Interview with Ebru Pilavcı Erişi, Trade Sales Manager at Evonik

We conducted an enjoyable interview with Ebru Pilavcı Erişi, Sales Manager at Evonik Ticaret Ltd. Şti. responsible for TEGO Paints and Inks Additives and Special Resins, discussing her professional experience in the sector, the products they have brought to the market, and the Turkish market.

Could you tell our readers about yourself, your education and your professional background in the sector?

I graduated from Middle East Technical University, Department of Chemistry, in 1997. I completed my master's degree in Business Administration (MBA) at Istanbul Bilgi University. I began my career working in the R&D laboratory at Betek Boya. There I was responsible for solvent-based decorative paints for approximately 5 years. Later, I worked in the sales department at a company manufacturing laboratory equipment in Ankara for 4 years. Since 2007, I have been working as Sales Manager at Evonik Ticaret Ltd. Şti. responsible for TEGO paints and inks additives and special resins. I am responsible for Turkey primarily, as well as Azerbaijan and Iran. What does the Turkish market mean for Evonik? Turkey holds a unique position in the paints and coatings sector with significant export opportunities, a growing domestic industry and housing demand. With many European companies entering the Turkish market in recent years, the average Turkish consumer has become more demanding in terms of quality for paints and printing materials. Could you tell us about your product group? Which markets do you serve? As one of the leading global specialty chemicals suppliers, Evonik offers unique variety to its customers in the paints and printing inks industry under the TEGO brand. Our portfolio is the result of experience gained over more than 30 years, during which we have researched the best solutions for our customers. Among our more than 200 products are additives, auxiliary resins, special resins and nano resins.

Could you provide more information about the product group you serve to the paints industry?

Various TEGO additives and special resins impart functionality to paints, making them suitable for a wide range of applications. This allows our customers to differentiate themselves from competitors by offering innovative coatings to the market. For example, floor coatings can be made conductive by using anti-static additives. Silica nanocomposites are effective for plastic and wood surfaces, particularly in producing high-gloss paints that are resistant to abrasion and scratching. At the same time, such products provide a barrier effect against water vapor, gases and solvents. Surface properties can be modified to impart "easy to clean" characteristics. Construction paints can be formulated to achieve water-repellent properties, extending the life of buildings. "Release" properties prevent two coated surfaces (such as window frames) from sticking to one another, resulting in stack resistance. Thanks to TEGO special resins, coatings with good long-term resistance to high and low temperatures can even be formulated. In addition, surface perceptions can be precisely adjusted with TEGO products. Through additives that modify touch and feel properties, a pleasant feel is provided on leather and plastic surfaces while preserving their high-quality appearance.   Could you tell us about your sales activities? Which regions do you primarily serve? TEGO products are accessible through our sales channels in North and South America, Europe and Asia. We have sales managers and distributors in the Middle East region. TEGO products are sold in more than 40 countries. In Turkey, we have various sales channels for TEGO products. Our customers can import our products directly from Germany, or from our warehouse with prior arrangement. In addition, Kimsel is our distributor with whom we cooperate in Turkey and Azerbaijan. Our cooperation with Kimsel has been ongoing for 9 years.

Could you provide information about your laboratory work and new investments?

Our technical service laboratories are very important for TEGO products, and we support our customers in various parts of the world with regional laboratories located in Asia and the Americas. In the near future, we are planning to open a fully equipped technical service laboratory in Istanbul for our Turkish customers and regional activities. For us, Istanbul has an ideal location to serve as a center for our future business in the region and to provide technical support to this area. What activities do you undertake regarding environmental protection and occupational safety? Evonik in general, and the Paints Additives business unit in particular, has focused on issues important to many people such as environmental compatibility and the conservation of resources such as energy and raw materials. The purpose of Evonik products bearing the TEGO® brand is to support our customers in producing durable and resource-conserving paints. Additionally, our additives, special and auxiliary resins help modern coating systems protect natural resources and improve occupational safety through the use of our products in production. Our focus on water-based, UV or high-solids environmentally friendly coatings clearly demonstrates the advantages of our products for users and the environment.

What are your sustainability initiatives?

Resource Efficiency, which we use at Evonik and is a comprehensive term, covers many issues that are fundamentally important for our company. In fact, this topic is also reflected through our division, which brings together all business units active in the paints market under the Evonik Resource Efficiency heading. The better a coating is, the longer the object is protected and lasts. For example, a corrosion protection layer a few hundred micrometers thick significantly extends the life of a very heavy steel bridge. Thus, the raw materials and energy used in the manufacture of that bridge are used quite efficiently. Additionally, through our website, with the data we provide about specific products, we support our customers in efficiently using resources to produce paints. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) estimates for these selected products help our customers calculate the LCAs of their own paints.   How did your company fare in 2015? Could you tell our readers about your targets and projects for the paints sector in 2016? In 2015, we achieved our high sales targets for Turkey. We expect additional growth in 2016 and beyond. We expect that the new technical service laboratory we plan to open in Turkey will further increase our business.  

What are your thoughts and expectations about the Paintistanbul & Turkcoat 2016 Fair?

This fair is currently the primary and largest paints-related organization in Turkey. We are very pleased that two different organizing bodies have come together under one roof. As this fair grows, it will become more attractive to neighboring countries. Thus, as one of the leading suppliers in the paints sector, we will have the opportunity to meet new customers from different geographies. Of course, by participating in this fair, we believe we are supporting the paints sector.   Finally, do you have a message you would like to convey to the sector? As Evonik and the Paints Additives business unit, we closely follow developments in the Turkish paints market. The recent years have not been easy due to economic and political conditions. However, as long as Turkish paints manufacturers do not lose interest in specialty and niche products that differentiate them, we will continue to support this sector with our knowledge and experience. We are open to gaining inspiration from our customers in Turkey and are excited to grow together through long-term partnerships.       Kaydet