Etap Marine, having established itself in the maritime sector, is now also entering the composites industry, combining its sectoral experience with innovative solutions as Etap Composite. In our interview, Sema Çarkçı Umay, Founder and General Manager of Etap Marine, shared with our readers the company's founding story and sustainability policies, as well as the strategies it applies in the composites field.
Report: Murat Soygür
Following its presence in shipping, Etap Marine is now active in the composites sector as Etap Composite, combining sectoral expertise with innovative solutions. In an interview, Sema Çarkçı Umay, Founder and General Manager of Etap Marine, shared the company's founding story, sustainability policies and strategies applied in composites with our readers.
Could you briefly tell us about yourself and your professional background?
I have over 15 years of sectoral experience in advanced composite material technologies and high-performance composite systems. We started our commercial operations in 2011 and continue our activities today with an experienced team of 9 people. As Etap Marine, our core approach is to first establish a technical bond with the world-leading brands we represent, and then maintain this relationship with our customers within a framework of expertise and trust. Throughout my career, my focus has been to be a professional "technology partner" that matches global innovations with the technical needs of local industrial projects in the most efficient way.
Could you briefly tell us the founding story of your company? What difference do you make in the composites market?
Our journey that began in 2011 moved into a new phase under the name "Etap Composite" from 2015 onwards with the addition of world-class brands to our portfolio. The foundation of the difference we create in the composites market lies in the right product, strong inventory management, timely delivery and continuous technical support. We position ourselves not only as a supplier but as a solution partner that guides projects at every stage. Especially through our investment in skilled workforce and qualified imports from regions such as the United Kingdom, France, the Netherlands and the Far East, we share an innovation-focused experience with our customers.
Could you provide information about the products and services you offer as Etap Composite?
We have a product range that meets all the needs of the composites industry from a single source:
-Epoxy and Adhesive Systems: We offer high-performance lamination, infusion and structural adhesives with SICOMIN, West System, PRO-SET and PLEXUS.
-Reinforcements and Core Materials: We supply carbon, aramid and E-glass woven fibers, as well as PVC and PP plastic honeycomb core materials.
-Manufacturing Technologies: We supply vacuum infusion and bagging equipment with PRO-VAC and our own brand FUSE.
-Specialized Solutions: We provide a wide range of services including epoxies for underwater bonding, transparent casting systems and carbon-derived materials for structural reinforcement in construction.
How do you monitor and implement global trends in the composites sector?
To monitor global trends, we are within a direct information network with the R&D centers of world-renowned brands we represent. By closely following developments in the sector, we make available to our manufacturers environmentally-friendly epoxies and innovative materials for specialized applications.
What role do composite products and technologies play in Etap Composite's business model?
Composite technologies are at the very core of our business model. Besides high-performance sectors such as defense industry, shipping, aviation, automotive, energy and sports/hobby, we play an active role in specific application areas such as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and precast facade manufacturing. With our new investments in the use of composite products in construction and facade cladding, we are entering the structural reinforcement sector with our carbon-derived advanced technology materials.
Finally, could you tell us about your company's sustainability policy?
We view sustainability as an engineering responsibility. In this direction, we aim to minimize the ecological footprint with bio-content resin systems such as SICOMIN and Entropy Resins in our portfolio, and environmentally-friendly epoxy solutions. Our goal is to shape the technologies of the future from an ecological perspective without compromising on high performance.
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