Automotive Exports December 2021

Monthly automotive aftermarket magazine 

GROUP CHAIRMAN 

H. FERRUH ISIK 

PUBLISHER: 

İstmag Magazin Gazetecilik 

İç ve Dış Ticaret Ltd. Şti. 

Managing Editor (Responsible) 

Mehmet Söztutan 

mehmet.soztutan@img.com.tr 

Editor 

Ali Erdem 

ali.erdem@img.com.tr 

Mehmet Soztutan, Editor-in-Chief 

mehmet.soztutan@img.com.tr 

Advertising Managers 

Adem Saçın 

+90 505 577 36 42 

adem.sacin@img.com.tr 

Enes Karadayı 

enes.karadayi@img.com.tr 

We are at Automechanika 

Dubai 2021 

Turkish automotive industry, with its vehicles and components manufacturing subsectors, 

is one of the major driving forces behind the Turkish economy. As noted 

earlier in this column, the autoparts industry of Turkey has developed rapidly as a 

consequence of developments in the automotive industry. The autoparts industry with 

its large capacity, wide variety of production and high standards, supports automotive 

industry production and the vehicles in Turkey and also has ample potential for exports. 

Business people operating in the industry have become outward oriented more than 

ever before. 

These companies not only dominate the primary supply markets but also capture 

an increasing share of the replacement market. Their continued success in exports 

markets depend on close technical links with part makers in industrialised countries 

and the willingness of their foreign partners to integrate their Turkish counterparts 

into their production-distribution networks as regular suppliers of high quality, low-cost 

components. 

Turkey's autoparts industry exports are increasing steadily year by year. Turkey is the 

only country within the surrounding geographical area to have established a welladvanced 

automotive industry. 

Therefore, the automotive industry is strategically important both for Turkey and for 

firms that will invest in Turkey. We think that technology will always be the key for the 

survival of the automotive industry. History says so. 

This month, we participate in Automechanika Dubai to convey the message of the 

Turkish automotive and auto spare part exporters. The stars of the automotive world 

will be meeting at Automechanika Dubai as usual. 

Automechanika Dubai, showcasing the latest global trends, has turned out to be 

a remarkable automotive aftermarket platform for the Middle East and Africa. The 

Fair which covers the full range of automobile, truck and bus parts, equipment, 

components, accessories, tools, and services continues to bring world renowned 

manufacturers, suppliers and service providers in touch with one of the most important 

growing markets in the world. The markets targeted by the Fair are widely recognised 

as the most attractive in the world in terms of future potential. 

Our publications remain at the service of those business people seeking to increase 

their share in the increasingly competitive automotive markets. 

We wish lucrative business for all participants. 

International Marketing Coordinator 

Ayca Sarioglu 

ayca.sarioglu@img.com.tr 

Correspondent 

Yusuf Okçu 

yusuf.okcu@img.com.tr 

Finance Manager 

Cuma Karaman 

cuma.karaman@img.com.tr 

Accountant 

Yusuf Demirkazık 

yusuf.demirkazik@img.com.tr 

Digital Assets Manager 

Emre Yener 

emre.yener@img.com.tr 

Technical Manager 

Tayfun Aydın 

tayfun.aydin@img.com.tr 

Design & Graphics 

Sami aktaş 

sami.aktas@img.com.tr 

Subsciption 

İsmail Özçelik 

ismail.ozcelik@img.com.tr 

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automotiveexport 

2021 

automotiveexports

Automechanika Dubai 2021 heralds new horizons 

The largest international trade show for the automotive aftermarket industry in the wider Middle East 

region. The 18th edition of Automechanika Dubai will be held from 14 – 16 December 2021 at the 

Dubai World Trade Centre. 

The officials of the event noted: 

“With a host of new and returning features, along 

with exhibitors from 58 countries with over 13 

dedicated country pavilions, Automechanika 

Dubai 2021 will be a must-attend event for you to 

reconnect with your markets, meet and network 

face-to-face with your suppliers, customers and 

business partners, source new products and 

solutions, and stay up-to-date on the latest market 

trends and new innovations.” 

“The global automotive aftermarket industry is 

expected to grow from US$ 390.10 billion in 2020 

to US$ 529.25 billion by 2028.” 

“We’re excited to bring the industry together 

again - live, in-person and in a safe environment. 

This is the ideal one-stop trade platform in the 

MEA region for businesses in the automotive 

aftermarket and service industry seeking to 

expand their network, explore opportunities, get 

updated with the latest trends and solutions while 

evaluating market trends and sharing expertise.” 

As for the innovation zone, the officials of the Fair 

added: 

“A dedicated area in Automechanika Dubai for 

manufacturers and brands to showcase their 

innovative ideas, technology, digital solutions, 

autonomous vehicles, EV charging stations and 

components that supports the on-going changes 

in the automotive industry” 

December 2021 10

Turkey - A 

global player 

in autumotive 

industry 

During the 1990’s, as other international 

manufacturers like Toyota, Honda, 

Hyundai, Isuzu and Mercedes-Benz entered 

the market, Turkey rapidly became an 

automotive production base which not 

only caters to one-time developments of 

the industry but rather holds long-term 

development options. 

Turkey has a thriving automotive sector, 

demonstrating substantial growth in the 

past. All players involved, including local 

authorities and the government, are 

participating in providing conditions to 

increase output in the future. Some of the 

facts are: 

-High level of integration into the global 

automotive industry 

-14th major automotive producer in 

theWorld, with 78% average export rate 

-Vehicles of Turkish origin hold the leading 

position among the vehicles coming from 

outside of EU 

-Production, export, and engineering hub 

of global brands for international markets 

-Quality products with high export rates 

-Hundreds of Tier 1 companies working 

directly with OEMs 

-Center of excellence in automotive 

engineering and R&D,in which new 

technologies are developed 

Strong international presence 

-Giants of global automotive value chain 

benefit from Turkey’s location, cost, and 

competitive advantages 

-Because of their profitable business in the 

country, companies in Turkey continue to 

invest in the country’s future 

-9 R&D centers support not only the local 

operations, but also the operations in other 

plants of parent companies. 

-Ford Otosan’s R&D department is one of 

Ford’s 3 largest global R&D centers 

-R&D centerin Bursa is the only center of 

Fiat outside of Italy serving the European 

market. 

-For Courier, Ford’s new light commercial 

vehicle, the Yeniköy plant is the sole 

production center in the world. 

-Toyota’s C-HR Hybrid is produced in Turkey 

for World markets 

-Daimler R&D is the center of competence 

for some parts and carries global 

responsibility. 

-With more than 40 thousand employees, 

automotive OEMs are one of the major 

employers in the manufacturing industry. 


Car sales to 

surge as Turkey 

hikes tax 

thresholds for 

some vehicles 

Turkey increased the price threshold to impose a special consumption tax (ÖTV) on some new vehicles, a move that 

will prompt price cuts and boost sales. The tax base for some cars was raised in lower-tier tax brackets, which cover 

the bulk of the car market, according to a presidential decree published in the Official Gazette. 

The ÖTV rates on car purchases were kept unchanged. 

The new price threshold for cars with 

engine capacity of up to 1,600 cubic 

centimeters that are included in the 45% 

tax bracket has been increased to TL 92,000 

($10,770), up from TL 85,000. 

The previous base of over TL 85,000 but 

below TL 130,000 for vehicles included in 

the 50% ÖTV bracket has been lifted to TL 

92,000-TL 150,000 range, according to the 

decree. The price threshold of TL 130,000 

and above for vehicles in the 80% tax 

bracket has been increased to TL 150,000 

and above. 

For cars with an engine capacity of over 

1,600 cubic centimeters but below 2,000 

cubic centimeters, the ÖTV price threshold 

has been increased to TL 114,000-TL 

170,000 range, up from TL 85,000-TL 

135,000. 

The tax base change has lead to price 

cuts of more than 16% for certain cars, 

according to sector representatives, while 

it is also expected to prompt a roughly 10% 

decline in the secondhand market. 

Shares in Turkish auto manufacturers Tofaş 

and Ford Otosan and automotive importer 

and distributor Doğuş Otomotiv were up 

at market opening while the bluechip BIST 

100 index traded flat. 

The regulation will reflect positively 

and prices could fall in some models 

and brands, Hayri Erce, the head of the 

Automotive Distributors’ Association 

(ODD) said, noting that the volatility in 

the exchange rates and high interest rates 

made access to cars increasingly difficult. 

“The annual sales could exceed our 

forecast of 775,000-825,000 with the 

amendment,” Erce said. 

For instance, she said there would be a 

discount of more than 16% on new cars 

with prices below TL 350,000 since they 

will shift from the 80% tax bracket to the 

50% bracket. 

The amendment will most positively impact 

cars in the 80% tax bracket, she said. “Price 

here will fall by 16% as many models 

that were previously included in the 80% 

bracket will now be included in the 50% 

bracket. In those to be shifted to the 45% 

ÖTV bracket from 50%, the price is falling 

3.3%,” Erce explained. 

On the other hand, Hüsamettin Yalçın, 

general manager of the automotive sector 

data and analysis company Cardata, said 

the amendment would push down the 

price of the vehicles in the secondhand 

market. 

“While models of up to TL 350,000 will 

become cheaper by around 15%, we expect 

prices in the secondhand market to drop 

10%,” Yalçın told the Turkish business daily 

Dünya. 

Sales of passenger cars and light 

commercial vehicles across Turkey 

increased by 29.6% in the January-July 

period to around 442,550 units, according 

to ODD data. Passenger car sales surged 

27% to 346,636, the data showed. 

The association had forecast that sales 

of passenger cars and light commercial 

vehicles would amount to between 

775,000 and 825,000 this year. 

Sales had jumped 61.3% to 772,788 units in 

2020 despite all the obstacles during a year 

overshadowed by the pandemic. Passenger 

car sales surged 57.6% in the same period 

to reach 610,109 units. 


Chip shortage changes car industry fundamentally 

The automotive industry faces fundamental 

changes as the world struggles with a 

shortage of semiconductors, a senior 

Daimler executive said. 

“In the future, vehicle manufacturers 

will purchase raw materials and key 

components themselves directly from the 

respective suppliers and will no longer 

rely solely on the large suppliers as system 

providers,” Michael Brecht, who heads 

Daimler’s works council, told German press 

agency dpa. A chip shortage is causing 

delays and production setbacks in the 

industry worldwide, and is expected to last 

into the coming year, according to Daimler 

boss Ola Kallenius. 

“We workers’ representatives are already 

asking ourselves: The entire car industry 

is building considerably fewer cars than 

before the pandemic. Where are the chips 

going?” said Brecht, who is also vicechairperson 

of Daimler’s supervisory board. 

He said sometimes announcements in 

production as to whether components 

were available or not came at the last 

minute, causing confusion and frustration 

among staff. Brecht said order books were 

full and with sufficient components, the 

company would have unending work and 

could hire new people. 

However, in late October, Daimler had 

announced that production was stopped 

several times between July and September, 

mainly due to the chip shortage. 

Furthermore, many vehicles in the car 

and truck divisions are almost finished but 

are unable to be completed due to the 

component shortage. 

Turkey and UAE 

central banks 

ink cooperation 

agreement 

A çcooperation agreement between the 

Central Bank of the Republic of Turkey 

(CBRT) and the Central Bank of the United 

Arab Emirates (UAE) was signed on, 

according to the Turkish lender. 

“In the framework of the MoU 

(memorandum of understanding), the two 

central banks aspire to carry out activities 

to foster cooperation in the field of central 

banking,” it said. 

The deal came amid reports that the UAE 

is set to make considerable investments in 

Turkey. 

Turkey and the UAE signed a total of 10 

agreements on energy, the environment, 

finance and trade during a visit by Abu 

Dhabi’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin 

Zayed (MBZ) to Ankara. 

The UAE has also allocated a $10 billion (TL 

119.6 billion) fund for direct investment 

in Turkey, the Abu Dhabi Developmental 

Holding Company CEO announced. 

Earlier, two sources said the two central 

banks were holding talks about a potential 

swap agreement. The CBRT has previously 

sought swap deals with other countries as 

a source of hard currency to build reserves 

and support the Turkish lira. 

It has swap agreements worth $6 billion 

with China, $15 billion with Qatar and $2 

billion with South Korea, for a total of $23 

billion. 

The crown prince arrived in Ankara at 

the invitation of President Recep Tayyip 

Erdoğan. 

This is his first visit to Turkey since 2012 

and also the first top-level meeting 

between the UAE and Turkey in recent 

years. 


October sales 

narrow Turkey’s 

foreign trade 

deficit by 40% to 

$1.44B 

Turkey’s exports and imports saw an annual 

rise of 20.1% and 12.8% to reach $20.79 

billion and $22.23 billion, respectively, 

the Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat) 

reported . The country’s foreign trade 

deficit, meanwhile, narrowed by 40.1% 

on an annual basis to some $1.44 billion 

in October, according to official figures 

released. 

Excluding the energy and gold trade, 

Turkey’s exports and imports were $16.4 

billion and $15.6 billion, respectively. 

Foreign trade surplus – excluding energy 

products and non-monetary gold – was 

$3.13 billion in October, TurkStat said. 

The export-import coverage ratio was 

93.5% in October. In the first 10 months 

of 2021, Turkey’s exports grew 33.9% on 

a yearly basis to hit $181.7 billion, while 

imports were up by 22.5% to $215.53 

billion. The trade balance during the 

January-October period saw a deficit of 

$33.86 billion, a 15.9% decrease from the 

corresponding period last year. 

“Exports coverage imports was 83.1%, 

while it was 76.2% in January-October 

2020,” it added. 

Turkish auto 

industry makes 

nearly 110,000 

vehicles in 

October 

Automakers in Turkey produced 108,078 vehicles in October, 

including automobiles and commercial vehicles, according to a 

sectoral report released. 

The figure decreased by 28% year-on-year, a report from the 

Automotive Manufacturers Association (OSD) showed. 

Passenger car production in Turkey fell by 32.6% to 64,637 units 

during this period, said the report, adding that over 80% of 

manufactured vehicles were exported, marking a 16.4% annual 

decline to 87,027 units. 

Taking the lion’s share in the country’s total exports, automotive 

exports stood at $2.65 billion, decreasing 10.4% on a dollar basis 

compared to October 2020. 

The association also said the country’s overall auto sales market, 

including light trucks and other vehicles, shrank by 38% annually, 

reaching 60,044 units over the month. 

Top international automakers – including Ford, Honda, Hyundai, 

Mercedes, Renault and Toyota – have factories in Turkey, one of the 

world’s top auto sales markets. 

Between January and October, auto production increased by 3% on 

an annual basis to over 1 million, while car production slipped by 

5% to 635,745 units. 


Voith to supply retarders for Turkish truck 

manufacturer Ford Otosan’s new EcoTorq 

16-speed transmission 

With Ford Otosan, Voith has gained a 

new customer in the commercial vehicle 

segment. As an exclusive partner, the 

Heidenheim-based technology group 

will in future supply the retarders for the 

new EcoTorq heavy-duty transmission 

developed and manufactured by the 

Turkish commercial vehicle manufacturer 

itself. The 16-speed transmission was 

specially developed for heavy commercial 

vehicles equipped with a 13-liter Ford 

Ecotorq Euro 6 engine. One prominent 

example is the F-Max long-haul semitrailer, 

launched in 2019 and voted “Truck of the 

Year”, and with which the company aims to 

expand into Western Europe. 

An integrated retarder type VR 115 CT 

fitted to the output side of the transmission 

ensures wear-free braking. The retarder 

drive shaft is connected to the vehicle’s 

cardan shaft via a step-up gear wheel. Ford 

Otosan launched the automatic version of 

the new EcoTorq 16-speed transmission in 

Turkey for all vehicle segments in October 

2021. The launch of the manual version 

will follow. In 2022, the transmission will 

then also be introduced in international 

markets for all of the company’s heavyduty 

vehicles. 

“The partnership with Ford Otosan opens 

up new markets to us,” says Claus Peroutka, 

Senior Global Key Account Manager at 

Voith Turbo. “With Ford Otosan, we are 

supplying the retarder to an international 

truck manufacturer with big ambitions, 

especially in Europe.” 

The VR 115 CT is a step-up gear retarder 

with a high braking torque. It has a 

self-contained oil supply system and 

is integrated into the vehicle’s braking 

management system. In conjunction with 

the service brakes it provides optimal 

braking action. At the same time, the 

retarder increases ride comfort, by keeping 

speed constant downhill as a form of 

“downhill cruise control”, without the 

additional use of the service brakes. 

Both parties are also seeking to collaborate 

closely in the area of retarder service and 

have started to work intensively to this end 

in the target markets. In this context, full 

use will be made of Voith’s existing service 

network in the regions. 


Turkey’s rising 

sector chemistry 

realized 2.4BN 

Dollars exports 

in November 

According to the data of Istanbul Chemicals and Products Exporters’ Association (IKMIB), exports of the chemical 

industry in November 2021 reached 2.4 billion dollars. The exports of the sector increased by 47.25 percent 

compared to the same month last year. The exports of chemicals and products made in the eleven-month period this 

year reached 22.9 billion dollars. Eleven-month sector exports rose by 38.88%. 

Evaluating the November export figures 

of the chemical industry, Adil Pelister, 

Chairman of Istanbul Chemicals and 

Products Exporters’ Association (IKMIB), 

said, “Our country grew by 7.4 percent in 

the third quarter. Our chemical industry, 

which is the second largest contributor 

to growth, grew by 36.78 percent with 

exports of $6.26 billion in the third quarter. 

Despite all negative developments, 

our chemical industry shows a strong 

performance in exports. In November, 

the exports of our sector increased by 

47.25 percent and amounted to 2.4 

billion dollars. This figure was the highest 

monthly export figure we have realized 

on a monthly basis. In November, we 

exported mostly “plastics and products”, 

“mineral fuels, mineral oils and products” 

and “inorganic chemicals”. We exported 

most to The Netherlands in November and 

this country was followed by Iraq and the 

USA. In the January-November period, our 

exports, as the second largest exporting 

sector in our country, reached 22.9 billion 

dollars with an increase of 38.88 percent. 

Thus, we renewed the export record that 

we had recorded in 2019 in an elevenmonth 

period this year. In addition, the 

industry capacity utilization rate, which 

is among the leading indicators of the 

economy, and the November data of the 

Turkish Manufacturing PMI (Purchasing 

Managers Index) point out that the 

same performance will continue in the 

upcoming period. While our average 

capacity utilization rate in the chemical 

industry has increased since September, it 

reached 76.22 percent, the highest value 

of this year. Despite our problems such as 

exchange rate volatility, difficulties in raw 

material supply and price increases, which 

are challenging our industry, we predict 

that we will complete this year with a new 

export record of over 24 billion dollars. As 

IKMIB, we will continue to produce and 

work to achieve the amount of 40 billion 

dollars that we have determined for our 

exports of the chemical industry and our 

2030 target.” 

Pelister: “The chemical industry is 

an integral part of the automotive 

industry” 

Pointing out that the chemical industry 

is offered to 27 sectors as raw materials, 

semi-finished products or finished products, 

Pelister said, “For example, the automotive 

industry has exports of 32 billion dollars. 

In it we have paint, plastic, rubber, glue, 

mineral fuels and mineral oils. When we 

consider the chemical products in the textile 

materials used, chemistry has a share of 

approximately 17 percent in automotive 

exports. The chemical industry is an integral 

part of the automotive industry. Therefore, 

we are an industry that contributes 

significantly to the national economy”. 


The Netherlands has been the country 

with the most exports in November 

The Netherlands was the country to which 

the most exports were made in November. 

Other countries in the top ten following the 

Netherlands in November were Iraq, the 

USA, Egypt, Germany, Lebanon, Greece, 

Belgium, Italy and Israel. Among the top 

10 countries in November, the highest 

increase was in Lebanon with 214.41%. 

Chemical exports to the Netherlands in 

November amounted to 156 million 426 

thousand dollars. Compared to the same 

period last year, it increased by 62.51%. 

The top five product groups exported 

to the Netherlands in November were 

“mineral fuels, mineral oils and products”, 

“plastics and their products”, “inorganic 

chemicals”, “various chemicals” and 

“essential oils, cosmetics and soap”. . 

In the January-November period of 2021, 

the countries to which the most chemicals 

were exported were the Netherlands, 

Germany, USA, Iraq, Italy, Greece, Belgium, 

Spain, England and Lebanon, respectively. 

“Plastics and its products” exported 

the most in November. 

In November, exports of plastics and 

products in chemical substances and 

products groups ranked first in chemical 

exports with 831 million 513 thousand 

dollars. Mineral fuels, mineral oils and 

products took the second place with 

exports of 570 million 131 thousand 

dollars, while inorganic chemicals exports 

took the third place with 194 million 694 

thousand dollars. Following ‘inorganic 

chemicals’, other sectors in the top ten 

included ‘essential oils, cosmetics and 

soap’, ‘pharmaceutical products’, ‘rubber, 

rubber goods’, ‘paint, varnish, ink and 

preparations’, ‘various chemicals’, ‘organic 

chemicals’ and ‘washing preparations’. 

In November, the highest increase in 

exports in sub-sectors was realized in 

mineral fuels, mineral oils and products 

with 145.59%. 

27 December 2021

HexPly® M901 Prepreg 

speeds up prototype and new 

product development cycles 

for technology leader Rassini 

Hexcel, a global leader in advanced composites technologies, 

is pleased to confirm that its HexPly® M901 prepreg system 

has been selected by Rassini, a Mexico-based technology 

leader in composite vehicle suspension systems, to speed up 

prototype and new product development cycles, reducing 

overall time to market with an easy to process material 

solution that enables effective early-stage design screening 

and cost-effective production. 

As a specialist in the mass production of 

composite helper leaf springs for various 

leading OEMs, Rassini continuously 

develops innovative new suspension 

component designs. Due to cost and 

timing, however, these new products 

cannot easily be prototyped using 

conventional high-pressure resin transfer 

molding (HP-RTM) technology. 

With more than 15 years of experience 

in delivering glass fiber prepregs for the 

serial production of composite leaf springs, 

Hexcel developed its high-performance 

HexPly M901 prepreg system specifically 

for this type of application. HexPly M901 

combines the right level of structural 

performance required with simple 

processing, providing Rassini with a reliable 

material solution optimized for rapid 

development and fine-tuning iterations. 

HexPly M901 is a high Tg epoxy resin 

prepreg system specifically developed for 

structural components that will be exposed 

to harsh thermal and environmental 

conditions. With short cure cycles 

of 10 minutes and below producing 

excellent green, or handling, strength of 

the composite part for demolding and 

unidirectional glass fiber aerial weights 

up to 1,600gsm, HexPly M901 delivers 

a powerful combination of benefits for 

suspension component applications. 

In addition to having an important role 

in the new product development cycle, 

HexPly M901 also offers significant 

advantages for lower volume serial 

production of composite mono leaf springs. 

Combining mechanical performance that 

is approximately 15% higher than standard 

prepregs with enhanced fatigue properties 

and a Tg of up to 200˚C following postcure, 

HexPly M901 sets a benchmark for 

performance. 

Claude Despierres, VP Sales and Marketing 

– Industrial at Hexcel, said, “We are 

very proud of our highly innovative 

developments with partners such as Rassini 

that allow us to continuously improve our 

product range, address our customers’ 

needs and optimize our composite material 

solutions for each application.” 


Tayfun Koçak, Chairman 

of the Executive Board of 

Lubricants and Petroleum 

Products Industrialists’ 

Association (MAPESAD) 

announced that he is a 

candidate for Presidency 

of the Istanbul Chemicals 

and Products Exporters’ 

Association (IKMIB) 

elections. Koçak said, “We 

aspire to work with a vision 

that will act with a common 

mind with our sub-sectors. 

Our primary goal is to 

increase our unit value in 

exports. We see the whole 

world as a potential export 

market.” 

Focusing on added value in exports, 

Tayfun Koçak is a candidate for President of IKMIB 

The chemical substances and products 

sector, which realized an export of nearly 

21 billion dollars in the first 10 months of 

this year, is preparing for the elections to 

be held in April at the main NGO. Tayfun 

Koçak, Chairman of the Executive Board 

of Lubricants and Petroleum Products 

Industrialists’ Association (MAPESAD), 

announced that he is a candidate for 

President in the Istanbul Chemicals and 

Products Exporters’ Association (İKMİB) 

elections. Among Koçak’s primary 

objectives are to increase the unit value 

of exports and to seek solutions to the 

problems of the sector with a collective 

understanding. 

“Each sub-industry has its own 

problems” 

Tayfun Koçak emphasized that there 

are many sub-sectors in the chemical 

materials and products sector and 

continued as follows, “I served as a TİM 

Delegate in the Exporters’ Association 

for two terms. I was a member of the 

Board of Directors for a term. I have been 

in business in the exporters’ union for 

almost three terms. I am a member of 

the Petroleum Assembly at the Exchanges 

Association. We set out on this journey 

to develop our know-how, together with 

the representatives of non-governmental 

organizations, in a way to cover all 

existing non-governmental organizations, 

and to solve sector problems together 

with our team. We have many subsectors 

that are of great importance 

under the umbrella of IKMIB. We have a 

wide range of products such as plastics, 

mineral oils, mineral fuels, cosmetics, 

fertilizers and soaps. Every industry has 

its own problems. Not only with the 

Members of the Board of Directors we 

will establish, but also with the enlarged 

Board of 51 people, we aim to recruit 

representatives from almost every sector 

and, with a common mind, both to 

develop exports and to increase the value 

on a kilogram basis.” 

“The period of ‘portership’ in 

exports will end” 

Pointing out that Turkey has a great 

potential especially in exports, IKMIB 

Presidential candidate Koçak said, “Our 

country is in a very good position in terms 

of logistics. The Chinese supply chain 

is broken. There is a great interest in 

Turkey. We should not miss this interest. 

So whether it’s South America as far as 

we can go, the smallest country in Africa, 

or Australia. We should export more to 

these regions. I am thinking of doing 

a serious study on all countries with 

alternative foreign market potential. We 

export abroad, but we need to increase 

our average price per kilogram. Of course, 

we should not be porters. We need to 

focus on special foreign products.” 

“Imported input costs should 

decrease” 

Declaring that the exporter always favors 

a stable exchange rate, Tayfun Koçak said, 

“There is more than 70 percent imported 

input, especially in mineral oil. We are 

looking for the answer to the question of 

whether we can produce such products in 

our country within the scope of domestic 

and national production vision. If we 

produce, we will both prevent imports 

and reduce the cost in the localization 

and nationalization project. In the long 

run, perhaps we will be able to export 

it to the defense industry of other 

countries. This potential exists for all 

sectors.” 


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outstanding braking performance and 

high-end comfort. The new FERODO Fuse+ 

Technology brake pads, engineered and 

manufactured exclusively in the brand´s 

class leading sites in Europe, feature a 

highly advanced new friction material that 

combines the trusted, high-performance 

braking power of low-steel formulations 

and the comfort-intensive characteristics of 

non-asbestos organic (NAO) materials. 

FERODO Fuse+ Technology brake pads 

are the result of more than three years of 

intensive research and development at 

the FERODO Tech Centre, Chapel-en-le- 

Frith, U.K. Fuse+ Technology pads feature 

a unique combination of more than 20 

precisely engineered components that 

work in concert to deliver unsurpassed 

braking performance, helping to lower 

the traditional drawbacks associated with 

conventional materials. These new pads 

also include FERODO´s exclusive zerocopper* 

Eco Friction Technology, which 

reduces dusting and cuts pad emissions by 

60 percent. 

»Fuse+ Technology marks the beginning of 

an entirely new era of braking innovation 

on behalf of the professionals, racing 

teams and consumers who rely on FERODO 

brake pads,» said David Coimbra, Braking 

Aftermarket Product Manager, Tenneco 

DRiV EMEA Motorparts. »This exciting new 

technology eliminates the need to lose 

certain important braking characteristics 

to achieve others. Now, our customers can 

enjoy the best of both worlds.» 

Fuse+ Technology pads extend the FERODO 

brand´s 125-year history of game-changing 

innovation. FERODO in 1922 became the 

first manufacturer to supply OE friction 

linings for a mass production car. In 1956 

the brand introduced the world´s first 

disc brake pad. Today FERODO product 

engineers continue to explore new material 

formulations, pad designs and other 

innovations to address needs among the 

world´s leading automakers and workshop 

professionals. 

The new technology also continues the 

brand´s heritage of bringing OE braking 

technologies, quality and performance 

to the aftermarket. In addition to being 

developed in the brand´s European OE R&D 

facility, Fuse+ Technology brake pads are 

manufactured to OE standards in Tenneco´s 

European production facilities. 

FERODO Fuse+ Technology brake pads 

are available immediately for almost 

100 premium-level vehicle models 

from Europe´s premier automakers, 

including Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz and 

Volkswagen. Each set of pads is packaged 

complete with all required accessories to 

ensure fast, easy installation. 


Hexcel and HP 

Composites 

Collaborate to 

Develop Class A 

Body Panels 

Hexcel has collaborated with HP 

Composites S.p.A (HP Composites), a 

world leader in the production of carbon 

fiber components for automotive and 

motorsports, to develop carbon fiber 

Class A body panels. Hexcel HexPly® XF 

surfacing technology is being extensively 

used by the Italian component producer 

to manufacture external body panels and 

other components for supercars such as 

Alfa Romeo’s stunning new supersport 

sedans, the Giulia GTA, and GTAm. 

With five production plants in Italy, HP 

Composites has built an impressive track 

record of high-performance composite 

successes on both road and racetrack. HP 

has combined this processing expertise 

with Hexcel HexPly® XF3 surfacing material, 

HexPly® M47, and HexPly® M49 prepregs, 

working to the highest standards set by 

the most prestigious supercar OEMs and 

leading motorsport teams. 

Hexcel’s automotive composites portfolio 

is the result of decades of industry 

experience and the creation of strategic 

partnerships to develop and optimize 

leading-edge technologies. HexPly XF3 

is an epoxy prepreg surface material, 

developed with processing input from 

the HP Composites team to address the 

challenges of producing high-quality Class 

A automotive body panel surfaces with 

excellent resistance to aging tests. 

Applied as the first ply in the mold and 

after curing at 120-180˚C in an autoclave, 

HexPly XF3 produces a smooth part surface 

with no porosity, that requires minimal 

preparation for painting. 

HexPly XF3 is supplied in an easy-to-handle 

roll format with good tack and drapability. 

After curing, it can be easily prepared for 

painting with a rapid sanding process. HP 

Composites has incorporated automated 

robotic sanding techniques for this finishing 

stage with the paint-ready HexPly XF3 

surface providing excellent paint adhesion 

according to EN ISO 2409. 

HP Composites typically uses autoclave 

processing for HexPly XF3 parts, maximizing 

weight savings and structural performance 

of the final components. In addition, HP 

has also developed its own proprietary 

press and compression molding processes, 

including Air Press Moulding® technology, 

compatible with HexPly XF3 and other 

HexPly prepregs for higher volume 

production series that require increased 

production rates. 

“Our long-term experience has given us 

a detailed understanding of the critical 

features that influence how prepregs 

and surfacing technologies interact with 

different production processes,” said 

Abramo Levato, General Manager, HP 

Composites S.p.A. “The relationship we 

have with Hexcel is both highly technical 

and highly supportive. As a result, we 

have a complete material package for 

high-quality Class A body panels that 

are formulated specifically with our 

requirements in mind.” 

“Combining the expertise of HP with 

a strong technical interaction and 

collaborative dialogue, Hexcel and HP were 

together able to develop the optimum 

HexPly XF surfacing technology,” said 

Claude Despierres, VP Sales and Marketing, 

Hexcel. “With HexPly XF3 we satisfy the 

toughest industry standards.” 


Thermal Imaging for Large Animal 

Detection to Help Reduce Wildlife 

Vehicle Collisions 

According to the 2020 State Farm annual 

study, nearly two million collisions between 

vehicles and large animals occur every year 

in the United States alone, representing 

approximately five percent of all reported 

motor vehicle collisions. These wildlife vehicle 

collisions (WVCs) result in 26,000 injuries to 

motorists each year. Thermal cameras see 

an entirely different wavelength of energy, 

known as long-wave infrared (LWIR) radiation 

or heat energy, which radiates, absorbs, or 

is reflected by everything on earth. With 

the ability to see heat without visible light, 

they offer a unique capability to significantly 

reduce the number of WVCs. 

Seeing Beyond Headlights 

Thermal cameras are currently offered as an 

option on several vehicle models as a driver 

warning system, but recent developments 

and testing have shown the potential for 

thermal cameras to be a valuable part of the 

automotive sensor suite for functions such as 

automatic emergency braking (AEB). 

Thermal cameras from Teledyne FLIR can 

see significantly further than headlights and 

detect large animals in challenging driving 

conditions including through darkness, 

headlight or sun glare, and most types of 

fog. Particularly adept at detecting body heat 

and distinguishing wildlife far down a dark 

road, thermal imaging can help reduce WVCs, 

which mainly occur at dusk, night, and dawn 

when animals are most active, and visibility 

is limited. 

Convolutional neural networks (CNNs) 

are used to analyze images for certain 

characteristics and can be trained to detect 

and classify wildlife. Thermal cameras 

can be combined with a CNN just like 

visible cameras, creating a robust method 

for artificial intelligence to identify and 

mitigate animal collisions that often occur 

in challenging lighting conditions. To 

support further development, Teledyne 

FLIR expanded their CNN to detect large 

animals in addition to its current capacity to 

detect pedestrians, vehicles, bikes, cars, and 

multiple other classes of road objects. 

The Future of Vehicle Safety Systems 

With an abundance of road threats looming 

in the darkness or obstructed by weather 

and busy scenery, thermal cameras can 

improve the future of vehicle safety systems. 

In addition to helping reduce the number 

of WVCs, thermal cameras can help reduce 

pedestrian, pedal cyclist, motorcyclist, large 

truck, and bus fatalities. The National Safety 

Council reported that in 2020, around 42,060 

people died in motor vehicle traffic in the 

US, and the number of road-accident-related 

fatalities is on the rise. The Teledyne FLIR 

thermal test vehicle shows how adding 

a thermal sensor with a radar, a visible 

sensor, and a trained CNN can improve 

animal detection and pedestrian detection 

from current automatic emergency braking 

systems. By adding thermal to a current 

sensor suite, recent AEB testing at the 

American Center for Mobility demonstrated 

a significant improvement in nighttime and 

poor-visibility scenarios. 

WVCs are particularly common in the fall 

and spring months, when large mammals 

such as moose, deer, and elk move around 

due to migration, mating, and sourcing food. 

As most WVC accidents occur at night when 

driver visibility is limited, vehicle-integrated 

thermal technology in conjunction with 

other sensor types and neural networks, can 

reduce accident rates and greatly improve 

safety on the road. 


GQP produces in 

European standards 

GQP Makine established about 4 years ago, produces exhaust manifolds. 

The company partner Ali Karaçobanoğlu, stating that the products they 

produce, are at European standards, said that they will make more 

progress in the field of export and production. 

Karaçobanoğlu, giving information on production and other issues, said 

“We established GQP Makine in Konya in 2018 with my partner Eyyüp 

Kabadayı and started production. We have been producing exhaust 

manifolds since then. Our brand, continuing to develop products in its 

field, manufactures according to European standards. Our experienced 

staff is in an effort to reach the best in the products we have produced. 

We also send our products abroad. African, Russian and American 

markets are where we work and care about.” 

Company partner Ali Karaçobanoğlu, also gave information about 

production, and concluded his words as follows: “The exhaust manifold 

is a component of the exhaust system of internal combustion engines. 

It collects the exhaust gases and transmits them in the direction of the 

exhaust system. The casting quality of the products we produce is GGG, 

heat treated and surface coated. Our past vision and our goals, which we 

know as a principle, always adopt to be fast, reliable and high quality. We 

are struggling with our sensitivity in our production with our workshop 

and machines, with great effort to satisfy our customers. 


U.S. Agrees to Roll Back European 

Steel and Aluminum Tariffs 

The Biden administration announced that 

it had reached a deal to roll back tariffs 

on European steel and aluminum, an 

agreement that officials said would lower 

costs on goods and help the supply chain. 

Dave Townsend is an attorney at the 

international law firm Dorsey & Whitney 

in its Corporate Group and its Technology 

Commerce and National Security Law 

Practice Groups. Townsend focuses on 

advising clients on U.S. economic sanctions, 

export controls, customs law, and nationalsecurity 

related matters, including 

matters before the Bureau of Industry and 

Security (BIS), the Committee on Foreign 

Investment in the United States (CFIUS), 

the Directorate of Defense Trade Controls 

(DDTC), the Office of Foreign Assets Control 

(OFAC), and the U.S. Customs and Border 

Protection (CBP). 

“It remains to be seen how much tariff 

relief this arrangement provides because it 

will be implemented in a tariff-rate quota 

system based on historical import volumes, 

similar to that in place for certain other 

countries, such as for U.S imports of steel 

from South Korea. In announcing the deal, 

the Biden Administration stressed that it 

was negotiated in close consultation with 

labor leaders. In addition, there is a “meltand-pour” 

rule for the steel arrangement 

that could add complexity to the rulesof-origin 

for importers of certain steel 

products. Certainly, some importers will 

obtain tariff relief in this agreement, but it’s 

not clear how broadly that relief will be,” 

Townsend says. 

“The Biden Administration is looking to build 

positive momentum in trade policy with the 

European Union and other allies as a way to 

address trade with China. Reaching a deal 

on steel and aluminum tariffs is a natural 

place for the administration to lock in gains 

with the EU. The Biden Administration also is 

touting its intent to negotiate with the EU an 

industry agreement on steel and aluminum 

trade based on carbon-emissions,” 

Townsend adds. 


Fisker Inc. Reveals Production- 

Intent Version of Fisker Ocean 

Fisker Inc. Passionate developer of the world’s most sustainable 

electric vehicles and advanced mobility solutions revelaed its Fisker 

Ocean SUV on the first media day of the Los Angeles Auto Show. 

Chairman and CEO Henrik Fisker detailed 

the Fisker Ocean’s design philosophy 

and explained why it will be the most 

sustainable and innovative vehicle available 

when it starts production on Nov.17, 2022 

– exactly one year after the LA Auto Show 

press conference. 

“Our mission is to create the world’s most 

innovative and sustainable vehicles that 

are also affordable and it all starts with the 

Fisker Ocean as we fully embrace a clean 

future for all,” Fisker said, as he kicked off 

the first manufacturer event of the Show. 

The Fisker Ocean is being manufactured by 

Magna-Steyr at a carbon-neutral factory 

in Graz-Austria. The base Fisker Ocean 

Sport trim level is prized at $49,999, and 

the Fisker Ocean Extreme is $68,999. The 

first 5,000 vehicles produced will be Fisker 

Ocean One, also prized at $68,999. 

Segment-leading estimated range and 

performance from two battery cell 

chemistries 

Fisker estimates that the EPA range of the 

front-wheel-drive, single-motor Fisker 

Ocean Sport will be 250 miles on a single 

charge, using a lithium-ion phosphate (LFP) 

battery cell chemistry in Touring Range 

packs to be supplied by CATL. EPA Ranges 

for the all-wheel-drive, dual-motor Fisker 

Ocean Ultra and Fisker Ocean Extreme are 

estimated at 340 miles and 350-plus miles, 

respectively. 

Those higher trim level vehicles will 

use CATL-supplied Hyper Range battery 

packs with a nickel manganese cobalt cell 

chemistry. CATL and Fisker have worked 

in close collaboration to create segmentleading, 

high-energy packs that CATL will 

produce for the Fisker Ocean. 

Fisker chose to contract for two different 

cell options to deliver value and segmentleading 

range to Fisker Ocean Sport 

customers, and a combination of segmentleading 

range and performance to Fisker 

Ocean Ultra and Fisker Ocean Extreme 

customers. Both options will utilize siliconcarbide 

inverters, making this advanced 

technology standard on the Fisker Ocean 


Sport, Fisker Ocean Ultra, Fisker Ocean 

Extreme, and Fisker Ocean One. 

A Fisker SolarSky roof on the Fisker Ocean 

Extreme and Fisker Ocean One trims could 

supply an additional 2,0002 miles of range 

per year, under ideal conditions, and 1,500 

under typical sunny skies in regions such as 

California. 

Henrik Fisker noted the exceptional 

performance of all four Fisker Ocean 

trims. The Fisker Ocean Sport will have an 

expected 0-60 mph time of 6.9 seconds 

with peak horsepower of 275. The Fisker 

Ocean Ultra will have an estimated 

0-60 mph time of 3.9 seconds, with an 

estimated peak horsepower of 540 hp. The 

Fisker Ocean Extreme and Fisker Ocean 

One will have an estimated 0-60 mph time 

of 3.6 seconds, with an estimated peak 

horsepower of 550 hp. 

The Fisker Ocean Sport will have Earth and 

Fun drive modes, while the Fisker Ocean 

Ultra and Fisker Ocean Extreme will add 

Hyper mode. The Fisker Ocean Extreme 

and the Fisker Ocean One will also have 

an Off-Road mode. The Fisker Ocean Ultra, 

Fisker Ocean Extreme, and Fisker Ocean 

One trims will have a Smart Traction 

torque-vectoring system to enhance 

performance and safety. 

Sustainable design, technological 

innovation, and California Mode 

The Fisker Ocean was designed to be a 

true SUV, Henrik Fisker said, rather than 

yet another aerodynamic all-electric 

hatchback. Fisker and his team developed 

an emotionally invigorating, sleek and 

stylish exterior with ultra-slim lighting 

and gave the Fisker Ocean a wide stance 

that enhances handling and emphasizes 

its road presence. A 20-inch aero wheel is 

available, as well as three 22-inch wheel 

options. All Fisker Oceans will be outfitted 

with tires created by partner Bridgestone 

to enhance range and performance. At 

the push of a button, the Fisker Ocean 

can lower all its windows and retract its 

sliding roof to morph into California Mode, 

available on the Ultra, Extreme, and Ocean 

One, providing an open-air, convertiblelike 

experience while maintaining the 

reassurance of an SUV platform. Inside, 

the five-passenger Fisker Ocean has a fully 

vegan interior, using recycled materials, 

including reclaimed fishing nets, old 

t-shirts, and renewed rubber. The seats 

are a unique Fisker design, and Limo Mode 

allows rear-seat passengers to control the 

volume of the audio system and adjust 

heating and air conditioning. 


Hyundai America Technical Center, Inc joins 

advanced battery research consortium 

As automotive lead batteries are set to 

receive an energy boost through new 

research unveiled in their new Technical 

Roadmap, the Consortium for Battery 

Innovation (CBI) announce their newest 

member, Hyundai Motor Group. 

One of the world’s leading car companies, 

Hyundai Motor Group, joins through 

its North American design, technology 

and engineering arm, Hyundai 

America Technical Center, Inc. (HATCI). 

Headquartered in Michigan with operations 

in California and production facilities in 

Alabama and Georgia, HATCI supports 

development activities for the Hyundai, Kia, 

and Genesis brands. 

The exciting partnership which brings 

together innovation on both sides of 

the automotive sector – research and 

development – comes at a pivotal time for 

the global lead battery industry. 

Ramping up research efforts to deliver 

next-generation advanced lead batteries, 

CBI’s new Technical Roadmap has identified 

key research pathways for the technology, 

widely used in start-stop and microhybrids. 

Another growing automotive 

application identified in the Roadmap is the 

use of low-voltage lead batteries in electric 

vehicles (EVs). 

“As Hyundai Motor Group and HATCI 

continues to strive for an eco-friendly 

mobility future, we see significant value 

in joining the Consortium for Battery 

Innovation,” said John Robb, president, 

HATCI. “Combining resources, knowledge 

and testing scenarios will positively 

influence our industry efforts during a 

pivotal time in moving towards world-class 

electric vehicle propulsions.” 

Director of CBI, Dr. Alistair Davidson, 

said: “Having Hyundai’s Technical Center 

on board is a giant step forward for the 

industry in collaborating with the biggest 

market for advanced lead batteries: the 

automotive sector. “By working together 

with CBI’s global membership, which 

spans the entire lead battery value chain, 

Hyundai can really benefit from the latest 

in technology advancements and be able 

to integrate the technology into their 

products.” 

Working with the automotive industry 

is a key pillar of CBI’s work and covers 

the entire automotive application space, 

from 12V batteries used in conventional, 

start-stop and micro-hybrid vehicles to 

low-voltage EV batteries. Micro-hybrids 

are predicted to represent 60% of new car 

sales globally by 2030. 


Toyota bets big on hydrogen for transition to 

carbon-neutrality, says GlobalData 

Toyota is betting big on hydrogen 

technology in automobiles, both through 

fuel-cell EVs (FCEVs) and the hydrogenpowered 

engines, in a bid to become 

a carbon-neutral company, observes 

GlobalData, a leading data and analytics 

company. 

Recently, Toyota, Kawasaki, Subaru, 

Mazda and Yamaha have collaborated 

for production, transportation and use 

of hydrogen, the carbon-neutral fuel in 

the future vehicles. Toyota already has a 

hydrogen-powered engine vehicle under 

development, which debuted recently at a 

racing event in Japan. 

Bakar Sadik Agwan, Senior Automotive 

Consulting Analyst at GlobalData, 

comments: “Toyota looks more confident 

about the future of hydrogen while others 

may think it is over-hyped. Having said 

that, it does not mean that ‘EVs’ are not 

a focus area for the company. Toyota has 

been heavily investing in the EVs. It aims to 

invest US$13.5bn over the next decade in 

battery production and launch 15 electric 

models by 2025.” 

Toyota’s ‘top management’ has been 

showing confidence in the success of the 

technology and believes that issue is not 

with the IC engine but the fuel for which 

hydrogen can be the best replacement. The 

company does not want to remain as an 

EV maker but also wish to be known as a 

carbon-neutral company. 

Agwan continues: “Given the experience 

and capabilities of Toyota, investment 

in the hydrogen-powered engine for 

passenger vehicles is less of a gamble than 

it might be for others. The technology is 

under development for decades and the 

company has a ready test vehicle. Toyota 

is aware of the technological challenges 

and the recent developments are rather 

more focused on overcoming these 

challenges to make the technology ready to 

commercialize.” 

Japan also shares Toyota’s hydrogen 

vision and has 154 hydrogen fuel stations 

across the country, the highest globally. 

The technology can be a breakthrough for 

Toyota and the auto industry and could 

globally position the company as what 

Tesla is to EVs. 

Additionally, the technology would cause 

limited disruption in the auto industry 

unlike EVs and may help save auto jobs in 

Japan that are at risk presently due to the 

EV transition. 

Agwan concludes: “Toyota needs to 

overcome a slew of challenges associated 

with hydrogen-powered engines to prove 

that the technology is not over-hyped, 

which will definitely take some time. Going 

mainstream in the near-to-mid-term may 

remain a distant dream and electrification 

is expected to remain a key channel for 

transition to carbon-neutrality globally.” 


GlobalData reveals top 10 most mentioned 

automotive companies on social media in 2021 

its redesigned Tundra pickup truck with 

new hybrid engine. Redditors shared their 

opinion for the new Tundra truck when 

compared with other trucks of Chevrolet, 

Ford and Ram. Another spike on social 

media conversations was noticed when the 

company announced production cut citing 

chip-shortage along with sudden surge in 

COVID-19 cases in countries critical to its 

assembly line. 

The harsh effects of COVID-19 and 

semiconductor shortage continue to affect 

the auto industry, which led to supplydemand 

gap due to slow vehicle production 

since 2020 at a time when carmakers 

globally are looking to go electric. Against 

this backdrop, ‘Tesla Inc (Tesla)’ has ranked 

top among the top 10 most mentioned 

automotive companies on basis of social 

media conversations of Twitter Influencers 

and Redditors in 2021*, finds GlobalData, a 

leading data and analytics company. 

An analysis of GlobalData’s Social Media 

Analytics (SMA) Platform, which identifies 

and tracks the emerging trends, pain 

areas, new fields of innovation among 

discussions of Twitter influencers and 

Redditors, revealed that the remaining 

top nine positions are occupied by Toyota 

Motor Corporation (Toyota Motor), Daimler 

AG (Daimler), Honda Motor Company, Ltd 

(Honda Motor), Ferrari S.p.A (Ferrari), Dr. 

Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG (Porsche), Mazda 

Motor Corporation (Mazda), Nissan Motor 

Company Ltd (Nissan), General Motors 

Company (GM), and Hyundai Motor 

Company (Hyundai Motor). 

Smitarani Tripathy, Influencer Analyst at 

GlobalData, comments: “Electric vehicle 

(EV) was the most mentioned topic among 

social media discussions on top automotive 

companies in 2021*, which saw 200% 

rise in mentions over the previous year, 

highlighting the rising popularity of electric 

vehicles among the companies and the 

consumers, with focus on achieving low 

carbon emissions to reduce the impact on 

climate.” 

1. Tesla | 461, 200 + discussions 

‘Tesla’ was the most discussed automobile 

company among Twitter influencers 

and Redditors in 2021*. Tesla achieved 

130% rise in social media conversations 

compared to 2020. Discussions around 

Tesla were spiked the most when its 

market capitalization reached US$1 trillion 

following the announcement by car rental 

firm Hertz Global Holdings Inc. to buy 

Tesla’s 100,000 EVs. 

Influencers on GlobalData’s SMA also 

discussed largely about Tesla Model 3, 

which was crowned as the top selling car 

in Europe, as per Europe monthly vehicle 

sales chart for October. 

2. Toyota Motor | 143, 400 + 

discussions 

‘Toyota Motor’ gained about 50% on social 

media discussions in 2021, over 2020 and 

emerged as the second most discussed 

automotive company. Redditors were seen 

more active in discussions on Toyota over 

Twitter Influencers. The conversations on 

Toyota spiked when the company unveiled 

3. Daimler | 137,000 + discussions 

Daimler held its position as third most 

discussed automobile company on 

GlobalData’s Social Media Analytics 

Platform in 2021* following the release 

of Q1 profit report and revelation of first 

electric sedan. 

The company reported 13% rise in total 

vehicle sales 

4. Honda Motors | 116,700 + 

discussions 

Social media discussions around Honda 

Motor on GlobalData’s SMA platform 

were mostly related to the company’s 

announcement to launch two EV SUV in 

the USA in 2024. 

Twitter Influencers on GlobalData’s SMA 

platform have also discussed about the 

launch of Honda Legend, which is equipped 

with Honda Sensing Elite, the world’s first 

level 3 self-driving car. 

5. Ferrari | 100,500 + discussions 

Discussions around the Italian company 

‘Ferrari’ were 40% lower in 2021, when 

compared to the previous year. Social 

media conversations around 2020 

were largely dominated by Ferrari’s 

disappointing performance in Formula One 

(F1), as it slipped to the new low in racing 

history. 

In 2021, some of the key discussions were 

majorly on F1 championship where Charles 

Leclerc was withdrawn from Monaco Grand 

Prix as Ferrari announced issue in the car. 

Influencers on Twitter also discussed about 

Ferrari’s second plug-in hybrid V6 sports 

car ‘296 GTB’, as they see the new car is a 

gorgeous plug-in sport 


ArriverTM to Support Qualcomm’s Technology 

Collaboration With BMW With Vision 

Perception Software for Automated Driving 

Arriver, the ADAS and AD software unit 

of Veoneer, announced that, via its 

existing Master Collaboration Agreement 

with Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., will 

provide Vision Perception software 

as part of Qualcomm Technologies’ 

announcement with BMW to bring the 

latest advancements in driver assistance 

technologies, and products of its 

Snapdragon RideTM Platform to BMW. 

Arriver’s vision perception software will 

be running on the Snapdragon RideTM 

Platform, a product of Qualcomm 

Technologies. The start of production 

is slated for 2025. The collaboration 

contemplates, but is not limited to, the 

deployment of deep learning algorithms for 

vision perception with a full suite of vision 

functions. 

“We are honored to have the opportunity 

to partner with Qualcomm Technologies 

and BMW for Arriver’s next generation 

vision software,” says Jan Carlson, 

Chairman, President and CEO, Veoneer. 

“This is a testament to the hard work and 

dedication of our teams. We look forward 

to continuing collaboration with Qualcomm 

Technologies to enable automakers to bring 

more safety and convenience benefits to 

drivers.” 


Asahi Kasei 

introduced 

halogen-free 

flame-retardant 

Polyamide 66 

LEONATM SN 

Asahi Kasei launched the halogen and red-phosphorous free flame-retardant Polyamide 

66 LEONATM SN to the European market. This semi-aromatic material combines high levels of safety, 

surface quality and laser printability. 

Tightening safety and environmental 

regulations in the European Union 

are increasing the demands placed on 

materials used for electrical appliances and 

systems. Halogen- and red phosphorous 

free solutions are the key to ensure the 

safety of a wide range of applications while 

at the same time taking a more sustainable 

approach compared to conventional 

materials. 

The Japanese technology company Asahi 

Kasei is currently introducing the halogenand 

red phosphorous free, semi-aromatic 

polyamide 66 LEONATM SN to the 

European market. The LEONATM SN grades 

are certified with the V-0 flame retardancy 

at wall thicknesses of 0.75mm according 

to the UL standard, and achieve 600V, the 

highest value on the Comparative Tracking 

Index (CTI). 

Safety, sustainability, and surface 

quality combined in one material 

In addition to the flame-retardant and 

creep-resistant properties, the material 

features a superior surface quality. This is 

achieved without additional treatment and 

coating and even with a glass-fiber content 

of up to 50%. Another characteristic of this 

material is its high retention rate of physical 

properties in a conditioned state. While 

comparable halogen-free PA66 materials 

show a significant decline in properties, 

LEONATM SN maintains a high level of 

tensile strength and flexural modulus also 

after moisture absorption. This opens 

up new possibilities for applications in 

environments, where the use of standard 

FR PA66 can become an issue. 

Furthermore, LEONATM SN provides an 

excellent laser printability and allows for 

a clearer surface marking than general 

materials with red phosphorus in high 

speed machining of 1000 mm/sec, 

contributing to an increased speed in 

production. 

Applications areas of LEONATM SN include 

automotive powertrain items, as well as 

E&E parts that require flame retardancy, 

such as connectors, magnet switches, or 

relay blocks. By fulfilling the requirements 

for the highest Hazard Level 3 in the 

categories R22 for interior parts and R23 

for exterior parts of the European railway 

fire safety standard EN 45545, this material 

is also fit for electrical systems in railway 

vehicles. 

“LEONATM SN fulfils the strictest 

requirements in regard to safety, surface 

quality and laser printability while at the 

same time being fully in line with the 

environmental regulations. The high level 

of key properties will make this material 

a problem solver for our customers and 

open up new possibilities in a broad range 

of applications”, says Taku Ishida, General 

Manager of the Engineering Plastics 

Division at Asahi Kasei Europe. 


A trusted industry 

leader in the 

automotive 

aftermarket 

industry: 

UCEM Automotive 

UCEM Automotive produces gaskets 

-which is an important part of automotive 

industry- for last 25 years. 80% of their 

sales goes to export markets. Their main 

markets are Russia and other CIS countries. 

The company plans to expand their exports 

to the Middle East region, which is still 

an importing market and open for new 

opportunities. 

Mesut Mutluşan, General Manager of 

UCEM Otomotiv, Eurogasket, Mecodiesel, 

evaluated their current position in Turkey 

and abroad in the automotive aftermarket 

industry and their aims. 

Can you tell us about your production 

and products group? 

We are a leading company in the sector 

for 40 years. We are especially producing 

gaskets -which is an important part of 

automotive industry- for last 25 years. 

Cylinder head gaskets, valve cover gaskets, 

full set, gear gaskets, compressor gaskets, 

manifold gaskets and repair kits are some 

of the products in our range. 

What is your monthly production 

capacity? 

Monthly production capacity of our factory 

is 50,000 cylinder head gasket, 3,000 full 

set gaskets, 15,000 oil pan gaskets. Every 

step is taken in our company for increasing 

our capacity in order to meet increasing 

sales performance. Now we are in a 

program of capacity increase by expanding 

our machine lines, increasing human 

resources and productivity planning. 

What are your current export markets 

and your goals in this area? 

80% of our sales goes to export markets. 

Our main markets are Russia and other CIS 

countries. We are planning to expand our 

export to the Middle East region. Middle 

East is still an importing market and open 

for new opportunities. 

How has the pandemic affected your 

company? What changes have you 

observed in your current markets and 

export volume? 

We are all in the same ship. As every 

sector, automotive sector is also effected 

negatively by this pandemic. Our export 

sales was shrinked 40% and we could 

not get orders from some of our markets 

during the first year of the pandemic. Some 

markets are just coming to life. But besides, 

there also have been markets which never 

lost their capacity. We hope that Omicron 

variant does not become a serious threat 


on the markets and the world gets over this 

pandemic soonest. 

What are your plans for 2021-22? Do 

you plan to attend in any exhibitions 

at home and abroad? What are your 

products that you will exhibit at these 

fairs and that you are assertive? 

We have an intensive exhibition program 

for 2022. We will exhibit our all kind 

of gaskets. We are very challenging at 

Cylinder Head Gaskets, Full Sets and Oil 

Pan Gaskets. Besides we are regularly 

scheduling a dense customer visits every 

year. We prioritize good relations with 

friendly approach to our customers and our 

quality. 

As a domestic manufacturer, how 

do you evaluate your position in the 

sector at home and abroad? What are 

your short, medium and long term 

goals? 

We offer high quality and good price. These 

two factors put us in a very good position. 

We have a very powerful aftersales service. 

We show maximum effort for keeping 

customer satisfaction at its top level. 2022 

will be a year in which we will also aim 

our homeland, the Turkish market. In long 

term, we are planning to invest in new 

production facilities at the central locations 

of foreign markets. Thus, we will logistically 

be able to give more advantage to our 

customers. Being fast is very important. 

Because especially in the times like we are 

in now, during pandemic, companies are 

running with minimal stocks for minimizing 

their risks and using their capital for other 

effective areas. 

Anything would you like to highlight? 

Our company lasts for three generations. 

Mesut Mutluşan, who took over the 

management from his father Ali Mutluşan, 

now manages the company with his son 

Alican Mutluşan. Our company is going to 

achieve its goals soonest with its young, 

dynamic, experienced team and go on 

to be effective in both foreign and local 

markets. 


Coventry University researchers 

bid to save lives with new device 

designed to prevent aquaplaning 

Coventry University researchers are hoping 

to save lives through a new device they’ve 

developed to prevent vehicles from 

aquaplaning and losing traction control 

due to adverse road conditions. 

Professor Mike Blundell and Ravi Ranjan 

from Coventry University’s Research 

Institute for Clean Growth and Future 

Mobility have produced the Run Dry 

Traction System (RDTS) following a twoyear 

research project. 

The prototype product aims to prevent 

aquaplaning and loss of traction in a variety 

of road conditions. Aquaplaning, also 

referred to as hydroplaning, happens when 

a layer of surface water builds up between 

a vehicle’s tyres and the road surface, 

leading to a complete loss of grip. This can 

occur with as little as 2-3mm of standing 

water on the road surface when vehicles 

are travelling at a variety of speeds and is a 

leading cause of road traffic accidents. 

The RDTS presents a novel potential 

solution to aquaplaning and the loss of 

traction by preventing water and other 

contaminants from reaching the tyre. The 

device works by firing a jet of compressed 

gas close to the front of the wheel, 

removing surface water in front of the tyre 

to ensure the vehicle has a dry patch of 

road ahead. This effectively ensures grip 

is not compromised by road contaminants 

such as water, sand and gravel. 

Professor Mike Blundell, Professor of 

Vehicle Dynamics and Impact at Coventry 

University, said: “Our tests demonstrate 

that RDTS has the potential to make a huge 

impact on vehicle safety in a whole host 

of conditions. The prospect of producing 

something that could even save lives on 

the road is extremely exciting and after 

some initial success with testing, we’re 

now eager to look into manufacturing 

potential and further research to take this 

concept to the next level. 

“A device like this really could be the 

difference between life and death if it can 

help vehicles to stop safely within certain 

distances and that’s why we’re so keen to 

continue developing this concept.” 

The RDTS has been designed to be fitted 

to a wide range of vehicles, including cars, 

buses, trucks and motorcycles and with 

further development, it could even have 

the potential to be used to improve aircraft 

ground operations and rail transport 

safety. 


Volvo Buses 

electromobility 

solution trials 

in Dubai 

As part of a complete 

electromobility solution, Volvo 

Buses has started a six-month 

passenger trial of two electric 

buses in partnership with Dubai’s 

Roads and Transport Authority 

(RTA). The trial builds on its 

successful tests in hot climate 

markets in Europe and Latin 

America. 

“Our focus is to offer complete solutions 

that enable the public transport sector 

worldwide to embrace the transition to 

electromobility. The Dubai partnership 

closely follows the launch of our global BZL 

Electric chassis offer and demonstrates 

confidence in our electromobility solutions 

and ambition to provide sustainable 

electric bus systems,” says Dan Pettersson, 

SVP, Business Unit Chassis at Volvo Buses. 

The capabilities of the Volvo 

electromobility solution are the focus 

of RTA’s trial operation, which will test 

Opportunity Charging, fast charging on the 

road, for the first time in Dubai. As part of 

the collaboration, the two Volvo electric 

buses will travel on a specifically designed 

route to test the new electric charging 

infrastructure set up in collaboration with 

ABB between the La Mer and Al Sufouh 

stations with stops along the way. 

In addition, the effect of the region’s road 

terrain, temperatures, and higher need for 

air conditioning on the Volvo Buses energy 

storage systems will be closely monitored. 

The drivers have been trained specifically 

on how to operate the electric buses. 

Manish Sahi, Vice President Volvo 

Buses says: “The energy efficiency and 

technological capacity of the electric 

solution is central to our trial in Dubai. This 

unique partnership between Volvo Buses 

and the RTA will provide us with significant 

data and insights for the future operation 

of electric buses in hot climate conditions.” 

As quoted in the recent press release 

from RTA Dubai, the Director General 

and Chairman of the Board of Executive 

Directors of the RTA, Mr. Mattar 

Mohammed Al Tayer mentions the project 

to be a unique collaboration between 

government agencies and the private 

sector and marks a significant step towards 

delivering sustainable transport solutions 

in line with the Dubai government’s 

energy and carbon reduction strategy 

by 2030. Volvo’s wide experience and 

competence in this area will be invaluable 

during the transition. The trial follows 

Volvo Buses recent global tests of the 

Volvo electromobility solutions in warm 

climates with an ambient temperature 

often exceeding 40°C, and buses operating 

at full capacity. This partnership with RTA 

in Dubai illustrates the success of Volvo’s 

turnkey solutions offering quiet, zeroemission 

buses, charging infrastructure and 

servicing. 


Groundbreaking electro-hydraulic system 

wins Volvo Technology Award 

Breaking new grounds for hydraulic 

efficiency in excavators, the Common 

Pressure Rail Hybrid system by Volvo 

Construction Equipment (Volvo CE), is yet 

another innovation improving performance 

while reducing CO2 emissions in line with 

Volvo Group’s net zero value ambitions by 

2040. The Volvo CE team from Sweden 

and South Korea has worked closely with 

Finnish company Norrhydro in the research 

project, leveraging an idea initially born 

out of academic collaborations. Today, the 

innovation has matured into a real-world 

solution with ongoing customer trials in the 

field and it is expected to accelerate the 

introduction of e-mobility across Volvo CE’s 

larger excavator platform. The company 

anticipates the new technology to be 

available in the excavator market in a near 

future. 

“This innovation enables Volvo CE to 

offer its customers a truly unique electrohydraulic 

solution, pushing fuel efficiency 

to new levels. It’s demonstrating the 

passion of our engineers to bring forward 

customer-oriented solutions and systems 

that will drive the transformation towards 

net-zero emissions operations. Also, it’s 

again an example of our strength working 

in partnerships and achieving amazing 

results”, says Lars Stenqvist, CTO Volvo 

Group. 

How it Works 

The innovation enables new ways to reduce 

energy losses in hydraulics. In the new 

system architecture all the machine’s work 

functions are connected to a hydraulic 

energy storage via a common pressure 

rail, comprised by two or more pressure 

lines. The energy storage, which consists 

of hydraulic accumulators, enables energyefficient 

recovery of kinetic energy and 

peak power supply. For cylinder-driven 

functions, so-called “smart actuators” are 

used to achieve energy-efficient conversion 

from hydraulic power to a variable force 

and speed. The system also allows energy 

recovery and performance increase of 

the machine’s rotating loads, such as the 

swing function through the introduction 

of variable hydraulic machines. Thanks 

to greatly reduced energy losses and 

the power contribution from hydraulic 

accumulators, a smaller power source 

can be used and the need for cooling is 

reduced. With a higher available power, 

cycle times can be shortened, for example 

when loading a truck, which contributes to 

both efficiency increases and cost benefits 

for the customer. 

“We are really proud of this recognition, 

which we share with our collaboration 

partners”, says Kim Heybroek, Volvo CE 

Emerging Technologies Research Engineer 

and a member of the winning team. “The 

potential in the innovation has been a 

strong driver for us in the project, making 

it an exciting journey to be part of, as we 

see the significant benefits it will offer 

for our customers and help build the 

world we want to live in.” The Volvo 

Technology Award is a mark of recognition 

for outstanding technical advances that 

contribute to the enhancement of the 

Volvo Group’s high-tech competitiveness 

and technological expertise. Previous 

recipients have included world-famous 

innovations such as the Duo-Prop marine 

drive, the City Filter used to purify trucks 

and bus exhausts, Volvo’s side airbags (SIPS) 

and the Electric Site emission free quarry 

research project. The winners of the Volvo 

Technology Award 2021 are: Kim Heybroek, 

Sangki Bae, Junwoo Kim, Byeongmo Ko, 

Donghun Oh, Wonkil Choe, Wontaek Oh 

and Namgyu Kim. 


Countries having the strictest drink driving 

laws ranked at Confused.com 

Alcohol-related road accidents are responsible for 237,000 deaths 

globally every year. 

And while these accidents are common all year round, drink driving 

accidents are three times more likely in December than any other 

month, as people let loose to celebrate the holiday season. 

With this being said, the team at Confused.com have researched which 

countries have the strictest drink driving laws across the globe. 

Looking at 47 countries across the world, the study looked into yearly 

death rates from drink-driving, the BAC limits (blood alcohol content), 

and the maximum fine, suspension and prison sentences for those 

caught. 

Uzbekistan currently holds the number one spot, scoring a whopping 

61 points out of a possible 80, with a zero-tolerance for alcohol 

consumption and driving. 

Luxembourg took second place, with 37 points out of 80. 


WirelessCar 

Keeps 

Supporting U.S. 

Automakers’ 

Digital Vehicle 

Transformation 

WirelessCar, a global leader in 

transformative digital vehicle services for 

connected cars, announced its continued 

international expansion with the opening 

of the company’s new U.S. office located 

in Detroit, Michigan to better serve 

its top OEM customers in the U.S. and 

to expand strategic partnerships and 

focus on strategic talent acquisition and 

recruitment with immediate employment 

opportunities. Today’s news reflects the 

company’s international growth strategy 

and commitment to investing in close 

proximity to their customers. 

Over the last twenty years WirelessCar has 

worked with some of the largest traditional 

and upstart automakers to leverage the 

full value of connected car data for digital 

services and revenue, such as Volkswagen 

Group, Jaguar Land Rover, Daimler, Nissan, 

BMW, Subaru, and Volvo Group. The 

company is widely recognized for its proven 

expertise handling car data and operations 

for more than 8 million connected cars 

worldwide in over 85 countries with a goal 

of delivering digital vehicle services to over 

100 million cars by 2025. 

“This announcement further demonstrates 

our commitment to our customers,” 

said Martin Rosell, WirelessCar Chief 

Executive Officer. “Expanding our presence 

in Detroit supports our business growth 

strategy and helps us to establish a larger 

footprint in the U.S. to further grow and 

develop strategic relationships within the 

automotive industry.” 

The new 7,300 square foot office will be 

a permanent space for 40 employees, 

situated on the top floor of the Oakland 

Commons building in Southfield. This 

expanded facility will allow the company 

to continue its rapid growth and plans 

to double its headcount in the U.S. over 

the next 18-24 months. WirelessCar’s 

new office is strategically located in the 

Southfield area of Detroit, the heart of the 

automotive industry, to service the top 

automakers in the region that are pursuing 

aggressive connected vehicle goals. 

“OEMs today are navigating the challengefilled 

transition to software-defined 

vehicles, whether the requirement is to 

build an automotive business intelligence 

cloud or to upfit an existing vehicle lineup 

with new services,” said Greg Geiselhart. 

“Detroit provides the right environment for 

WirelessCar to work closely with our OEMs 

and stakeholders to align on business goals 

and quickly adjust to automakers’ specific 

requirements, leveraging the full value of 

digital services across the entire spectrum 

of in-car connectivity.” 

One of WirelessCar’s major strengths is its 

ability to form long-standing partnerships 

with leading automotive brands. Among its 

successes are Volvo On Call safety, security, 

and convenience services, which have been 

implemented in Volvo Cars in more than 55 

markets, including North America, Brazil, 

China, and Russia. 

WirelessCar’s growing portfolio of 

solutions, products and professional 

services includes Connectivity, Safety and 

Security, Journey Intelligence, Electric 

Vehicles, Shared Mobility and Digital 

Transformation. 


Toprak Razgatlioglu is the new WorldSBK Champion 

The Turkish rider claimed the 

2021 WorldSBK Championship 

in Indonesia, denying Jonathan 

Rea a seventh consecutive title 

After a hard-fought 2021 season, Toprak 

Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha with Brixx 

WorldSBK) was crowned the 2021 MOTUL 

FIM Superbike World Champion at the 

Pertamina Mandalika International Street 

Circuit. Toprak Razgatlioglu is the first rider 

to dethrone six-time WorldSBK Champion 

Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team 

WorldSBK), also becoming the first ever 

Turkish WorldSBK Champion. 

Razgatlioglu claimed the lead of the 

standings after an eventful Donington 

Park weekend, although his lead didn’t 

last long when a Rea hat-trick at Assen 

vaulted him back to the top. The lead kept 

changing hands, with Razgatlioglu back 

on top after Navarra – albeit by virtue of 

full-race wins as he and Rea were level 

on points going to Magny-Cours – before 

two changes throughout the Catalunya 

Round: Rea taking the lead after Race 1 

in Barcelona before the newly-crowned 

Champion claimed it back after Race 2. 

A dramatic Portuguese Round provided 

more twists and turns with Razgatlioglu 

holding the lead by 24 points heading into 

the penultimate round of the season at the 

Circuito San Juan Villicum venue, whilst 

the Turkish rider arrived at the season 

finale with a 30-point advantage over Rea. 

Second place at the end of Sunday’s Race 

1 in the season-ending Indonesian Round, 

Razgatlioglu claimed the 2021 WorldSBK 

title. 

At 25 years, 1 month and 5 days, 

Razgatlioglu becomes the third-youngest 

Champion of the category, behind James 

Toseland (23 years 11 months and 28 

days, 2004) and Troy Corser (24 years 11 

months, 1996). He started his motorcycle 

career competing in the IDM Yamaha R6 

Cup and in the Turkish Road Race 600cc 

Championship in 2011 and 2012. He then 

moved to the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies 


Cup for 2013 and 2014. He took one win 

in the class in 2014 during the Sachsenring 

event, showcasing his potential from very 

early on. Later in the year, he made his 

European Superstock 600 Championship 

debut at Magny-Cours as a wildcard, 

winning his first ever race. It was clear that 

a future star was emerging right before us. 

In 2015, he joined the WorldSBK paddock 

racing in the Superstock 600 class full-time, 

claiming the title in his first season in the 

category. He then moved to Superstock 

1000 for the 2016 and 2017 seasons, 

finishing second in the standings in his 

second season and taking wins. 

In 2018, he made the move to the premier 

class with Kawasaki Puccetti Racing, 

shocking everyone when he took two 

podiums – a first by beating Jonathan 

Rea in the last lap of Race 2 at Donington 

Park and a second at the all-new San 

Juan venue – and was the rookie of the 

year. 2019 was a significant year in many 

ways for Razgatlioglu; he emerged as a 

true contender and after eight podiums, 

he took a first win in a last lap fight with 

Rea at Magny-Cours, doubling up in the 

Tissot Superpole Race. Ending the year 

fifth overall with 13 podiums and the 

Best Independent Riders’ award, Toprak 

switched from Kawasaki to join the ranks 

of Yamaha and the Pata Yamaha with Brixx 

WorldSBK outfit. In 2020, he finished his 

first season with Yamaha in fourth place, 

taking a stunning win in his first ever race 

for the team at Phillip Island, before two 

more followed during the final round of 

the year at Estoril. In 2021, he achieved 

13 wins, 29 podiums and 3 pole positions. 

With a 25-point advantage over his 

closest competitor Jonathan Rea, Toprak 

Razgatlioglu becomes the 2021 WorldSBK 

Champion, the 18th one in Championship 

history, coincidentally crowned in the 

18th final round title decider. The newlycrowned 

Champion will remain with 

Yamaha until 2023 and both will aim to 

continue challenging many records. Their 

target will be set on making it two in a row 

for Razgatlioglu. 


Enviromental Challenge Should 

Be Embraced So Classic Vehicles 

Aren’t Forgotten 

The newly appointed leader of the Historic and Classic Vehicles 

Alliance urges the industry and enthusiasts to embrace the challenge 

of the green agenda. 

Garry Wilson, who becomes the HCVA’s 

first CEO says: “A big part of the job will be 

making sure the sector has a share of the 

voice as part of the UK automotive industry 

and heritage sector”. 

“I think we need to embrace the 

environmental challenge and work with 

legislators to identify solutions – while at 

the same time demonstrating very clearly 

the environmental credentials of the classic 

movement,” said Wilson. 

Garry, 58, is determined the campaigning 

group, which launched just four months 

ago, will collaborate with other classic 

and historic organizations and across the 

automotive world to ensure policy makers 

and regulators understand the sector’s 

priorities and concerns. 

Wilson says: “We have to work in 

partnership with the mainstream motor 

industry and motorsport to achieve 

sustainable results. We have to get our voice 

out there so that our £18.3billion industry is 

on people’s minds.” 

A perfect fit for the HCVA leadership role, 

Garry began his motor industry journey 

as a Rover Group graduate trainee in the 

mid-1980s working his way through various 

engineering and managerial jobs over 13 

years. His post Rover career has included 

an impressive range of senior roles in 

automotive sector engineering, innovation, 

manufacturing and supply businesses. 

“The automotive industry has been my life 

for more than 35 years. This is a once in 

a lifetime opportunity to deliver positive 

impact – not short term, but genuinely 

sustainable impact - for a sector I am 

passionate about,” says the Herefordshire 

based father of two. “Classics, historic 

and motorsport – are my passion, but 

I’m no dyed in the wool petrol head. On 

electrification I appreciate both sides of 

the argument and absolutely believe there 

should be room for both electric and ICE 

vehicles now and into the future. I want 

to work with others to ensure a future 

that allows both to thrive. For the past 

seven years I’ve been working in industry 

helping to establish the Driving the Electric 

Revolution Industrialization Centre and the 

Advanced Propulsion Centre. What I hope 

to do now is bring the same thinking, the 

same energy and commitment to the classic 

sector.” 

Current daily driver is a BMW 5 series, Garry 

owns or has owned an impressive selection 

of classics. He describes himself as a ‘neo- 

Classic guy’. Pride and joy are a 1969 Rover 

P5B coupe. The new CEO also speaks fondly 

of a 20-year-old BMW Z3 2.8, a 25-yearold 

Land Rover Defender and identifies 

rallying in a 1980s MG Metro 6R4 as ‘my big 

passion’. He is a qualified off-road driving 

instructor, an advanced motorcyclist and 

holds a motorsport competition license. 


Turkey’s shortterm 

debt stock 

falls to $121.7B 

after revisions 

Turkey’s short-term external debt stock 

dropped to $121.7 billion (TL 1.04 trillion) 

at the end of June, from $144.9 billion a 

month earlier, the central bank said, after it 

revised its method of gathering data. 

The amount that must be paid over the 

next 12 months marked a surge of 6.5% 

from the end of last year, the Central Bank 

of the Republic of Turkey (CBRT) said in a 

statement. 

The revisions in four data points aim to 

correct inconsistencies by raising data 

quality and increase compatibility with 

international standards in securities 

statistics, the bank has said. 

The short-term external debt stock of 

lenders rose 1.3% to $58.1 billion, while 

the figure for other sectors went up 2.8% 

to $36.5 billion, the data showed. The 

rest of the amount, namely $27.1 billion, 

belonged to the monetary authority. 

Short-term foreign currency loans of banks 

received from abroad climbed 2.7% to 

$14 billion, it noted. As of end-June, some 

40.5% of the debt stock was in U.S. dollars, 

25.9% in euros, 13.4% in Turkish liras and 

20.2% in other currencies. 

From the borrowers’ side, the short-term 

debt of the public sector, which consists 

of state lenders, increased 6.4% to $24.8 

billion, while the private sector registered 

$69.9 billion of debt, up 0.4%, during the 

same period. 

Data from the bank showed trade credits 

due to imports dropped to $30.9 billion in 

June after the revisions, compared to $56.5 

billion in May. 

The biggest impact on the foreign debt 

data is due to the revisions in trade credits, 

which include the data 

being collected directly 

through company 

reports, compared to 

the customs declarations 

used previously. 

The central bank said 

the drop in foreign debt 

levels was expected to 

impact Turkey’s current 

account, which is seen 

standing at $22 billion by 

the year-end, according 

to the median estimate in a Reuters poll 

this month. 

The bank has said it expects the current 

account to post surpluses every month for 

the rest of the year, which would bring the 

annual deficit to around $11 billion to $13 

billion. 

The current account will also be supported 

tourism revenues this year, which the bank 

expects to be around $20 billion. 

Companies’ net forex deficit dropped to 

$127.98 billion at end-June, compared to 

$168.6 billion in May, before the revisions, 

central bank data also showed. 

The net international investment position, 

the difference between Turkey’s external 

assets and liabilities, stood at minus $280.6 

billion, compared to minus $327.8 billion 

in May. 


Turkish 

entrepreneurs’ 

investments 

abroad reach 

$44 billion 

The value of investments made by Turkish 

entrepreneurs abroad reached $43.9 billion 

in 2020, the country’s trade minister said. 

Mehmet Muş cited the ministry’s Overseas 

Investment Survey, which showed that 

Turkey-based natural and legal persons 

owned 2,118 investments across 124 

countries. 

Through these investments, they provide 

employment to a total of 158,066 people 

abroad, including 147,034 foreigners, the 

survey said. 

These investments channeled exports from 

Turkey worth $6.4 billion and imports of 

around $4.1 billion. 

The turnover of the investments has 

reached $35 billion, Muş said on Twitter. 

The minister said the Turkish companies 

have become global actors with their 

foreign investments, further increasing 

their competitiveness in world markets. 

Separate data by the central bank showed 

Turkey’s external assets amounted to 

$249.9 billion at April-end, down 4.4% from 

2020. 

The country’s liabilities against 

nonresidents during the same period fell 

9.1% to $593.5 billion, the Central Bank of 

the Republic of Turkey (CBRT) said. 

The net international investment position 

(NIIP) – the difference between external 

assets and liabilities – was minus $343.5 

billion, versus minus $413.1 billion at the 

end of 2020. 

As a snapshot in time, the NIIP, which can 

be either positive or negative, is the value 

of overseas assets owned by a nation, 

minus the value of domestic assets owned 

by foreigners, including overseas assets and 

liabilities held by a nation’s government, 

private sector and its citizens. 

Reserve assets, a sub-item under assets, 

were $88 billion at the end of April, down 

5.7% from the end of last year. 

Other investments, another sub-item under 

assets, totaled $106.4 billion, indicating an 

increase of 15.5% in the same period. 

“Currency and deposits of banks, one 

of the sub-items of other investments, 

recorded $52.8 billion, indicating an 

increase of 25.9% compared to the end of 

2020” the bank said. 

On the liabilities side, direct investments 

– equity capital plus other capital – as of 

the end of April were $161.4 billion, down 

26.8%, including the effects of changes in 

market value and foreign exchange rates. 

Nonresidents’ foreign exchange deposits 

were $33.9 billion, up 1.7% in April versus 

the end of 2020. 

The bank added that Turkish lira deposits 

rose 1.5%, recording $16 billion. 

It said banks’ total external loan stock 

amounted to $66 billion – up 2.8% – and 

total external loan stock of other sectors 

was $97 billion in the same period. 


Turkey rolls out strategic artificial 

intelligence road map 

Turkey is drawing a road map for its 

strategy in the field of artificial intelligence 

(AI), which can be defined as the realization 

of actions such as making decisions, 

discovering meaning and learning 

in dynamic environments specific to 

intelligent products, by a computer or a 

computer-controlled machine. Accordingly, 

the Presidential Circular on the National 

Artificial Intelligence Strategy for 2021- 

2025 was published in the Official Gazette. 

The document was prepared by the 

Presidency’s Digital Transformation Office 

and the Industry and Technology Ministry 

in line with the 11th Development Plan. 

The country’s priorities in the field and the 

steps to be taken were determined within 

the framework of the “Digital Turkey” and 

“National Technology Move” visions. 

Digital Turkey aims for a globally 

competitive Turkey with the increase in 

productivity it provides by using digital 

technology, products and services in its 

social, economic and public activities and 

the value it generates from data. 

Aiming to develop the human and 

infrastructure capacity of Turkey to 

produce high-tech products nationally and 

authentically, the National Technology 

Move, meanwhile, aims to strengthen 

economic and technological independence 

and to implement policies and practices 

that will lead to breakthroughs in critical 

technologies. 

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan personally 

wrote the preface of the National Artificial 

Intelligence Strategy. Stating that systems 

based on AI have a radical transformative 

effect on production processes, daily life 

and institutional structures, Erdoğan noted 

that this brings humanity to the brink of a 

new era. 

“AI technologies, whose application area is 

increasing, are expected to have a greater 

impact on the global economic structure 

than the internet revolution,” Erdoğan 

emphasized. The president also mentioned 

the founder of cybernetics, Ismail al-Jazari, 

one of the great Muslim inventors and 

engineers of the Islamic Golden Age, and 

professor Cahit Arf, who took the first step 

toward AI in Turkey. 

“We believe that the time has come for our 

country to make a breakthrough in the field 

of AI,” Erdoğan also said, noting: “We have 

the opportunity to add value to humanity 

as a whole by making a new technoeconomic 

breakthrough blended with our 

deep-rooted civilization experience by 

designing AI systems with an understanding 

that includes the development and 

operation of these systems per our 

common values.” 

6 strategic priorities 

The National Artificial Intelligence 

Strategy was designed around six strategic 

priorities, namely “training AI specialists 

and increasing employment in the field,” 

“supporting research, entrepreneurship 

and innovation,” “access to quality data 

and technical infrastructure,” “making 

arrangements to accelerate socioeconomic 

adaptation,” “strengthening international 

cooperation” and “structural and business 

to accelerate the power transformation.” 

The 2025 targets set in the strategy include 

AI sector’s contribution to the gross 

domestic product (GDP) to reach 5% while 

employing at least 50,000 people. 

International organizations will actively 

contribute to the regulatory work and 

standardization processes in the field of 

cross-border data sharing with reliable and 

responsible AI, according to the framework; 

while it is aimed for Turkey to be among 

the first 20 countries in the AI indices. 

According to the strategy, it is expected 

that the market size will increase 

twofold in the next five years in global 

AI expenditures, which amount to 

approximately $50 billion (TL 426.41 

billion). According to several studies, AI 

will contribute around $13 trillion to $15.7 

trillion to the global economy by 2030 and 

will provide 13%-14% growth. 

It is predicted that the data to be produced 

in the next three years will be more than 

the data produced in the last 30 years. 

While the number of startups focused 

on AI in the U.S. and China has reached 

2,000, this number is around 200 in Turkey. 

About half of the AI initiatives in Turkey 

are located in technology parks – also 

known as teknoparks – with 73% of those 

located in Istanbul. Efforts continue to 

make public institutions in Turkey ready 

for new-generation technologies and to 

have effective decision-making processes 

based on data. In this context, the Big 

Data and Artificial Intelligence Applications 

Department was established within the 

Presidency’s Digital Transformation Office 

and the National Technology General 

Directorate was established under the 

Industry and Technology Ministry. 

The Scientific and Technological Research 

Council of Turkey (TÜBITAK) Artificial 

Intelligence Institute was also established 

for the production of AI technology 

solutions by bringing together the research 

centers of universities and private sectors. 

The Artificial Intelligence Strategy is 

scheduled to be introduced to the 

public during a ceremony to be held 

in Turkey’s technology and innovation 

base, Informatics Valley, on Aug. 24. The 

event will be attended by Industry and 

Technology Minister Mustafa Varank 

and the head of the Presidency Digital 

Transformation Office, Ali Taha Koç. 


Automotive textiles 

preparing for total 

transformation 

There is currently frenzied activity and investment taking 

place to commercialise self-driving cars, involving both the 

established automotive manufacturers and the technology 

giants of Silicon Valley. 

It is no exaggeration to say that this could completely 

reshape the landscape of the global automotive industry 

once again – even after the massive shifts that have 

occurred since the beginning of the 21st century, including 

the move towards electric vehicles. 

The use of textiles in automotive applications includes 

floor coverings; upholstery; belts, tubes and tapes; tyre 

cord; safety belts; airbags; components; and filters. 

The value of textile materials going into the 91.5m cars 

and light vehicles manufactured globally in 2018 was more 

than US$70bn and textile content continues to increase 

as manufacturers seek further means of lightweighting 

to reduce emissions and improve fuel consumption. As 

a result of higher demand for increased comfort and 

improved safety, the use of textile materials has increased 

from 20 kg in a mid-size car in 2000 to around 35 kg today, 

most notably from the industry-wide adoption of textile 

and composite underbodies as replacements for metal, 

but with other successful substitutions too. 

In the drive towards lowering weight for reducing both fuel 

consumption and carbon dioxide emissions, many current 

developments are including new uses for fabrics and other 

fibre-based materials. 

There have been tremendous changes to the global 

structure of the automotive textiles industry since the last 

edition of this report was published in 2016. 

More disruptive change is likely with the introduction of 

autonomous driving, electric vehicles and car-sharing in 

urban cities, while end-of-life recycling, sustainability and 

the need for lightweight materials will increasingly affect 

suppliers’ strategies. 

Under this challenging scenario, a new publication from 

Textile Media Services – Automotive Textiles: Preparing 

for total transformation (5th edition) – provides the latest 

analysis of the fast-altering global automotive textiles 

industry. 

Featuring an overview of the automotive market and the 

wide-ranging use of textile materials in vehicles, this fully 

updated edition examines in detail the current structure 

of this industry, with profiles of more than 80 of the most 

influential Tier 1 and Tier 2 players, and explains where the 

growth will be in the next 25 years, and why. 

Published in October 2019 and written by Adrian Wilson, 

this in-depth market report with 340 pages and more than 

130 tables: examines the global automotive industry. 

The complete could be purchased at the following link: 

https://www.textilemedia.com/mobiletex/automotivetextiles/ 


CHEP’s reusable plastic crates 

improve the efficiency of the 

automotive supply chain 

The automotive industry is trying to survive 

the difficult days it has been exposed to 

in the production and supply processes 

due to the pandemic and chip crisis. As a 

result, smart and efficient solutions for the 

supply chain are gaining more importance 

than ever before. Offering solutions 

for the packaging needs to automotive 

manufacturers and supply chains, CHEP 

helps reduce operating costs with its 

reusable plastic crates (KLT). In addition, 

CHEP provides efficiency in storage, 

security, and product protection compared 

to cardboard boxes by optimizing supply 

processes from beginning to end with its 

reuse and share business model. 

CHEP, which operates in 60 countries 

globally, eliminates hidden costs with 

plastic crates that can be used repeatedly 

and are highly resistant to impacts, unlike 

cardboard boxes. With its technology 

and innovative approach, CHEP provides 

smart and efficient solutions for the supply 

chain while meeting the expectations of 

manufacturers and supply chains in the 

automotive industry, making them ready 

for unexpected situations with its global 

network and knowledge. 

Operational processes are improving 

CHEP’s reusable plastic crates accelerate 

production line operations with their 

structure suitable for automation systems, 

are easily stacked during and after use, 

reducing storage costs. Offering a safe 

stacking with ergonomic handles and outer 

surface reinforced with projections, KLTs 

prevent products from being damaged. 

In addition, plastic crates, which provide 

balanced transportation with their 

interlocking structure, increase the packing 

density and reduce the transportation unit 

costs. 

CHEP shares its experiences with the 

industry 

CHEP Automotive Head of European Key 

Accounts, Engin Gökgöz, said, “Considering 


the global risks, the correct management 

and efficiency of the automotive industry 

supply chain is gaining more importance 

than ever before. As CHEP, we develop 

special industrial solutions for both main 

industry automotive manufacturers and 

their suppliers at every stage of the supply 

chain in line with our global network and 

know-how with more than 11 thousand 

employees globally and a circulation 

network of 345 million equipment. For 

example, maintained and repaired before 

use, plastic crates are produced from much 

stronger materials than cardboard boxes. 

Being part of the CHEP network means less 

waste for everyone at the same time. We 

have a wide range of solutions, protective 

inserts, accessories, and equipment 

developed to protect the goods being 

transported optimally. With less waste, 

handling, pollution, environmental impact, 

and transportation, we ensure that more 

products reach their destination at the 

right time.” 

CHEP’s business model eliminates extra 

costs 

By eliminating non-value-added and 

extra-cost processes such as post-use 

environmental waste and transportation 

of empty boxes, CHEP KLTs enable safe 

and economical transportation of parts 

of different sizes, from brake cylinders 

to clutch hoses to heat protectors, with 

a maximum carrying capacity of 20 

kilograms. 

About CHEP 

CHEP, established in Australia as parof the 

international supply chain giant Brambles 

Group, offers supply chain solutions 

that optimize business processes from 

beginning to end for the fast-moving 

consumer goods, food, beverage, retail, 

automotive and white goods industries. 

CHEP’s sustainable business model is 

based on share and reuse. Equipment 

rented from CHEP is collected after use, 

regularly maintained and repaired, and 

put back into service. In this way, the costs 

in equipment management are reduced, 

and the efficiency of the supply chain is 

increased. CHEP, which has a circulation 

network of more than 345 million pallets 

and more than 11 thousand employees 

in 60 countries worldwide, has been 

operating in Turkey since 2009. Using its 

experience in global markets to meet the 

supply chain management needs of its 

business partners in Turkey, CHEP; works to 

create sustainable value every day with the 

understanding of Business Positive, Planet 

Positive, Communities Positive. 


Turkey seeks to 

be developer of 

next-generation 

technologies 

Turkey seeks to be not just a market 

but also a developer of cutting-edge 

technologies, said the country’s industry 

and technology minister. 

“Our target is clear: to be one of the 

leading countries of the Fourth Industrial 

Revolution as a developer, not the market, 

of next-generation technologies,” Mustafa 

Varank told a virtual conference held by the 

Turkish Industry and Business Association 

(TÜSIAD). 

Noting that the coronavirus outbreak 

triggered a digital transformation in various 

sectors, from industry to health, Varank 

said: “Throughout the pandemic, we 

showed an exemplary performance in the 

digitalization of both public services and 

economic activities.” 

The government aims to take advantage 

of the pandemic era by managing the 

digitalization period well, he said. 

Varank underlined that the Turkish private 

sector also accelerated digitalization, saying 

that as a result, Turkey’s e-commerce 

sector expanded 65% in 2020. 

He highlighted that his ministry is setting 

support and incentive mechanisms for 

companies to overcome problems faced in 

digital transformation. 

“We put digital transformation as the main 

focus of our strategy,” Varank said. 

National tech center 

Touching on Turkey’s national technology 

center in Istanbul, which last year joined 

the Centre for the Fourth Industrial 

Revolution (C4IR) Network of the World 

Economic Forum (WEF), Varank said 

it will research the internet of things 

(IoT), robots, artificial intelligence (AI), 

autonomous vehicles, unmanned aerial 

vehicles (UAVs), and blockchain. 

MEXT Technology Center, established by 

the Turkish Employers’ Association of Metal 

Industries (MESS), has been registered 

among a few centers in the world affiliated 

with WEF. 

The MESS was the first employer union 

accepted by the WEF for the C4IR Network. 

MEXT will prepare road maps for Turkey in 

several areas such as IoT, AI, autonomous 

vehicles, drones, blockchain and robots. 

“The largest innovation and 

entrepreneurship platform Plug and Play 

started working at the MESS Technology 

Center this month,” Varank said. 

Plug and Play, which includes more than 

40,000 startups with a portfolio of $9 

billion (TL 66 billion), will bring together 

entrepreneurs, industrialists and investors. 

He announced that the platform aims to 

produce at least one unicorn – a startup 

company with a value of over $1 billion – 

among Turkish firms. Fuat Oktay, Turkey’s 

vice president, said Turkish businesspeople 

were able to continue their activities during 

the coronavirus pandemic thanks to digital 

tools.He underlined that Turkey is shaping 

its policies to become a leading country in 

the field of digital transformation. 

Breakthrough technologies such as cloud 

technologies, data mining, blockchain, 

IoT and big data have begun to show 

transformative effects on new business 

models, Oktay said. 

Stressing that digitalization produced 2 

million new lines of work over the last 

decade, he predicted: “When you consider 

the dizzying speed of digitalization, this 

figure will rise even more.” 

Faster growth and change 

In the post-pandemic period, Turkey will 

produce high added-value technological 

goods with tremendous brand value, Oktay 

stressed. 

“We will work to raise productivity, 

growth, investment and employment 

in line with digital transformation,” he 

added. For his part, Simone Kaslowski, 

head of the TÜSIAD, said that the whole 

world is in a digital transformation 

journey in all its social and economic 

processes. 

“For the success of this process, I 

emphasize the need for competent 

people, well-functioning infrastructure, 

strategic investments, effective 

collaborations, high R&D (research and 

development) and innovation capacity, 

and a sustainable technology ecosystem,” 

he said. Stressing that the pandemic 

accelerated the digital transformation that 

had already begun, Kaslowski said even 

the most traditional industries are feeling 

the pressure of digitalization. 

In this process, the growing involvement 

of digitalization in many areas pushed 

investment and the demand for new 

technologies, he noted. 

Saying that the total size of the software 

industry – one of the driving forces of 

digital transformation – is expected to 

double in the next five years to $4 trillion, 

he added: “In Turkey, for instance, the 

demand produced by rising video call and 

remote working applications during the 

pandemic period boosted cloud computing 

infrastructure investments by 35%.” 

Kaslowski stated that the factors that 

determine efficiency and success 

would be the rapid and strategic 

planning of the companies’ digital 

transformation investments, adding 

that the transformation process needs 

to be handled holistically in all areas 

from human resources to data security, 

from communication infrastructure to 

organization. 


EBRD, Ford Otosan charge 

ahead with big EV lending 

The European Bank for Reconstruction 

and Development (EBRD) is supporting 

the production of a range of next 

generation all-electric and plug-in hybrid 

variants of one-ton commercial vehicles 

for the European market by arranging 

a 650 million-euro loan to Ford Otosan, 

US automaker Ford’s joint venture with 

Turkey’s Koç Holding, according to a 

statement from the bank on July 14. 

The financing, shared by the EBRD 

and commercial lenders, is part of the 

bank’s drive to fund the green transition 

and supports Ford’s aim of leading the 

electrification of the automotive industry 

for a climate-friendly, more sustainable 

future, said the statement. 

Ford Otosan is Europe’s leading commercial 

vehicle manufacturer. It announced in 

March that it will open the first integrated 

electric vehicle (EV) factory of Turkey in 

the industrial Kocaeli province in 2022 to 

manufacture new-generation commercial 

vehicles and batteries. The investment 

worth 2 billion euros ($2.4 billion) is 

expected to produce 3,000 direct and 

15,000 indirect jobs at the first phase of the 

factory, according to the firm. 

The financial package consists of a 175 

million-euro loan for the EBRD’s own 

account and 475 million euros in debt 

syndicated to other lenders under the 

bank’s A/B loan syndication structure. 

Participating lenders include Akbank AG, 

Bank of China, BNP Paribas, Emirates 

NBD Bank, Green for Growth Fund, HSBC, 

Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, 

Mediobanca, MUFG, QNB and Société 

Générale. 

EVs are seen as key to the future of 

transport, as more and more governments 

move to decarbonize the industry to speed 

up reductions in greenhouse gas emissions 

and combat climate change. 

The new one-ton Ford Transit Custom will 

be launched in the first half of 2023. The 

battery-powered EVs and plug-in hybrid 

variants will substantially reduce harmful 

emissions, promoting a more climatefriendly 

transport option. 

Arvid Tuerkner, EBRD Managing Director 

for Turkey, said: “Electric vehicles are 

a promising step towards lowering 

greenhouse gas emissions from the 

transport sector and I am pleased that 

the EBRD is able to support Turkey in 

becoming a European hub for commercial 

EV production, bringing in know-how, 

producing jobs and promoting a lowcarbon 

economy. I am also delighted that 

we were able to attract sizeable financing 

from commercial lenders, reinforcing 

our commitment to mobilizing private 

investment for global priorities.” 

Ford Otosan CEO Haydar Yenigün said: 

“As Ford Otosan, the leading commercial 

vehicle manufacturer in Europe, we 

are proud to sign one of the biggest 

financing agreements in the automotive 

sector with the EBRD within the scope 

of our largest automotive investment in 

Turkey, as previously announced. With 

this strategic investment, as the country’s 

leading exporter, not only of vehicles but 

also engineering and technology for many 

years, we will have the opportunity to 

work on advanced technologies that will 

contribute to the national economy and 

produce more sustainable products for a 

greener world.” 

Turkey exported more than 900,000 

vehicles to 180 countries across five 

continents last year and the automotive 

industry’s exports in 2020 exceeded $25 

billion amid the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Ford Otosan generates 25 percent of 

Turkey’s total automotive production and 

exports, and it employs 12,500 people 

currently. 

Previously, the firm produced Turkey’s first 

electric commercial vehicle - Custom PHEV. 

The EBRD is a leading institutional investor 

in Turkey and, to date, has invested more 

than €13 billion in the country through 341 

projects, with 96 per cent of those in the 

private sector. 


Zeekr gets off to an electrifying start 

Zeekr, the premium electric mobility brand from Geely Holding Group, has announced delivery of over 

2000 vehicles to customers in its first full month of production. 

Just six months after Zeekr revealed its 

all-electric 001 model – a luxury shooting 

brake coupe – at the Shanghai Auto Show 

and one month since production started, 

it has now delivered 2,012 examples to 

customers in more than 150 cities across 

China. 

Capacity at the Zeekr Intelligent Factory, 

one of the world’s most advanced 

vehicle facilities, is now ramping up 

to accommodate the unprecedented 

demand for the 001. Zeekr will continue 

to prioritize local market customers ahead 

of its planned global roll-out from 2023. 

Andy An, CEO of Zeekr, said: “We revealed 

Zeekr to the world in April this year and 

in just eight months, we have developed 

the 001, started production at our stateof-the-art 

Intelligent Factory in Ningbo 

and delivered over 2000 of our luxury 

shooting brake coupes. This was an 

extremely ambitious challenge for Zeekr 

and I am truly proud of this startup’s 

progress in such record time.” 

Zeekr’s 001 luxury shooting brake coupe 

is one of the most anticipated all-electric 

vehicles and the brand’s flagship product 

for the market. Based on Geely Holding 

Group’s Sustainable Electric Architecture 

(SEA), the vehicle is able to create 400kw 

of power with max torque of 768 Nm 

through a twin motor system capable of 

spiriting the 001 from 0-100kph in just 3.8 

seconds and braking from 100-0 kph in just 

34.5 meters. 

The 100kWh Z-Battery is able to charge 

from 10% to 80% within 30 minutes and 

has a 712km range, according to the NEDC 

cycle used in China. 

The average order price with options for 

the 001, for the Chinese market only, was 

confirmed at RMB335,000 (USD 53,000) 

with the vast majority of orders to date 

being for the mid to high range models. 

Zeekr customers will be able to experience 

a Zeekr charging station at selected 

locations that cover nine major cities in 

China. Zeekr has also included third party 

charging points in 211 cities to provide 

a hassle-free and seamless charging 

experience for all Zeekr users. 


Financial support from 

Türk Barter to companies 

In these days where the enterprises are having difficulty in 

overcoming the financial burden Türk Barter offers alternative 

payment tools to the companies with Barter system, which is 

Alternative Trade and Financing model 

Companies suffering from financial 

difficulties are in a hurry to protect their 

assets and capital in this period. Türk Barter 

rescues the enterprises with Barter System, 

Alternative trade and financing model. 

Türk Barter provides alternative payment 

opportunities by offering Barter loans to 

enterprises that cannot make equity by 

producing and selling due to the stagnation 

in the market and the decline in demand. 

M. Sırrı Şimşek, Chairman of the Board of 

Directors of Türk Barter, stated that the 

conditions in which Turkey lived differed 

from previous periods, answered our 

questions about the barter system and the 

services they provided. 

Could you give some information 

about Türk Barter? 

“Barter System, which is an alternative 

trade and financial model, is an important 

sector brought to the Turkish business 

world by Türk Barter. Türk Barter has 

showed serious changes and always 

rising graphics since its establishment. 

It took and fulfilled very important tasks 

in bringing the Barter System to the 

country’s economy and perceiving it as a 

commercial model. Türk Barter, as the first 

Barter Company in Turkey, transferred its 

experiences to the government’s efforts 

in Barter modeling. Barter is the name of 

the system that allows a company to pay 

the price of the goods or services it buys 

with the goods or services it produces. It 

is a trade, financing and payment system 

that can partially replace money, is not 

affected by speculation, and derives its 

real value from production and service. 

Companies established with limited capital 

in Turkey face difficulties in carrying out 

their activities in any negative economic 

fluctuation. Bank loans, which are the 

classical financing methods, do not provide 

much benefit to companies due to high 

collateral and interest and do not meet 

their needs. The Barter System, which we 

call the alternative finance that Türk Barter 

has brought to the economy for 27 years, 

provides great support to companies with 

a system that is both interest-free, flexible 

and allows companies to pay their debts 

with the goods and services they produce. 

We believe that a strong Turkey means 

economically independent Turkey. The 

BarterBank application, which is operated 

with the logic of the internet branch of 

banking, is also carried out by Türk Barter.” 

What is barter? How does the system work? 

“The purchase of the needed goods or 

services in exchange for the goods or 

services sold is called Barter. Barter is not 

a one-to-one exchange of goods, but a 

barter operation with several stations. 

When a company decides to work with the 

Barter System, a project to work with the 

company’s barter system is first prepared 

by the brokers. The company’s supplies 

and prices should be real and as a result of 

the examination, the company should be a 

company that can work in the barter sector. 

When his membership is found suitable, 

it can join our member companies by 

completing the required documents. The 

most important tools of the Barter System 

are supply and demand information. The 

member is obliged to record or notify 

the supply information, which is the 

only indicator of its ability to work in the 

Barter System. Each member has a supply 

and demand form. The offered goods or 

services are announced to other members 

by means of publications such as a website, 

e-mail, call center and magazine. 


Members who request the product 

inform the broker. The broker brings both 

members together and allows them to 

negotiate” 

What are the advantages Türk Barter 

offered? 

“Türk Barter has always been the company 

that offers the most comprehensive 

technological opportunities in terms of the 

variety of services it provides to its members. 

We consider the values of community and 

customer focus, respect for resources and 

efficiency, total quality, exchange and sharing 

as the core values of Türk Barter and aim to 

add strength to the Turkish economy through 

these values. We perform our services in 

line with these purposes. Along with these 

services, we also provide debt restructuring 

and debt collection services. We reliably 

remarket goods that companies cannot sell. 

We also provide Barter Support Loan service 

to companies that do not have purchasing 

power.” 

Interest-free loan facility 

“Companies that run into cash shortages 

and want to get out of this bottleneck take 

refuge in bank loans to meet their needs. 

Although companies gain cash in the short 

term, they lose cash in the long term and 

incur losses due to interest. Türk Barter 

comes to the rescue of enterprises with the 

“Alternative Trade and Financing Model” 

Barter system in times when businesses 

have difficulty in ridding of the financial 

burden. Türk Barter makes alternative 

payment opportunities by offering Barter 

Loans to enterprises in a period when the 

general expenses cannot be met from 

equity and therefore assets are reduced, 

which cannot find the opportunity to 

generate equity by producing and selling 

due to the stagnation in the market and the 

decline in demand.” 

It expands your market 

“One of the important advantages of the 

barter system is that it comes on top of the 

target market in the marketing activities 

that the companies are still carrying 

out. Especially in the beginning years 

of entrepreneurs, the Barter common 

market offers very serious sales potential. 

The Barter system provides a very good 

transition period in the period when the 

equity and cash flow balances must be 

well controlled. Our Türk Barter common 

market mainly consists of SMEs. With this 

aspect, it is possible to cooperate with 

companies operating in every sector in a 

dynamic market. 

It provides ease of purchase 

“Since there is a wide market where you 

can purchase while using the barter system, 

the obligation to purchase in a narrow area 

is eliminated. Firms always go through 

the bidding process in their purchasing 

activities. In this process, company officials 

receive offers from members in the barter 

common market as well as cash offers. The 

member who has a receivable balance by 

selling can purchase the goods or services 

they want to purchase with barter.” 

It provides a Competitive Advantage 

“When member companies using the 

barter system start to supply their raw 

materials or semi-finished products with 

barter, they make adjustments in their 

price policy. Here, it can use the price 

reduction weapon, which is the ruthless 

aspect of competition.” 

It offers New Collaborations 

“In the Barter Common Market, companies 

can take steps towards new visions by working 

with each other. A company that continues its 

normal activities can lay the groundwork for 

different and profitable new ventures thanks 

to the wide expansion of the barter system. 

In such a working environment, the member 

can both expand and grow their business and 

increase their profits.” 

It operates your idle capacity 

“While Türk Barter recommends the 

member companies to use barter, which 

is an alternative trade and finance model, 

it demands an overproduction of between 

5 and 10% by forcing the initially idle 

workforce and capacity. These products are 

supplied to the barter system. When sales 

are realized against the demand, profit 

rate increases. When a product, which is 

intended to be purchased by spending cash 

with the dept receivable, is procured from 

the Barter Common Market, it means that 

a full evaluation of the idle capacity has 

been made.” 

How is Barter loan applied? 

Barter Credit can be defined as a goods 

and/or product credit given to members 

who have registered in the system but 

do not have a receivable balance. If the 

companies benefit from the Support Loan 

by providing a guarantee to the system, 

they can purchase goods/services within 

the system up to the amount of the loan. 

Our aim here is to meet the needs of the 

member included in the system within the 

scope of interest-free support loan without 

paying cash.” 

What are Barter Club’s activities? 

“Traditionally, we bring our members 

and employees together with Barter Club 

events every year, and we organize social 

events such as excursions, meetings, etc. 

Barter Club undertook both the healthy 

functioning of the member and employee 

dialogues and the awareness raising 

activities of the member candidates.” 

Can you evaluate the position of your 

company in the sectoral sense? 

“Türk Barter is the founder and pioneer 

of the Barter system in Turkey. Many 

Barter companies that are formed today 

are realizing their business models and 

working system by exemplifying Turkish 

Barter. Turkish Barter is a member of the 

World Barter Association IRTA. With this 

power, it is an organization, directing 

the world barter trade. It has a strategic 

position in the international arena. Türk 

Barter, the leader of Turkey’s and Europe’s 

barter industry, has been serving in the 

international arena for 25 years. With 

our IRTA membership, we represent the 

Barter system in Europe, and we continue 

to grow as the pioneer and most preferred 

Barter Company in Turkey. Our goals are to 

increase the number of our members day 

by day by providing better quality service 

and to make our growth permanent.” 

How does the barter sector develop? 

“Barter Companies should be established 

with a strong financial and technological 

infrastructure, and the founders certified 

with international certificates should serve 

with experienced and trained personnel so 

that the Barter System can operate safely 

and effectively. However, due to the lack of 

Barter Law and the lack of any legislation 

in Turkey, it is observed that some 

Barter companies were established by 

promising their members without having 

any infrastructure and sufficient financial 

strength. Unfortunately, companies have 

been established that we encounter such 

problems due to the lack of legislation in 

the establishment of Barter companies. 

Such companies, established without 

control, also undermine the confidence 

in the sector. Other Barter companies, 

with different purposes, are dealing a 

very serious blow to the Barter sector 

by providing unrequited loans to their 

customers, lacking credit risk management. 

Therefore, the system needs legislation. 

For this purpose, the Barter Law should be 

enacted as soon as possible so that such 

attempts can be prevented and the Barter 

System can safely continue on its way.” 

December 2021 

102

Automotive Exports December 2021

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