News and Markets back to current issue German-Turkish engineering cooperations are taking shape Germany is the most important sales market for the Turkish machine industry. The Turkish export association for machines and accessories is therefore seeking contact with German companies – both on German and Turkish soil – to drive cooperations and shared investments. The business relationships between Germany and Turkey are growing closer, particularly in the engineering sector. 18 % of the machine and machine part imports into Turkey in 2013, total volume 5.5 Bn. EUR, were from Germany. Vice versa, the Federal Republic is by far the greatest sales market for Turkish machine constructors. Last year, they had a turnover of 2.17 Bn. EUR in Germany, almost 17 % of the total machine export. The unavoidable consequence is that the exchange between German and Turkish companies is growing closer as well. An entrepreneurs‘ delegation from Saxony — led by Saxony‘s minister of economy Sven Morlok — visited the industrial trade fair WIN in AUTOMATION TECHNOLOGIES 3/2014
News and Markets The German delegation signed a cooperation agreement with the MAIB in Istanbul; the board members from the left to the right: Ali Eren (board member), Ferdi Murat Gül (board member), Sevda Kayhan Yılmaz (board member) and Kutlu Karavelioğlu (deputy chairman of the board) Istanbul from 5 to 8 June, where there was a shared event with the Turkish export association for machines and accessories (MAIB) under the motto of “Potentials, Competences and Cooperation Opportunities.” Only one week before, the Turkey day in Bielefeld was all about the possibilities of cooperation as well. Cooperation agreement signed WIN – World of Industry in Istanbul is the Turkish branch of the Hanover Trade Fair Industry and was the destination of an engineering entrepreneurs’ delegation from Saxony for the first time this year. Organized by Saxony’s business development institution, the participants met members of the MAIB on the premises of the Tüyap Fair Convention and Congress Center in the west of the metropolis at the Bosporus on 5 June. After a tour of the trade fair together, the parties discussed strategies, potential cooperations and the possible joint development of third-parties. A cooperation agreement between the MAIB and the Innovationsverbund Maschinenbau Sachsen was also signed in the scope of this meeting. Increasing Quality Awakens Interest At the “parent event” of the WIN Istanbul, the Hanover Trade Fair in April, Turkey had already been strongly represented with a total of 160 exhibitors. The visitors were able to convince themselves of the increasing quality of Turkish machines and the growing interest in Germany as a sales market for Turkish companies. These subjects were also predominant in the interviews on 27 May at the Turkey day in the chamber of industry and commerce of East Westphalia in Bielefeld. Together with the Turkish-German chamber of industry and commerce (Türkisch-Deutsche Industrie- und Handelskammer; TD-IHK), the innovation network OWL engineering and the MAIB, the Bielefeld IHK had invited to the event “Partner Country Turkey: Engineering at the Focus.” The business relationships between Germany and Turkey, strategies and targets of the Turkish engineering industry and the potentials of Turkish companies as strategic partners for German engineering were presented. “Cooperations must be tackled” “The German-Turkish cooperation in the area of engineering offers enormous possibilities and a lot of potential,” explains Sevda Kayhan Yilmaz, responsible for the German market in the board of MAIB. “Many successful German-Turkish partnerships from other industries are setting an example.” Ahmet Yilmaz wants to follow it. From Braunschweig, he consults MAIB as representative for Germany while also serving as the contact for German companies seeking contact with Turkey: “Both sides can profit from a German-Turkish cooperation considerably. Companies from both countries can be ideal partners for cooperations, joint ventures and shared investments in third countries.” German companies contribute great know-how and high quality standards; their products and services enjoy an outstanding reputation around the world. Specifically in quality, Turkish manufacturers also made great steps forward, already meeting high inter national standards today. “Cooperations must be tackled,” Sevda Kayhan Yilmaz demands. “We are ready!” Photographs: teaser & lead fotolia/ate www.turkishmachinery.org Turkish export association for machines and accessories The export association for machines and accessories (MAIB, Makine ve Aksamları İhracatçıları Birliği) represents the machine exporters of Turkey. The association took up its work in 2002 and coordinates all activities that promote export of the industrial area. It has more than 8,000 member companies. The promotion group machinery (MTG) founded by the association in 2007 has the objective of making the Turkish engineering industry more widely known in and outside the country. For this purpose, it participates in international trade fairs, organizes delegation travels and promotional campaigns.) AUTOMATION TECHNOLOGIES 3/2014
