"Builders Of Turkish Economy" Come Together in Anatolia Meetings Of Turkish Cement Manufacturers’ Association

Turkish Cement Manufacturers’ Association organizes the Anatolia Meetings in a way that they cover entire Turkey, under the title of "Builders of the Economy of Turkey," to steer the sector and to draw the future vision. The first of the meetings where the regional dynamics of the sector and its impacts on the country's economy were discussed took place in Erzurum.

Dr. Tamer Saka, Chairman of the Board of Directors of TÇMB; Lütfü Yücelik, Chairman of Erzurum Chamber of Commerce and Chairman of ERÇİMSAN Holding and Aşkale Cement; Hakan Güldağ, Dünya News Executive; and Vahap Munyar, General Coordinator of the Dünya News, attended the online meeting held in cooperation with the Dünya News, as speakers.

In the meeting where the overall economic course in Turkey as well as the issues that await solutions in the cement sector and specifically in the region of Erzurum were discussed, Dr. Tamer Saka, Chairman of the Board of Directors of TÇMB, said, “We rank first in Europe and sixth in the world. The cement sector has achieved a significant growth rate in the last 10 years. The capacity of 50 million tons has become 100 million tons. The Turkish cement sector is a sector that is at all times among the top three in exports. ”

Specifying that cement is not suitable for export when it comes to transportation costs, Dr. Tamer Saka continued his speech as follows:

“For the last two years, our sector downsized in a row. We are content with export in view of quantities but not of added value. The Turkish cement sector must now focus on investments abroad. We are a highly domestic-oriented sector. There are suitable conditions for globalization. The state must support the sector for this purpose. For globalization, it is necessary to go wherever raw materials are present. The sector’s knowledge level is high. We do this business in the best possible way everywhere. Solution-oriented assessments are needed. Everyone is to assume responsibility. As the cement community, we are working on an urban vision."

Lütfü Yücelik, Chairman of Erzurum Chamber of Commerce and Chairman of ERÇİMSAN Holding and Aşkale Cement, stated that Aşkale Cement acquired from privatization has provided a substantial contribution to the economy of the region. Yücelik said, “Our target was to support the development of the region. We are a sector that works day and night and endeavors. We export at cost prices in order to provide foreign currency to our country. Nevertheless, as a sector, we are treated like a stepchild."

Mentioning that the cement sector is a sector that is without unregistered assets and that is environment-friendly, Yücelik said, "Turkey can solve its problems in unity. A confidence environment must be provided. Energy is expensive and, as the sector, we sell goods at cost prices. We do not have a sector-oriented plan. We tried to keep our production going on even during the Covid period. We must use our capacity not only domestically but also abroad. We must be spread across the entire world."  

Mentioning that cement will continue to be the leader in production, Hakan Güldağ, the Dünya News Executive/Journalist, gave the following messages during the live streaming:  

"Our cement sector is one of the world's most prominent actors. Turkey is a production country. Cement will continue to be a leader in this framework. A contraction is present in the world’s economy due to the pandemic. Nevertheless, it does not cease. Turkey needs a new model of lunge, a new story."  

In his assessment regarding the general course of the economy, Vahap Munyar, the Dünya News General Coordinator/journalist, said, "Turkey has a potential of globalization in many sectors. It has company-based examples." Munyar stated that the most important issue in this regard is the loss of confidence and added that the issue must be solved.