In the Western Black Sea Region, one of the locomotive regions of the Turkish economy and home to strategic industrial facilities such as Erdemir and Kardemir, efforts are underway to establish a Steel Cluster. Initiated by the Zonguldak Governorship and continued by the Western Black Sea Development Agency (BAKKA), the clustering project examines successful models in Turkey. As part of this, members of the cluster working group, organized by BAKKA, received information at OSTİM. The visiting delegation was given detailed information about the 7 sectoral clusters in OSTİM, which encompasses 17 main sectors, 139 different business lines, and more than 6,200 businesses, as well as about Ostim Technopark A.Ş., and their questions were answered.
Stating that they strongly believe in clustering, OSTİM Board Chairman Orhan Aydın pledged support for the ongoing work in the Western Black Sea Region, saying, "We are at your service to do everything we can in every matter."
Zonguldak Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Metin Demir stated that they are accelerating their clustering efforts to find ways to strengthen existing industries in the region. Demir added that they are closer than ever to achieving their goal of realizing the Filyos Industrial Zone.
Prof. Dr. Sencer İmer, a well-known figure in the steel industry, emphasized the need for investment in manufacturing in the region, stating, “A new sheet metal factory could be established. Because currently, Turkey's flat steel production is around 9 million tons. Turkey's annual consumption is around 19 million tons. Therefore, we need to produce twice as much as we currently do at Erdemir and İsdemir.”
“Big things are being done by small companies”
In the first part of the meeting, OSTİM Organized Industrial Zone Regional Manager Adem Arıcı introduced the region. Noting that OSTİM is a regional development model composed of small businesses, Arıcı emphasized that significant achievements are accomplished through the collaboration of these small businesses, and that the region's firms produce for international brands in many sectors.
Arıcı said, “We are a regional development model. We are a region where small companies grow into large ones, and we act as an incubator for newly established companies. OSTİM is where many big brands in Ankara and Turkey started, grew, and learned the business.”
Adem Arıcı explained that according to the results of the competition analysis conducted in the region, they formed clusters in 2007, starting with the construction and industrial machinery sector, and continuing with the defense and aerospace, medical, renewable energy, and environmental technologies sectors. He added that today they are carrying out clustering efforts in 7 sectors, including rubber, rail systems, and communication technologies.
“We strongly believe in clustering”
OSTİM Chairman Orhan Aydın stated that OSTİM is Ankara's oldest industrial hub, saying, "We are a region comprised of small and medium-sized enterprises. We have implemented clustering activities where small businesses come together. We are a group that strives to demonstrate what small businesses can achieve by working together, both in our region and in our country. We are not only involved with this region but also maintain close contact with other clusters in Turkey. We are also the central hub of the Anatolian Clusters Cooperation Platform."
Aydın emphasized that they closely follow all clustering activities in Turkey, and said: “We strongly believe in clustering. We have also conducted serious studies on how these are implemented and managed in developed countries. I want to underline that if our knowledge and the structures in our region will be useful to you, we are at your service 24 hours a day with all our resources and capabilities. We are ready to do everything we can in every matter.”
“We thank OSTİM”
BAKKA Acting Secretary General Elif Acar stated that within the scope of the clustering study they initiated as an agency, they aim to achieve access to better and higher value-added markets, create awareness, and maximize the benefits of clustering. Acar said, “We aimed to benefit from the experiences of OSTİM, which has the best cluster examples in Turkey, by visiting them. We thank them very much for their support.”
“We are trying to open doors to new sectors”
Zonguldak Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ZTSO) President Metin Demir, stating that Zonguldak is a coal and steel region, recalled that their story, which began with coal in the 1840s, continued with iron and steel factories. Continuing his speech, Demir said, “Until the 1990s, we were one of Turkey’s leading provinces and regions, constantly growing and developing.” He then made the following observations regarding the regional economy: “Unfortunately, as a result of Turkey’s change in its economic model in the 1990s, and the shift from state-led development to private sector development, we are now facing a Zonguldak and Western Black Sea region that has lost significant strength.”
Expressing that the Western Black Sea Development Agency is seeking new initiatives in collaboration with the Chambers of Commerce and Industry in Zonguldak, Bartın, and Karabük, President Demir shared the following: “While making these new moves, we are simultaneously exploring how to make the sectors that sustain us and where we currently have a significant presence more value-added, more profitable, and more employment-generating. On the other hand, we are also making serious efforts to develop in different sectors that we may not have considered before, perhaps due to coal and steel. We are also trying to open doors to new sectors.”
“We are close to our goal in Filyos”
Referring to the fact that they have accelerated their clustering efforts to find ways to strengthen existing industries in the region, Metin Demir said, “We want to use the presence of Kardemir, Erdemir, and coal in our region to perhaps open the door to new products and collaborations in this area and make another growth push in these fields.”
The Filyos Industrial Zone project has existed since the Ottoman era. For many years, it may have been a file shelved, but we are closer than ever to realizing the Filyos Industrial Zone. The port construction and infrastructure works, which are key to the region, are currently over 50% complete. If the tender for the superstructure is held next year, we expect the Filyos Port, with its 25 million ton capacity, to become one of Turkey's largest ports by 2022-2023. We believe that the realization of the Filyos Port will lead to significant advancements in the Filyos Valley.
"When we started this process, we wanted to visit as many examples, as many successful examples as possible. In this context, when it comes to clustering, OSTİM is one of the leading successful examples in Turkey, especially in the academic community. That's why we are your guests today," he said.
“Investment should be done in partnership with the public”
Among the program participants was Prof. Dr. Sencer İmer, who has worked for many years in steel companies operating in the region and shared his experiences and suggestions on development from the perspective of steel and coal.
Stating that Zonguldak is home to Turkey's oldest industrial region, based on coal mining, İmer pointed out that Zonguldak has met the energy needs of Ankara and Turkey for many years. Emphasizing that coal extraction is necessary today at depths between -300 and -600 meters, Prof. Dr. İmer said, “Investment must be made to extract coal at this level. Without this investment, increasing production is not possible. This should be an investment involving the public sector. If we make the investments, we can produce 5 million tons of coal.”
Highlighting the needs of the mining sector, İmer stated, “Underground mining requires spark-free equipment. We can manufacture underground mining machinery ourselves. Moreover, by attracting foreign partners, we can also export to Europe.”
The experienced academic listed the following suggestions: “Investment should be made in the manufacturing industry in the region. A new sheet metal factory could be established. Because currently, Turkey's flat steel production is around 9 million tons. Turkey's annual consumption is around 19 million tons. This means we need twice the production we currently do at Erdemir and İsdemir. This is equivalent to two Erdemirs. When we project this into the future; if we calculate that Turkey's current steel production of 35 million tons will increase to around 60 million tons, it would not be wrong to say that this represents something close to 40 million tons, which would require several more Erdemirs. One of these Erdemirs could be located there. New shipyards and shipbuilding areas could be built alongside it. If these things happen, then Türkiye could become like Korea and Japan.”
Photos
