Interview with Sakin Aruk, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Niğtaş Şirketler Grubu

Sakin Aruk, Chairman of the Board of Niğtaş Şirketler Grubu, shared the company's founding story in our enjoyable interview. In our conversation, we discussed what sets Niğtaş Mikronize Kalsit apart from its competitors in meeting the sector's calcium carbonate needs for 31 years, the importance the company places on R&D activities, and the firm's objectives. Mr. Sakin Aruk, could you briefly introduce yourself and your professional background in the sector to our readers? I am a businessman from Niğde who believed in the calcium carbonate sector before it became well-known and devoted 31 years to this sector. Thirty-one years ago, we founded Niğtaş as a sole proprietorship together with my brother, and today we have transformed it into Niğtaş Şirketler Grubu. We achieved this by never wavering in our belief in this sector for a single day and by working harder each passing day. As a businessman born and raised in Niğde, I take pride in providing employment to 700 people in this city.

Could you outline the development process of Niğtaş Mikronize Kalsit since its founding?

The foundations of our company date back to 1985. In those years when calcium carbonate was still not well-known, my brother Hamdi Aruk and I founded Niğtaş as a sole proprietorship. We named Niğtaş after Niğde stone. In 1996, we moved into serial production. In 2004, we began micronized production. Today, with the strength we draw from our 700 employees, we take pride in being a company that has crossed our country's borders and can reach more than 40 countries.

Could you provide information about your R&D activities? What can you say about your R&D investments?

I can say that R&D is the backbone of Niğtaş. We began our R&D activities with TÜBİTAK support in 2009. Currently, we are carrying out our R&D work with a team of 30 people. The engineers in our R&D team continue their work in our laboratories equipped with the latest technology to produce new products that will add value. Thanks to our R&D success, we can develop customized solutions tailored to each customer's needs. As Niğtaş, one of the most important factors that differentiates us from our competitors and keeps us one step ahead is our R&D achievements. For this reason, we will continue to increase our R&D investments in the coming period.

Could you tell us about your company's capacity? Which regions do you primarily serve?

On this journey to introduce Niğde's calcium carbonate to the world, our production capacity has reached 2 million tons per year. We are currently using approximately 70 percent of our capacity. In addition to the paints sector, calcium carbonate is used as a raw material in many sectors such as plastics, glass, cables, and paper. As Niğtaş, I can say that we are able to meet a large portion of the needs of these sectors in the domestic market. In the foreign market, we export to 40 countries around the world, including China and the USA, which have the widest calcium carbonate reserves. This year, in line with both our growth targets in the domestic market and our efforts to diversify our export markets, we are targeting to increase our capacity to 2.7 million tons.

What is the importance of calcium carbonate ore for the paints industry?

Calcium carbonate is one of the most important raw materials for the paints industry. It enhances paint quality, opacity, and gloss. Calcium carbonate also has a cost-reducing feature for the paints sector. Thanks to calcium carbonate, the cost of titanium used in the paints sector is significantly reduced. The use of calcium carbonate in paint adds value to the paint's flow balance and increases its opacity. In this regard, it is important to provide calcium carbonate products with the purity and whiteness needed to meet businesses' requirements. Our cooperation with large-scale paint companies continues as Niğtaş. We are currently diversifying our product portfolio and increasing our capacity to meet the needs of small and medium-sized paint enterprises.

What are the features that distinguish Niğtaş Mikronize Kalsit from its competitors?

As Niğtaş, we have reached today's position by investing in calcium carbonate every day for 31 years. The purity, whiteness, and calcium carbonate percentage of the calcium carbonate products we produce are very high. We attach importance to innovation and R&D. For our current position, I can comfortably say that we are reaping the rewards of our dedication and investments. We can develop special products for each of our customers. For example, we can change the ratio of certain substances in the product according to our customer's request. The most important reason we can do this is our strong R&D team. And of course, the most important secret in the business is never abandoning the ethical values that make us who we are. Not straying from the path we believe to be right. For this reason, we are a sought-after brand not only in our region but also in the world.    

What activities do you undertake to ensure customer satisfaction in a sector with intense competition?

Like every company investing in the future, we operate with a customer-oriented approach. Because companies can only grow and survive as long as they meet customer needs in the best way possible. We also operate with this understanding, which we give great care to. To always provide our customers with quality products, we provide the service they need with our experienced personnel. By combining our knowledge and experience with an innovative perspective, we offer it to our customers. In addition to the rational benefits we provide at this point, the satisfaction-based relationships we establish are also key to our growth.

Could you talk about the quality principles you apply for the reliability of your products and the continuity of your company?

Total quality management with the active participation of all our employees and the continuous improvement of all activities forms the main policy of our company. ISO 9001:2008 Quality Management System is applied in our facilities. In quality inspections, we carry out necessary controls in all processes from raw material input to shipment with our experienced laboratory personnel. We record the analysis results and apply statistical quality control processes. In addition to product and process control, all inputs integrated with the product are monitored at specific time intervals. At the same time, we take samples from all our products ready to be shipped and store them for a certain period. Through this, we aim to achieve both a stable quality level and increase customer satisfaction.

What activities do you conduct in terms of environmental protection and occupational health and safety sensitivity?

Our quality approach also includes sensitivity to environmental problems and worker health and safety. At this point, ISO 14001:2004 Environmental Management System and OHSAS 18001:2007 Occupational Health and Safety Management System are applied in our facility. Occupational safety is a matter we attach great importance to. For this, we always say that training is mandatory. We successfully pass inspections related to occupational safety. We also take the necessary precautions and measures on this matter. However, we know that the most important thing is employee training, and we provide regular training to our employees on this subject.

Could you tell us about your investments directed at the paints sector?

In recent months, we increased the capacity of our paints group products by 40 percent to meet sector needs. With this increase, we aim to increase our collaborations in the paints sector and particularly to meet the needs of small and medium-sized paint enterprises.

Could you provide information about your targets and projects?

As Niğtaş, since the day we were founded, our primary objective has been to continuously advance our sector. In this regard, we have dedicated our 31 years to the development of the calcium carbonate sector and will continue with determination on this matter. At this point, we are targeting a 20 percent increase in our revenue in the first phase. For this, while we are increasing capacity for sectors such as paints in the domestic market, we are targeting to increase the number of countries to which we export in the foreign market. Our professional team is conducting market research for new export markets. We are particularly focusing on marketing efforts to increase exports to European countries, which require high standards. To increase exports, we make excellent use of trade fairs; we participate in both domestic and international trade fairs related to the paints, plastics, and glass sectors, where calcium carbonate is used extensively. We will continue with these efforts. If you were to ask how long we will continue, the answer is: until our production capacity is no longer sufficient for us. After that, we will continue to grow by making new investments.

What are your thoughts on the Turkish paints sector?

The paints sector is one of the growing sectors without losing momentum. Per capita paint consumption in Turkey is around 11 kg, and with these figures, Turkey ranks 5th in Europe. Along with urban transformation efforts, the advancement of the construction sector will have a role in activating the paints sector. Growth in the paints sector, which is one of the few sectors where calcium carbonate is used most, will have a positive impact on the calcium carbonate sector as well.

Finally, do you have a message you would like to convey to the sector?

The calcium carbonate sector is not well-known in Turkey. Yet calcium carbonate is a hidden hero used in many sectors, primarily the paints sector, which beautifies all our homes. We need to communicate the awareness and benefits of calcium carbonate more. We will continue to work with determination on this matter.   Kaydet