The Istanbul Chemicals and Chemical Products Exporters' Association (İKMİB) has taken another step in line with its Vision 2030 strategy to carry the Turkish chemical sector into the future. The Chemical Technology Center, which will host accredited laboratories to perform previously unconducted tests and analyses in Turkey, an incubation center that will serve as the hub for new-generation start-up projects, and R&D studies for high value-added domestic and national products, has opened its doors.
The opening ceremony of the Chemical Technology Center, hosted by İKMİB President Adil Pelister and attended by PLASFED President Ömer Karadeniz, was graced by the Minister of Industry and Technology Mehmet Fatih Kacır, Minister of Trade Ömer Bolat, and the Head of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey's Industry and Technology Commission Mustafa Varank.
The Chemical Technology Center, brought to the sector by İKMİB with the support of the Ministry of Trade and contributions from the Ministry of Industry and Technology, started its activities after approximately five years of comprehensive feasibility and construction work. Designed with a broad perspective spanning from tests and analyses to entrepreneurship, from R&D and innovation projects to high value-added product development, within a 7,000 square meter indoor area including a 1,650 square meter incubation center, the Chemical Technology Center will be the meeting point for a new ecosystem that will carry chemistry into the future.
BOLAT: “CHEMICAL TECHNOLOGY CENTER WILL ACCELERATE EXPORTS”
Speaking at the opening ceremony of the Chemical Technology Center, Minister of Trade Prof. Dr. Ömer Bolat stated that the center, whose construction was financially supported by their Ministry, is a qualified project. Bolat, indicating that exporters would significantly benefit from it, said, “Because the chemical sector is such an important sector, it is a giant field with a $7 trillion share in the $106 trillion world production. In the last 20 years, our chemical sector has made a great leap in exports and has always managed to be among the top three exporting sectors. It has provided great added value to the economy in terms of employment, production, and foreign exchange earnings.”
Bolat explained that it is very valuable for 39 tests previously conducted abroad to be performed for the first time in Turkey at the Chemical Technology Center, stating that this center, which will provide time and cost advantages, will also significantly accelerate exports.
Bolat also noted that the Incubation Center would greatly support the development of technology in chemistry, stating that it would become an important center especially for the growth of new start-up projects. Bolat recorded that the Chemical Technology Center was brought to life in Bilişim Vadisi (IT Valley) with the common sense, consultation, and great teamwork of the Ministry of Trade, the Ministry of Industry and Technology, and İKMİB, and said, “I sincerely congratulate everyone who contributed, especially İKMİB. I wish the Chemical Technology Center to provide momentum to our chemical industrialists and exporters.”
KACIR: “CHEMICAL TECHNOLOGY CENTER WILL BRING A NEW BREATH TO OUR ECONOMY”
Mehmet Fatih Kacır, Minister of Industry and Technology, stated that they see the Chemical Technology Center as an important step in advancing the chemical sector's technology development and testing infrastructure, adding, “I hope that our project, implemented with an investment of 165 million Turkish Liras, will be beneficial and auspicious for our chemical sector, our country, and our nation. In line with our National Technology Initiative vision, we are resolutely taking steps that will further advance our country, focusing on value-added and high-tech production. We fully support all our sectors that play a locomotive role in domestic and national production with all the opportunities we have, paving the way for sustainable growth.”
Kacır stated that Turkey has today become a global production base with 45 industrial zones established by their Organized Industrial Zones, which they increased from 191 to 364. He also mentioned that with the 105 technoparks they established, more than 11 thousand technology initiatives are carrying out innovation-focused studies. Kacır continued his words as follows:
“Under the leadership of our private sector, more than 1,600 R&D and design centers are developing projects that will accelerate value-added production. We have activated and continue to activate elements that will nourish our robust infrastructure, which we have built with strong technology development and production capabilities. The increase of our R&D expenditures from 1.2 billion dollars to 16.1 billion dollars annually and the rise in our R&D personnel from 29 thousand to 291 thousand is an indicator of the effectiveness of the support we provide.”
VARANK: “THE CENTER WILL CONTRIBUTE TO EXPORTS IN TERMS OF QUANTITY AND QUALITY”
Mustafa Varank, Head of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey's Industry and Technology Commission, expressed his great pleasure in attending the opening of such an important facility, with which they were involved from the idea and signing stages. Varank, explaining that they have come a long way since the day they signed the first agreements with İKMİB President Adil Pelister, said, “We are striving to instill an understanding that directs our companies towards innovation in our private sector. In this sense, the Chemical Technology Center will make a great contribution to increasing Turkey's exports, both in terms of quality and quantity. Hopefully, we will build the 'Century of Turkey' together with our private sector. The Chemical Technology Center will also greatly contribute to our country's global goals and the future of the chemical sector, providing added value. I thank everyone who contributed.”
İKMİB PRESIDENT ADİL PELİSTER:
“WE WILL SHAPE THE FUTURE OF OUR SECTOR WITH THE CHEMICAL TECHNOLOGY CENTER”
İKMİB President Adil Pelister stated that the Chemical Technology Center will create an ecosystem that will carry the Turkish chemical sector into the future, and said that they started taking the first steps of the Chemical Technology Center project approximately five years ago, as part of their Vision 2030 strategy. Pelister emphasized that the Chemical Technology Center will be a very important milestone in the future projection of the chemical sector, which touches 27 main sectors with its strategically important products and adds great strength to Turkish industry and exports with its 16 sub-sectors. He also stated that 39 tests not previously conducted in Turkey will be performed in the modernly equipped laboratories of the Chemical Technology Center, which they implemented with a 165 million TL investment, and that they will achieve many firsts in the field of chemistry for our country.
Pelister announced that a total of 209 different tests will be conducted, and 100 tests will be accredited, saying, “Test and analysis procedures that many of our sub-sectors, from cosmetics to plastics, rubber to paint, have needed and which have been carried out abroad until now, can now be performed at the Chemical Technology Center. Thus, our industrialists and, of course, our exporters will benefit from both time and cost savings. Furthermore, an average annual contribution of 12.5 million dollars will be made to reduce our country's current account deficit in the first stage.”
Pelister also noted that in addition to testing and laboratory services, many other services will be available, such as high value-added products and certification consultancy for start-up projects emerging from their incubation center. He expressed their happiness in bringing the Chemical Technology Center, which will be the meeting point for the chemistry of the future, to our country.
This content has been translated using artificial intelligence technology.