Tekstil Teknik Dergisi Tekstil Haberleri, Tekstil Sektörü, Tekstil Teknik
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‘1st International Textile Summit’ with the theme of “Textile is Back to its Home” was held in Kahramanmaras, the heartland of the textile, under the cooperation of Eastern Mediterranean Development Agency
(DOGAKA), Kahramanmaras Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KMTSO)
And Kahramanmaras Sutcu Imam University (KSU). To the summit, many native and foreign businessmen attended. The representatives of sector meeting at the summit exchanged information about marketing, production, technology and energy in textile. The summit which was held in Mehmet Akif Ersoy Cultural Center
Hosted the Governor Sukru Kocatepe, Prof. Dr. Mehmet Fatih Kararslan, President of KSU, Mr. Onur Yıldız, Deputy General Secretary of DOGAKA, Mr. Kemal Karakucuk, President of KMTSO, Mr. Ismail Gulle, President of Istanbul Textile and Raw Material Exporters’ Association
(ITHIB), Mr. Zeki Kivanc, Board Chairman of Mediterranean Textile and Raw Material
Exporters’ Association (ATHIB), Prof. Dr. Ayse Okur, Head of the Department of Textile Technology, Textile Engineering of Dokuz Eylul University, Prof. Dr. Fatma Goktepe and sector representatives.
“KAHRAMANMARAS IS ONE OF THE
LOCOMOTIVE CITIES FOR TEXTILE”
Giving the opening speech at the summit, the Governor Sukru Kocatepe remarked that the textile sector is one of the locomotives in the world economy and Kahramanmaras is one of the locomotive cities for textile. Mentioning the issue of how textile is a concern for all the people, Kocatepe said, “In the textile sector receiving demands from the hind end of creation, our shepherd brother at the mountain and people living at the highest level of welfare, Kahramanmaras is one of the locomotive cities. All the investments and efforts made in Kahramanmaras until today, the indicators in the incentives, the indicators in the electricity use and the indicators in industry prove that Kahramanmaras is in a big struggle to make more progress about this issue thanks to the acceleration she gained every day. I want to thank to those who contributed to the organization of this summit.”
“WE SHOULD SUPERSEDE ITALY”
Mr. Kemal Karakucuk, Board Chairman of KMTSO stated that with the appropriate use of incentives by the industrialists of Kahramanmaras, a vertical growth is achieved from the agriculture to ginneries, from the ginneries to giant textile plants. Mr. Karakucuk then continued, “Kahramanmaras is now able to meet 35 percent of the production in the thread sector and 10 percent of woven fabric production in Turkey thanks to the increasing investments especially after the Customs Union. Turkey has to supersede Italy in terms of textile though R&D and innovation, providing energy efficiency, developing fashion and design aspects and modern incentives in ready-made clothing. If we can achieve this, the added value of the sector will be increasing for many
long years and will continue being one of the locomotives for the employment.” Karakucuk remarking that Kahramanmaras achieved 7,2 percent of Turkey’s textile export being 6,9 billion dollar in the first 10 month of this year, said, “With its 42 thousand 400 employees, Kahramanmaras incorporates 10 percent of the people employed for Turkish textile sector. The support to the textile sector finds its own level as tax, currency and employment for the government with the investments.”
“WE SHOULD HAVE INTERNATIONAL BRANDS”
Prof. Dr. Mehmet Karaarslan, President of KSU who also made an opening speech at the summit emphasized that Kahramanmaras which leads the textile sector has to have a brand to have international reputation. Reminding that the university is in cooperation with the industrialist for this purpose, “Our desire for our city which has now become a textile center is to have internationally famous brands. We are of the opinion that
fashion and design studies should be given more weight besides the technology transfer. I believe that our industrialists have the ambition to achieve this also,” the President Karaarslan said. He also stated that Turkey has been experiencing some nice developments in the recent years and the government is encouraging the people to the utmost for finding new ideas, new solutions and making appropriate production.
“TURKEY TAKES ITS CUE FROM ECONOMIC
CRISIS”
And Mr. Ismail Gulle, President of ITHIB who made an opening speech at the summit held in Mehmet Akif Ersoy Cultural Center gave information about the textile sector. Reminding the saying of “A good scare is worth more than a good advice”, Mr. Gulle pointed out to the fact that Turkey took its cue from the economic crisis. Talking about the fact that the export rates double after each crisis experienced in the country, Mr. Gulle stated that Turkey has had a breakout in 2009 crisis. Mr. Gulle expressed that the crises arising in America and Europe reveal real economic strength of the countries and said, “Crises reveal the true identity of America
and European Union. These crises showed that they have been living with a disguised, painted economy until yesterday.”
“EUROPEANS KEEP HOLD OF TECHNOLOGY”
Mr. Gulle signified that the companies in European countries were the major manufacturers of the former periods but when they quit this business, they didn’t abandon technology.
Sharing the information that the textile firms in Europe has been running their business by creating the technology that business needs, Mr. Gülle said, “They acted wisely. While they were leaving production in textile, they kept hold of the technology. They always managed and have still been managing. The countries which
we thought to leave production in textile have great export rates following China.”
“THE UNEMPLOYMENT RATE IS FAR BETTER
THAN THE RATES IN EUROPEAN COUNTRIES”
Reminding the ones saying “This business outdated and over, it should be ended”, Mr. Gülle then mentioned about the ones who keep saying “Textile is a sector which belongs to developing countries”. Emphasizing that the textile is a sector to be managed efficiently, Mr. Gülle said, “To what extent the textile matters in the crisis period is understood when the unemployment rate reached to 28 percent in Turkey. Then Europe understood this. The unemployment rate in Turkey is far better than the rates in European countries. The unemployment rates of European countries are a total fail. In Spain, the country which everyone considers as developed and envies, one
out of 4 persons is unemployed. That’s why production is the most important merit.”
Mentioning the importance of production sector, Mr. Gulle continued, “Textile is an important
sector for Turkey. We have a target of 500 billion dollar for 2023. I am not sure about
how much of this target can be reached. But textile has a 80 billion dollar share in it. Right now, we are able to achieve 10 billion dollar. If we can make 10 billion more in 10 years, this is reality. We will reach 20 billion
dollars. Ready-made clothing sector is in the same situation. In other words, the vision of this business is great. As, we have a majör infrastructure. This year, we received investment incentive certificate at the amount of
55 billion dollar. Within this amount, 5 billion dollar belongs to textile investment. That is to say, textile receiving 5 billion dollar investment incentive certificate even under these circumstances is very meaningful.” And Onur And And Onur Yıldız, Deputy General Secretary of DOGAKA said, “In the textile sector
which has a rich value for the foreign trade and employment in the region, R&D and Production Development works to decrease input and energy costs and technologic development in parallel with these
are considered significant in terms of having advantage in the international competition and playing a determining role within the sector. During the new planning period, providing new foreign markets for the textile
sector, aggregation policies to develop the competition power of the sector and studies for patent development and branding based on innovation will continue.” After the speeches, “Movers and Shakers of
Textile” session was held under the under the moderation of Prof. Dr. Ayse Okur. At the session, Ismail Gulle, President of ITHIB, M. Hanifi Oksuz, Board Chairman of Kıpas Holding
and Zeki Kıvanc, Board Chairman of Mediterranean
Textile and Raw Material Exporters’ Association (ATHIB) shared their business
experiences with the participants. The second and third day of the summit continued in Kahramanmaras Sutcu Imam University.
As part of the summit, the sector was evaluated
in every aspects and company owners, managers and public representatives who
are the movers and shakers of the sector
made speeches at the panels and presentations about marketing, production, technology,
human resources and energy. The latest point the textile technologies reach, the
reflections of academic studies in the sector are evaluated by the academicians attending
from Turkey and all around the world. Moreover, under the “R&D Market” event organized within the summit, 52 projects which
are created by the academicians of the Textile Engineering Departments of different universities in Turkey and which are waiting to
be commercialized were presented. At the first day’s program held in Mehmet Akif Ersoy Cultural Center, five panels were held. At the end of the sessions, Denim Show by which
the clothes made of the fabric produced in Kahramanmaras was demonstrated to the
participants during the gala dinner.
