Interview with Interplast CEO Metin Boz

I spoke with Interplast CEO Metin Boz about the company's founding, the sectors it serves, and its research and development activities. Boz shared his views on the polyurethane market in Turkey and the company's future goals with our readers.

Could you tell our readers about yourself and your professional background?

I graduated from Koç University with a degree in Business Administration in 1997. After working for three years in the audit department at Arthur Andersen between 1997 and 2000, I have been working at Interplast Chemistry since 2000. I currently serve as CEO.

Could you describe Interplast's development from its founding to the present?

Interplast was founded in 1991 by my late father Azzur Boz and operated as a chemical raw material distributor for the coatings sector until 2005. In 2005, we established our first laboratory and production facility and began manufacturing. In 2013, our facility in Silivri/Değirmenköy commenced operations.

Could you tell us about your polyurethane production and the sectors where your products are used?

We manufacture aliphatic and aromatic solvent-based polyurethane resins. In addition to this, we produce all types of paste paints and finishing materials. The sectors we serve include leather, synthetic leather, coatings, tarpaulins, and wallpaper, among others.

Where do you position yourselves in Turkey's PU market and what innovations do you bring to the sector?

The logistic advantages provided by our domestic production in Turkey, fast and effective technical service, and our innovative products that are difficult to imitate create significant added value for the customers with whom we work, particularly in the current period. On the other hand, with our research and development application laboratories, we are able to convert many ideas into design products within hours. With our strong and dynamic infrastructure, we monitor developments worldwide and are taking our position among sector leaders to a scale that will shape the industry in many projects.

Could you describe Interplast's research and development and innovation activities? What are your R&D units?

In 2018, we elevated the research and development activities we have been conducting for many years to the status of an R&D centre approved by the Republic of Turkey Ministry of Industry and Technology. With our 6 laboratories working in different fields, we continue our work on many new and innovative products that are or will be the first in Turkey and in the world. In addition to our specialized R&D structure dedicated to new product and new technology development work, with our analytical and instrumental analysis laboratories equipped with well-equipped instruments for all physical, chemical and structural characterization, we conduct academic-level examination and evaluation of all our work. Furthermore, with our R&D application laboratories where we conduct final product simulations and analyses for all the sectors we serve and provide products to, we examine the process from the effect of the chemical's molecular structure on final product performance. Many of our projects are also monitored and evaluated by TUBITAK. In the scope of 2020 Turkey R&D research, we ranked in the top 250 in many areas including R&D expenditures, number of projects, brands and patents, and in the top 10 among chemical companies in R&D expenditures. We will continue to provide our contributions to all stakeholders by allowing our structure, which draws strength from R&D, to take deeper root with each passing day.

What principles do you follow under your 'Quality Policy' as Interplast?

In accordance with our quality policies focused on environment and people, managing continuous improvement, increased efficiency, support and development of all stakeholders in a transparent manner and with collective wisdom through effective and conscious use of our global resources are among our company principles. From the beginning to the present, during the Covid-19 period, as a chemical supplier of needed products in health, defence, and temporary shelter areas, we are fulfilling our responsibility in the spread of the epidemic and protection of public health by acting proactively in the implementation and sustainability of many measures in terms of both public health and sense of responsibility, managing our company not only with an integrated management system but also with safe production.

Could you tell us about your goals and projects for 2022?

For 2022 and beyond, we can list our goals as: growing, contributing to our exports, increasing our employment, and moving towards new and more environmentally friendly products.