Ömer Karadeniz: “We Must Give Our Industry the Value It Deserves”
PLASFED Chairman of the Board Ömer Karadeniz was a guest on the program Üretimin Gücü (The Power of Production) hosted by Dünya Taşlardan on CNBC-e. Evaluating current developments on the agenda of the plastics industry, Karadeniz made statements regarding production costs, raw material supply, export competition, access to financing, and the future of investments.
Stating that the Turkish plastics sector achieved 9.5 billion dollars in exports in 2025, PLASFED Chairman Karadeniz, the umbrella organization of the plastics industry, stated that this contribution reached 16 billion dollars when including indirect exports. Emphasizing that plastics have a wide range of uses from automotive to textiles, and from the defense industry to many different sectors, Karadeniz drew attention to the sector's technological transformation.
Stating that Turkey is in need of petrochemical investments, Karadeniz said that plastic product exports exceed imports, but on the other hand, there is a significant foreign trade deficit on the raw material side. Reminding that foreign dependency on plastic raw materials is at high levels, Karadeniz noted that the realization of new production facilities is critical for the sector's competitive power.
Exchange rates and financing costs make investments difficult
Stating that the gap between inflation and exchange rates increases the costs for exporters, Karadeniz expressed that this situation negatively affects price competition in international markets. Expressing that high interest rates and difficulties in accessing financing also cause manufacturers to postpone their investment decisions, Karadeniz emphasized the importance of preserving production capacity and employment.
Reminding that the Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI), which points to the contraction in the industry, has remained below the threshold value of 50 for a long time, Karadeniz drew attention to the importance of policies supporting production and exports for the industry to regain strength.
This content has been translated using artificial intelligence technology.