Ömer Karadeniz, Chairman of the Board of the Plastic Industrialists Federation (PLASFED), appeared as a guest on the live broadcast of the 30 Minutes program on Bloomberg HT. Stating that Turkey is not a petroleum-rich country, Karadeniz emphasized that the only way to growth and prosperity is through production. He said, “Production is essential for a developing country.”
Ömer Karadeniz, the Chairman of the Board of PLASFED, participated in the 30 Minutes program aired on Bloomberg HT and shared evaluations regarding the Turkish industry. Karadeniz highlighted that industrialists have long been unable to invest, and that production has contracted due to high interest burden and financing access issues.
Recalling that the capacity utilization rates announced in September indicated a partial recovery, Karadeniz noted that, despite this, PMI data still remains below the threshold of 50. He expressed that industrialists aspire to exceed the threshold in production, stating, “As long as access to financing is not provided, investments are delayed, and even existing projects are halted.”
“Production is indispensable for Turkey”
Pointing out that Turkey is not a petroleum-rich country, Karadeniz reiterated that the only way to growth and prosperity is through production. He emphasized that production is a must for a country’s industry, stating, “However, industrialists face a significant interest burden. Looking at the data released by the Istanbul Chamber of Industry, we see that interest expenses have become the largest cost item in the financial statements of Turkey’s largest 500 and 1,000 industrial organizations. It is not possible to restart investments without strengthening our main capital.”
“The qualified workforce issue binds the hands of the industry”
Karadeniz pointed out that another significant challenge in industrial production is employment, particularly the lack of qualified personnel. He stated, “Today, we have factories equipped with robotic systems producing based on advanced technology. However, we are facing serious difficulties in finding trained personnel to operate these machines. Some of our youth are receiving education in the fields of IT and technology but prefer to stay abroad. We must prioritize valuing these young individuals in our country to counteract brain drain.”
The plastic sector is the locomotive of growth
Karadeniz also touched upon the plastic industry, one of Turkey's most robust sectors, stating that our country ranks second in Europe after Germany and sixth in the world, with an annual production capacity of 10 million tons.
Describing the plastic industry as now a technological sector, Karadeniz noted, “During the pandemic, the indispensability of plastic in critical areas such as health, food, and logistics became evident once again. Today, plastic clearly shows its strategic importance in every field from automotive to healthcare, from textiles to transportation.”
“We borrow the environment from our children”
Addressing the negative perception established between plastic production and the environment, Karadeniz said, “When used correctly, plastic is a material that offers environmentally friendly solutions. Without plastic in transportation and logistics, carbon emissions and costs would be much higher. Therefore, we must not forget the contributions of plastic to sustainability through proper production, appropriate usage, and recycling. Let us remember that we did not inherit the environment from our ancestors; we borrowed it from our children.”
Translated by Artificial Intelligence
