Onur ATAKAY
Founding Partner
Sintek Group
Many industries, including particularly cement, energy, iron and steel, and logistics, continued to experience the pandemic in 2021, under negative conditions. This impact, which began in 2020, has had a significant impact on the heavy industry and cement sector. However, within 2020, when the negative impacts were experienced in several areas, the cement sector continued to grow as a result of export activities and ended the year with a sectoral growth of 23%, according to year-end reports. In 2021, the cement sector, which is of great importance for the economy of our country, sustained its growth and improved its position in the global context. Cement production increased by 11.7 percent within the first nine months of 2021 compared to the same period in 2020. In the reports issued for 2022, it is predicted that the growth will be in the range of 4.0 percent -4.4 percent. The sector continues its efforts with momentum increasing every day and sustains its growth. Here, investments made by companies, technological advancements, and R&D efforts have a significant impact. We, Sintek Group, offer services in the fields of project development, engineering, and consulting, in addition to facilities we built and commissioned on a turnkey basis for a variety of industries, including cement, energy, iron and steel, and logistics. With this framework, we have the opportunity to follow the investments made by companies closely. The cement sector takes on the role of a pioneer literally and closely follows the technology. And with such a structure, it keeps on growing despite all negative issues.
Cement companies will become stronger in the new markets
Pandemic has brought along a process, which is not local and deeply affects and transforms the business life and private life. This process not only affected almost all sectors, but also interrupted the operations of the cement sector. However, on the other hand, the cement sector has been one of the industries that recovered the fastest from this process. The impacts of the pandemic have decreased to some extent as a result of vaccination in 2021, followed by the opening of borders, and markets have begun to expand as a result of international efforts and new business opportunities. We have witnessed that Turkish contractors, who are strong in the domestic market and place a higher emphasis on their work in this region, shifted to new markets and opportunities abroad in response to the impacts of the pandemic. We observe that especially the investments of the USA will increase in 2022, with the investment activities concentrated on Russia, the Middle East, and Africa. Turkish cement companies will maintain their increasing market share by expanding worldwide, and they will not only continue to strengthen themselves in their existing markets, but also open up to new markets.
We will concentrate on our Europe-based operations
In 2022, we will continue to utilize in the new markets our knowledge and experience gained as a company providing our consumers with service in various regions of the world. We, Sintek Group, intend to concentrate on our Europebased operations in particular. In all operations we carry out, we strive to equip Turkish engineering with a structure that plays an active role in the international arena. Our primary strategy, which we have maintained so far and intend to continue, is to create high-value-added projects within the domestic country and abroad and to offer those to our clients. In 2022 and beyond, we will continue to build a reputation for ourselves with such projects as well as turnkey projects that will make a difference.
