The Chemical Industry Plays a Major Role in Turkey's Development

Chemistry Sector Plays Major Role in Turkey's Development Speaking at the Chemistry Sector Strategy Meeting of the Industry and Technology Cooperation Council (SANTEK) held in Adana under the auspices of the Turkish Ministry of Industry and Technology, Vefa İbrahim Aracı, Chairman of the Board of GEBKİM, Turkey's first chemistry-specialized organized industrial zone, said: "With our member companies in our industrial zone, we reached export figures approaching 1 billion dollars in 2021." Aracı said they are applying the success of Shanghai Chemical Industry Park, which China designed by taking into account the prominent needs of its chemical industry, to Turkey through GEBKİM, and emphasized that they are ready for investment in Adana. Under the auspices of the Turkish Ministry of Industry and Technology, the Chemistry Sector Strategy Meeting of the Adana Industry and Technology Cooperation Council (SANTEK) was held. At the all-day meeting held in two sessions, numerous topics were addressed ranging from analysis of the chemistry sector in the world and Turkey to global chemistry sector trends and investment strategies.

Turkey's First Chemistry Organized Industrial Zone Participated at Full Capacity

The meeting was attended by Adana Governor Dr. Süleyman Elban, Deputy Minister of Industry and Technology Hasan Büyükdede, Chairman of the Adana Chamber of Industry Board of Directors Zeki Kıvanç, Chairman of the Board of Kocaeli-Gebze Chemistry Specialized OIZ (GEBKİM) Vefa İbrahim Aracı, Adana Provincial Director of Industry and Technology Remzi Özdoğan, Vice Chairman of the Adana Chamber of Industry Board of Directors Bülent Başer, Chairman of the Board of İKMİB Adil Pelister, Chairman of the TOBB Chemistry Industry Sector Council Timur Erk, Marketing Manager of PETKİM SOCAR Mevlüt Çetinkaya. Speaking under the title 'Megatrends in Global Chemistry Sector, Opportunities and Threats for Turkey,' GEBKİM Board Chairman Vefa İbrahim Aracı said: "The SANTEK Chemistry Sector Strategy Meeting is very important for us. For this reason, we attended the meeting at full capacity as the Board of Directors of GEBKİM, Turkey's first chemistry-specialized organized industrial zone." Aracı, who emphasizes at every opportunity that strong economies need a developed chemistry sector, stated that as GEBKİM they add value to Turkey specifically in the chemistry sector.

We Must Create Public Perception That Is Not Concerned When Chemistry Is Mentioned

Emphasizing particularly at the SANTEK Chemistry Sector Strategy Meeting that chemistry must be properly explained to the public, GEBKİM Board Chairman Aracı stated that the sector must be explained to the public in order to grow as it deserves, saying: "In order to discuss opportunities in chemistry sector investment and exports and to take action, we must first create a public perception that is not concerned when chemistry is mentioned. We are a society that has the perception that when chemicals are mentioned, it is as if it were poison. But in every aspect of life—in the water we drink, in the food we eat, in the clothes we wear—in short, in every aspect of life there is 'CHEMISTRY.' That is why I say we produce 100 percent chemical products. I feel proud when I say this. I think every segment of the public should have this perception. What makes a product or a chemical harmful is the amount we use. We must be able to explain this correctly. When the perception of chemistry in society changes, it will open new doors of opportunity in every field," he said.

We Are Applying Shanghai Chemical Industry Park Success to Turkey as GEBKİM

Pointing out that while chemistry-specialized OIZs creating ecosystems in Germany spread to Europe under the name 'CHEMPARK,' Shanghai Chemical Industry Park in China showcased the success of chemistry-specialized OIZs, Aracı said: "Shanghai Chemical Industry Park, which China designed by taking into account the prominent needs of its chemical industry, created positive values such as specialization, centralized investment, resource concentration and benefit creation while observing the principles of 'product integration, public service integration, logistics and transportation integration, environmental protection integration and management.' We as GEBKİM Chemistry Specialized OIZ have achieved this success. The chemistry sector became the export champion according to the Turkish Exporters Council (TİM) data in June of 2021, which we left behind. In the following months it took second and third places in exports. By achieving 25.3 billion dollars in exports in 2021, we reached the honor of being part of the records of our republic's history. As GEBKİM OIZ, we form an important part of this historical achievement. With our member companies in our industrial zone, we reached export figures approaching 1 billion dollars in 2021. We have 13 companies on the ISO 500 and ISO second 500 lists," he said.

We Are Ready to Invest in Adana

Saying "With chemistry-specialized OIZs to be commissioned throughout Turkey, we can support the chemistry sector's export success, lift Turkey to higher ranks in the world in terms of chemical production, create regional employment and bring about both qualitative and quantitative job opportunities, and support safe, environmentally friendly, measurable chemistry production," Aracı said: "We, as the GEBKİM family, want to invest for the Ceyhan Yumurtalık Chemistry Specialized Organized Industrial Zone planned to be established in Adana. Yumurtalık is one of the most important ports of the Mediterranean. We also want to invest as GEBKİM in this region with strategic importance in the chemistry field, create this ecosystem we established in Dilova in Adana as well, and add value to our country's economy. As GEBKİM, as a truly specialized OIZ in the chemistry field, we believe that with the investments we will make in Adana, we will be a role model here," he said. Chairman Aracı also emphasized that they are solving the problem of intermediate personnel in the chemistry sector with GEBKİM Vocational and Technical Anatolian High School. Aracı noted that they fulfill their social responsibility duties with GEBKİM kindergarten projects they have implemented for working mothers. He stated that GEBKİM adds much value to the region where it is located, and through the ecosystem it has created, contributes to the economic and sociological enrichment of that region.