The opening ceremony of OSTİM DTİM, which aims to systematically open companies to global markets by working to help them become competitive in foreign markets and take timely, accurate, and solid positions, was attended by Ankara Deputy Governors Abdullah Dölek and Turan Yılmaz, Deputy Director General of Exports of the Ministry of Trade of the Republic of Turkey Mustafa İlker Özden, OSTİM Board Chairman Orhan Aydın, OSTİM Vice Chairman Sıtkı Öztuna, Ankara Development Agency General Secretary Dr. Cahit Çelik, OSTİM Organized Industrial Zone Board Members Mithat Ertuğ, Behzat Zeydan, Mehmet Alkan, and OSTİM Technical University Vice Rector Prof. Dr. Ünsal Sığrı, KOSGEB OSTİM Center Director Hasan Şenel, OSTİM Organized Industrial Zone Regional Director Adem Arıcı, OSTİM External Relations Coordinator Hamza Akca, OSTİM Foundation Director Gülnaz Karaosmanoğlu, OSTİM Organized Industrial Zone Industrialists and Businessmen Association (ORSİAD) President Levent Çamur, OSTİM Industrialists and Businessmen Association (OSİAD) Vice President Tayfun Angın, Ankara Development Agency Investment Support Office Coordinator Erdem Koçoğlu, OSTİM Cluster Managers and industrialists participated.
At the opening of the ceremony, DTİM Coordinator Esma Akyüz gave an informative presentation. Following the presentation, OSTİM Board Chairman Orhan Aydın took the podium and stated that OSTİM is an industrial zone with a history dating back 55 years, saying, “We started our lives as a small industrial site. This is a region that has left its mark on the industrialization of Ankara.”
Aydın drew attention to the region's development over time with the following statement: "The products manufactured in this region today are fitted to airplanes, satellites, tanks, and unmanned aerial vehicles. We can say that all these high-level tools and equipment discussed in Turkey, from the airplane you fly in to the spare parts for people, are made here."
“Global companies need the production done here, our SMEs need it.”
Underlining that these productions alone are not sufficient, President Aydın emphasized the importance of exports. Orhan Aydın said: “We need to be able to sell the products we make abroad, to be able to showcase the qualities, capabilities, and production of companies internationally. We are a region that thinks deeply about this. We have been involved in this for years. Since the establishment of the Sectoral Foreign Trade Company, we have been a group that focuses on how to make companies in this region competitive, how to open them up to foreign markets, and how to sell their products to the whole world.”
In recent years, our Ministry of Trade has developed a Clustering Strategy in Turkey. We were directly involved in these studies conducted in collaboration with the European Union. We also participated in trips to Europe with our Ministry of Trade to learn how developed countries do this. There, we discovered something magical: clustering. This cluster structure, formed by cooperation, synergy, and collaborative competition, proved to be a significant step towards achieving our goals in Turkey. Our Ministry of Trade has also taken these efforts seriously in our region. By hosting seven clusters in OSTİM and developing their R&D projects, we have created a community of SMEs that can compete globally. Global companies need the production done here, our SMEs. We are able to produce for the entire world; this environment has been created.”
“A very useful project”
Orhan Aydın stated that the Ankara Development Agency has implemented a very successful project in Organized Industrial Zones with its Foreign Trade Intelligence Center project, adding, “They have created a very beneficial project. I would like to sincerely thank our Secretary General and his team for their efforts. We also extend our heartfelt thanks to the Ministry of Trade, the General Directorate of Exports, and the units supporting the clusters, which we have always felt by our side in our UR-GE projects and clustering activities.”
“This will make a significant contribution to Ankara's exports”
Dr. Cahit Çelik, Secretary General of the Ankara Development Agency, stated that they examined the Organized Industrial Zones (OSBs) with the greatest export capacity during the project preparation process. Çelik said, "We decided to establish 5 Foreign Trade Intelligence Centers, with OSTİM, Başkent, and İvedik OSBs as stakeholders, along with the Ankara Chamber of Industry and the Ankara Chamber of Commerce. These Foreign Trade Intelligence Centers will significantly contribute to increasing Ankara's exports."
“Export is the most important point”
Levent Çamur, Chairman of the Board of Directors of ORSİAD, emphasized that OSTİM is a global brand. Çamur stated, “When we travel abroad and are asked, ‘Where do you produce?’ and we say Ankara, the first question they ask is: ‘Are you in OSTİM?’ We are proud of this. Export is the most important goal for all of us during the economic difficulties our country is experiencing and the global crisis the world is facing. The OSTİM Foreign Trade Intelligence Center will benefit all of us as industrialists.”
Tayfun Angın, Vice Chairman of the OSİAD Board of Directors, also stated that industrialists need foreign trade intelligence and qualified personnel. Angın said, “OSTİM is a shining star, an incubator. Right at this time, OSTİM Organized Industrial Zone will come to the aid of OSTİM industrialists. I believe that the Foreign Trade Intelligence Center will create significant added value for OSTİM industrialists.”
“Of strategic importance”
Ayşe Saraçoğlu, Chairperson of the Board of Directors of the Business and Construction Machinery Cluster (İŞİM), stated that the establishment of the OSTİM Foreign Trade Intelligence Center is of strategic importance. Saraçoğlu explained: “Since cluster policy is fundamentally a mix of activities supporting joint action platforms, it serves to increase the export share of cluster firms through the International Competitiveness Development Support programs. At this point, our firms can maximize the benefits from the fairs and B2B meetings provided by UR-GE by conducting preliminary studies at the Foreign Trade Intelligence Center, including identifying potential markets and selecting target markets. For newly joined firms, foreign trade intelligence will provide direction and a target for businesses entering the market. I believe that the OSTİM Foreign Trade Intelligence Center will offer a significant opportunity and convenience for all our clusters.”
“Foreign trade intelligence is one of the most important stages of exports”
OSTİM Technical University Vice Rector Prof. Dr. Ünsal Sığrı stated that OSTİM Technical University will contribute to the OSTİM Foreign Trade Intelligence Center in terms of training and human resource provision. Noting the recent increase in interest in exports, Sığrı continued: “We have many excellent companies eager to expand abroad, engage in trade, and bring foreign currency into the country with more favorable payment terms. We are watching the daily growth of our companies with great satisfaction. Foreign trade intelligence is one of the most important stages of exports. We are ready to provide all kinds of support to our OSTİM Foreign Trade Intelligence Center with all our strength. Our university will always continue to work hand in hand with our industrialists and business people.”
“The share of medium and advanced technology exports in overall exports should increase”
Mustafa İlker Özden, Deputy Director General of Exports at the Ministry of Trade, stated that Turkey's exports are at a very important point, pointing to a target of $250 billion for this year. Özden said, “However, the share of our medium and advanced technology exports within our overall exports needs to be rapidly increased. To this end, some important projects, spearheaded by OSTİM, including the clustering projects mentioned here, have been undertaken, producing significant components ranging from satellite parts to high-speed train parts. We need more of these examples. As the Ministry, we are continuing the necessary work within the scope of the authority given to us. OSTİM is extremely active; it is a collaborative organization that has achieved significant successes both in the UR-GE system and in its overseas marketing activities.”
“We stand by our industrialists”
Ankara Deputy Governor Turan Yılmaz stated, “As the Ankara Governorship, I want to emphasize that we are always ready to offer our technical and institutional capacity at the highest level to the industrialists and Organized Industrial Zone (OSB) managements of our province.” Yılmaz added, “Secondary education, and later higher education, forms the human resources of our industry. In this context, we are ready to undertake all kinds of projects with the valuable managements of our OSBs to develop human resources and prepare them for the future. As the Governorship, we are always by the side of our industrialists.”
“The world is watching this.”
Ankara Deputy Governor Abdullah Dölek also shared his views on the OSTİM Foreign Trade Intelligence Center: “I am proud to witness this beauty. May this center be auspicious and successful. When ambassadors from various countries visit the Ankara Governorship, OSTİM is one of the topics that usually comes up during meetings; the world is following and knows about this place. Let's be aware of our strength. You are our pride. Branding is an important issue. Today, I see that an important step has been taken in terms of branding. As citizens of this country, we are obliged to take this country to the highest levels. Let's not forget that we will achieve our goal by rising one step every day on the path of branding.”
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