Kimpur Takes Major Step in Domestic Fender Production

Kimpur Makes Important Move for Domestic Fender Production Kimpur, Turkey's 100 percent domestically-owned polyurethane systems manufacturer, has entered into a significant partnership with Yonca Onuk Shipyard, which designs and builds advanced composite, commercial and military-type vessels, for the production of fenders used in boats. Through the collaboration of two companies that are members of the Defence and Aerospace Industry Manufacturers Association (SASAD), fenders that were previously manufactured entirely from imported raw materials will now be produced in Turkey. Kimpur and Yonca Onuk Shipyard have taken an important step forward in manufacturing the fenders required in boats with domestic capabilities. Kimpur, which manufactures polyurethane systems used in the footwear, automotive, furniture and insulation-construction, heating-cooling and defence industry sectors, has joined forces with Yonca Onuk Shipyard to produce fenders—also known as bumpers—the material attached to the sides of all marine vessels to prevent damage when docking at wharves. Yonca Onuk Shipyard, established in 1986, is a highly specialized high-standard-setting engineering firm that designs and manufactures military-purpose fast boats with advanced technology composites, capable of creating its own concepts, developing its own technology and delivering excellence.

Higher performance and durability

Through the partnership of Kimpur and Yonca Onuk Shipyard, a composite structure fender design with significantly higher performance, greater durability and lighter weight has been completed, featuring an outer surface coated with Kimpur's KIMcase® Elastomer System and an inner section made of EVA foam wrapped with Kevlar. Thus, Yonca Onuk Shipyard, which previously imported finished fenders and for some time has been manufacturing them with imported raw materials at its shipyard in Tuzla and using them in its high-technology assault boats, will now be able to produce fenders with domestic and national capabilities together with Kimpur.

"We will continue to add value to our country and our defence industry with our current and new projects."

Cavidan Karaca, CEO of Kimpur, which has been registered as an R&D Center by the Ministry of Industry and Technology since May 2017 and is Turkey's 100 percent domestically-owned polyurethane systems manufacturer, emphasized that they are taking strong steps in the defence industry sector with specialist teams: "In line with the needs of the defence industry, we are continuing our project work without slowing down to develop many different products, from special elastomers for underwater sonar to special coating systems requiring high strength and lightness. By joining forces with Yonca Onuk Shipyard, a leading firm in its sector, we have successfully completed our work to enable domestic and national production of marine fenders that were previously manufactured entirely from imported raw materials. We will continue to add value to our country and our defence industry with our current and new projects," he said. The chemical industry company Kimpur, which continues its activities in developing raw materials for the defence industry at an accelerated pace, is part of the strong network of the Defence and Aerospace Industry Manufacturers Association (SASAD) and the Defence Aerospace and Space Cluster Association (SAHA Istanbul).