Interview with Metin Albar, General Manager of Albar Kimya

We had an engaging conversation with Metin Albar, General Manager of Albar Kimya, about how the company transitioned from a family business to a professional structure, its position in the sector, and its 2018 targets.

Could you briefly tell us about yourself and your professional background?

I was born in 1969 in Izmit/Kocaeli, I am married with one child. I am a graduate of Izmit Commercial High School. I began my professional career in 1988 at Albar Ticaret, which I founded together with my brother Mehmet Albar. From the beginning, my brother was responsible for sales and marketing, while I was responsible for the company's logistics and finance. As our company grew and developed, I brought it to a professional structure by dividing it into departments such as sales, logistics, R&D, finance and accounting, sharing authority and responsibilities with my colleagues. I continue my duties as Company Manager at Albar Kimya Sanayi ve Ticaret Limited Şirket.

What development process has Albar Kimya undergone from the past to the present? What do you consider the most important factor determining this process?

Albar Kimya began its commercial life on 1 October 1988 as Albar Ticaret in an area of 20 m². In the first two years, it gained recognition in the sector by meeting laboratory chemicals and technical chemical needs of industrial facilities in our region, becoming a trusted supplier for industrial establishments. When Albar Kimya management reached 2010, we observed that unlicensed companies were serving industrial facilities in pest control. We became the first in Kocaeli to obtain an authorization certificate from the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, thus implementing an industry first by providing services in compliance with the law. As demonstrated in this example, Albar Kimya identified sectoral needs and achieved growth by delivering the right product, at the right time, with the right strategy through teams built around the trilogy of plan, project and system. Starting as two brothers in 20 m², commercial operations have grown to include 1,500 m² of enclosed space, 50 employees, and other affiliated companies. Throughout this process, love, respect and trust between the two brothers have been the greatest factors driving growth, and the transition from a family business to a professional structure has brought success.

What are your product portfolios? How do you assess the importance of technology in laboratory equipment?

Our product portfolio can be summarized under main categories as laboratory analysis chemicals and equipment, technical chemicals, and specialty products. The development of laboratory equipment has first and foremost led to the beginning of R&D work. This is because analyses conducted volumetrically and based on human attention and skill took a long time to produce results, and the results varied from person to person. However, equipment introduced a standard and traceability.

What are your thoughts on R&D?

R&D means reading, researching, developing and succeeding. You cannot research without reading, you cannot develop without researching, you cannot succeed without developing. I believe that is the short and concise definition of R&D.

What R&D activities does Albar Kimya carry out? What needs have these activities arisen from?

Our R&D activities began when our sales team communicated customer needs and process improvement requests to company management and asked for solutions to be found. The Albar Kimya R&D unit continues to work on product development and process improvement, these activities are carried out with KOSGEB project support and own capital, and developed products are outsourced for production by our other affiliated companies and offered to the market.

What investments are you planning for R&D?

As Albar Kimya, we plan to launch field trials in 2018 for our product, which was approved by the R&D unit in 2015 and which we conducted pilot production for. These field trials will take approximately 16 months, and we want to establish a pilot production system by the end of this year.

Could you tell us about your Turnkey Laboratory Setup system? How is this process progressing?

At the request of our customers, we have begun offering Turnkey Laboratory Setup services over the past few years. A team, which includes our customer and sales representatives, identifies needs and prepares a project. The prepared project is priced by a separate team including a management representative and submitted to the customer in presentation and offer-ready format. The project, once approved by the customer, is implemented together with our partner companies and delivered for customer use.

What innovations do you wish to implement in coming years? How do you think these innovations will accelerate Albar Kimya and the sector?

Since its founding, Albar Kimya has primarily operated as a distributor. We wish to continue our commercial activities as a distributor and manufacturer together with the next generation. In particular, we wish to produce specialty products imported to our country from abroad, contribute to reducing foreign currency outflows from our country, and reduce sectoral dependence on imports.

What would you like to say about the sector?

Life, nature and existence itself is chemistry. Since nature, life and existence are constantly changing, the chemistry sector is developing and changing every day. New foreign capital-backed players join the sector in our country daily, and competition is increasing. While the variety and quantity of domestically produced raw materials in the chemistry sector have shown an increase in recent years, it remains insufficient. Particularly in laboratory equipment, domestic production is very limited. I believe the sector's greatest problem is dependence on imports. As representatives of this sector, I am convinced that serious work must be conducted under an NGO umbrella on this matter.