We Conducted an Enjoyable Interview with Bülent Konca

We conducted an enjoyable interview with Bülent Konca, Deputy General Manager responsible for Sales and Marketing at MG International Fragrance Company. Bülent Konca spoke to us about the sectors they serve, their R&D activities and the company's corporate social responsibility projects. Enjoy the read.

Could you introduce yourself and tell us about your background?

I was born in Istanbul in 1977. I graduated from the Business Administration Department at Kocaeli University. I began my professional career in 1998, concurrent with my university studies. After working as Deputy Finance Manager at Kobra Defence Technologies between 2001 and 2002, I met the Gülçiçek family. At MG International Fragrance Company, I have held positions as Sales Representative and Sales and Marketing Director, and currently serve as Deputy General Manager responsible for Sales and Marketing. As in the past, I continue to take active roles in industry-related civil society organizations. I serve as a member of the Supervisory Board of the Aerosol Manufacturers Association (ASAD), Vice Chairman of the Cosmetics Manufacturers and Researchers Association (KÜAD), and maintain memberships in the Private Label Products Manufacturers and Suppliers Association (PLAT) and the Gebze Chamber of Commerce Professional Committee.

What would you like to say about your company? What are the criteria that form your success policy?

As MG International, we define our working policies by combining our deep-rooted history with our sectoral experience, bringing together high-quality production, reliable and sustainable business models with new technologies. Our human and environment-focused approach is reflected in our business partners, our customers. We continue our work as a large family spanning from past to future, and by combining all our institutional policies with our high capability in production, this allows us to move forward with confident steps toward the future as a socially responsible organization.

Which sectors do you serve? What are your product varieties?

MG International Fragrance Company is a well-established organization that, since its foundation in 1961 as an international essence manufacturer, has assumed a pioneering role in its sector through the latest technological innovations, innovation capability in production, and environmentally and human-conscious approaches. Today we supply essences and essence raw materials to over 55 countries and to more than 2,000 manufacturers both domestically and internationally. Our company, which ranks among Turkey's largest 650 industrial companies, operates using more than 4,500 raw materials and produces over 200,000 essence formulas and 280 different raw materials. Through our essences and essence raw materials, we work with well-known brands both domestically and internationally that operate as manufacturers in the cosmetics, personal care, hygiene, household cleaning and paper products sectors.

Last year was a year in which the effects of the pandemic were felt intensely, and these effects continue to this day. How was your company affected and what measures did you take?

The effects of the pandemic process that negatively impacted the world in 2020 continued to be felt throughout last year. Despite this, last year was a year in which both the national economy and the chemicals sector grew. The end of restrictions and lockdowns allowed the economy to return to its normal course. With the transition to the new normal pace of life, shopping habits also began to return to their previous patterns. With sectoral trade fair organizations resuming under physical conditions worldwide, we had the opportunity to meet with our business partners and new potential market customers. Linked to these dynamics, as the chemicals and cosmetics sector grew, we at MG International Fragrance Company increased our production rate and completed the year in line with our targets. All the adversities experienced motivated manufacturers to export, and we shaped our new period planning in light of these data.

What is the importance of R&D for MG International? Could you tell us about the R&D projects you have conducted recently?

For a large-scale company in essence production, R&D departments are essential. R&D activities constitute a large portion of our production process. Moreover, as MG International, we take pride in having granted R&D Centre status to the sector's first R&D laboratory. By gaining R&D Centre status in 2017, we take pride in guiding the future of the sector, essence technologies, human resources and innovative solutions in production through our new technological activities and innovation capability.

What is your perspective on technology at MG International? How do you define the place and importance of technology in the sector you serve?

Since 2015, we have continued our production at the first integrated essence facility established in the Gebze Organized Industrial Zone, which has the highest production capacity under a single roof in the world. In line with our essence sector and the resulting demand, we continue to grow each day, and today we have increased our total facility size to over 50,000 m2. In our integrated facility with a robotic system and 28 km of piping, we have maintained our pioneering position in the sector with our high technology and innovation capability. For the essence sector, in accordance with our customers' expectations and market trends, we prioritize technological innovations and reflect these in our production while endeavouring to present innovative projects to our customers.

Does your company have any corporate social responsibility projects you have launched or pioneered? Could you inform us about these?

We are aware that Turkish industry must take steps with a holistic approach for its growth. In this direction, aware of our responsibility to the future, we act with human and environment-friendly approaches and carry out our strategic corporate projects. In this direction, we determine our corporate strategies in parallel with the United Nations' universal action plan, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), and collaborate with associations, foundations and companies that conform to SDG targets. We currently hold memberships in the Ethics and Reputation Association (TEİD) and the Clean Seas Association TURMEPA, and also provide support through funds to public interest organizations such as the Turkish Education Foundation (TEV) and TEMA Foundation. For example, our Blue Detectives Project, which we are conducting together with TURMEPA and scheduled to be completed in May 2022, is ongoing. We continue a project aimed at instilling environmental awareness in primary and vocational school students and maintaining its effects. To be able to invest in the future of the sector, we provide support for youth education and seek to contribute to developments through funds, corporate partnerships and other initiatives.

What measures have you taken while producing for a more sustainable world? In this context, how would you define MG International's perspective on sustainability?

Since 1961, by maintaining our human and environment-friendly approach, we invest in the future and aim to reach a sustainable future. Through our sustainable business models, we consider the planet's sensitivities in production and update our production processes. In this way, we ensure efficient use of local resources through sustainable means in new raw material production, and through innovation in raw material diversification and production of essential oils with high added value, we achieve higher levels of economic productivity. Additionally, with our high technology capability, we achieve reduced CO₂ emissions and, together with effective raw material use, preserve biodiversity and conduct production that considers ecosystem balance, endeavouring to strengthen our environmentally friendly identity.

Could you tell us about your goals for the coming years? What innovations await MG International in the years ahead?

In the coming period, we will continue with our planned investments. In the sector, we aim to achieve higher levels of economic productivity through raw material diversification, technological improvements and innovation. We plan to take effective roles in contributing to the country's exports.