Uşak Organized Industrial Zone Advances Toward "Green OIZ" Status

Uşak OSB Advances Toward "Green OSB" Status The fourth meeting of the Aegean Exporters Associations' Aegean Export Meetings, organized in cooperation with Dünya Newspaper, was hosted by Uşak Organized Industrial Zone. Uşak, a pioneer in environmental, recycling and sustainability policies across Turkey, increased its exports from USD 240 million to USD 368 million in 2021, representing a 54% increase. The top five companies with the highest exports in 2021 were presented with awards at the Uşak Export Stars Awards Ceremony. Opening remarks were delivered by Uşak Organized Industrial Zone Management Board Chairman Halil AĞAOĞLU, Uşak Chamber of Commerce and Industry Management Board Chairman Selim KANDEMİR, Aegean Exporters Associations Coordinator Chairman Jak ESKİNAZİ, and Eximbank Aegean Region Director Gülom TİMURHAN. The panel, moderated by Dünya Newspaper Editor-in-Chief Handan Sema Ceylan, featured Dünya Newspaper Sustainability Page Editor Didem ERYAR ÜNLÜ, Dünya Newspaper General Coordinator Vahap MUNYAR and Editorial Board Chairman Şeref OĞUZ discussing global and Turkish economic developments, circular production and trade opportunities brought by the green economy, international trade, and sustainability objectives encompassing social, economic and environmental dimensions. Prior to the event, Aegean Exporters Associations Coordinator Chairman Jak Eskinazi, Aegean Exporters Associations General Secretary Cumhur İşbırakmaz, Uşak Organized Industrial Zone Management Board Chairman Halil AĞAOĞLU, Uşak Organized Industrial Zone Vice Chairman Serdar Sağıroğlu visited Uşak Governor Dr. Turan Ergün.   Award-winning companies: BALTA ORIENT TEKSTİL SAN.VE TİC.A.Ş. GEDİK TAVUKÇULUK VE TARIM ÜRÜNLERİ TİCARET SANAYİ ANONİM ŞİRKETİ. NİLBATU GIDA TEKSTİL SOĞUK HAVA DEPOLARI TARIM ÜRÜNLERİ SANAYİ TİCARET LTD. ŞTİ. UŞAK SERAMİK SANAYİ ANONİM ŞİRKETİ. HAKSA İPLİK SANAYİ ANONİM ŞİRKETİ

We are ready to provide all types of support to our companies that wish to come together in a URGE project

Describing Uşak's recent investments in the circular economy alongside its reputation for tarhanası and blankets, Aegean Exporters Associations Coordinator Chairman Jak Eskinazi noted that Uşak Organized Industrial Zone is an important clustering example for recycling. "As Aegean Exporters Associations, over the last 4 years, sustainability, zero waste, innovation, R&D, design, digitalization and vocational training have been our priority areas. We are the first exporter association to hold Turkey's first zero waste certificate. We became the first exporter association to be a member of Global Compact, the world's most important sustainability initiative. We established a Sustainability and Projects Department within EİB, and we structure all our International Competitiveness Development (URGE) projects, which we manage with the support of the Ministry of Commerce, around sustainability themes. If our companies in Uşak Organized Industrial Zone wish to come together in a URGE project, we are ready to provide all types of support."

Our five companies accounted for approximately half of Uşak's exports in 2021

Jak Eskinazi stated, "Our five companies accounted for approximately half of Uşak's exports in 2021. Award or no award, we congratulate all our exporters who contributed to increasing Uşak's exports. The textile sector, which contributed most to Uşak's exports, reached USD 82 million. While USD 78 million worth of carpets were exported from Uşak, our animal products sector achieved USD 73 million in exports. After our top three sectors, the sectors with the most exports are ready-made garments with USD 48 million, ceramics with USD 25 million, leather with USD 23 million and fruits and vegetables with USD 22 million. In the January-May period of 2022, Uşak increased its exports by 25% from USD 129 million to USD 162 million. Textile, animal products, carpets, apparel, leather, ceramics and fruits and vegetables are the standout export sectors." he disclosed.

We must take steps to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions by 80 percent

Jak Eskinazi emphasized that in the coming years it is necessary to focus on the circular economy to reduce the burning effects of climate change and lower carbon emissions, noting that Uşak is an exemplary city in this regard. "The textile recycling sector in Uşak, where our association members are concentrated, has high potential in terms of the circular economy. Uşak has many producers engaged in regenerated yarn production and, with a 75% share, is Turkey's textile recycling center. Apart from textile waste, 35% of Turkey's pet waste is processed in Uşak. When Turkey signed the Paris Climate Agreement, its greenhouse gas emissions stood at 560 million tons. Turkey is committed to bringing this to zero by 2053. To achieve this goal, we must take steps to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions by 80 percent. The path to this lies through the circular economy. To reduce greenhouse gas emissions, Turkey must work for the 80 cities outside Uşak to reach Uşak's standards." he explained.

Uşak OSB ranks 12th among 258 active OSBs in Turkey

Uşak Organized Industrial Zone Management Board Chairman Halil AĞAOĞLU stated, "In our zone, textile, ceramics and food sectors stand out as locomotive sectors. Our zone, established on 644 hectares, provides employment for 15,000 people with 303 active companies. According to data from the Organized Industrial Zones Supreme Board (OSBÜK), Uşak Organized Industrial Zone ranks 12th among 258 active OSBs in Turkey in terms of number of companies and 33rd in terms of number of employees. We have delivered to our province and country our Third Expansion Area, which is 614 hectares in size and which we have accelerated work on to meet the heavy investment demand coming to our zone."

We are continuing our work toward becoming a Green OSB

Describing the implementation of the Uşak OSB TECHNOPARK building project, which will pave the way for high value-added products with advanced technology from Turkey and the region, Ağaoğlu explained: "Through this project, we have increased university-industry cooperation. Our TECHNOPARK building, which provides many advantages to R&D institutions, contains 11 workshops and 28 offices. To support green transformation in industry and gain economic advantage, we are continuing our work toward becoming a Green OSB. For this purpose, thanks to our environmentally friendly SOLAR SLUDGE DRYING FACILITY established on 14,000 square meters, we are drying 350 tons of the 800 tons of monthly sludge from our Wastewater Treatment Facility using solar energy. We have started work on our second drying facility with the same capacity."

We have built a SOLID WASTE INCINERATION FACILITY on 4,500 square meters

Halil Ağaoğlu stated, "In our zone, which provides serious contribution to the country's economy, to eliminate textile fibers resulting from manufacturing and convert sludge from our Wastewater Treatment Facility into energy, we have built a SOLID WASTE INCINERATION FACILITY on 4,500 square meters. These wastes are incinerated in our incineration facility in compliance with environmental regulations, and the resulting steam is converted into energy. Our facility will generate 600,000 kilowatt hours of energy monthly. The heart of the recycling sector beats in Uşak. Uşak alone accounts for 72% of the Turkish textile recycling sector. Additionally, textile, leather, plastic, aluminum and rubber recovery are carried out in Uşak. In this way, 2,716 tons daily and 978,000 tons annually of raw materials are recovered, bringing waste that would create environmental pollution into the economy." he explained.

We meet 80% of Turkey's blanket sector

Uşak Chamber of Commerce and Industry Management Board Chairman Selim KANDEMİR stated that the intensive presence of the recycling sector in Uşak has facilitated adaptation to the EU Green Deal. "We are a city in the Aegean Region engaged in recycling, textiles, ceramics, leather and food among many areas. In recent years, with the growth of the university, increased investments and a young, dynamic population, we continue to show an upward trend. In Uşak, we meet 80% of Turkey's blanket sector with approximately 10.4 million blankets produced annually, 72% of the textile recycling sector with 708,000 tons of textile recycling, 60% of the sector with the processing of 72,000 tons of small ruminant leather, and 15% of the ceramics sector with 55 million square meters of wall and floor ceramics production."

When we include indirect exports, Uşak's total exports stand around USD 750-800 million

Kandemir stated, "In 2021, we exported USD 368 million directly from our province. In the first five months of this year, with USD 161 million we showed 25% better performance than the same period last year. If there are no setbacks, we want to maintain this performance through year-end. Uşak carries out the vast majority of its exports from certain key sectors such as textiles and raw materials, aquatic products, carpets, ready-made garments and apparel, leather, ceramics and food. We also produce at least as much of these products as our export figures from major centers like Istanbul. But of course these exports are not recorded under our province's name. When we include indirect exports, we see Uşak's exports standing around USD 750-800 million." he said.

USA, Germany, China, UK are main markets

Selim Kandemir noted that Uşak's exported products, especially from the textile and leather sectors, serve as raw materials for sectors such as textiles, ready-made garments, bags, accessories and furniture. "Unfortunately, we have not developed our final product portfolio. This keeps our per-kilogram export figure at around USD 1.58. Actually, our value in 2020 was 97 cents, and we increased it by approximately 50% within two years. However, I believe this is not sufficient and this figure will increase as we turn toward final products. The countries where our province exports the most are the USA, Germany, China and the UK. Previously, we had intense direct and indirect exports to Russia and Ukraine. However, due to regional issues, our exports were inevitably disrupted. There is a 32% decrease in textile raw materials exported from Turkey to Ukraine over the last three months. A significant portion of this figure is direct or indirect exports from Uşak."

An important portion of the threads used by the ready-made garment sector in these countries is produced in Uşak

Kandemir continued, "Beyond this, the decrease in ready-wear sector exports to this region is another area affecting our province. As is known, Turkish ready-made garment companies have 800 stores in Russia and 200 in Ukraine. An important portion of the threads used by the ready-made garment sector in these countries is produced in Uşak. Ready-made garment sector exports to Russia showed a 35% decline over the last three months. This has significantly affected our province's indirect exports. Despite all adversities, we believe we will overcome these challenges through united effort." he said.

A total of USD 32 million in support was provided for Uşak exports

Turkish Eximbank Aegean Region Director Gülom TİMURHAN reminded that their support for exports reached a total of USD 46.1 billion in 2021, and noted that in the first five months of 2022, approximately USD 20 billion in support has been provided to exports, consisting of USD 9 billion in cash credit and USD 11 billion in receivables insurance. "Uşak, with a 54% increase compared to the previous year, achieved USD 368 million in exports in 2021, making it the province with the highest export growth in the Aegean Region. We congratulate our Uşak exporters on this great success and wish them continued success. Our bank provided approximately USD 103 million in support to Uşak exports in 2021, consisting of USD 48 million in cash credit and USD 55 million in receivables insurance. As of the end of May 2022, we have provided a total of USD 32 million in support to Uşak exports, consisting of USD 9 million in credit and USD 23 million in receivables insurance."