PLASFED AND GAPLASDER CREATED THE PLASTICS SECTOR WORKSHOP FINAL REPORT: THE TURKISH PLASTICS SECTOR IS HARDWORKING AND COURAGEOUS!
A special report was prepared parallel to the topics discussed and addressed in the workshop titled "Strategic Initiatives for the Future Design of the Plastics Sector," organized in Gaziantep in cooperation with PLASFED, GAPLASDER, and GSO.
With the report created in cooperation with PLASFED and GAPLASDER, and expected to be printed by GAPLASDER and presented to the service of the sector, the priority problems of the Turkish plastics sector, solution proposals for these problems, and the strong-weak aspects of the sector were determined.
Evaluating the "Strategic Initiatives for the Future Design of the Plastics Sector Workshop" final report, PLASFED Chairman of the Board Selçuk Aksoy emphasized that the sector's problems can only be solved by sector members, stating, "After the workshop we held for the sector 5 years ago, we see that our initiatives have accelerated, our effectiveness has increased, and we have made significant progress in solving problems. During these past five years, we have again seen that no one else benefits us but ourselves. By working with the principle of 'Unity is strength,' we will continue to reach plastic industrialists in every corner of Turkey and gather them under one roof, in solidarity."
A special report was prepared regarding the "Strategic Initiatives for the Future Design of the Plastics Sector Workshop," organized in Gaziantep in cooperation with PLASFED (Plastics Industrialists Federation), GAPLASDER (Southeast Plastics and Chemicals Industrialists Association), and GSO (Gaziantep Chamber of Industry), aiming to discuss the present of the Turkish plastics sector and make strategic decisions that will shape its future.
The report, created in cooperation with PLASFED and GAPLASDER and expected to be printed by GAPLASDER and presented to the sector's service, based on the topics discussed in the joint session held under the moderation of PAGDER Board Member Mevlüt Çetinkaya and realized with a search conference method; the problems and solution proposals, and the factors that will affect the future of the sector, identified the weak and strong aspects, main problems, and solutions of the sector.
According to the report, the Turkish plastics sector is a very hardworking sector, and this constitutes one of its most important strengths. It has the advantage of an excellent geopolitical location but has disadvantages such as the necessity to procure raw materials from abroad due to limited domestic production and the intensive production of low value-added products.
Respectively, the sector's strong and weak aspects!
Strong-positive aspects:
- Turkey is number one in recycling
- Has an excellent geopolitical location
- The sector structure has a positive mindset
- A hardworking and courageous sector
- Plastics are products that simplify life
- Producers have strong technology
- The initial investment cost of the sector is low
- The sector has the competence to produce the best product
- Undertakes initiatives open to innovation
- Those operating in the sector are well-educated
Weak-problematic aspects:
- External dependency on raw materials,
- The high importance of high value-added products,
- Investments made in the same products and areas, influenced by each other,
- High energy costs,
- Scarcity of locomotive (leading-guiding-creative) personnel,
- Low R&D investments,
- Dependency on exchange rates
- Inability to sufficiently benefit from government incentives.
IDENTIFICATION OF PROMINENT PROBLEMS AND SOLUTION PROPOSALS!
According to the PLASFED report, which also evaluated the workshop group study where main problems, their causes, and detailed solution proposals were made, the following conclusions were reached:
Problem: External dependency on raw materials and consequently, dependency on exchange rate levels and volatility!
The sector imports 85% of its raw materials due to a lack of domestic production. Oil, the main input for raw materials, is not produced in Turkey. Petrochemical investments required for raw material production are very expensive, in the order of billions of dollars. R&D investments in the chemical sector are insufficient, and raw material producers abroad have a competitive advantage.
Solution proposals: Providing strong (long-term) incentives for petrochemical investments for a period of 5 years. Joining the free trade agreement between the USA and Europe to avoid losing competitive advantage. Production of alternative raw materials such as shale gas. Intensifying incentives for companies to earn foreign currency income by exporting to minimize exchange rate risk. Abolition of KKDF (Resource Utilization Support Fund) in imports.
Problem: Inability to produce high value-added products!
The sector lacks sufficient strength in raw material dependency and mold making, the demand for these products is insufficient (market problem), there is a shortage of qualified personnel to conduct R&D, inability to be effective in setting standards, and a lack of R&D guidance.
Solution proposals: For the solution of the sector's qualified personnel problem, providing more support to educational institutions and sectoral NGOs, ensuring that the facilities and capacities in universities are more easily utilized by the sector, providing guidance training to employers, undertaking initiatives for compliance with standards and setting standards.
Problem: Increasing the competitiveness of the sector!
Many enterprises due to low initial investment cost, scarcity of R&D investment, quality continuity, counterfeiting and copying, Chinese competition.
Solution proposals: Reaching consumers more strongly through product classification, branding, protection of information, making legislation enforceable, combating the unregistered economy and for this, lowering VAT, strengthening market surveillance and inspection, increasing testing opportunities for imported raw materials.
Problem: High energy costs!
High cost of energy, which is one of the most important inputs, inefficient use of capacities, insufficient production technology, personnel, and machine maintenance.
Solution proposals: Not collecting loss and leakage costs from industrialists, finding ways to utilize waste energy, providing additional incentives for energy-efficient investments, preventing unconscious investments by providing feasibility support for initial investments.
Problem: Shortage of locomotive qualified personnel!
Personnel who do not comprehensively know the sector, lack of engineers and technical staff who can speak the same language; lack of creativity, failure to train personnel due to inability to fully determine sector needs, inability to provide salaries that retain qualified personnel due to low-profit margins.
Solution proposals: Explaining sector needs by cooperating with universities and other educational institutions, preparing an inventory of the sector's personnel deficit, supporting educational institutions focused on plastics, establishing an R&D culture in companies.
Problem: Insufficient R&D investment!
Shortage of qualified personnel, insufficient cooperation between university-industry-public, inability to allocate sufficient resources, insufficient awareness of the importance of R&D, lack of institutionalization and vision.
Solution proposals: Providing R&D (guidance) training, obtaining support from international scientists for R&D investments required for transition to value-added products, directing postgraduate students sent abroad towards the plastics field, increasing government support, joint R&D center investments, mandating and supporting the recruitment of personnel from universities for projects.
Problem: University-industry cooperation!
Small-scale enterprises are not sufficiently open to external cooperation-communication; low prestige of vocational schools, insufficient support for them, industrialists focusing only on costs, public sector's inability to sufficiently coordinate industry-university cooperation, university and industrialists not being aware of the "win-win" relationship, bad application examples making people hesitant.
Solution proposals: Companies seriously implementing intern acceptance, establishment of professional committees, factories adopting "applied training-joint training" models, allowing personnel to pursue postgraduate education, industrial and commercial chambers contributing to the coordination of industry-university cooperation, universities encouraging their own personnel's industry-oriented work, development agencies providing more support.
This content has been translated using artificial intelligence technology.