with our machines at this point as well. Our visitors see that they can purchase our products, which are similar in quality to their counterparts and in some respects even better, at half the price, and they change their preferences accordingly. Additionally, we have conducted and continue to conduct various work in terms of foreign distribution or distributorship, and we are thinking of presenting ourselves to our customers in this respect with a large-scale undertaking in the final quarter of this year.

Could you provide information about Sözer Makina's environmental policy and sustainability approach? What can you tell us about your work related to occupational health and safety?

The mission we have adopted for ourselves is to be a brand that, in our field of activity, offers innovative and solution-oriented services to our customers, human resources and business partners through our knowledge and strong experience, explores developments, and is preferred in the market through awareness of our responsibilities. We strive to achieve lasting competitive advantages in the world with the awareness of taking our resources, knowledge and technology to higher levels, using them for our customers and business partners, and making a mark with differences and firsts for our own sake and for the continuity of our country. We do our work carefully and to high standards and closely follow developments related to our business. In all relationships in our working life, we consider business-related priorities. In all processes in our fields of activity, we focus primarily on ensuring safety. We endeavor to be committed to the development and implementation of processes and strategies to provide high-level safety standards for all our employees and customers. We regard respect for people, environment and laws as paramount, and adopt acting within ethical rules as a fundamental requirement. In all our work, we strive to act honestly, transparently, fairly and responsibly. We continuously focus on innovative applications in every area of our business to work toward customer satisfaction. Adopting dynamic and flexible work as a principle, we work goal-oriented and quickly regardless of circumstances. By continuously examining our environment and conditions, we strive to respond to change in a timely manner. With the awareness that cooperation, mutual commitment, expertise and knowledge sharing are the foundation of success, we view teamwork as a guarantee of personal achievement and support teamwork in all our activities. We make it a point to instill the principle of "safety first, then business" in our employees. Because no work is more important than human health.

What criteria are prioritized when Sözer Makina formulates investment plans? Do you have investment plans for the coming periods, and if so, what are they?

The Turkish machinery sector has made significant progress in recent years, and as a result, our exports in different sectors have increased. For this momentum to continue, our most important expectation is particularly the increase in export incentives and credits. The development of Turkish industry depends primarily on state support. Incentives, grants and support offered to large-scale or SME-status companies should be increased without discrimination. Every improvement made will increase our country's recognition abroad along with increased interest in exports. In the long term, I believe foreign investors will prefer our country more and other sectors may be positively affected by this as well. The paints and chemicals sector in our country generally shows a very volatile graph. Consequently, we are affected by these balances and determine our investments accordingly. Due to economic balances, many companies refrain from investing. In the domestic market, particularly in terms of cash financing, there are very serious difficulties. In a chain reaction, customers, sellers, manufacturers and suppliers are affected by this situation. At this point, we have increasingly turned to foreign markets in recent times. Among the goals we have determined under the leadership of our General Manager Ahmet, the most important is to increase our production capacity by 50 percent by the end of 2017. We also aim to enter markets to which we do not currently export, and to increase our recognition through trade fairs or visits. I particularly wish to send a message from here to our domestic investors. Have confidence in Turkish machinery manufacturers and the technology they use. We no longer need to export machinery from abroad while paying two or three times the cost. Our domestic machinery manufacturers provide at least as good and in some respects even better levels of all services and solutions before and after sales compared to foreign manufacturers.