We had a pleasant interview with Mr. Metin Gültepe, CEO of İşbir Yatak, about the success story of the company and new products which serve to the sector.
Could you briefly tell our readers about yourself and your educational background?
I was born in Ankara in 1966. I have always liked Ankara, where I have studied and lived, very much. I graduated from Chemical Engineering at the Middle Eastern Technical University (METU).
I started my career in 1991 at İşbir Sünger Sanayi A.Ş. as an Operations Engineer and continued my career as the General Manager in 1996. In 2004 I was appointed as the CEO of İşbir Holding, which operates in a number of different fields.
While being very devoted to my work and my duties I am very passionate about my family. I am married and have two children.
Could you tell us about the progress of your company from its establishment until today?
İşbir Yatak, which was founded in 1997, was established under İşbir Sünger Sanayi A.Ş., a company that has become one of the most popular players in the sector with its R&D and innovation-based production system.
While İşbir Yatak is a youthful brand it is also the “only brand that comes into contact with the end user” possessing the nearly half a century of knowledge that İşbir Holding has.
In a manner of speaking İşbir Yatak is a brand that has created the mattress sector in Turkey, added meaning to the sector and influenced the sector with its operations.
Since its foundation the company has played a key role in changing the perception that mattresses are just products given gratis with furniture and has underlined the importance of sleep quality at every opportunity.
İşbir Yatak has often been mentioned in the international market just as it has in the domestic market for the high quality of mattresses it produces as well as viscoelastic mattresses, one of its advanced sleep technologies that senses body temperature and weight and reduces pressure.
Today the company keeps a finger on the pulse of the sector and adapts to the technological developments in the world by designing modern products that speak the language of today as well as the future.
Could you please tell us about the İşbir Yatak’s foam product groups?
Mattresses are in first place among our sleep products collection made of sponge. Here we can talk about a wide range of production from molded support sponge used in the middle layers of mattresses to open cell viscoelastic material sponge that maximizes the user experience.
To categorize; we have many different uses of standard sponge, high elasticity (HR) sponge, viscoelastic sponge and fire resistant sponge (FR) all with varying production principles. The sponges with lavender micro capsules developed specially by İşbir are an example of our innovative products.
In addition to mattresses we have sleep quality enhancing pillows and various other support products useful for a variety of purposes in our sponge category.
Our furniture group is comprised of sponges that aim to bring the enjoyment of elasticity to recreational spaces.
Could you please tell us about the quality principles you apply to the reliability of your products and the continuity of your company?
We spend at least 1/3 of our lives on beds so they are probably one of the objects we use the most. This is why setting high standards for both our sponge and textile products are an indication of the respect we have for human health.
In this context all of the İşbir Yatak products have been tested and approved by independent laboratories that are accepted by international authorities and have passed a series of certification programs.
Among these is the world sponge sector accepted CertiPur certificate. In addition to this İşbir Yatak has over 10 certificates and documents starting with the quality certificates required by the Turkish Standards Institute like ISO 9000 and ISO 10002.
Could you please give information about your exportactivities?
The sleep technologies produced by İşbir Yatak provide a better comfort experience than many of the products in Europe today.
When you consider the price-performance ratio the difference is quite big. Products produced with viscoelestic material cost one third of equivalent products in Europe and are excellent quality.
Due to this and many other factors İşbir Yatak was able to achieve a very good market volume in Europe in recent years. The main countries we export to are Norway, Belgium, Hungary, Sweden, Switzerland, Denmark, Greece, Germany, England, France, Holland, Ireland, Russia, Spain, Bulgaria, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, U.A.E, Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, Egypt, Kuwait, Mozambique, Sudan, Yemen, Azerbaijan and TRNC.
What is your opinion about the conditions of being a global brand?
The golden rules of being a local or a global brand are not actually that different. A good product, good service, the right target audience, clear positioning, more satisfied customers, strategies determined according to trends and more exciting experiences.
Of course, digitalization is one of the requirements of our present day. Brands that do not digitalize cannot exceed limits.
Another one of the most important elements of being a global brand is forming the right supply chain and having a well-established business model.
Many companies that set out into the foreign market ignoring this rule are now struggling with the challenges of growing rapidly. This is where deep rooted brands with well-established business models shine.
Could you please give information about your manufacture facilities?
We, as İşbir Holding, manufacture along with our all our affiliated companies in production facilities spread over an area of 350,000 m
2. We have over 500 personnel working in our sponge and mattress factories.
Our factories are equipped with state-of-the-art technologies and modernized according to the needs of today, but we also have plans to make a series of updates to our production lines and start preparation for Industry 4.0 so that we can not only speak the language of today but also of the future.
In this context we continue R&D work on software, customized automation and robotic production.
Could you please give information about your technologies of polyurethane foam?
I can say that we as the İşbir Family have the production quality and diversity to meet the demands of the market, set a higher standard for the sector and elevate customer expectations. Especially our experience in casting and cutting, which involve various processes, is one of the points that distinguishes İşbir.
In addition to molded sponges we also have the capability to produce polyurethane, which has the density, size, color and many other determining features required in high elasticity sponges.
We supply producers in many sectors that use sponge in their products, especially the mattress and furniture sectors, with polyurethane material.
Today, all brands are adapting to digital transformation. What are the digital technologies in manufacture and marketing which you use?
Digital transformation is reshaping the world. The chance for brands that remain outside of this transformation to exist in the future is becoming less and less. However, it is important to build the digital transformation process well and use it cautiously.
This needs to be done with patience and absolute discipline. As the İşbir Family we are being careful to carry out this process in a planned manner.
The use of digital technologies in the field of marketing is more proof that the world is getting smaller. Being just a mobile phone call away from our target audience no matter where they are is a benefit provided by the digital world.
There is no doubt that the amount reserved for digital media in the İşbir is increasing every year.
