Aydın Gül, R&D and Market Development Manager at Maskim Kompozit

We conducted an enjoyable interview with Aydın Gül, R&D and Market Development Manager at Maskim Kompozit. Gül shared with us the founding and success story of their company.

Hello Aydın, could you briefly tell our readers about yourself, your education and your professional background in the industry?

I graduated from Gazi University's Chemistry Department. After graduating from Gazi University, I completed a Marketing and Media programme at London College of International Business Studies. Although I became acquainted with the composites sector through my family's involvement in it from my childhood, I have been working in the composites sector for 13 years in a professional capacity. As you know, Maskim Kompozit is a family business, and like most family businesses, I also perform multiple roles at our company, primarily as R&D unit manager and technical support specialist, occasionally also providing sales support.

Could you provide brief information about Maskim's founding process, facilities, production focus and market share?

Our first family business, which pioneered Maskim's establishment, took its first steps in the composites sector in 1977, producing various GRP (Glass Reinforced Plastic) products in a small workshop in Istanbul's Kartal district. This business served the sector by producing composite parts for various industries' needs until 1993. Our founders decided in early 1993 to establish a distribution company alongside the composite parts manufacturing company, one that would operate in a modern and multi-faceted manner addressing a gap they felt existed in Turkey. Thus, from within our first family business Master Polyester San. Ltd. Şti., Maskim Boya ve Kimyevi Maddeler San. ve Tic. Ltd. Şti. was born—our company that would become the distributor for the sector's most valued producers and has become the sector's leading and most competent distributor today.

"In order to carry our commitment to the composites sector in our name, in 2005 we changed our company name to Maskim Kompozit Ürünler San. ve Tic. Ltd. Şti., becoming the first company in the sector to carry the composites designation in its name."

  In 2000, we moved to our Istanbul-Pendik headquarters where we continue to operate today. In order to carry our commitment to the composites sector in our name, in 2005 we changed our company name to Maskim Kompozit Ürünler San. ve Tic. Ltd. Şti., becoming the first company in the sector to carry the composites designation in its name. Today, Maskim Kompozit is not only a true solution partner for all types of raw materials, auxiliary materials, machinery, equipment and consumables needed by the sector, but is also a market leader in capacity, sales, product diversity and service. In 2012, our company acquired the factory of a well-known major sector producer operating in Kocaeli-Gebze that manufactured cast acrylic sheet, and through our sister company Doruk Kompozit, we began cast acrylic sheet production. Our sister company Doruk Kompozit, which is fully family-owned, has specialized in meeting the needs of high-quality cast acrylic sheet for companies producing upper-segment sanitary products. Our company, which is committed to meeting its customers' needs related to their business, made an investment in an integrated CO-EXTRUSION line with an annual thermoplastic sheet production capacity of 2,000 tons in the first quarter of this year, and as always, returning what it gained from the sector to serve the sector, has diversified its production programme.

Could you tell us about your product groups and product features? Which sectors do you serve?

As a distributor, Maskim Kompozit provides sales of all types of products that the composites industry might need, including polyester, vinylester and epoxy resins, gel coat, pigment paste, adhesive pastes, reinforcement materials, non-woven and core reinforcement materials, composite application machinery and equipment, auxiliary chemicals, filling materials, occupational health and safety and consumable materials, cast acrylic sheet, and co-extruded thermoplastic sheet, along with providing technical support to serve our customers as a complete solution partner. We provide services to companies operating across a broad sectoral range including automotive, construction, marine, transport and logistics sectors. Our sister company Doruk Kompozit, which specializes in the production of cast acrylic sheet and various co-extruded thermoplastic sheets, particularly PMMA/ABS, is able to provide alternative solutions for the needs of many sectors including sanitary product manufacturing, advertising and promotion, decoration, lighting, transport and food sectors.

Could you tell us about your domestic and international sales activities? Which regions and what types of products do you mainly export domestically and internationally?

Our company serves customers throughout our country without any limitations. For exports, primarily to neighbouring countries, we export all types of products from our product range to select and selective customers and suppliers in the Balkans, Caucasus, Middle East and Central Asia regions.

What kind of work are you doing in the areas of innovation and R&D as Maskim Kompozit?

Maskim is primarily a distribution company. In accordance with its founding philosophy and purpose, it has always made it a principle to work with the sector's most valued producers from within and outside the country and their most innovative products. Additionally, independently from these, in response to the needs of the composites sector, we contribute symbolically to increasing the domestic content ratio in our sector by producing domestic substitutes for many imported equipment such as vacuum infusion, RTM moulding and metering systems through our own R&D work. Our sister company, which manufactures cast acrylic and co-extruded thermoplastic sheet, is also among the rare companies in our country that produce in accordance with EN standards.

Could you share your thoughts about the composites sector in Turkey?

Turkey's Composites (GRP) Sector, which took its first steps in the 1960s and began developing in the 1970s—the beginning years of raw material production—continues to grow steadily in parallel with, and even somewhat exceeding, global developments. Today, Turkey's composites market has reached approximately 250,000 tons and a volume of EUR 1.3 billion. While the composites sector continues to grow globally at 3% by volume and 4-5% by value, our country has shown even better development than our economy's growth figures, achieving double-digit annual growth performance in most years until recently. It is realistic to expect that Turkey's composites sector will maintain this performance in the coming years and continue to grow at over 5% annually. Particularly with the adoption of advanced technology products and processing technologies in our country, an increase in composites' share is expected especially in wind energy, transport, automotive, aerospace, electrical-electronics and marine sectors. "A deceived customer is the greatest lost treasure," a saying that serves as our company's motto. In accordance with this, unconditional customer satisfaction is our indispensable principle.

Does Maskim have investment plans for the coming periods, and if so, what are they?

During its 41 years of operation, Maskim Kompozit has sought to sustain its existence by returning to the sector what it has gained from it. Our company, which has never focused primarily on balance sheet size throughout its activities, prioritizes quality and innovative products, and places its greatest capital—reputation and trust—above all else, will continue on its path in the future without abandoning these principles and will continue its investments to the extent allowed by economic developments.

What are your sustainability activities as Maskim Kompozit?

Approximately 95% of companies in our country are family businesses. According to research; 80% of family businesses in Turkey do not reach their fifth year, and 96% do not reach their tenth year. Based on this reality, we rightfully take pride in reaching our 41st year as a family business. We have reached where we are today thanks primarily to the dedicated work of our employees, the unlimited trust and support of our valued customers and suppliers, and of course the unity, solidarity and cooperation of family members. The principles of our founding generation—"to strive to do every job we do to the best of our ability; to always be friendly and reliable to our customers, suppliers, employees, colleagues and competitors"—became our fundamental principles that we never abandon under any circumstances. Through this, we have maintained uninterrupted business partnerships with the sector's most select and selective customers and suppliers since our founding. This trust and reputation is the greatest capital we have accumulated over 41 years. We will continue our 41-year composites journey that began in 1977 by bringing our customers together with today's top quality standards and future trends, and maintaining our position as a pioneering and leading distributor.

What steps do you take to ensure the continuity of customer satisfaction and product quality?

"A deceived customer is the greatest lost treasure," a saying that serves as our company's motto. In accordance with this, unconditional customer satisfaction is our indispensable principle. Both product and service quality are monitored at every stage, and are continuously improved based on feedback received from customers.

Anything else you would like to add…

I thank you very much for giving me this opportunity to speak, and I wish for peace, tranquility, trust and prosperity to be permanent in our country.