Ares Kabin's Production Manager İlknur Kurt Answers Our Questions

Production Manager İlknur Kurt Answers Our Questions

We conducted an enjoyable interview with Ares Kabin Production Manager İlknur Kurt. Kurt shared valuable information with us regarding Ares Kabin's operations, environmental policy and future objectives. Mr. İlknur Kurt, could you briefly tell our readers about yourself, your education and professional background? I was born in Ankara in 1980. After completing middle and high school, I graduated from 19 Mayıs Üniversitesi Civil Engineering Department, and then entered active business life in 2003. However, I never practiced my original profession. I worked as Project Manager at 2 different companies producing powder coating and wet painting facilities, and then in 2006 we founded our own company and began establishing our position in the sector. We take pride in and have achieved success competing with many companies through our experience.

Could you tell us about Ares Kabin's development process from its establishment to today?

Ares Kabin started out with the aim of serving a specific sector. However, the market was so large that we needed to go beyond standard cabins. Given this, the Ares Kabin family changed its decisions to serve all painting facilities. While the production facility initially included automotive, minibus and heavy vehicle painting and drying cabins, it has now reached the capacity to produce furniture painting facilities, water curtain wet painting application cabins, powder coating facilities, industrial facilities and surface treatment lines, and has begun manufacturing these facilities. Could you provide information about your Powder Coating Facilities? Which sectors do you serve? Powder coating facilities are manufactured as tunnel, U-turn or box type in both automatic and manual configurations. When manufacturing powder coating facilities, we first determine the capacity requested by the customer, perform appropriate calculations according to this capacity, and then prepare manufacturing projects. What is important is ensuring the facility reaches operating condition at the right time and providing homogeneous air distribution throughout. The powder coating facilities we have manufactured to date serve the automotive, electronics, aluminium, electrical, furniture components, metal, advertising and other sectors.

Could you provide information about your Wet Painting Facilities?

Wet painting facilities are manufactured in many configurations. They are produced both in filtered type and in water curtain form. In these cabins, positive pressure can be applied to perform both painting and drying, while painting operations can also be performed at desired temperature values alone. Of course, in such cases, separate flash-off and drying ovens are also required. This arrangement is suitable for high-capacity locations. Wet painting application facilities are manufactured in automatic and manual systems depending on the customer's requirements and the quality of the material. Wet painting facilities serve the furniture, automotive, white goods, plastics, advertising and other sectors. Do you have products related to Electrostatic Powder Coating Guns? Due to the nature of our work, we must have knowledge of both airless guns and powder coating equipment. Because the impact of the gun on the coating sector is unavoidable. We do not sell guns and robots. Because a coating machine is a separate sector in itself, and you must provide spare parts and technical service support for the material you sell. Since this should be done within our own organization and with our technical team rather than through intermediary companies, we do not sell powder coating and wet painting equipment. When asked about these machines, we provide all kinds of assistance by directing inquiries to expert companies in the field.

Could you provide information about your R&D activities? What can you tell us about your employee profile?

R&D is essential in our line of business. Because technology is constantly advancing. We, as companies manufacturing painting facilities, must conduct R&D to keep pace with this. We cannot manufacture just one type of facility; when a customer comes to you, you must continuously develop yourself to direct them to the correct process, and conduct R&D activities in that direction. Our personnel have a technically trained workforce. Manufacturing, assembly and technical service personnel consist of technical high school graduates and technicians. We have a team that demonstrates they understand the work and can solve the problem when engaged in dialogue with customers.

Do you provide after-sales technical support service to your customers?

Yes, we provide technical service support. And that is what matters. After finishing manufacturing and installation, the work should not be considered complete. You have no chance of turning your back anyway. What makes you successful in this sector is showing that you stand behind your product. Not just troubleshooting, but being able to immediately supply spare parts for the facility is very important. We monitor filter changes, chemicals and general maintenance hours for the work performed and notify customers when it is time for a change or general maintenance. This way, we extend the life of each cabin, protect personnel health and prevent environmental damage. This ensures customer satisfaction and makes you indispensable. Does your company have any activities related to environmental awareness? We follow the processes requested by the Ministry of Environment. However, the facilities we manufacture pass through many different filters from clean air intake to dirty air discharge before being released outside. There is definitely no paint particles being released into nature.

How was 2012 for Ares Kabin in terms of targets and projects?

2012 was a very good year for Ares Kabin. We obtained the work we wanted and delivered it successfully. We established facilities for leading companies in the defence industry, white goods and advertising sectors. While our goal in 2012 was to strengthen our references, we took this even further.

What are your targets and projects for 2013?

Our targets for 2013 are to participate in domestic and international fairs to increase our visibility and establish new facilities properly. Our goal is to become a sought-after company in the foreign market as we are in the domestic market. Finally, is there a message you would like to convey to the sector? To exist in the sector, you must stand behind the work you do and not do things just for the sake of doing them. We achieve the weight of competition in the sector by standing behind our work.