Interview with Dr. Semih Durmuş, R&D Center Director at Ak-Kim

In this interview with Ak-Kim R&D Center Director Dr. Semih Durmuş, we discuss the center's areas of activity and its significance for Turkey. You can find detailed information about the projects being carried out at Ak-Kim R&D Center.

Could you tell us about Ak-Kim?

Ak-Kim, a leading chemical producer in Turkey, was established in Yalova in 1977 and has expanded its production activities across many different fields over the past 40 years. Ak-Kim is a chemical company serving customers on six continents with a broad product range encompassing chlor-alkali and derivatives, peroxides, methylamines, persulfates, bisulfites, textile auxiliary chemicals, paper and water treatment chemicals, and concrete and asphalt additives. Our company, which is a market leader in many products in basic chemicals and performance chemicals, serves the cleaning, chemical, textile, paper, water treatment, food, metal, agrochemical, energy, construction, mining, leather, plastics, construction and many other sectors. Together with employees in its subsidiaries, Ak-Kim is a large family of 850 people. With its structure of producing at different locations and offering products for diverse sectors, it holds a special place in the chemical industry.

Could you provide our readers with information about Ak-Kim R&D Center?

The history of Ak-Kim's, one of the leaders in our national chemical industry, R&D activities extends back to 1987. In those years, our group company Aksa's story began by providing economical and rapid solutions through local production to meet chemical needs. As we have reached today, it has transformed into an organization capable of innovation at global standards with more than 30 researchers and technicians expert in their fields. Our researchers, having different educational backgrounds, scientific infrastructure and professional experience, develop customer-focused chemical products based on the needs of our country and industry. The positioning of innovation as an integral part of our business model by Akkök Group and senior management, along with the unique incentives and exemptions provided by our government for R&D activities, has effectively accelerated our operations. In our organizational structure, there are two separate research groups: Performance Chemicals and Basic Chemicals. We work closely with our relevant research groups in our Project Office, which was established to properly track and report all acquired knowledge and experience in technical, financial and process dimensions.

What is the importance of R&D for you and for Ak-Kim?

Our country's industry, our industry's need for chemicals, and chemistry's need for R&D increases every day. Products developed with our national resources and our own people play an important role in reducing our country's dependence on imports. The national and domestic development of innovative products can further increase our country's competitiveness in critical areas such as defence industry and pharmaceutical industry. In this context, our company views R&D activities and innovation as indispensable elements of its business model and continues to enhance its capabilities in this area. Being part of such a valuable company's great story excites me greatly. Being able to touch people's lives in our country and around the world with the products we have developed and will develop, improve their living conditions, and meet their needs increases my happiness and enthusiasm even more. At our company, we try to create an environment where we can receive ideas from everyone and where they can easily contribute to our projects. By establishing a joint R&D Center with Koç University, we aim to respond to our changing and evolving needs with different methods and studies.

What activities do you conduct at the R&D Center? How do you determine these activities?

Changing and evolving lifestyles force manufacturing companies to change as well. To meet new needs, innovative approaches develop and introduce competitive, differentiated, and customer-focused products. As Ak-Kim, based on this reality, we determine our innovation activities based on the needs of national and international industry organizations and our customers. Across a very wide range spanning from textile chemicals to functional plastic additives, from paper and water chemicals to concrete and asphalt additives, we develop and produce economical and competitive chemical solutions using our national resources in Yalova. At our company, we try to create an environment where we can receive ideas from everyone and where they can easily contribute to our projects. We evaluate all ideas and suggestions. When an idea emerges, we gather information from sales, marketing, investment, production, supply chain and all other related units to bring different disciplines together. Subsequently, we organize monthly meetings where everyone involved with the project comes together. As you can see, all employees are the owners and followers of innovation processes at Ak-Kim.

Could you tell us about the joint project you conduct with Koç University?

By establishing a joint R&D Center with Koç University, we aim to respond to our changing and evolving needs with different methods and studies. We try to benefit from the university's academic expertise and infrastructure. Looking at the world, we can see that such partnerships are being used effectively and are an integral part of the innovation strategies of multinational companies. In this center, where researchers with expertise in their fields and doctoral and postdoctoral education in different scientific disciplines are assigned, scientific knowledge will be transformed into new products and investment ideas for Ak-Kim, and our company will become even stronger.

What is the importance of Ak-Kim R&D Center for Turkey?

Our country's industry, our industry's need for chemicals, and chemistry's need for R&D increases every day. Products developed with our national resources and our own people play an important role in reducing our country's dependence on imports. The national and domestic development of innovative products can further increase our country's competitiveness in critical areas such as defence industry and pharmaceutical industry. I am pleased. Working at such a valuable company that views new product development and innovation as integral parts of its business model, a company that is stable, determined and growing with new investments, being a member of this family was one of the most important developments for me in 2017. I wish that the opportunities given to us by our founders, shareholders and managers continue for many years to develop innovative chemical products for changing lifestyles and evolving new needs, improve people's quality of life, and consequently add value to our country, region and even the entire world. To continue being a preferred and respected chemical company, as an R&D team, we will be more determined, resolute, happy and different in the years to come.