Can we start our interview by getting to know you better?
I got my bachelor’s degree and master’s degree in the Department of Chemical Engineering at Boğaziçi University. I worked as a project engineer for 2.5 years at PETKİM Aliağa as my first work experience. After that, I gained my all work experience as a senior manager from 1985 to 2007 at foreign or local chemical producing plants. I worked as a manager for the first 10 years of this experience at Deteks Kimya, which also brought the Sika company in Turkey. After I made a decision on ending my professional work life, I established ARSAN Kimya Makine ve Dış Ticaret Ltd. in order to make use of my experience in chemistry sector better and to supply various sectors with raw material and semi-finished goods. We made significant contributions to the construction chemicals sector regarding this matter. Arsan’s success encouraged us to produce end products and we established Yapıchem Kimya San. A.Ş in 2011. After 6 months following its establishment, we established our second factory in Gaziantep in addition to our already existing factory located in Tuzla, Istanbul. Yapıchem has ranked among the other important companies in the sector despite the fact that it is a very young company.
Could you make an assessment on Yapıchem’s current position considering the phases it has gone through so far since it was established?
Yapıchem does not use mixers where the materials are simply added and mixed as standard admixture manufacturers do and what is more, it has many reactors through which it produces semi-finished goods and raw materials in its plants. Now it has a total producing capacity of 200.000 metric tons in one shift at the two manufacturing plants. Our staff comprises 50 employees. However what is more important than the number of the employees is the quality of the staff. Around 20% of the Yapıchem staff is comprised of the employees who graduated from the best universities of Turkey. The brand Yapıchem ranked as a reliable brand in Turkey and in about 10 overseas countries and became an important player called by prominent companies for tenders. In sum, Yapıchem gained ground in becoming not a local but a national and international company. We think that we are one of the top 5 companies regarding the sales of Concrete Admixtures.
Could you tell us about your products?
Yapıchem got involved in the sector by producing Concrete Admixtures and selling them to Ready-Mixed Concrete Plants initially. After two years following its establishment, it also got involved in the area of Cement Admixtures which requires more serious know-how as well as more serious competition compared to the concrete admixtures and began to provide highly important Cement companies with its products.
Turning its hand to more niche products as well such as ceramic adhesives, floor coatings and waterproofing products under the title of Yapıfine lastly, it almost completed its entire product range with regard to Construction Chemicals.
Apart from this, Yapıchem not only sells end product but also exports semi-finished products (that we produce ourselves) to be used in concrete admixtures to concrete admixture manufacturers in certain countries via Arsan, a foreign trade company.
What is the importance of R&D and Innovation for Yapıchem?
“As a national company with entirely local capital, Yapıchem aims to provide its customers with a good service on one hand and bring in foreign exchange in Turkey on the other hand by using Turkey’s current channels thus developing more economic but more functional chemicals.” Therefore, it has given crucial importance to R&D and P&D since its establishment. We became one of the first companies that produced PCE (Polycarboxylates), an indispensable product for new generation concrete admixtures which are the most important raw material of the sector rather than importing them. Our most significant difference here is that we did not buy technology or know-how as other producers did but we developed these products thanks to our own R&D power completely. We also developed a number of semi-finished goods produced only by Yapıchem in this context. We have received support from TÜBİTAK for the 5 products we have recently developed. We also have projects that we carry out in cooperation with KOSGEB (Small and Medium Business Development and Support Administration) as well as universities.
Could you tell us about the selling points at home and abroad?
We are available in all regions at home. As for abroad, we export to Middle Eastern countries, Black Sea countries, Balkans as well as various countries in Northern Africa directly or via our dealers in the related country. I presume the number of the countries we export to has approximated 10. I believe, our company attaching great importance to export will increase this number to a higher point. While the rate of the export in our turnover is 10%, we aim to get this to 25% at minimum.
Could you tell us about your efforts in the field of Environment, Occupational Health and Safety?
Yapıchem management has experience in great and corporate chemical industry. Thus, our organization has shown necessary sensitivity to environmental policies since its establishment and it has the relevant 14001 standard. We show the same sensitivity to occupational health and safety as we show to environment. We have not had even a minor occupational accident in our workplace so far and we already make our employees regularly go through physical examinations.
What kind of development do you expect with regard to the construction sector at home and abroad in the short term?
Turkey has one of the greatest construction sectors across the world owing to both the population growth and its geographical location. If the government’s infrastructure investments are taken into consideration as well, the construction chemicals sector is considered to be a promising sector. In addition, considering the needs in surrounding countries, Turkish industrialists’ technical power brings us to a highly advantageous point in these regions as well. Turkey’s most significant disadvantage in this regard is the fact that the main chemicals necessary for the sector are being imported from overseas. (Turkey) is in the position of having to import almost all the main chemicals in such an important sector.
What would you like to say about your future goals?
Our main goal is to become independent from imported raw materials and produce such products ourselves as far as possible. We will also make our next investments in accordance with this very goal. In addition, there are some overseas companies asking to become joint ventures with Yapıchem in order to produce under the brand Yapıchem in their countries. Our management has been evaluating such requests.
