I graduated from Architecture and Engineering Faculty of ITU as a machine engineer at 1965. After my military service, I started working at Ereğli Iron-SteelFactories as a trainee engineer with the suggestion of my teacher from university Dear Mr Doğan Gücer in 1967. Successively, After I undetook head-engineering, manager, head-manager, general manager assistance, I retired from Erdemir in 1992 where I had worked with a great desire and excitement for 25 years. The private enterprise experience that I got on this period became a turning point for me at business life. In January of 2003, I was appointed to Erdemir as a Board Member and General Manager. We have worked hardly to shape the iron-steel future of Turkey with our investment decisions and applications untill 2005. I have been working as Investment Group Manager and Board Member at Kiba Gropu since 2006. I have been working to realize important projects for iron-steel sector and contribute to the future of iron-steel sector of Turkey, too.

 

As I also informed in my previous declarations, we reached to the present by living very hard conditions. In 1967, we were abroad dependent about etiher know-how issue or labour force. We can say that Erdemir, which established after Karabük Iron Steel, became a pioneer at country development as its’ production is about flat product. Erdemir which was established with the corporation of American Coopers company, today became a position that sign many projects with the contribution of Turkish workers and engineers and flat product issue entered the lines of Turkey. These are very important for me who is such a man gave 40 years to the sector. Once, there is such an issue that Erdemir created 12 billion USD adding value for our country from the establishment day to last year. Moreover, it achieved this without any financial help from the government apart from the establishment capital.

 

 

Its capacity reached to 265.000 tones/year over 4 million tones, by the investments of self efforts. What about “What Erdemir contributed to the economy of the country”; Erdemir has a great role at showing up of Turkey. Meat-safes were in majority even at big cities before 40 years. The shift from meat-safes to white-goods started with the Erdemir metal sheets. The show up of pipe, automotive, ship, machine, construction, and related industry which Erdemir addresses, achived by the courtesy of Erdemir. After the major enterprises such as Karabük, Sümerbank, Turkey Sugar Works, MKEK, and etc. which were established under the leadership of Atatürk, Erdemir became a big university who educates people to the industry, and the people educated at Erdemir served highly to the country by working at steel sector and also the other sectors (including private enterprise). Erdemir fulfilled its responsibilities bestly apart from developing the economy in and out of its location; highly contributed to education, culture and sport. Today, Ereğli is more developed European city than most of our cities, in all of aspects. At the export and import of country, Erdemir became a Pioneer at its own products and also at the final products of the final users. Briefly, the contribution of Erdemir to the economy of Turkey is very big. Erdemir is the top-notch of Turkey.

 

We uttered our thoughts at that time, too. We did not contradict to privatization of Erdemir, we were contradicted to the idea of selling to foreigners. Many speculations were played in that period. Such as “Erdemir is in a bad condition”, “There is a lack of raw material”, “Shouls rely on the protection of a world state” and etc. Anyway, we have an idea that we pointed at that time and also now is that if Erdemir is managed regularly, it would not need anybody. It can also use the raw mateiral sources of the country by big amounts. Yet, the sector is alive. It also makes profit without abroad support. It is necessary to follow up the alterations in sector, maket he investments on time, making modernizations, regard the qualified personel, making production qualified and over the capacity. Because Turkey produce just 40 percent of its demand, and demand is ver big. In fat I have a saying at the time that steel factories can not compete unless modernizations and renewings are carried at each 5 years. I think that if these conditions are fulfilled, there will not be any problem. There is a good cultural heritage at Erdemir. The visitors of Erdemir see this heritage andastonish. It has a 40 years experience, and a system constructed by Americans. Present trials are the same as previous ones. There is no work which can not be achieved by right, on time, contemproary decision and effective method. As I always say that if a person can do something, eveybody in the world can, too. Ermedir has a great source which is Turkish workers… By them, nothing is impossible. I am one of them who determined this.

 

Confessedly, I can not follow up Ermedir regularly. Somehow, the previous management are not demanded by the new mangement at Erdemir. And also sometimes they are criticised falsely. In fact, whoever comes to management tries to do useful things. What is important is adding something, enlarge the company and in all conditions getting profit not damage… History dictates them all. Thanks to God that the season on my management were always the brilliant termof the company. There is no data flow, and it is not profitted from experience. I tried to provide this in 2003 when I was appointed as General Manager at Erdemir as I know the establishment. I tried to contact with all of the past admiinistrative board members. I achieved around 80 percent. The people who worked were very happy. But, it did not continue a after privatization. A new cultural combination has occured. Wish all beneficial things. As I followed from the pres, the company is in profit. Steel sector is in a better condition than 2004s, and wish a better situation.

 

11th ranking shows that Turkey reached a undespising point at steel sector and leraned how to do this work. The target should be reaching at upper rankings. In year 2006, Turkey was the third country who had the fastest production after China and India. By 11.2 increase 23,3 millions of tones production were held. Once, all of the countries in this area observe the increase of Turkey carefully. Even the turning of Isdemir to flat production can not meet the demand of Turkey. The investors who notice the deficit decide to produce flat-product, this is good. Per individual steel production is another important issue. It is necessary to get the developed contries about this issue. Todays, Turkey produce steel at the level of 280kg/person. We should increase this level to 450-500kg/person. Meanwhile, the imbalance of flat - long should be observed. The investors has aldreay noticed this and tried to meet this deficit. Adding to the above mentioned, when we think about the profit of the ranking 11th; here the majority belongs to long-product, the excession is exported. But as the prices of the flat product are very high, the monetary deficit is not very in favor of us. The junk imported at long product is keep in sum. Flat product yields which have been increasing and going to increase in all around the country provide benefits to us.

One of the main reasons which lay under corporate combinations is getting advantage at fistyly raw material supply, controlling and usage of the markets, controlling the costs. When we look at China, we can see that the paces to control raw material sources are succseful and high raw material prices and freight prices in year 2004 highly effects the market. Corporate combinations partially get the raw material prices under control. Besides, by urging the consumers, put them in an adventageous position about determining prices. Therefor, the dense periodic price-flows do not ocur anymore.

 

Hourly salary of an employee in China is about 1 dollar. This rate is about 20 Dollar in America. When we have a look at worldwide that many of the companies make investments to the countries especially to Chine. When you think about Europe, they have already reached to the total distribution. Their industry has already been developed, economy is in a good situation, prosperity is in high level. Therefore, they try to use their sources effectively by diverting their productions from west to east. Of course, the effect of cost is very important fort his issue. I see this as a consequence of globalisation.

 

Turkey can not be like China and India about labor force and I think that the labor cost will increase at the term of European Union. We should observe other elements which can compete. Freight is a disadvantage for leading two countries. When we observe domestic market and other close markets, our country is in a advantageous situation because of its geopolitical position. We can become an important force at world steel sector by qualified production and the wise strategies.

 

Iron-steel has became a profitable sector in recent years.

If you do your job regularly, and the conditions are suitable, it is impossible not to have profit. Of course, the effect of general conjuncture is very big.

 

Since last two years the prices in sector always in an increase aptitiude, therefore the companies, deal with this work, are in profit. Ithink that especially our country is in such a situation where there is a serious flat product deficit, it can not be said not to have profit.

 

These investments provides profits at many fields from getting profit and employment, development of investment region and country, to increasing our vision with positive acceleration at world steel arena.

 

But the most important thing of all is undoubtly the economical activity created by itself and the adding value. I hope the increase of these investments.