Interview with Barış Pakiş, Chairman of the Board of the Composite Manufacturers Association, on the Composites Sector

We conducted an engaging interview with Barış Pakiş, Chairman of the Board of the Composites Manufacturers Association. Pakiş shared his views and recommendations regarding the composite sector. [caption id="attachment_125815" align="aligncenter"] Barış Pakiş[/caption]  

Could you briefly tell our readers about yourself, your educational background and your professional experience in the industry?

I was born in 1968 and graduated from Cerrahpaşa Medical School as a Medical Doctor. Beginning from my university years, I took on various roles within Polin; I worked directly in technical functions such as production, engineering and quality. Between 2003 and 2010, I served as Vice General Manager responsible for Technical Units at Polin, and also managed the operations of the first Aquapark opened within Polin. In 2006, I directed the formation of Fipol Marine, which began operating in the swimming pool sector and from 2008 onwards in maritime and related sectors. I served as Vice Chairman at Fipol between 2009 and 2012, and have been serving as Chairman since 2013. Outside the water park sector, I structured composite manufacturing as a separate entity and laid the foundations of Futuraform company in 2012. I worked as Board Member at companies including Polin Aquarium, Funtastic Aquarium–Izmir, Funtastic Aquarium-Caspian, PolinRus, PolinFas, and PolinChina, and served as Chairman of the Board of Polin Water Parks between 2010 and 2016. During this period, recognizing the need to establish a state-supported R&D centre, I initiated the process for Polin to become an R&D Centre. In 2014, I anticipated the necessity for Polin's integration into Industry 4.0 and initiated the first Industry 4.0 application with robot-driven automation in the water parks sector. Since 2016, when all group companies were brought under the Polin Group umbrella, I have continued to serve as Chairman of the Board of Polin Group. I led the process of implementing the state-supported Turquality programme across the holding to ensure Polin becomes a globally exemplary brand representing its country. Since 2019, I have continued to serve as Chairman of the Board of the Composites Manufacturers Association. My other civil society positions include: Chairman of the Board of the Composites Manufacturers Association, Board Member of GEBKİM Education and Health Foundation, Board Member of Kiplas, Vice Chairman of the Chemistry Composites Sub-Committee of the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey, Board Member and Member of Executive Board at GEBKİM–Kocaeli Gebze V (Chemistry) Specialized Organized Industrial Zone, and Delegate to the General Assembly of TİSK.

Could you tell us about the establishment and activities of the Composites Manufacturers Association?

Our Composites Manufacturers Association, which has reached a position embracing the entire sector since its establishment in 2005, has acquired the status of an indispensable umbrella organization for the sector through its activities, the standing it has gained and the platforms it participates in, and has become a reference institution for official and private organizations and institutions. Our Association has a total of 122 members from 114 institutions and organizations. Among our members are 13 universities, 1 centre of excellence and 1 association. The 99 organizations operating in the composite sector and members of our Association are organizations that carry out a significant portion of the sector's production.

"Growth in the composite sector has always been above normal growth rates both worldwide and in our country."

At our 9th Ordinary General Assembly Meeting held on 26 March 2021, we created committees led by Board members and involving our members, working on 12 different topics to accelerate our activities with a renewed Board. Among the committees are subjects that rank among our Association's important agenda items such as advanced recycling, innovation, technical education, increasing the sector's competitiveness, promotion and marketing activities, and strategy determination. Our Association is a member of the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey Chemical Industry Sector Council, the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey Plastics, Rubber and Composites Industry Sector Council, the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey Defence Industry Sector Council, and the Chemical Sector Platform and Plastics Sector Platform formed by various associations and civil society organizations coming together. We continue to represent the Turkish composite sector with foreign organizations and institutions through the European Composites Industry Association (EuCIA) and American Composites Manufacturers Association (ACMA), of which we are members and serve on their boards.

We ensure the quality publication of our "Composites Turkey" magazine, which began publication in March 2012 and is the sector's only publication outlet released quarterly, as well as our sector catalogue published every two years featuring all our members.

In addition to the training activities our Association has been conducting since its establishment, following our protocol with GEBKİM Vocational and Technical Anatolian High School (MTAL), the first phase of training activities we initiated in the Composite Application Workshop was completed with the participation of 6 different departments and companies, aimed at training and informing teachers who will participate in composite applications. In the second phase of the training, we will continue our educational activities for teachers working in the Composite Application Workshop on the application areas of composites, the chemistry of composites and composite production methods.

Due to the pandemic that began in March 2019, we continue to hold our member meetings, which we started earlier, on a monthly basis over the internet. Our themed member meetings that attract interest from our sector and the educational webinars we are conducting are open to all sector members.

I hereby inform you that preparations have begun for the 5th Turkish Composite Fair, following the 4th one held by our Association in 2019, and the fair will take place on 6-8 October 2022 at Istanbul Lütfi Kırdar Convention and Exhibition Palace. During the pandemic, many sectors implemented new business models. How would you evaluate the composite sector from this perspective? Professionally, I am a medical doctor. Since the group of companies we own has offices in many parts of the world, we encountered Covid-19 earlier. In January and February we were already aware of the pandemic's coming. We were busy sending masks to China in February when the pandemic was intense. Initially there was uncertainty and shock. We followed medical academic publications (in Turkey and internationally). We provided information. We organized information sessions formatted as white collar and blue collar. There was much uncertainty, everything was confused and nobody knew what would happen. As the Composites Association, we conducted a survey. We tried to identify the requests and situations of our sector and members. We found that the first expectation was the need for education and information, and secondly the provision of physical conditions. It was a new situation at that time, people did not have sufficient information. There were concerns about how work would be conducted. There were demands to establish norms and information related to this issue. Another request concerned the continuity of production and sales. People were wondering what would happen with customs and travel restrictions. Finally, there were requests related to the new world order that was forming and adapting to it. While we at the Composites Association were holding Board meetings once a month, we began holding them once a week. We needed to access and transfer information. We organized webinars in March, April and May. These were webinars addressing needs that emerged from the survey. Some of them were themed on health. Subsequently, the President of the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce was our guest; we discussed developments related to commerce. The CEO of Sabancı Holding was also a guest; we addressed their perspectives on the new world. We thought that if we as an association cooperated with umbrella civil society organizations, we could reach results faster. For example, on customs and export-related issues, we reached the Ministry of Commerce through İKMİB and TİM and tried to consolidate. On matters such as finance and law, we consolidated with the Chemical Manufacturers Association and reached the Ministry of Labour. We supported the creation of a short-term work system. We communicated problems to them and worked in a coordinated manner. The short-term work system was also implemented in our sector. There was also remote work. We conducted webinars about these. We continue to manage this ongoing process.

What are your expectations for the composite sector for 2021?

Composite is both a material of today and the future. Composite material is not a standard material. When two different materials come together, an infinitely characterised new material is created. It can be shaped according to the needs of both our time and the future. Manufacturers seeking chemical resistance, conductivity and aesthetics can benefit from the advantage of composite material being shapeable according to these demands. Growth in the composite sector has always been above normal growth rates both worldwide and in our country.

"Smart and happy cities are being planned; these are all being carried out with the composite sector."

For 2021, we foresee growth in the composite sector both globally and in our country. Worldwide, due to the need for renewable energy, there are lightweighting efforts particularly in vehicles. Lighter cars and lighter aircraft can be provided with composite material; thus fuel consumption is also reduced. Composite is also a material used in renewable energy. Wind turbine blades are also manufactured from composite material. For this reason, the demand for composite material is increasing. There are infrastructure efforts in our country related to this subject. For example, irrigation pipes are also largely manufactured from composite. I can say it is a material with increasingly widespread use. On the other hand, Turkey has become a centre for wind turbine blade production. Both our country's needs are met and exports take place to regional countries. In another context, Turkey-specific localization; orientation towards domestic products is increasing interest in composite, opening up the sector's prospects. Composite has two main raw materials. One of them is resin; we have strong domestic producers in this field. The other is glass fibre, and in this area too we have producers in our country. For this reason, we have no raw material shortage. With the development of the aviation sector in Turkey, the path ahead for composites is also opening. Smart and happy cities are being planned; these are all being carried out with the composite sector. Since it is a design material, it is consumed intensively.

How would you evaluate the composite sector in terms of Industry 5.0 and Internet of Things?

We are almost at the same level as the world on this matter. Even before the pandemic, we were addressing this issue. It is a subject we value; we even dedicated an entire issue of our magazine to this topic alone. It is not an effort of a single sector; a comprehensive effort is needed. First, this technology needs to be created; robots, sensors and artificial intelligence equipment… Secondly, the composite sector's efforts, and thirdly the work of states and governments are necessary. We are actually fortunate on this subject. Erdal Arıkan, the inventor of polar balls, is a Turk. We follow his presentations. He also frequently emphasizes the importance of 5G. 5G plays an important role in accelerating industry. Composite material is suitable for this. As in every country, work is continuing in our country too. We first moved to robot production in the entertainment sector at our well-known companies, we are leading. There are such applications in the automotive sector too. It happens piece by piece. Without 5G, there is no transition as a whole. We consider this subject important and our training activities continue.

Are there projects you collaborate on with educational institutions as the Composites Manufacturers Association? Could you provide information about them?

Education is important in this field because composite is the material of our time. Knowledge is constantly changing, it needs to be updated. This is possible through education and equipment. About 20 universities are already our members. Our founder is also knowledgeable about nanocomposites. He is also part of our Board. We proceed in his light. Work continues with other universities. We support composite clubs at universities. At the fairs we organize, we reserve space for universities and provide strong support. We also conduct R&D projects and European Union projects with universities. These are at the university and white-collar level. At the blue-collar level, we provide vocational training. Professional competence and related necessary documents have been created. We have had great support from both our Association and our members.