Founder and General Manager of Teknomet, Tuğba Şimşek, Answers Our Questions

In this enjoyable interview, Tuğba Şimşek, Founder and General Manager of Teknomet, answered our questions. Şimşek provided information about Teknomet's products and services, and announced that the company will make investments in R&D and innovative products in the coming period.

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

I was born in Ankara in 1983. After completing my primary, secondary and high school education in Ankara, I studied in the Chemistry Department at Uludağ University in Bursa from 2001 to 2005. Subsequently, I worked as a Surface Treatment Chemicals Sales and Technical Support Engineer at Chemetall Sanayi Kimyasalları Ticaret ve Sanayi A.Ş. until 2010. Between 2010 and 2013, I worked as Sales Manager of the Metals Division at Green Chemicals A.Ş. In 2013, I founded Teknomet Kimya Sanayi ve Ticaret Ltd. Şti. and continue my career as General Manager of this company.

Could you provide information about Teknomet's founding process and the stages it has gone through until today? Taking into account production facilities, machinery fleet and number of employees, as well as turnover and production volume, what is the current structure of Teknomet?

Teknomet was established with 100% Turkish capital, blending its corporate infrastructure with a local service approach, and is a company that has provided sustainable and lasting solutions in a short time with the perspective of "seeing according to need, solving with understanding" to the sector's needs. Our company, which continues its path with a total of 22 people including direct and subcontracting firms, although it may sound like a somewhat conventional statement, has a team solidified with a family atmosphere and closeness. For us, the real path is to create a community of people who are satisfied and happy with their lives while doing our work, to share our experience with them, to sign works that will create added value for our country, and to grow together under the Teknomet roof, earning together.

Which sectors does Teknomet mainly supply, and what types of products? Could you provide information about Teknomet's products, brands and services?

In wet paint facilities, sludge removal facilities based on the principle of paint separation from water and disposal, and the production, R&D, sales, after-sales technical support and facility operation of paint sludge separator chemicals; we act as distributor for IKV Tribology company in the field of industrial oils and Milton Roy brand for dosing pumps. Our main product groups include paint coagulants, paint flotation agents, biocides, defoamers, paint strippers, paint retention agents (paint booth coating chemicals), paint spray sludge separator systems, dosing pumps and automation systems, industrial oils (high temperature greases, conveyor oils, etc.), and we supply products primarily to the automotive and automotive supplier industries, as well as to the white goods, food, packaging and many other industries.

What kind of work do you conduct in the areas of innovation and R&D as Teknomet? Do you have any projects developed under university-industry cooperation, and if so, what are they?

We have 2 different projects that we believe will create added value for the sector and our customers, with work initiated to be conducted together with TÜBİTAK regarding the sludge removal processes we manufacture. We have prepared the infrastructure for our work in this field. As of 2017, we plan to increase our activity. Developing new products, creating them and ultimately providing benefits to the sector is truly an exciting situation for us.

Could you tell us about your domestic and international sales activities? Which regions do you primarily supply to domestically and internationally, and what types of products?

Our sales network operates directly domestically and through intermediary institutions internationally. Our main product groups include paint coagulants, paint flotation agents, biocides, defoamers, paint strippers, paint retention agents (paint booth coating chemicals), paint spray sludge separator systems, dosing pumps and automation systems, industrial oils (high temperature greases, conveyor oils, etc.). With our specialist team, we provide services primarily to the automotive and automotive supplier industries, as well as to the white goods, food, packaging and many other sectors.

Could you provide information about Teknomet's environmental policy and sustainability approach? What can you tell us about your work related to occupational health and safety?

At the foundation of all our work is a way of doing business that is oriented towards the value we give to people and the environment in addition to benefiting industry. In other words, in factories that operate wet paint systems in aqueous systems, being able to circulate tons of water within a closed loop for a certain period without dumping and with minimal waste, beyond dozens of benefits, is based primarily on working with an appreciation for the value of water. We share with our business partners in every product or equipment we manufacture, sell and produce, the maximum efficient operation method oriented towards people and the environment, with the phrase "we care about our future." At the foundation of the work we do, first comes people, then the environment, and then the benefits we provide to our work.

Could we learn your views on the industrial paint, coating and surface treatment sectors in Turkey? In terms of these sectors, what do you think are Turkey's advantages and disadvantages?

As in many areas, in these areas too, I believe that the strategy that will carry the sector into the future depends on innovative products. The paint, coating and surface treatment sectors have shown the highest momentum among sectors receiving R&D incentives over the past 4 years. Of course, at this point, our country's geographical location, production capacity and young population are among our greatest advantages. Our disadvantages are insufficient R&D work in product development and dependence on external sources for raw material production.

What criteria are prioritized when Teknomet formulates its investment plans? Does Teknomet have investment plans for the coming periods, and if so, what are they?

Our investment plans are determined by what the market demands from us. Every sustainable and value-adding project related to our field has investment value for us. We are a company that allocates a share in its investment budget each year. In the past year, our investment priorities included the warehouses we opened in 4 different locations to be fast and accessible, expanding our technical support network and relocating our headquarters to the Kocaeli region, the heart of industry. Going forward, our primary objectives will be R&D and innovative product investments.