Chairman's Message

baskan.jpgA DURABLE AND SUSTAINABLE SECTOR

In a period of global economic slowndown, Turkey’s achievement of increasing total machinery exports, including free zones, by 11% in 2023 to reach $28.1 billion is a new milestone for our ongoing export focus. This development, in Europe, which is our important market, has strengthened our belief in our target of $30 billion for 2024.

Turkey’s Machinery and Equipment Investments have shown growth for the last 16 quarters. This progress has been influenced by the changing balances that have particularly increased Turkey’s attractiveness for Europe. This trend, which has stimulated domestic machinery demand, along with the aggressive Far East policies backed by subsidies, has caused machinery imports to reach $45.6 billion with an 85% increase over the past four years. In 2023, we faced a foreign trade deficit of $17.5 billion from machinery.

Considering its adverse impact on the national economy, we see it essential to take effective measures to protect against the unfair competition of unqualified and dumped goods from the Far East in advanced machinery sectors of global competition. Moreover, the aspects of the Investment Incentive Legislation that facilitate imports should be quickly reviewed and restructured to support domestic products. Practices favoring local goods should also be activated in purchases involving direct or indirect government participation, such as Public Procurement Law and its exceptions, as well as public-private partnership projects.

On the other hand, our sector has significant responsibilities to enhance our resilience. We must succeed in coming together and working collaboratively to achieve economies of scale. We should be open to international collaborations that will also trigger direct foreign investments. We need to popularize the TURQUM Machine Quality Mark, which aims to strengthen the international brand image, company scale structure, and resilience of the Turkish Machinery Industry.

We have prepared the Turkey Machinery Sector Sustainability Action Plan Report, which is based on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, with a focus on combating climate change, to guide our companies. Our sector will prepare for the regulations and practices brought by the European Green Deal and the Circular Economy approach in light of this guide with a proactive approach.

We will continue to support our authorized institutions to increase the effectiveness of market surveillance and inspections regarding technical and administrative regulations in imports and markets, primarily product safety, in combating unfair competition that disrupts the competitive environment and negatively affects the development of economies of scale.

In this direction, we aim to strengthen the foundation of our work with the motto "Durable & Sustainable" at the Machine Summit we will hold in October. In the program, where we aim to bring together all stakeholders, especially leading machine manufacturers and technology suppliers, we expect all our members who see themselves among Turkey’s Machinists to attend.

I extend my gratitude to all my colleagues who see serving the development of our sector as a service to our country and who have worked hard for this cause. I congratulate the presidents and management boards of our associations, as well as their teams, for their successful work.

Adnan Dalgakıran