Turkey aims for European leadership through innovation and branding

Turkey's paints and coatings industry, advancing rapidly toward becoming the fourth-largest in Europe, has established strategies to realize its goal of becoming a regional production hub. The Association of Paints and Coatings Manufacturers (BOSAD) has prepared a roadmap to shape the sector's next 10 years.

A report prepared to guide companies in enhancing the competitiveness of the Turkish paints and coatings industry in light of global trends reveals mounting pressure for innovation. Over the next 10 years, "companies that succeed in innovation" will survive. Another pressure factor will be the scales lagging behind those of competitors.

Association of Paints and Coatings Manufacturers (BOSAD)

To determine the steps to be taken for the Turkish paints and coatings industry to maintain its competitive strength in the future and become the region's production hub, with production technology and infrastructure enhancing its competitiveness, BOSAD prepared the "Turkey Paints and Coatings Industry Strategic Development Report".

The report, which details what awaits the sector over the next 10 years, developments at national and international levels, new trends, and measures that can be taken to increase competition, was prepared with broad participation of sector experts from both the manufacturing and raw materials sides, led by the BOSAD Board of Directors, and in collaboration with A.T. Kearney.

The report, which presents a strategic roadmap for making Turkey's paints and coatings industry a regional attraction center, contains important clues under the heading Global Trends. While innovation comes to the fore worldwide, the production and consumption figures for environmentally friendly paints are rising.

Another issue closely concerning Turkey's paints and coatings industry is the increase in corporate mergers and acquisitions on a global scale. Major players are strengthening their positions in the market and their know-how through acquisitions.

Turkey's paints and coatings industry is highly dependent on imports for raw materials at rates reaching 80 percent; however, it competes with Europe in quality and product diversity.

Proximity to developing markets with high regional export potential and growing paints and coatings demand creates an important advantage. However, the industry's scales lag behind those of competitors.

The roadmap for the next 10 years presented by BOSAD's Turkey Paints and Coatings Industry Strategic Development Report emphasizes the need to increase innovation and technology investments.

While recommending that companies strengthen their corporate operations and financial structure, it stresses the need for sectoral collaboration in R&D, logistics, and procurement. To surpass existing export figures, there is a need to accelerate the branding process and establish brands abroad.

Over the next 10 years, digitalization and customer focus will become more important than ever. The paints and coatings sector will reach consumers directly.

BOSAD Board Chair Ahmet Yiğitbaşı

Stating that they have developed a strategic roadmap to make Turkey's paints and coatings industry a regional attraction center, he said:

"The Turkey Paints and Coatings Industry Strategic Development Report, which we prepared with broad participation from our BOSAD Board of Directors and sector experts, and on which we have worked for approximately one year, contains important findings that will shape our sector's next 10 years.

Our paints and coatings industry has shown significant development over the past 10 years and entered the top five sectors in Europe.

We prepared this work to present Turkey's position—which produces at European quality—in the global paints and coatings market undergoing major transformations, and to create a strategic roadmap that will shape the future of Turkey's paints and coatings industry.

During this period extending to 2026, we sought ways to maintain our competitiveness and determined our strategic priorities. Global paints and coatings industry production has reached USD 130 billion. Demand for paints and coatings is rising in developing markets, and production is shifting accordingly to meet this demand.

Turkey is the strongest country in this region in terms of becoming a production center, and we must use this advantage well."