Dr. Yalçın Yıldız, Founding President of the Spray Polyurethane Polyurea Association

An Interview with Dr. Yalçın Yıldız, Founding Chairman of the Spray Polyurethane Polyol Association

Mr. Yalçın, could you tell our readers briefly about yourself, your educational background and professional experience?

I was born in Istanbul in 1974 and am originally from Trabzon. I completed my undergraduate and graduate studies at Istanbul Technical University. I completed my doctorate in the Polymer Science and Technology (PST) department at ITÜ. Throughout my university career, I conducted research on polymer chemistry and polyurethanes, publishing 5 international and 1 national papers on these subjects, and presenting at 5 different national and international symposiums. I began my professional career with my own business in 1993. During my doctoral studies, I first started my professional career in the plastics sector. Shortly after, I entered the polyurethane sector. I worked at 3 reputable companies in the sector and was involved in establishing Polyurethane groups in these firms. I served as manager of R&D, production, quality control and sales-marketing units. In 2017, together with Nafiz Coşkun, we established Aktif Polyurethane Industry and Trade Limited Company and continue to serve the sector as manufacturers. I am married with two children.

Could you describe the founding process of the Spray Polyurethane Polyol Association?

I have been active in the polyurethane sector since 2005. Our sector has been growing day by day and naturally with this growth, our sectoral problems and challenges have also increased. In the past, several attempts were made to establish an association related to our sector, but unfortunately they did not progress further. By 2018, as problems in the sector multiplied, we made a definitive decision that we needed an association. Together with Mustafa Kavlak, we took the first steps of our association through social media and brought together the old and leading companies in our sector to form our Board of Directors. Subsequently, following consultations with all application companies, raw material producers and machinery manufacturers in the sector, we held a widely attended meeting on 7 April 2018, took the first step of our association and established it.

Could you provide information about the aims and objectives of the Spray Polyurethane Polyol Association?

As is known, as a sector we serve the thermal, water and acoustic insulation sectors. The polyurethane foams and polyols we use have much higher performance and longer service life compared to products used in these areas. However, unfortunately in our country, it does not receive the recognition it deserves. The reasons for this include the price difference with alternative products, lack of promotion, incorrect applications and the failure to use proper materials in the right fields. As an association, our aim is to increase the awareness of polyurethane foam and polyol among official institutions (TOKI, real estate, housing, public works, etc.), the private sector, municipalities and especially architects and engineers. Today, many projects still apply insulation using 30-40 year old technologies, and problems arise in these projects. Therefore, reinsulation becomes necessary. Given that energy has become very valuable today, insulation applications have gained great importance. What is important here is the use of correct insulation materials and creating longer-lasting insulation. Currently, polyurethane foam insulation material is not accepted by many municipalities in Turkey and is not approved in projects. The reason for this stems from the fact that the relevant people do not have sufficient knowledge about polyurethane foam and polyol or are directed to incorrect materials for commercial reasons. As an association, solving this problem is among our highest priority objectives. As an association, providing training to our application companies, creating certified application companies, organizing sectoral training and seminars to bring polyurethane foam and polyol to the position they deserve in Turkey are among our primary objectives. Our country has great potential in polyurethane foam and polyol today and in the future. However, until now it has reached its current level entirely through the individual efforts of people and institutions. Associations such as PDA and SPFA have been established for polyurethane foam and polyol for this purpose, and thanks to these associations, the use of polyurethane foam and polyol is increasing day by day. It became inevitable for us to establish this association to fill this gap in our country.

Could you share your views on the polyurethane sector in Turkey?

As is known, polyurethane foam and polyol are considered a new technology for our country. Polyurethane foam has been used for many years and polyol has been intensively used for the last 7-8 years. However, when compared with other countries, our country is still considered to be at the beginning of this sector. Due to both our own country and our geographical position and relations with our neighbors, I believe that polyurethane foam and polyol will reach very different places in the coming years. At a time when energy efficiency is gaining more and more importance every day and when this awareness is just beginning to form in our country, the purposes and objectives of our association will become even more important. As an association, we believe that within at most 5 years, with the activities of our association, we expect an increase of at least 2-3 times in the use of polyurethane foam and polyol and the number of projects where application is performed, and we have infinite faith that this will happen through our work. Of course, this progress and growth will be realized when the products we use are promoted well, correct materials are applied in the right places, and quality workmanship is combined. Currently, the biggest problem of our sector is that alternative products (actually calling them alternatives is not quite accurate because alternative means 80-90% similar material) have lower costs and therefore to compete with these costs in polyurethane foam and polyol usage, incorrect or incomplete material usage is done. There is a saying I very much like: "I am not rich enough to wear cheap shoes." We are also not rich enough to do cheap insulation, which is why we should not do insulation just for the sake of insulation. The insulation we do must last many years and perform its function. We can only achieve such an insulation application with polyurethane foam and polyol. As an association, we will do the necessary work to ensure that cheap insulation is not done, but rather correct and long-lasting insulation is applied.

As is known, both polyurethane foam and polyol are environmentally friendly products. And recently, "Green Roof" projects, which are very common in the world and are gradually becoming established in our country, exist.

Do you have plans to develop the polyurethane sector in Turkey?

Our association currently operates in the field of spray polyurethane foam and polyol, but if demand comes from other polyurethane sectors in the future, we could become an association that addresses all polyurethane sectors. For this reason, our current work will be mainly focused on spray polyurethane foam and polyol. As mentioned above, especially polyurethane foam is currently mainly preferred in the private sector, while polyurethane is not widely used in official institutions. The reason for this is that polyurethane foam and polyol are not included in the list of materials that can be used in these institutions and are not sufficiently known. Through our work as an association, our sector will progress further when we have both polyurethane foam and polyol added to this materials list. With the increase in polyurethane foam and polyol applications, healthier and longer-lasting insulation applications will be performed, and it is a fact that we will contribute to the country's economy.

What are your activities regarding sustainability and the environment?

As is known, both polyurethane foam and polyol are environmentally friendly products. And recently, "Green Roof" projects, which are very common in the world and are gradually becoming established in our country, exist. The most appropriate materials for these projects are polyurethane foam and polyol. We will conduct the necessary work and initiatives to further increase these projects in our country.

Do you have a message for the sector?

Our association slogan is "We are here for the future" and we are together. We expect support from all companies in our sector, from application companies operating in the sector to raw material producers and machinery manufacturers, to further expand our sector. As stated in our slogan, we established this association for our future and if we act together, our sector will go far beyond even our expectations. Both as individuals and as Board members, we established this association without considering our personal interests, solely thinking about how to advance our sector, and we will do everything we can for its growth. However, we need the support of the entire sector. If the sector's support is not behind us, it will take time for us to realize the projects we plan to implement. But if we see the entire sector behind our association, we have infinite faith that these projects will be realized within at most 2 years.