We had a detailed interview with Fatih Vardar, Managing Director of Bursa Beton to view the sector and particularly Bursa Beton’s activities. The company’s productions and area of activities together with their references were also mentioned. Mr. Vardar in addition gave information about the recent ready mixed concrete Technologies…
CemenTürk: Can we have some information about your products?
Fatih VARDAR: Our company in one hand presents to our clients our main subject of activity which is ready mixed concrete in different brands and forms such as vibrabeton (self-compacting concrete), vibraşap (self-levelling screed), çeton steel fiber reinforced concrete and lightweight concrete; and on the other hand we produce pre-casting elements such as manhole covers and concrete composite covers in different class and dimensions, cable channel covers and counterweight for kilns and street bollards. Our search continues relating to new generation products through global connections.
CemenTürk: What is Bursa Beton’s production capacity?
Fatih VARDAR: Bursa Beton meets 50% of South Marmara region’s demand on its own and is ready to invest in each region where it can gain productivity. Bursa Beton A.Ş. was formed as a partnership of Bursa Çimento Fabrikası A.Ş. (Bursa cement factory) and has produced approximately 28 million cubic meter concrete up to the present while giving 24 hour non-stop service upon demand by our facilities situated in Bursa, Yalova, Balıkesir and Kütahya cities. Today Bursa Beton serves with 18 concrete plants and 16 facilities installed in South Marmara region and I can say that it owns a vehicle park of 210 transit mixers, 55 concrete pumps with 3 fixed pumps and it has 15.000 m3 daily plant production capacity.
CemenTürk: What are the alterations experienced in concrete quality during recent years?
Fatih VARDAR: Recently the quality of concrete came into prominence in terms of building safety and the concrete produced in our country has started to show major development by the usage of new technologies. Concrete which has a wide range area of usage in infrastructure and superstructure construction, serves as a vital construction system product by its indispensability in construction technology. Ready mixed concrete has nearly a background of 100 years and in fact it requires a serious engineering infrastructure. This issue is better understood by the unpleasant experiences of earthquakes that our country faced many times. As a result of survey carried out after 1999 earthquake, it has been established that the concrete which was used in many buildings did not even meet C16 quality which is not allowed to be used in construction systems today and mostly it was used C8-C12 quality. Today we came to a point that the sector does not even find sufficient C25 concrete quality and the clients find approval to higher concrete qualities. Major developments which are experienced especially in chemical sector carried the concrete quality to higher levels and C80/95 concrete qualities have been successfully used in several projects in our country. Besides the technical developments, also the innovation concept brought by the sense of competition has also proved that concrete could be used in different functions. In this sense, our company as Bursa Beton A.Ş. in direction of the objective to present the end users new products, was concerned in the infrastructural problems of different institutions, particularly at province and county municipalities and found a solution for the problems by its products designed as reinforced composite. As known, due to the recyclable feature of the present infrastructure elements, they have theft risks and therefore it is in great importance to use non-recyclable alternative products that eliminates this risk. At this point, the reinforced manhole covers that are currently used since 3 years in different regions in our country of which our company presented to the users has prevented the probable accidents resulted by death or injury or economical losses sourced by theft events. Our products are manufactured in compliance with the related Turkish Standards and are used safely at all environmental conditions that are subject to different loads such as pedestrian traffic and heavy vehicle traffic. At the production process it is used different concrete other than the traditional ones. In this concrete production which is called Ultrahigh strength concrete (UYDB compressive strength with min.150MPa), it is included new generation special materials such as concrete plasticizer, steel micro and macro fibers and silica fume. The mechanical affects due to the high traffic load are met by the reinforcing bars which is included in the product. The product which shall be subject to damages caused by environmental impacts such as corrosion, wearing, freezing-thawing, wetting/drying during its service life is considerably prevented by UYDB usage. UYDB, besides its high strength, due to its quite low permeability, it is considerably durable and high performance concrete against environmental impacts. In the light of the explanations above, besides producing qualified concrete in compliance with the standards and performing accurate concrete applications at the constructions, it could be said that particularly the local administration has an important duty in the sense of actualizing the new developments. We, as the sector directors by the sense of our responsibilities as well as by the aim of adding value to the country economy; are continuing to our research and development activities and sustainability to increase the life standard.
CemenTürk: Could we have some information about Bursa Beton’s references?
Fatih VARDAR: Bursa Beton presents reinforced concrete solutions to urban infrastructure by its special products such as manhole covers, concrete composite covers and street bollards and is making preparations to the fast train project in direction of its planned investments that could meet the requirements. In this scope, our company is carrying out the activities to install a new facility in Gürsu and has produced 2.8 million cubic meter concrete in 2011 which was the highest sales volume the company reached since it was formed. Bursa Beton has became the solution partner to the local administrations by its urban reinforced concrete products and added to its reference list by its products as the supplier of reinforce concrete manhole covers and channel covers to BUSKİ, İzmit Municipality, Tunçbilek TEAŞ (electrical distribution company) as well as the powerful companies such as Sütaş, Koray İnşaat, Tüyap and Bosch. I can also state that Municipalities of Bursa, Konya, Hatay, Afyon, Uşak, Malatya, Keşan, Bergama, Kuşadası, Lüleburgaz, Ayvalık, Güre, İnegöl, Dalaman has preferred our company for the urban infrastructural products.
CemenTürk: What are your future investment plans?
Fatih VARDAR: Our primary investment plan includes new projects that will create difference in ready mixed concrete which is our main subject of activity. Our research and development activities relating to products that shall create added value are being continued. Currently we have several facility projects that we have planned according to the developing areas in our region. In addition, our feasibility studies are continuing in other several sectors. We shall assess the results in due course.
CemenTürk: Do you think that the Turkish construction sector will face a crisis in the near future?
Fatih VARDAR: Not a crisis but we can expect a shrinkage. When we review the statistics the construction sector followed a parallel movement to the deceleration of the economy. GNP growth was 3,2 percent in comparison with the previous year same period and the growth of construction sector was recorded as 2.8%. We estimate the rate to remain at the same level throughout 2012. However, the sector shall enter a new growth trend in next year especially if the urban renewal projects are actualized.
CemenTürk: How will Kyoto Protocol scope affect the cement and ready mixed concrete sectors?
Fatih VARDAR: The development of technology created a rapid industrialization and urbanization and this situation brought significant environmental problems. Especially the pollution and industrial wastes require to be reduced, and by the global warming concept coming into view, measures to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions have been started to be a matter of consideration. As a result the Kyoto Protocol was been signed and the parties have restricted their greenhouse gas emissions. Also the European Union adopted the quota application and the companies who exceed the limit of greenhouse gas emissions are imposed to additional taxes. It is mentioned that also Turkey shall be imposed to such restrictions in the years ahead. When the construction and construction material sectors consider the natural resource consumption, greenhouse gas emissions resulting from high fuel and power consumption, construction material production, the wastes generated during the construction and destruction works, the sector takes place among other sectors which have the most impact on environment and climate change. One of the most important greenhouse gas emissions is carbon dioxide. The cement industry has one of the highest C02 emissions. Cement plants release to the nature approximately 800kgs of CO2 gas to produce 1 ton cement.
To reduce the carbon emission,
- It should be increased the usage of blended cement,
- Increase the usage of alternative fuel,
- Advance technology investments for power efficiency should be made.
Reducing the cement quantity within the concrete means to reduce CO2 emissions. Thus the power consumption shall be reduced. One of the most significant problems that the sector should consider is the orientation process of Kyoto Protocol and EU Environmental Legislation. During this process the sector shall be obliged to make great technologic investments and install new treatment facilities. The related investments, costs and the financial issues stand as the greatest problem in front of the sector. In addition, it should be carried out studies in order to prevent the unfair competition against the imported products from countries which are not a part of the Kyoto Protocol.
CemenTürk: What sort of studies does Bursa Beton maintain about environmental conscience?
Fatih VARDAR: One of our main principles is to provide contribution to protect the environment and reduce the environmental impact during all of our activities. In terms of environmental conscience water management and assessment of waste water is an important concept for Bursa Beton as in the case with the ready mixed concrete sector. We are investing in all our ready mixed concrete plants for the storage of waste water to be reused at the production process. The waste water and concretes are decomposed at the recycling systems and the recycled water and aggregate are reused in ready mixed concrete production. For instance; our goal for 2012 is to increase the recycled water rate usage to 35% at concrete production. Thus, waste concrete and water sourced pollution shall be prevented and the raw material resource consumption shall be decreased. In addition, all the storage, carriage and elimination processes are conducted in compliance with the related standards and regulations in the scope of waste management. Another important issue in the process of environmental conscience is the emission management in our ready mixed concrete facilities. The dust emissions in our facilities are been measured and reported in regular periods pursuant to the relevant regulations by the authorized bodies of the Ministry of Environment and Urban Planning. It is used filter systems which are situated on the bunker which are specially developed in order to further reduce the dust emission in our facilities. Also through the systems developed by our company we provide a decrease in fossil fuel consumption by monitoring constantly the operating speed of equipment at our facility and the fuel consumption accordingly. Besides, minimum standards of Bursa Beton is constituted by the existing closed bunker system, closed aggregate stock areas, horizontal bands and production systems, concrete covered facility floors, installed boundary walls around the facilities.
CemenTürk: What are your social responsibility projects?
Fatih VARDAR: “Respect to Old People” concept is in the scope of our social responsibility project. We constituted a voluntary operation team as Bursa Beton employees and visited SHÇEK Ali Osman Sönmez, the nursing home residents. By the support of the volunteers, employees and our company we aid in cash or in kind the nursing home residents’ primary needs were met such as air bed, bed clothes, bed wears, under wears and sockets. During our visit the nursing home residents were presented gifts and sentimental moments were experienced. Another social responsibility project that we have commenced is “Children First” project. In the scope of this project Kaplıkaya Nursery which is the subsidiary of Turkish Social Service and Children Protection Institution has been visited. Bursa Beton Human Resources Management has constituted a voluntary operation team and by the volunteers’ studies, the company employees’ support and our company’s contribution, cash or in kind aids were collected and the institution’s need of children clothes, napkins, baby formulas and yoghurt maker were bought. Some time was spent with the children and their basic need of love and interest were met at least to some extent during the visit.
