Denizli, which has become one of Turkey's leading cities in the plastics sector, provides employment for approximately 4 thousand people. Growing day by day with its industry, Denizli creates economic value for Turkey in the plastics sector in terms of both production and export.
Ömer Özkul
Denizli Plastics Industrialists and Recyclers Business People Association (DEPSİAD)
Chairman of the Board
In Denizli, the plastics sector began in the 1960s with the shoe sole and rope industries. In addition, with the growth of recycling facilities and the injection textile industry, and the introduction of injection and heavy industrial products, it gained significant momentum. At this point, it experienced a rapid rise. The city, formerly known for textiles and ceramics (pottery-earthenware), has now become one of Turkey's pioneers in plastic production. Companies producing in many areas such as construction, packaging, and automotive have transformed Denizli into a plastics hub. Denizli, which provides a great advantage in exports with its geographical location, proximity to Izmir port, and organized industrial zones, has become a gateway to the Middle East, Europe, and Africa. Furthermore, companies focusing on environmentally friendly production models and recycling are also producing different products. An increase in skilled labor is also observed, and Denizli's strength is growing in some way. The plastics industry in Denizli currently provides employment for an average of 3 to 4 thousand people. In short, Denizli is rapidly progressing towards becoming one of Turkey's important centers in the plastics sector, both in terms of production and export!
DENİZLİ PLASTICS SECTOR IS RAPIDLY GROWING IN EXPORTS
Denizli's plastics sector has become an area that contributes greatly to the economic dynamism, rapidly growing in both domestic and export markets in recent years. Plastic products catering to many sectors such as construction, packaging, and automotive also offer great opportunities for SMEs. Organized industrial zones and modern infrastructure provide a competitive advantage and bring foreign exchange into the region with increasing exports every year. Educational institutions like Pamukkale University provide comprehensive workforce to the sector, increasing its low value-added through R&D and new technologies. In short, Denizli's plastics sector is becoming a striking force that is rapidly growing from production to export and technological developments.
DENİZLİ OPENS TO NEW MARKETS
Denizli is a city that grows day by day with its industry and is ambitious in exports. The plastic raw material sector is also an important part of this growth, but although the sector has a globally expanding scope, declines are also noticeable in some markets. In July 2022, Russia was the country with the most exports at 29.9 million dollars, while in July 2023, it decreased by 5.24% to 28.38 million dollars. Nevertheless, Russia maintains its leadership. Italy dropped to second place, while Germany ranked third. In July 2023, Russia, Italy, and Romania were the largest markets in plastic production.
However, an interesting point is the rapid increase in some annual outputs. In July 2023, a significant rise in exports was observed in markets such as Guinea, Ecuador, Benin, Ivory Coast, and Australia. In addition, countries like Saudi Arabia, Guatemala, and Costa Rica, which had no exports in July 2022, also took their place among the countries we exported to in 2023. This indicates that the sector continues to open up to new markets.
So, how was Denizli affected by this process? Although a 19.87% decrease was observed in Denizli Free Zone's plastic raw material production in the July 2022-2023 comparison, significant growth was recorded in the first half of the year. Looking at the total, exports increased by 9.96% between January-July 2023, reaching 37,008.86 dollars. We can interpret the temporary decline in July as a currency fluctuation, and the overall increase throughout the year indicates strong performance and potential in the region's plastics sector. This also suggests that Denizli will have more opportunities for growth during this period.
Considering Denizli's entrepreneurial spirit and industrialists' adaptability to new markets in the production process, it is possible to say that these currencies are temporarily growing. Continuing new market searches and high value-added production will further solidify Denizli's position in the plastics sector. In other words, despite short-term fluctuations in numbers, it is not difficult for Denizli's long-term production to become a stronger player!
This content has been translated using artificial intelligence technology.