TOBB Awards to Open New Doors for Companies

The "TOBB Turkey 100 Awards Ceremony", organised under the leadership of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB), in cooperation with the Turkish Economic Policy Research Foundation (TEPAV) and TOBB University of Economics and Technology (ETÜ), took place at the TOBB Twin Towers Conference Hall. In his remarks at the ceremony, Minister Bolat expressed his condolences from God for the 53,573 citizens who lost their lives in 11 provinces shaken by the 6 February earthquakes centered in Kahramanmaraş, and also condemned Israeli attacks that have targeted civilians in Gaza for 4 months.

"We appreciate the efforts of business people working for the development of our country's trade"

Bolat made the following assessment:

"As the Ministry of Trade, we consult with the Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey, the largest umbrella organization of the business world, on all matters. The awards for the fastest growing 100 companies are not merely certificates of appreciation for your firms, but also a milestone that will guide you, open new doors for your business community. This award will take you towards greater goals and broader horizons. It will strengthen your leadership in your sectors and help you gain more recognition in national and international arenas. It will enable you to expand your business networks and enter new markets." Noting that the companies in question represent Turkey's entrepreneurial spirit and economic dynamism, Bolat said, "We appreciate the efforts and energy of valued business people who have befriended the concepts of production, employment, innovation and exports, and who work towards the development of our country's trade by targeting ever better results." Stating that 27 of the 100 companies awarded at the ceremony were from different provinces, Bolat said, "The most represented cities are Istanbul with 23 companies, Ankara with 19 companies, Adana with 9 companies, Izmir with 8 companies, Eskişehir with 5 companies. When we look at the sector distribution, wholesale and foreign trade lead with 10 companies, information technology with 9 companies, and groups such as architecture and engineering, textile products manufacturing and machinery and equipment manufacturing are also prominent." Bolat stated that they aim to continue sustainable export growth in line with the "Turkish Century" targets, and to increase foreign exchange reserves through balanced foreign trade.

"60 percent of the Ministry's budget is allocated to export support"

Underlining that more than a fourfold increase in national income has been achieved, Bolat said that the target is to reach a national income of TRY 1,100 billion. Recalling that merchandise exports have reached USD 256 billion and service exports USD 100 billion, Bolat said, "These figures show how much the Turkish economy has grown, opened up to the outside world, and how national income and prosperity have increased. Therefore, this is offering you, business people, new opportunity windows and new possibilities." Drawing attention to the increase in the number of companies, exporting firms and export figures in Turkey since the 1980s, Bolat noted that the number of companies and commercial enterprises registered in the commercial registry is 2,400,000, the number of tradespeople is 2,200,000, and 4.5 million people are engaged in manufacturing, industry, agriculture and trade. Bolat stated that the amount of direct investment coming to Turkey over 21 years has reached USD 264 billion. Stating that the number of foreign companies in Turkey was 5,000 in 2002, Bolat said this figure has risen to 80,500 today, and that these companies add value to the country. Pointing out that SMEs have made significant progress, Bolat said, "Our Anatolian SMEs, which seek to develop with their own capital, have acquired new markets thanks to export-led growth and have strengthened themselves against monopolistic structures."

Saying that as a Ministry they provide substantial support for exporters to open up internationally, Bolat continued as follows:

"We have close to 100 support items in both merchandise exports and imports. Among these are design, branding, competitiveness in production, development, global supply chain capability support, participation in international fairs in Turkey, market entry, opening shops and warehouses abroad and many other items where we provide support. 60 percent of the Ministry of Trade's budget is spent on export support. In services exports, we have important support items we provide in sectors such as management consulting, real estate, publishing, logistics, land, sea, rail and air transport." Following the remarks, Minister Bolat presented awards to the representatives of Turkey's fastest growing 100 companies. On the list in question, AFM Gıda Kimya İthalat İhracat Ticaret Ltd.Şti. was in first place, Tobıo Novelfarma İlaç Sanayi ve Ticaret AŞ in second place, and Ada İnşaat Mermer Maden Nakliye Turizm Sanayi ve Ticaret Ltd. Şti. in third place. Source