Emrah Eşder, General Manager of Archroma Türkiye

We conducted a pleasant interview with Archroma Turkey General Manager Emrah Eşder about Archroma Turkey's areas of activity, the importance and investments it places on R&D, and the targets it aims to achieve in the coming years. The current textile industry in Turkey holds great significance for Archroma.

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

I have more than 25 years of experience in the textile industry and worked with Clariant for 18 years. As of 1 October 2013, I joined Archroma. I joined the company in Turkey in 1995 and have held various positions since that day. Head of Textile Chemicals, Turkey (1998-2002), Technical Manager, Canada (2002-2005), Head of Product Line Functional Effects, Asia Pacific, based in Shanghai, PRC (2005-2009), Head of Competence Center, Chemicals, Asia Pacific based in Bangkok, Thailand (2009-2011). Head of Marketing, Textile Chemicals, (2011-2014) (Singapore, 2011-2014). Since June 2014, I have been responsible for "Head of Sub-region Turkey, ME & Egypt". I am also General Manager of Archroma Turkey. I graduated from Bursa Uludağ University as a Textile Engineer in 1990. In 2006, I completed business and marketing diploma programmes at Concordia University in Montreal, Canada. I was born in Izmir, Turkey in 1969. I am married and father to a 14-year-old boy.

What would you like to say about Archroma? What is the importance of Archroma Turkey to Archroma?

The current textile industry in Turkey holds great significance for Archroma. Archroma Turkey ranks as the 5th largest market within Archroma in textile chemicals and dyes. Turkey's importance, when considering recent developments in the textile market and particularly sustainability, presents a clear and positive picture to customers with product quality in mind. Archroma has great confidence in the Turkish market and producers on this matter. To better serve the Turkish market, Archroma is exploring all opportunities related to developing its current business. Additionally, Archroma is making new investment plans with the aim of further developing the market size in Turkey. In this context, Archroma has great confidence in the Turkish market and among customers.

What are your product varieties? Could you tell us about the services you provide to your customers?

Based on our 120-year heritage in colours, dyes and specialty chemicals, Archroma provides solutions to the second-to-second production of numerous products. We supply pre-treatment, dyeing, printing and finishing chemicals, and coating materials to the textile supply chain. We serve the paper market with our expertise in whiteness, colouration, special coatings and strength for all types of paper. And we supply dyes, adhesives, construction, textiles, leather and paper industry emulsion products.

What are your thoughts on R&D? What is R&D for Archroma?

We believe that innovation is not a choice but a necessity for companies to survive in today's business environment. Every industry has its own life cycle and if you do not innovate in your products and processes, someone else will. Therefore, if you wish to be a long-term player in any sector, innovation is not an option, it is a necessity.

Could you tell us about your R&D activities?

Last year, Archroma began work to help improve the composition of colours and chemicals used in textile, packaging and paper manufacturing or construction manufacturing. As a result of our R&D activities and innovations, we aim to improve the eco profile of these industries by introducing new components that will minimize short and long-term impacts on health, environment, water and energy resources. For example, a short time ago we launched Smartrepel® Hydro AM, which is a non-PFC-based new formulation with a wide range of applications for durable water-repellent properties of cotton and synthetic fabrics. The new product provides enhanced wash fastness of the effect and enables processing in a simpler and problem-free manner during application. Additionally, in 2015, Archroma developed a new palette for food contact grades to help paper tissue manufacturers create the new fashion colours consumers want. These new Cartasol® dyes are formulated to comply with EU food contact regulations. These are excellent examples of our commitment to bringing together improved sustainability with improved performance.

What are the recent R&D investments? What investments do you plan to make in the coming years?

We are making continuous investments in R&D and we have a number of R&D projects that are quite promising and have potential that we will announce in the coming months.

Could you tell us about the technologies you use?

You can find Archroma's technologies in a large number of everyday products: anti-UV and odour prevention agents, anti-odour agents that keep clothes fresh, high-performance dyes providing bright colours for swimming or sports, water-repellent chemicals used in outdoor equipment, halogen-free flame retardants used in home decoration and automotive textiles. Stain preventers, brightening, strengthening or fading prevention applications for paper and packaging, and emulsions for dyes.

What products and innovations do you aim to introduce to the market in the coming years?

Our aim is to introduce innovations and solutions that help our customers in the packaging, paper, textile or construction markets achieve more efficient production with less resource consumption and, of course, improve the function and aesthetics of finished products, which are safer for both our environment and users. Archroma's award-winning EarthColors "bio-synthetic" colour range is composed of natural waste from agricultural or plant-based industries, such as almond shells or orange peels. By brands such as Patagonia, Kathmandu and G Star, it is increasingly preferred to create magnificent colours in collections targeting the growing number of eco-conscious consumers. The One Way system, which won the best innovation award for sustainability by ICIS, has also begun to be used to reduce resource consumption in textile operations, stop carbon dioxide emissions and increase production efficiency.

What would you like to say about the sector?

Given Archroma's approach to producing sustainable solutions, we are seeing positive change. For example, with growing awareness that water scarcity will be one of our greatest future challenges, some major brands and retailers, such as the ZDHC group, have launched initiatives and programmes to encourage the use of products and processes that use little or no water. We clearly see that chemical suppliers most sensitive to sustainability, like Archroma, have actually been developing and providing such solutions for several years and are increasingly reaching textile mills and manufacturers. In the end, we all need to work together to create a sustainable future for future generations and our world, as well as for our industry.