Slovenian companies at the Automechanika Istanbul
16. 04. 2014 | News
Ljubljana, 16 April 2014 - Automechanika Istanbul fair is one of the most important trade fairs not only for Turkey but also for the entire Middle East, North Africa and partly Asia. At a recent Automechanika Istanbul fair were presented four Slovenian companies and the Slovenian Automotive Cluster (ACS). The Turkish market is enormous potential for Slovenia, so cooperation with the Turkish automotive industry as one of the priorities of ACS.
From 10th 'till 14th April 2014 were on 35.000 m2 of exhibition space present more than 1300 exhibitors. On the collective stand of Slovenia there were present the company Argas from Senovo, Tesnila GK from Prevalje, Talum Castings from Kidričevo and Gorenje GAIO from Šoštanj. This was the first joint presentation of the automotive region of Southeast Europe at the fair Automechanika Istanbul, where in addition to the Slovenian, Serbian and Macedonian companies participated.
Automechanika Istanbul is one of the thirteen fairs under the brand name Automechanika by the Frankfurt trade fair organized around the world. At the Automechanika Istanbul fair are representing providers of tools and equipment for garages, automobile components and spare parts, accessories, as well as equipment for service stations and car washes. The offer is also growing in segment of e-mobility. Since the Automechanika fairs also represent component manufacturers, the fairs are an important business meeting point between component manufacturers and the car manufacturers. The importance and popularity of Automechanika Istanbul also shows the number of exhibitors and visitors from year to year. The first fair in 2001 were attended by more than 19 thousand visitors from 53 countries, last year there were almost 44 thousand from 110 countries. Therefore, this year the fair has become an annual, while the previous were biennial.
How great potential represents the Turkish market for Slovenian car companies, says the fact that Turkey operates 20 domestic and foreign manufacturers of cars and commercial vehicles with a total production capacity of 1,671,000 units. Those companies are Erkunt, Tuerk Traktoer and MAN in Ankara, Basak, Toyota and Otokar in Adapazan, Honda and Hyundai in Izmit, Isuzu and Daimler in Istanbul, Ford Goelcueku and Eskisehir, Fiat and Renault in Bursa, Karsan, Gueleryuez and BMC in Izmir, Tuemosan in Konya, Daimler in Aksarayu and Temsa and ISOTO in Adana. In Turkey is developed a very strong supply chain, which is connected in the Association of Turkish manufacturers of parts and components TAYSAD. TAYSAD was founded in 1978. Currently brings together 310 members with an annual turnover of 17.5 billion euros, 6 billion euros is of exports and employs 100,000 employees. In the last decade Turkish automotive industry records an impressive growth. Since 2002 until 2012 the production capacity of vehicles has increased by 1.6 times. The domestic market by 2.1 times (818,000 vehicles in 2012), export by 2.8 times (19.3 billion USD in 2012) and the production by 2 times (1,073.000 vehicles in 2012).
Cooperation with the Turkish automotive industry is also one of the priorities of the business policy of the ACS. ACS is an integrator in the region and the idea that they had in a vision from the beginning, was realized through projects of international development cooperation through the organization of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization UNIDO. Recently, however, integration is also supported by vehicle manufacturers in the region, such as Renault, Fiat and VW, as they had already seen the synergetic effects on the purchasing side.In cooperation with the Turkish Association of Automotive Suppliers TAYSAD, ACS has already organized a number of inter-company meetings in Turkey and Slovenia. The participants of those meetings were convinced of the rapid development of the Turkish automotive industry in recent years and were identifying areas for collaboration and joint exploitation of business opportunities.
ACS Director Dušan Bušen commented: "We see opportunities in co-operation projects for vehicle manufacturers located in Central Europe as well as in Turkey (Renault, Fiat, Ford) and projects in the former CIS countries (former Soviet Union). Meetings have proven to be mutually beneficial, in particular, it has been shown that the business opportunities in this sector are wide open for Slovenian companies. Strengthening business ties between automotive suppliers both countries represents a common but very important business objective of ACS and TAYSAD."
Additional Information: GIZ ACS, Dunja Podlesnik, T: +386 (01) 2361 735, E: dunja.podlesnik@acs-giz.si
Learn more about ACS:
Slovenian Automotive Cluster (ACS), the Business Interest Association of Slovenian automotive supply industry, is strongly investing in the growth and development of its members for over ten years. In the previous period we, on the basis of our own knowledge and intensive investment in technology and development, grown from a small group of unrelated businesses and institutions closely linked network of development partners, to most major global automobile manufacturers. Today, ACS links 64 companies and knowledge institutions with more than 20 thousand employees. Companies generate more than 3.3 billion euros, of which over 80 percent is of exports. Together with the only OEM - REVOZ in Slovenia, this represents about 21 percent of the total Slovenian exports and 10 percent of the GDP.