Automotive Exports August 2023

1

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
Advertising Sales Consultant
Adem Saçın
+90 505 577 36 42
adem.sacin@img.com.tr
EDİToR
Mehmet Soztutan, Editor-in-Chief
mehmet.soztutan@img.com.tr
Enes Karadayı
enes.karadayi@img.com.tr
International Marketing Coordinator
Ayca Sarioglu
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Advisory Editor
Yusuf Okçu
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Finance Manager
Cuma Karaman
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Digital Assets Manager
Emre Yener
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Technical Manager
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Accountant
Yusuf Demirkazık
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Subsciption
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Dynamism and innovation…
The autoparts industry of Türkiye has developed rapidly in line with the automotive
industry. The Turkish autoparts industry with its large capacity, wide variety of
production and high standards, supports automotive industry production and the
vehicles in Türkiye and also has ample potential for additional exports.
Whereas previous manufacturing activity focused on domestic markets only,
production now extends to export markets. As a result of this structural change, the
competitiveness at the domestic level is now replaced with competitiveness on a
global scale, both in terms manufacturers and suppliers. Fluctuations in production
resulting from global economic crises have given way to stable production patterns. In
addition, the consumer satisfaction standard based on domestic market demands has
now become a quality standard satisfying customers worldwide.
Following the shift of the focus on customers, markets, products and competition from
the local level to the global level, Turkish manufacturers and suppliers now position
themselves globally rather than locally.
This transformation in the sector urges automotive suppliers to improve their existing
structures in line with the demands of global auto manufacturers. These improvements
relate to a need to build advanced technological skills, infrastructure, research and
development means; capable of effective and successful technical cooperation; skilled
in unique product development; equipped with the ability to obtain shares in global
projects as well as to have high brand competitiveness.
We think that technology and competitive power will always be the two keys for the
survival of the automotive industry. Dynamism and innovation have turned out to be
the rule of the game in the automotive industry as usual.
This month, we participate in MIMS Automechanika Moscow 2023 and Autocomplex
Moscow 2023 to convey the messages of the Turkish automotive and autoparts
industrialists.
Our publications remain at the service of those business people seeking to increase
their share in the increasingly competitive automotive market.
We wish them and their trading partners fruitful business.
automotiveexport
automotiveexports

Electric car sales up as Türkiye’s EV drive gains pace
Sales of electric vehicles (EV) in Türkiye
skyrocketed in the year through May,
propelled by the launch of the country’s
first indigenous car and arrival of new
brands.
Some 7,526 battery-power cars exchanged
hands during the January-May period,
according to the Automotive Distributors
and Mobility Association (ODMD) data
that showed overall vehicle sales in Türkiye
achieved their best May and five-month
figures ever.
Sales of electric vehicles thus rose by
a whopping 326.64% from a year ago,
when some 1,764 EVs exchanged hands,
according to the data.
Sales in May alone jumped by 457.18% to
2,095 units, compared to 376 in the same
month of 2022.
Their gasoline-electric hybrid rival saw sales
jump nearly 60% year-over-year to 37,988
units, as per data.
Battery-powered and hybrid vehicles
boosted their market shares to 2.21% and
11.17%, up from 0.82% and 11.09% in the
first five months of last year, respectively.
Cars powered by gasoline held a 68% share
in the overall sales in the January-May
period, down from 69.8% a year ago, while
that of diesel vehicles rose to 17.3% from
16.1%.
Overall, some 111,356 units of passenger
cars and light commercial vehicles were
sold in May, marking a 70.9% year-overyear
increase. The figure also represents
a 69.1% increase according to 10-year
average May sales.
Sales in the first five months of the year
rose 60.5% year-over-year to 445,006 units,
according to the ODMD.
Demand remains notably high as
consumers continue to opt for cars they
see as a tool to safeguard themselves from
high inflation. Among others, easing supply
chain-related availability problems has also
led to increased sales since the beginning
of the year. Annual consumer price
inflation in Türkiye has moderated over the
last six months, easing lastly to 43.68% in
April, almost halving from 85.1% registered
in October last year – a 24-year peak.
As expected, the battery-powered cars
trend is gaining a fresh impetus as Türkiye’s
first domestically produced electric vehicle
Togg hit the roads.
The ODMD data suggested some 306 Togg
T10X were delivered in May, although the
carmaker had said it planned to deliver
1,000 units in May, out of 20,000 units
projected for this year.
The fully electric C-segment SUV ranked
just second to Mokka, manufactured
by German carmaker Opel, owned by
Stellantis, and held 4.07% in market share
in May.
Mass production of T10X was launched last
October and deliveries started in late April.
The vehicle is initially being sold with one
engine type and two battery options. It
August 2023 10

will feature battery packs with 52.4 and 88.5
kilowatt-hours capacities, boasting ranges of
314 and 523 kilometers (195 and 325 miles).
The batteries of the Togg T10X can be
recharged to up to 80% from 20% in less than
28 minutes at fast-charging stations.
A consortium of five Turkish companies called
the Automobile Initiative Group of Türkiye,
or Togg, is manufacturing the vehicle in
cooperation with the Union of Chambers and
Commodity Exchanges of Türkiye (TOBB).
Besides the SUV, Togg will manufacture four
other models – a sedan, C-hatchback, B-SUV
and B-MPV – by 2030. The sedan will follow
the mass production of the SUV.
The current production capacity of around
100,000 vehicles per year will reach 175,000
once Togg’s factory reaches total capacity.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has said
some 28,000 units would be produced this
year. The brand aims to manufacture 1
million vehicles across the five segments by
2030.
Togg plans to begin exports as of 2025, while
the initial production will be tailored for the
domestic market.
August 2023 12

MIMS Automechanika Moscow 2023 and
Autocomplex Moscow 2023 in action
MIMS Automechanika Moscow 2023 is held
in Expocentre Moscow, on 21 to 24 August
2023. MIMS Automechanika Moscow is
the leading exhibition of automotive spare
parts, automotive components, equipment
and vehicle maintenance products in Russia
and Eastern Europe.
MIMS Automechanika Moscow
(Int’l Exhibition of Automotive Parts,
Components, Car Maintenance Equipment
and Products) takes place in Moscow,
Russia at Expocentre. Trade show is
organized by ITE LLC Moscow.
In a short period of time, MIMS offers
a complete presentation of the state of
Russian and foreign markets for automotive
parts and maintenance.
At MIMS, experts have an excellent
opportunity to evaluate and test new
technical products, receive detailed advice
from manufacturers, perform comparative
analysis and make final decisions regarding
purchasing one product over another.
The exhibition high level is certified by the
sign of the UFI (The Global Association of
the Exhibition Industry)
As for the Autocomplex Moscow 2023, it is
designed to demonstrate the latest models
of equipment, technologies and turnkey
construction of fuel stations and other
facilities of car services, charging points
for electrical vehicles. Unifying all of the
trades related to automotive in servicing
car owners is the dominant message of the
exhibition.
Electric transport and charging
infrastructure, environmentally friendly
technologies, automation, convenient
payment systems, developed related
services and the transition to automatic
fuel stations are among the forwardlooking
sections of the Autocomplex
exhibition. Participation in Autocomplex
opens up wide opportunities to
demonstrate equipment and services to
business partners and wide scope of the
branch professionals in a short period!
Round tables, seminars, master classes,
presentations and other events are held
on the most relevant for the industry
topics within the frames of the business
program which forms an integral part of
the exposition. Specialists - visitors and
participants - discuss issues related to
trends in the development of fuel stations,
electric transport, electric charging points
and gas filling infrastructure in Russia,
exchange experience in the design of
roadside complexes and development of
related services at gas stations.
The event is supported by Union of the Gas
Engine Industry Enterprises (SPGO) and the
Russian Fuel Union (RTS)
August 2023 16

Fits just like the original, but performs like MEYLE
PD: new two component brake discs now available
MEYLE, a leading manufacturer of high-quality automotive spare parts, is
expanding its product range to include the two component brake discs for
common BMW and Mercedes models.
The new brake discs are now available
and offer customers the usual OE qualities
such as accurate fit, low offset, reduced
weight and the associated fuel savings and
decrease in CO2. At the same time, the new
brake discs boast high performance, driving
comfort and sophisticated design, as is
typical of the MEYLE PD line.
Thanks to its new products, MEYLE is
expanding into the aftermarket for brakes
with solutions in areas previously reserved
for vehicle manufacturers with their
original parts. Seven new references for the
two component MEYLE PD brake discs are
now available for the BMW models 3 to 8
Series, X3 to X5, and Z4, and for Mercedes
C-Class and E-Class models.
The brake discs comprise an aluminium or
stamped steel hat riveted to the cast iron
friction ring. The two component MEYLE
PD brake discs also offer the typical MEYLE
PD qualities, including high performance,
driving comfort and sophisticated design.
In addition, they are ECE-R90-certified
and, due to the high-quality surface
coating, do not require degreasing, thus
ensuring long-lasting protection against
corrosion. A higher percentage of carbon
makes the two component brake discs
exceptionally resistant to heat distortion
even in cases of higher thermal stress –
for example, on steep mountain descents
– for extended driving comfort without
vibrations. To ensure efficient installation
at the workshop, 99% of the brake discs are
equipped with a fixing screw.
August 2023 22

Auto production
rises 13 pct in
first half
Local carmakers increased their production
by 13 percent in January-June from a year
ago to 735,231, according to data from the
Automotive Manufacturers’ Association
(OSD).
The companies manufactured 462,401
passenger cars in the first half of the
year, marking a 21 percent year-on-year
increase.
The annual increase in commercial vehicle
was 2 percent in the first six months to
273,000 units.
Including tractors, the industry’s total
production was 765,282, and the capacity
usage rate in the industry was 74 percent.
Carmakers shipped nearly 506,000 vehicles
to foreign markets in the first half, which
translated into an 8 percent increase
compared with the same period of 2022.
Passenger car exports grew 20 percent to
326,000.
The automotive industry’s export revenues
amounted to $17.7 billion in January-July,
rising 15 percent from a year earlier. In
June alone, export revenues grew 8.8
percent to $3.06 billion.
The automotive industry’s production is
expected to be around 1.5 million vehicles
in 2023, said Cengiz Eroldu, the board chair
of the OSD. Eroldu forecasts 1.1 million
vehicles will be exported this year.
He predicts that more than 1 million
vehicles could be sold on the local market
in 2023, saying that the combined sales
of passenger cars and light commercial
vehicles may exceed 100,000 in July.
In the first six months, more than 581,000
vehicles were sold in the country, up 55
percent from a year ago. The passenger
car market expanded by 54.5 percent to
430,000. In June alone, the industry’s
production fell 12.2 percent year-on-year
to 119,000 vehicles, with passenger car
output down 12.3 percent to 76,000.
Total vehicle sales grew 36 percent
year-on-year, while the annual increase
in passenger car sales was 40 percent to
around 90,000.
August 2023 24

Turkish factory activity expands at steady pace in June
Factory activity in Türkiye expanded at
a steady pace in June, a closely watched
survey showed, although new orders
growth slowed and price pressures grew as
the currency weakened.
The Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) for
manufacturing came in at 51.5 in June,
unchanged from the previous two months,
staying above the 50-point line that
separates expansion from contraction, the
Istanbul Chamber of Industry (ISO) and S&P
Global said.
Output was up for the fourth month
running, the survey showed, with the rate
of growth being the fastest since July 2021.
Alongside improving demand, firms also
attributed the rise to the ongoing recovery
from February’s major earthquakes and
a pick-up in activity following the Turkish
election.
“Manufacturing production kicked on
nicely in June, and the goods-producing
sector as a whole finished the first half
of the year in broadly positive shape as
demand improved further,” said Andrew
Harker, Economics Director at S&P Global
Market Intelligence.
“Firms were battling the familiar foe of
currency weakness, however, which limited
new order growth and brought an abrupt
halt to the recent easing of inflationary
pressures,” Harker added. The Turkish lira
has declined 28% so far this year, largely
after the economic authorities took steps
since President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan was
reelected on May 28, including changing
course after two years of monetary easing.
As part of the policy pivot, the country’s
central bank increased its benchmark
policy rate by 650 basis points, lifting its
one-week repo rate to 15%. The monetary
authority has also simplified some of
the macroprudential measures it had
implemented in a drive to boost the lira.
The survey showed input cost inflation for
factories accelerated sharply in June and
was the most pronounced since July last
year, with respondents citing unfavorable
exchange rate movements as the main cause.
August 2023 26

Electric car drive
heats up as H1
sales in Türkiye
jump over 465%
Electric vehicle (EV) sales in Türkiye jumped
over 465% in the year through June,
according to the industry data, spurred by
the increasing momentum in the deliveries
of the country’s first indigenous car and the
arrival of new brands.
Some 12,792 battery-power cars exchanged
hands in the first half of the year, according
to the Automotive Distributors and
Mobility Association (ODMD) data that
showed overall vehicle sales in Türkiye
achieved their best June and six-month
figures ever.
EV sales mark a whopping 465.3% yearover-year
increase from 2,263 units sold
last year, the data compiled by the Anadolu
Agency showed. Their gasoline-electric
hybrid rival saw sales jump 47.5% in the
first half of this year to 43,649 units.
Battery-powered and hybrid vehicles saw
their market shares reach 3% and 10.2%,
up from 0.8% and down from 10.6% in the
first six months of last year, respectively.
Cars powered by gasoline held a 68.9%
share in the overall sales in the January-
June period, down from 69.7% a year ago,
while that of diesel vehicles remained
unchanged at 16.9%.
Overall, passenger cars and light
commercial vehicles from January through
June reached 555,867 units, an increase of
55.3% versus the first half of last year.
Demand has been notably high as
depreciation in the Turkish lira and soaring
prices prompted consumers to continue to
opt for cars they see as a tool to safeguard
themselves from high inflation.
Annual inflation cooled further and fell
to 38.21%, marking a significant regress
after touching a 24-year high above 85% in
October last year.
The prices of vehicles soared due to supply
shortages coupled with strong demand, as
well as high inflation and the depreciation
in the lira, which makes imports more
expensive.
The battery-powered cars trend is gaining a
fresh impetus as Türkiye’s first domestically
produced electric vehicle Togg hit the
roads.
The brand said it delivered some 808 units
of its T10X as of the end of June. Mass
production of a fully electric C-segment
SUV was launched last October, and
deliveries started in late April. The
carmaker had said it planned to deliver
20,000 units by the end of 2023.
Togg said the two-month sales figure
granted it a 28.9% market share, making it
a leader in the electric SUV segment. It also
topped the first-half list with a 15% market
share, the company said in a statement.
The T10X is initially being sold with one
engine type and two battery options. It will
feature battery packs with 52.4 and 88.5
kilowatt-hours capacities, boasting ranges
of 314 and 523 kilometers (195 and 325
miles).
The batteries of the T10X can be recharged
to up to 80% from 20% in less than 28
minutes at fast-charging stations.
A consortium of five Turkish companies
called the Automobile Initiative Group
of Türkiye, or Togg, is manufacturing the
vehicle in cooperation with the Union of
Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of
Türkiye (TOBB).
Besides the SUV, Togg will manufacture
four other models – a sedan, C-hatchback,
B-SUV and B-MPV – by 2030. The sedan will
follow the mass production of the SUV.
The current production capacity of around
100,000 vehicles per year will reach
175,000 once Togg’s factory reaches total
capacity.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has said
some 28,000 units would be produced
this year. The brand aims to manufacture
1 million vehicles across the five segments
by 2030.
Togg plans to begin exports as of 2025,
while the initial production will be tailored
for the domestic market.
August 2023 28

Europe’s electric
car market share
overtakes diesel
in June
The sales of new electric battery vehicles
overtook diesel car purchases in Europe for
the first time last month, but activity is far
from pre-pandemic levels, a lobby group
said.
In June, the market share for cars running
on electric batteries rose to 15.1%,
according to the European Automobile
Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA), with
over 158,000 units sold in the EU.
Most EU markets recorded double or
even triple-digit percentage gains, with
heavyweights Germany, France and the
Netherlands all posting increases of over
50%.
Petrol remained the new car fuel type with
the largest market share at 36.3%, while
hybrid electric vehicles were second at
24.3%.
Automakers and consumers are looking
to steer away from vehicles running on
polluting fossil fuels to reduce greenhouse
gas emissions and fight climate change.
A searing heatwave that has engulfed large
parts of Europe has reinforced concerns
about the impact of global warming on the
planet.
The ACEA said new EU car registrations in
the first six months of 2023 increased by
17.9%, with 5.4 million new units.
But it noted that cumulative volumes for
the period were 21% lower than in 2019,
the final full year before the coronavirus
pandemic, which upended the industry and
the global economy.
Lockdowns and restrictions on daily life
decimated economic activity, while the
reopening of economies saw the industry
challenged by disrupted supply chains and
inflation.
A 17.8% growth of the car market in the
EU in June was due to a low comparison
base last year, “primarily driven by vehicle
component shortages,” said the ACEA.
However, “the improvements indicate
that the European automotive industry is
recovering from supply disruptions caused
by the pandemic,” it added.
August 2023 30

Togg to produce
1 mln vehicles
by 2032
Türkiye’s first electric carmaker Togg will
produce a total of 1 million vehicles by
2032, Industry and Technology Minister
Fatih Kacır has said.
Some 97 percent of those vehicles will
be sold to consumers while the public
institutions will buy the remaining 3
percent, the minister told a group of
journalists.
“The target is to manufacture 175,000 Togg
vehicles in five years. The charging stations
with 1,662 outlets are now available in 81
provinces of Türkiye,” he added.
A total of 1,571 charging stations will be
set up across the country and they will
be available on all intercity highways,
according to the minister.
By the end of this year 20,000 Togg vehicles
will be on the roads, he said.
Türkiye may become an important player in
autonomous cars, Kacır stressed.
“We are very successful in unmanned
aerial vehicles. Togg has a research center
in Ankara. Some 200 highly qualified
engineers, most of them have previously
worked in the defense industry, are
working there.” Kacır also announced a
joint investment with Qatar to produce
65 nanometer chips. The size of the
investment will be $60 million, according
to the minister. “Those chips are widely
used in the automotive and white goods
industries. Türkiye is a leading producer
in those sectors. In while goods, it is the
second largest producer in the world and
the top producer in Europe.”
He also said that Türkiye will contribute
46 million euros to NATO’s 1 billion euro
Innovation Fund.
“Our target is to help Turkish tech
enterprises receive resources, much larger
than our contribution, from this fund.”
August 2023 32

Motocar offers
trust, quality
and the best
service to
its business
partners
Motocar Group was established in Europe
in 1996 and continued on its way by
opening branches in different regions of
the world. It started its operations with
the title of “Motocar Otomotiv San.ve Dış.
Tic. Ltd. Şti.” in Istanbul Turkey in 2022.
The company is a reliable supplier and
exporter of premium quality automotive
spare parts for global aftermarket brands
as well as the Geniune Auto Parts for Benz,
Bmw, Audi, Volkswagen, Skoda, Ford, Opel,
Peugeot, Citroen, Renault, Iveco, Fiat,
Hyundai, Kia, Toyota vehicles. It also takes
the advantage of being a distributor of
many manufacturers producing parts for
the automotive aftermarket industry. We
asked the details of their success to Mine
Dilekkaya, an export specialist at Motocar.
What do you have in your product
portfolio and what are the
prominent factors in these products?
What kind of works do you realize in
product development and R&D?
We are researching all the new passenger
and light commercial vehicles spare parts
according to the current global market
needs and updating our system with our
professional team. We are also open offers
of which comes from our clients that
arise according to their needs in order to
increase our product range as well. In our
range we have Brake System, Suspension
& Steering System, Clutch & Transmission
System, Cooling & Heating System, Engine,
Lighting, Electrical, Filter, Bearing, that
means we have all about spare parts.
What are the features that make you
superior to your competitors?
Motocar Automotive was established
with the awareness of providing trust,
quality and the best service to its business
partners. As Motocar Automotive, it has
been based on certain values such as unity
and integrity, understanding, excellence,
responsibility and creativity since its
establishment. These values guide every
business decision taken in our company.
Can you give details about your
exports? Your current and target
markets, international promotion,
fair participation, etc. What
would you like to say about your
strategies?
With our 27 years of experience, Motocar
Automotive is operating as a respected and
reliable company and exports its products
to more than 30 countries worldwide,
notably to the USA, Europe, Russia,
Australia, Middle East, etc.
In near future Motocar aims to reach more
clients by serving its’ attractive products.
Is there anything that you would like
to underline?
We serve our customers with a wide
variety of innovative products from 250
famous brands consisting of more than
2,000,000 spare parts at competitive prices
packed well and delivered on time.
August 2023 36

Turkmenistan becomes 3rd country to
receive Türkiye’s domestic car, Togg
Turkmenistan has become the latest
country to receive Türkiye’s domesticallydeveloped
first fully electric vehicle,
Togg, following its previous deliveries to
Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan.
During the opening ceremonies of
Arkadağ Smart City, Türkiye’s Industry and
Technology Minister Mehmet Fatih Kacır
presented two white Toggs to Turkmenistan
President Serdar Berdimuhammedov in
the presence of Union of Chambers and
Commodity Exchanges of Türkiye (TOBB)
Chairperson Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu.
The presence of two separate Toggs at the
ceremony was highly appreciated, with
gratitude extended to President Recep
Tayyip Erdoğan for his involvement.
The Turkmenistanis were captivated by
the newly acquired Toggs. In adherence to
local traditions, women donning traditional
attire wafted hibiscus incense around the
vehicles to ward off ill intentions.
Camel wool amulets known as “Caps” were
also affixed to the Toggs’ steering wheels,
and the vehicles were showered with flour
to symbolize prosperity.
Turkmenistan’s ministers were also in
attendance at the delivery ceremony.
Berdimuhammedov personally tested
Togg’s T10X model and expressed his
admiration for the car.
During his address at the ceremony,
Kacır expressed his hope that Togg would
continue to garner appreciation worldwide.
He highlighted the significance of
presenting Togg vehicles, crafted by Turkish
engineers, at the inauguration of a smart
city.
“We take immense pride in delivering
Togg cars to Turkmenistan, following our
successful ventures in Azerbaijan and
Kazakhstan.”
“We anticipate that Togg vehicles will
continue to receive widespread acclaim, not
only within Türkiye but also across the globe,
particularly among the Turkic Republics and
our neighboring regions.”
In Türkiye, some 306 Togg T10X were
delivered in May, although the carmaker had
said it planned to deliver 1,000 units in May
out of 20,000 units projected for this year.
August 2023 40

Mass production of T10X was launched last
October and deliveries started in late April.
The vehicle is initially sold with one engine
type and two battery options. It will feature
battery packs with 52.4 and 88.5 kilowatthours
capacities, boasting ranges of 314
and 523 kilometers (195 and 325 miles).
The batteries of the Togg T10X can be
recharged to up to 80% from 20% in less
than 28 minutes at fast-charging stations.
A consortium of five Turkish companies
called the Automobile Initiative Group of
Türkiye, or Togg, manufactures the vehicle
in cooperation with the TOBB. Besides
the SUV, Togg will manufacture four other
models – a sedan, C-hatchback, B-SUV and
B-MPV – by 2030. The sedan will follow the
mass production of the SUV. The current
production capacity of around 100,000
vehicles per year will reach 175,000 once
Togg’s factory reaches total capacity.
August
2023
42

Türkiye’s share
in global exports
hits 1.04 pct
Türkiye’s rolling 12-month exports have
amounted to $255.7 billion in the first
quarter of 2023 that corresponded to an
all-time-high of 1.04 percent share in global
exports.
The country’s share in global exports
surpassed the 1 percent-mark for the first
time in 2021 at $225 billion, Trade Minister
Ömer Bolat wrote on Twitter, adding that
the volume of global exports stood at $22.3
trillion in that year.
In 2022, export revenues climbed to $254.2
billion and captured a 1.02 percent share in
global exports, according to the minister.
In 2002, the country’s share was 0.55
percent or $6.5 billion.
Türkiye aims to boost goods export to $400
billion and to have a 1.2 percent share
in global exports in 2028, Bolat said in a
speech he delivered in a gathering at the
Istanbul Chamber of Commerce (İTO) on
July 13. He also noted that services export
revenues climbed to $90.5 billion last year
from $59 billion.
“This year’s target is to generate $120
billion in services exports. We also aim to
increase our share in global services export
to 1.5 percent in 2028.”
The government is working to reduce
imports to achieve a balanced foreign
trade, Bolat said, stressing the risks from
energy imports.
Türkiye’s energy import bill was $98 billion
last year, whereas the total foreign trade
deficit stood at $110 billion, he added.
With new gas and oil finds inside Türkiye,
the country’s energy foreign trade will
become more balanced in the next two to
three years, according to the minister.
August 2023 44

Türkiye eyes to surpass $120B in service
exports toward year-end
The Trade Ministry has announced that
service exports in the first four months
amounted to $25.8 billion, with a target to
surpass a total of $120 billion for the entire
year.
In a statement, the Trade Ministry
emphasized the need to bolster
and support all sectors of export,
including tourism, air, land, sea and rail
transportation, health tourism, foreign
student enrollment, informatics and
software, as well as TV series exports.
Highlighting Türkiye’s growth in service
exports over the past two decades, the
statement revealed a significant increase of
over sixfold.
Service exports, which stood at $14 billion
in 2002, witnessed a 47% surge in 2022
compared to the previous year, setting a
new record at $90.5 billion.
Consequently, the services balance of $50
billion played a pivotal role in mitigating
the current account deficit.
Türkiye’s performance in international
service exports propelled it to the 23rd
position, accounting for a 1.3% share in the
global market, according to the statement.
The statement highlighted Türkiye’s notable
achievement of registering the highest
growth rate among the top 30 exporting
countries in the world, following Spain.
With an increase of 22.6% in service
exports during the first four months of
this year, reaching $25.8 billion, Türkiye
solidified its position.
The Trade Ministry has allocated TL 774.7
million for the service sectors since the
beginning of 2023, with a total budget of TL
2.5 billion allocated for 2023.
The ministry stressed its commitment
to advancing toward these targets by
increasing investments and providing
support to sub-sectors and items that
contribute positively to the Central Bank
of the Republic of Türkiye (CBRT)’s Balance
of Payments, recognizing that innovation,
and the efficient utilization of resources are
crucial in today’s property-intensive world.
The country’s overall exporters have
achieved their best May sales ever despite
a fallout after devastating earthquakes in
early February and challenges plaguing the
global economy.
Outbound shipments rose 14.4% yearover-year
to nearly $21.7 billion (TL 453.12
billion).
Imports rose 16% year-over-year to $34.3
billion in May, the official data showed,
driving a 19% increase in the foreign trade
deficit to nearly $12.7 billion.
Low growth in the global economy and
persistent inflation have made the recovery
fragile, the ministry said at the time in
a statement. It also stressed the recent
turmoil in the financial sector, which it says
has worsened expectations.
However, it expressed optimism given the
fall in energy prices from 2022 peaks and
China’s reopening.
Türkiye is trying to emerge from
catastrophic twin quakes on Feb. 6
that killed more than 50,000 people
and flattened hundreds of thousands
of buildings besides inflicting severe
infrastructural damage.
The disaster had disrupted production and
supply chains across 11 affected provinces,
but the Trade Ministry said data showed
economic activity had recovered faster
than expected. The region accounts for
more than 20% of the country’s food
production, nearly 15% of agricultural gross
domestic product (GDP) and almost 20% of
the country’s agrifood exports.
August 2023 46

Türkiye to make Togg global presence,
reaching countries, continents
The Industry and Technology Minister,
Mehmet Fatih Kacır, has expressed their
ambitious goal of introducing Togg,
Türkiye’s “national smart car,” to leaders of
numerous countries.
This initiative, spearheaded by President
Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s Gulf tour, has
already taken Togg to Azerbaijan,
Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan, followed by
delivery to state leaders of the United Arab
Emirates (UAE), Qatar and Saudi Arabia.
Kacır emphasized the significance of this
achievement, viewing it as a source of
historical pride for the nation.
The “national smart car,” developed by
Turkish engineers and manufactured by
skilled technicians, represents Türkiye’s
advancement in high-tech innovation,
making its presentation to leaders in
various parts of the world all the more
momentous, he said.
Looking forward, Kacır revealed their plan
to extend the distribution of Togg to other
members of the Turkish organization in
the coming period. This process will be
facilitated by President Erdoğan, who plays
a crucial role in identifying countries where
Togg can be gifted during his official visits.
“The realization of Türkiye’s 60-year-old
dream and the success story behind the
‘national smart car’ is a matter of utmost
importance to our President,” Kacır stated.
Accordingly, the government is committed
to forging partnerships with world leaders
and making Togg assume a global presence,
reaching countries and continents far and
wide.Kacır affirmed that their efforts to
promote Togg on an international scale will
remain steadfast.
Erdoğan most recently gifted the Togg
to Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad
Al Thani. On the second leg of his threenation
Gulf tour, Erdoğan met Al Thani in
the capital Doha to hold one-on-one talks.
Ahead of the talks, Erdoğan presented a
Gemlik blue Togg to Al Thani. Erdoğan went
to the building where their one-on-one
meeting was held, with the Togg – a model
year in the making – driven by Al Thani.
Erdoğan also gave Türkiye’s first
domestically produced electric car as
a gift to United Arab Emirates (UAE)
President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al
Nahyan and Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince
Mohammed bin Salman during the Gulf
tour.
The Togg already made its way into the
fleets of Turkish ministries, pitching
itself as a candidate to replace soonpublic
inventories consisting primarily of
traditional Western brands.
The deliveries came in April after Erdoğan
and his Azerbaijani counterpart Ilham
Aliyev became the first owners of the
indigenous electric vehicle (EV) Togg.
Erdoğan accepted his Togg T10X model in
Ankara, while Aliyev shipped his vehicle to
Baku. The leaders’ fully electric C-segment
SUVs both feature the “Anadolu” color,
inspired by red, reflecting Anatolian lands’
sincerity and passion.
Having had its mass production launched in
late October, Togg said the T10X would be
initially sold with one engine type and two
battery options.
The model will feature battery packs with
capacities of 52.4 and 88.5 kilowatt-hours,
boasting ranges of 314 and 523 kilometers
(195 and 325 miles).
The first version of the T10X can accelerate
from zero to 100 kph (62.14 mph) in
7.6 seconds, while the second, for
which delivery will start on Oct. 29, can
accomplish zero-100 kph in 4.8 seconds.
Togg’s first model will have a price ranging
from TL 953,000 ($49,500) to around TL
1.22 million.
The Automobile Initiative Group of Türkiye,
or Togg, a consortium of five Turkish
companies, manufactures the vehicle in
cooperation with the Union of Chambers
and Commodity Exchanges of Türkiye
(TOBB). The batteries of the Togg T10X can
be recharged to up to 80% from 20% in less
than 28 minutes at fast-charging stations.
Besides the SUV, Togg will manufacture
another four models – a sedan,
C-hatchback, B-SUV and B-MPV – by 2030.
The sedan will follow the mass production
of the SUV.
The current production capacity stands
at around 100,000 vehicles per year,
which is expected to reach 175,000 once
Togg’s factory in Gemlik district, in the
northwestern province of Bursa, reaches
total capacity.
The brand aims to produce 1 million
vehicles across the five segments by 2030.
August 2023 48

Türkiye expects global electric car producer to invest this year
At least one global electric car producer
is expected to announce an investment in
Türkiye by the end of this year, according
to a senior official, stressing high interest
that comes as the first indigenous batterypowered
vehicle expands deliveries.
“There is significant interest by global
brands for the production of electric cars in
Türkiye,” Industry and Technology Minister
Mehmet Fatih Kacır told reporters.
“Türkiye’s membership in the European
Union’s customs union is still a big
advantage for many global brands.”
Kacır said there has been interest from
companies, from Europe to the Far East.
More than one producer from China is
interested in investing in Türkiye, he added.
“We are meeting with more than one, I
hope we will reach a conclusion with all of
those we have met.” Kacır said he expects
at least one of them to announce a new
investment by the end of the year.
The minister stated that almost all
companies operating in the automotive
sector in Türkiye also have new investment
requests. “We are working on new
investments with almost all of them,” he
noted. Sales of electric vehicles in Türkiye
jumped over 465% in the year through June,
according to the Automotive Distributors
and Mobility Association (ODMD) data.
Some 12,792 battery-power cars exchanged
hands in the first half of the year, compared
to 2,263 units sold last year.
The drive has been spurred by the
increasing momentum in the deliveries of
the country’s first indigenous car Togg and
the arrival of new brands.
“This year, of course, this rise will be more
radical with Togg,” said Kacır.
The brand delivered some 808 units of its
T10X as of the end of June.
Mass production of the fully electric
C-segment SUV was launched last October,
and deliveries started in late April. The
carmaker will have delivered 20,000 units by
the end of 2023, the minister noted.
“We anticipate that there will probably
be 20,000 total sales of other brands as
well. Therefore, electric vehicle sales will
approach 40,000 this year, while last year
the figure was below 10,000,” Kacır added.
Battery-powered vehicles have seen their
market shares reach 3%, up from just 0.8%
in the first six months of last year.
Togg said the two-month sales figure
granted it a 28.9% market share, making it
a leader in the electric SUV segment. It also
topped the first-half list with a 15% market
share, the company said in a statement.
The T10X is initially being sold with one
engine type and two battery options. It will
feature battery packs with 52.4 and 88.5
kilowatt-hours capacities, boasting ranges
of 314 and 523 kilometers (195 and 325
miles).
A consortium of five Turkish companies
called the Automobile Initiative Group
of Türkiye, or Togg, is manufacturing the
vehicle in cooperation with the Union of
Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of
Türkiye (TOBB).
Besides the SUV, Togg will manufacture
four other models – a sedan, C-hatchback,
B-SUV and B-MPV – by 2030. The sedan will
follow the mass production of the SUV.
The current production capacity of around
100,000 vehicles per year will reach
175,000 once Togg’s factory reaches total
capacity. The brand aims to manufacture
1 million vehicles across the five segments
by 2030. Togg plans to begin exports as of
2025, while the initial production will be
tailored for the domestic market.
“Togg will reach an annual production of
175,000, some of which will be exports,
within four to five years,” said Kacır.
August 2023 50

Türkiye’s online used car market to cap
prices below new car rates
The Trade Ministry has taken steps to
address the issue of inflated prices for used
cars sold online. According to the newly
published regulation, it will be prohibited
to advertise used motor vehicles at a
price higher than the manufacturer’s or
distributor’s recommended selling price
until Jan. 1, 2024.
The objective of this regulation, as stated
by the ministry, is to curb unfair practices,
prevent excessive price hikes and restore
a balanced supply-demand relation in the
automotive sector.
Prices of vehicles in Türkiye soared due
to supply shortages coupled with strong
demand, as well as high inflation and the
depreciation of the Turkish lira, which
makes imports more expensive.
Both consumers and the government
have blamed car dealers for price gouging.
The government ramped up its audits to
curb the prices and make vehicles more
affordable.
The latest step came as the ministry’s
effort to address consumer grievances and
combat hoarding and excessive pricing
practices in the automotive sector as well
as stockpiling.
This regulation, which will take effect
on July 15, applies to both individual
and commercial advertisements from all
individuals and legal entities.
Under this restriction, advertising
platforms will notify all individuals and
legal entities about advertisements that
potentially violate the regulation at the
time of placement. Any advertisement
found to be in violation of this regulation
will be considered as engaging in the
trade of secondhand motor vehicles,
and those responsible for placing such
advertisements may face administrative
fines of up to TL 300,000 ($11,534) per
advertisement.
Türkiye has also expanded and prolonged a
measure aimed at reining the surge in car
prices for another six months, the country’s
Trade Ministry announced recently.
Under a regulation unveiled last year,
companies, car showrooms and car rental
companies had to keep the cars they
acquire for six months and cover at least
6,000 kilometers before being allowed
to resell them. The measure has been
renewed to last until January 2024 and has
been expanded to include individuals as
well. Authorities have imposed more than
TL 75.17 million in fines on companies for
practices such as excessive pricing and
stockpiling, according to the Trade Ministry.
More than TL 35 million in fines also came
for violations of the “6 months, 6,000
kilometers” regulation, the statement read.
Car sales in Türkiye achieved their best
May and five-month figures ever, according
to industry data. Some 111,356 units
of passenger cars and light commercial
vehicles exchanged hands last month,
marking a 70.9% year-over-year increase.
Sales in the first five months of the year
rose 60.5% on an annual basis to 445,006
units.
August 2023 52

Automotive exports top
$3 billion in June
The Turkish automotive industry’s exports
grew by 9 percent year-on-year in June
to more than $3 billion, according to the
Automotive Industry Exporters’ Association
(OİB).
For a third time this year, monthly exports
were above the $3 billion mark, said Baran
Çelik, the board chair of OİB.
The share of the automotive sector in
Türkiye’s export revenues was 16.7 percent
in June, making it the largest exporting
industry. Passenger car exports grew 12
percent to $984 million, while bus, minibus
and midibus exports were up 45 percent
to $205 million. Passenger car shipments
to France, Spain and Poland grew by 18
percent, 112 percent and 34 percent,
respectively, but exports to Italy and the
U.K. fell by 2 percent and 28 percent. The
automotive supplier industry’s export
revenues remained unchanged from June
last year to stand at $1.19 billion.
France was the top export market for local
carmakers. The industry’s total exports to
France amounted to $400 million in June,
rising 10 percent from a year ago. Exports
to Germany were down 4 percent to $388
million. The U.K.’s imports from the Turkish
automotive industry stood at $284 million,
unchanged from June last year. Exports to
Israel and Russia increased by 129 percent
and 82 percent to $81.2 million and $81.6
million, respectively.
The EU’s share in the industry’s exports
was nearly 68 percent or more than $2
billion in June. In the January-June period,
the industry’s export revenues amounted
to $17.3 billion, rising 13.7 percent from
the first half of last year. Local companies’
revenues from passenger car exports
increased by 19 percent in the first half of
2023 to $5.45 billion, while the suppliers
sub-industry’s export revenues exhibited
an annual increase of 11 percent to $7.2
billion. The monthly average export
revenue of the automotive sector was $2.9
billion this year, OİB said.
Carmaker Tofaş said that production at its
Bursa plant will be suspended between
Aug. 7 and Aug. 30 due to the planned
annual leave and maintenance-repair
works.
“In the said period, our employees will use
their annual leave progress payments, and
only maintenance and revision works will
be carried out with the personnel on duty
in our factory,” the company said in a filing
with Borsa Istanbul.
August 2023 54

Car sales in
Türkiye hit new
peak in June, H1
Car sales in Türkiye hit another all-time
high in June, industry data showed, adding
to the peaks since the beginning of the
year, propelled mainly by the increase in
vehicle supply.
A record 110,861 passenger cars and light
commercial vehicles exchanged hands
last month, the Automotive Distributors
and Mobility Association (ODMD) said in a
statement, marking a 37.5% year-over-year
increase.
In contrast, around 80,652 units were
sold in the same month a year ago. June
followed a May record of 111,356 units,
marking a 70.9% increase on an annual
basis, according to the ODMD data.
Demand has been notably high as
depreciation in the Turkish lira and soaring
prices prompt consumers to continue to
opt for cars they see as a tool to safeguard
themselves from high inflation.
Annual inflation fell below 40% in May
after touching a 24-year high above 85% in
October last year.
The prices of vehicles soared due to supply
shortages coupled with strong demand, as
well as high inflation and the depreciation
in the lira, which makes imports more
expensive.
The currency has declined more than
28% this year, largely after the economic
authorities took steps since President
Recep Tayyip Erdoğan was reelected on
May 28, including changing course after
two years of monetary easing.
As part of the policy pivot, the country’s
central bank increased its benchmark
policy rate by 650 basis points, lifting its
one-week repo rate to 15%. The monetary
authority has also simplified some of
the macroprudential measures it had
implemented in a drive to boost the lira.
Among others, sales increased amid
loosening financing conditions, easing
supply chain-related availability problems,
and the deliveries of orders placed months
ago. Passenger car sales in June jumped
40.1% year-over-year to 89,833 units, while
light commercial vehicle sales rose by
27.3% to 21,028, the ODMD data showed.
Vehicle sales from January through June
also hit a record, reaching 555,867 units,
an increase of 55.3% versus the first half
of last year. The total sales of the past
12 months amounted to approximately
981,000 units, only 2,000 units below the
figures seen in 2016.
August 2023 56

Türkiye extends, expands ‘6 months,
6K kilometers’ car sales cap
Türkiye has expanded and prolonged a
measure aimed at reining the surge in car
prices for another six months, the country’s
Trade Ministry announced.
The prices of vehicles in Türkiye soared due
to supply shortages coupled with strong
demand, as well as high inflation and the
depreciation in the Turkish lira, which
makes imports more expensive.
Households have been seeing vehicles as
an investment tool to shield themselves
from soaring prices. Easing supply chainrelated
availability problems have also led
to increased sales since the beginning of
the year.
Under a regulation unveiled last year,
companies, car showrooms and car rental
companies had to keep the cars they
acquire for six months and cover at least
6,000 kilometers before being allowed to
sell them.
The measure has been renewed to last
until January 2024 and has been expanded
to cover individuals as well, the Trade
Ministry said in a statement.
The regulation aims at preventing unfair
practices, including exorbitant prices and
stockpiling, in the automotive market,
particularly when it comes to the online
sales of secondhand cars.
Türkiye’s annual inflation had hit a 24-year
high of 85.5% in October, before more than
halving and lastly declining to below 40%
in May.
Both consumers and the government
have blamed car dealers for price gouging.
The government ramped up its audits to
curb the prices and make vehicles more
reachable. Authorities have imposed more
than TL 75.17 million in fines on companies
for practices such as excessive pricing and
stockpiling, according to the Trade Ministry.
More than TL 35 million in fines also came
for violations of the “6 months, 6,000
kilometers” regulation, the statement read.
Car sales in Türkiye achieved their best
May and five-month figures ever, according
to industry data. Some 111,356 units
of passenger cars and light commercial
vehicles exchanged hands, marking a 70.9%
year-over-year increase.
Sales in the first five months of the year
rose 60.5% on an annual basis to 445,006
units.
August 2023 58

Chinese EV Skywell maker agrees deal to
build Türkiye battery plant
China’s technology company Skyworth has
reached an investment agreement with a
Turkish group to build a battery factory in
Türkiye, a statement said.
The manufacturer of the Skywell electric
vehicle (EV) brand, Skyworth said the
deal was reached with Ulubaşlar Group to
develop and produce batteries, without
disclosing the location of the factory.
The companies will invest $25 million each
in the plant that is planned to be opened
by the first quarter of 2024, the statement
said.
The factory will manufacture batteries
featuring 800V+4C super-fast charging
technology architecture. This will enable a
charging power to increase from 120 kW
to 480 kW, allowing the vehicles to charge
80% in eight minutes, according to the
statement.
“The battery is a key element in the
transformation of the automotive market,
and producing this technology here will
provide Türkiye with important capabilities
and will make significant contributions to
the economy of our country,” said Mahmut
Ulubaş, CEO of Skywell Türkiye.
Ulubaş also stressed on the impact the
investment would have on employment
and exports.
Among others, the Chinese company could
also launch production of Skywell’s new
models that are planned to be launched on
the market within three years in Türkiye,
said Ulubaş.
Ulubaşlar Group’s subsidiary Ulu Motor is a
distributor of Skywell operating in Türkiye
and 15 other countries.
Ulubaş’s remarks were echoed by Wu
Longba, co-founder and CEO of Skywell,
who stressed the company’s close
cooperation with Ulu Motor and also noted
the plans to establish an assembly line in
the country.
“We will initiate feasibility studies for this
collaboration (battery factory) as soon as
possible, which will be a significant turning
point in Türkiye-China relations. We are
very enthusiastic about this partnership,”
he noted.
“Moreover, we plan to establish a vehicle
production line, bring spare parts supply
system to Türkiye, and manufacture certain
components here,” he said.
“We anticipate various future business
partnerships with Ulu Motor throughout
these processes. Our objective is to
contribute to the development of Türkiye’s
new energy vehicle industry technology
and capacity.”
August 2023 62

Ex-Audi boss
avoids jail time
after ‘dieselgate’
confession
Ex-Audi CEO Rupert Stadler received a
suspended sentence and a fine at the end
of his “dieselgate” trial in Germany, making
him the first high-ranking executive to be
convicted over the emissions cheating
scandal that rocked the car industry in
2015.
In line with a plea deal agreed, Stadler
avoided jail time in return for admitting
fraud by negligence.
The Munich district court instead handed
Stadler a suspended sentence of one year
and nine months and ordered him to pay a
fine of 1.1 million euros ($1.2 million).
The 60-year-old admitted in May that he
allowed vehicles potentially equipped with
manipulating software to remain on sale
even after learning of the scam.
German car giant Volkswagen – whose
subsidiaries include Porsche, Audi, Skoda
and Seat – plunged into crisis after
admitting in September 2015 that it had
installed software to rig emission levels in
11 million diesel vehicles worldwide.
The so-called defeat devices made the
vehicles appear less polluting in lab tests
than they were on the road.
Throughout his trial, which started in 2020,
Stadler had denied wrongdoing.
But last month at his trial in the southern
German city, his lawyer said Stadler had
“neglected” to inform business partners
that cars with so-called defeat devices were
still going on the market.
Volkswagen had always insisted that the
diesel trickery was the work of a handful of
lower-level employees acting without the
knowledge of their superiors.
Stadler himself was not accused of
instigating the scam. But German
prosecutors say, Stadler, even after learning
of the scam, allowed thousands more
vehicles with defeat devices to be sold until
early 2018.
Stadler had been Audi’s chief executive for
11 years when he was arrested in 2018. He
was also a member of the management
board at Volkswagen Group.
He spent four months in pre-trial detention
owing to prosecution concerns that he
would try to influence witnesses.
His co-defendant Wolfgang Hatz, a former
Audi and Porsche manager, was handed a
two-year suspended sentence and fined
400,000 euros.
Hatz, who at one point was head of
engine development at Audi, pleaded
guilty in April. He admitted to judges that
he had helped arrange the installation of
emissions-cheating software.
Another co-defendant, an Audi engineer
who previously confessed, was given a
21-month suspended sentence and a
50,000 euro fine. Volkswagen’s former CEO
Martin Winterkorn was also supposed to
stand trial for fraud over the scandal, but
his case has been indefinitely postponed
due to his poor health.The “dieselgate”
saga shocked Germany and is the country’s
biggest post-war industrial scandal.
It has already cost VW around 30
billion euros in fines, legal costs and
compensation to car owners, mainly
in the United States. The fallout has
also accelerated the development of
environmentally friendly electric vehicles,
requiring huge investments in a tough
economic climate.
August 2023 64

Türkiye’s path to price stability to
be gradual but steadfast
Treasury and Finance Minister Mehmet
Şimşek reiterated the Türkiye’s commitment
to curb price increases and ensure financial
stability, a day after the central bank hiked
its key policy rate for the first time in over
two years.
The central bank raised its one-week repo
rate by a hefty 650 basis points to 15% ,
marking a change in course after two years
of monetary easing in which the key policy
rate had been cut to 8.5% from 19% in 2021.
Addressing reporters in Ankara, Şimşek, who
is highly regarded by financial markets, said:
“The path toward price stability is going to
be gradual but steadfast.”
“Our economic policies aim to achieve price
stability and financial stability in the short
term,” Şimşek said before departing for
Istanbul. “We are determined to reach these
objectives.”
The central bank said it would go further “in
a timely and gradual manner” after its first
meeting under the new Governor Hafize
Gaye Erkan, whom President Recep Tayyip
Erdoğan appointed after his election victory
last month.
The bank’s monetary policy committee said
the tightening “will be further strengthened
as much as needed ... until a significant
improvement in the inflation outlook is
achieved.”
Annual inflation eased to below 40% in
May after touching a 24-year high of above
85% in October last year. The central bank
said inflation will come under further
pressure. In his comments, Erdoğan said he
approved the steps Şimşek would undertake
in coordination with the central bank,
suggesting he had given the green light to
rate hikes to combat inflation.
“As stated in the central bank’s
announcement, this is a process,” said
Şimşek. “We will manage this process
gradually and with determination.”
In his remarks after the rate hike, the
minister said predictable economic policies
based on the market economy, a free
exchange rate regime and an inflationtargeting
model would enable capital
inflows and stabilize the Turkish lira.
Price stability and financial stabilityoriented
monetary policy will also support
the implementation of economic policies,
Şimşek said on Twitter.
August 2023 66

GOS Brake shapes the automotive industry
with innovation and leadership
Always pioneering in the automotive sector and leading the industry with its
innovations, GOS Brake continues to grow.
GOS, which covers many areas thanks to its wide product range,
ensures that every project is completed flawlessly with its
professional engineers and continuously improves its technology
with its R&D unit working at the international level, adds value to the
infrastructure in its factory at the same level. It offers production with
true professionalism by providing all the requirements of the modern
world. With its quality and talented team and foreign trade teams
that prioritize customer satisfaction, it delivers its production quality
to all over the world.
GOS Brake, which continuously expands its capacity every year,
continues its journey to the future with its high quality by increasing
its investments.
August 2023 68

Smart vehicles, long battery life, fast charging on the agenda
Ford Otosan, a joint venture of Koç Holding,
Türkiye’s largest conglomerate, and U.S.
automotive giant Ford, is revamping
its engagement with cutting-edge
technologies that promise to revolutionize
the future of mobility and software.
To showcase its commitment, the carmaker
recently hosted a series of events organized
by its corporate venture capital company
Driventure, centered around smart
vehicles, long-lasting battery technologies
and rapid mobile charging solutions.
The Drivevent series spanned across three
different sessions held at Ford Otosan’s
facilities in Gölcük, Eskişehir and Istanbul’s
Sancaktepe. The primary goal of these
sessions was to provide entrepreneurs with
valuable networking opportunities and
foster the exchange of ideas, expertise, and
insights among participants.
This reiterates the aim of Driventure, the
corporate risk capital company established
to support initiatives that will shape the
future of the automotive industry and
mobility, to explore next-generation
technologies and applications.
The first of the events took place in
Gölcük on June 7, followed by Eskişehir
on June 8 and Sancaktepe Research and
Development Center in Istanbul on June 20.
Participants at the event, where
professional connections were established
between Ford Otosan leaders and
entrepreneurs, exchanged information on
new technologies, market changes, and
customer expectations.
Participants pose for a photo during the
Driventure event in the Gölcük district of
Kocaeli, Türkiye, June 7, 2023. (Courtesy of
Ford Otosan)
Ford Otosan’s Growth and Smart Mobility
Business Area Leader Canalp Gündoğdu
said the company’s commitment to
embracing innovation through Driventure
demonstrates its dedication to staying at
the forefront of the automotive industry.
“The Drivevent events have emerged
as invaluable platforms where we come
together with visionary entrepreneurs,
exchange ideas, and become pioneers in
technological advancements. By bridging
established companies and new startups,
these events promote an ecosystem
where different perspectives converge
and produce transformative change,”
Gündoğdu noted.
Focus on customer expectations
İlknur İlkyaz Gül, general manager of
Driventure, said the ecosystem fostered
by the corporate venture capital company
is of great importance in their quest for
transformation in the industry.
“Our primary goal is to produce a
successful community consisting of
startups that promote innovation in
the automotive and mobility sectors.
Ford Otosan’s Drivevent, which brings
together key figures and entrepreneurs,
has provided an invaluable platform for
establishing professional connections.
Through these events, we are providing
an environment for sharing knowledge
where new technologies, market changes
and customer expectations are explored
together,” said Gül.
Drivenventure plans to hold a
comprehensive event in September
that will embrace the entire Turkish
entrepreneurship ecosystem. It aims to
support initiatives inspired by innovative
ideas and technologies.
Established as Türkiye’s first venture capital
company in the automotive main industry
in 2019, Driventure supports innovative
and technology-based startups at the seed
or early-stage level in the areas of smart
mobility, electrification, connected and
autonomous vehicle technologies, Industry
4.0, customer experience in the automotive
industry and sustainability. By closely
monitoring the entrepreneurial ecosystem
and expanding the startup pool every day,
Driventure made contact with a total of
571 startups in 2022 and collaborated with
16 of them. The company is engaged in
projects to increase Ford Otosan’s agility
in terms of new business development
and support internal entrepreneurship.
It also aims to produce a strategic
competitive advantage for the carmaker
and gain market knowledge and insights.
The startups supported by Driventure
can benefit from Ford Otosan’s extensive
research and development organization,
as well as its experience and engineering
expertise, enabling them to accelerate their
growth journey.
August 2023 70

Toyota announces initiative for
solid state batteries
Toyota plans to make an all solid-state
battery as part of its ambitious plans for
battery electric vehicles, the company
said, amid mounting criticism Japan’s
top automaker needs to do more to fight
climate change. Toyota Motor Corp. aims
for a commercial solid-state battery as
soon as 2027. Charging time, one of the
main drawbacks of electric vehicles, will
get shortened to 10 minutes or less, the
company said in a statement.It plans to
deliver 1.5 million EVs in 2026 by expanding
its battery EV lineup and developing
technology.
EV owners usually have charging stations
in their homes and keep their cars plugged
in overnight to recharge. That’s one of the
main reasons Toyota has long insisted that
hybrids are a better solution.
A hybrid recharges as the car runs, but it
also has a gasoline engine in addition to an
electric motor. Toyota President Koji Sato
has said the company must play catchup
after falling behind in the EV sector.
In its latest announcement, Toyota said it
was also working on innovating lithium-ion
batteries, the battery type now in most EVs,
and wants to offer new affordable options.
August 2023 72

Derin Otomotiv is
proud of a successful
history with best hoses
Ahmet Erim, proprietor of the Derin Otomotiv
The company serves its customers in
line with its 24 years of knowledge and
experience in the automotive sector. “Our
primary goal is to be the most respected
company in the sector with our principled,
dynamic and self-sacrificing structure
on the way we set out with a focus on
customer satisfaction,” says Ahmet Erim,
proprietor of the company. “Adaptation to
today’s changing and developing market
conditions can only be achieved through
continuous development, and we direct
our investments with this awareness.
By combining the quality products of oil
pressure sensors product groups with our
plastic and rubber productions under our
own brand DRN, we undertake marketing
and distribution of a wide variety of
products.” We asked more details about
the operations of the firm to Ahmet Erim,
owner of Derin Otomotiv.
Please introduce yourself and your
company briefly?
I entered the rubber industry for the first
time in 1994. My journey, which began
with the manufacturing of auto wiper
blades, continued with rubber hose
production, and now we are engaged in the
production of polyamide hoses and plastic
quick connectors. As Derin Automotive,
we are actively participating in the rapidly
changing and evolving automotive sector
by developing innovative solutions based
on our knowledge and experience. We
prioritize quality and ensure consistency in
our products.
What products do you have in your
product portfolio and what are
the distinguishing factors of these
products? What kind of efforts do
you have in product development
and R&D?
Our product portfolio consists of the
following items: Rubber fuel hoses,
rubber water hoses, silicone turbo hoses,
rubber-coated wire-reinforced air hoses,
low-pressure mandrel water hoses, metal
hose clamps, axle boot clamps, injector
return kits (for various vehicles), quick
connectors, various o-ring types, iron hose
fittings (straight, L, T, Y types), and shaped
Polyamide hoses.
The standout factors in our products
include their high quality, durability, and
performance. We prioritize using top-grade
materials and advanced manufacturing
techniques to ensure that our hoses,
connectors, and other products meet
rigorous industry standards. Our focus
on innovation and adapting to market
demands allows us to stay competitive in
the industry.
In terms of product development and
research, we have an active approach. Our
R&D efforts are dedicated to improving
existing products and designing new
ones that cater to the evolving needs
of our customers and the industry. We
collaborate with experts, employ cuttingedge
technology, and continuously strive
to enhance the efficiency, safety, and
functionality of our products.
What are the features that set you
apart from your competitors?
We stand out with our technical
knowledge and working skills. Our product
quality, pricing strategy, and meticulous
approach from informing the customer
to order processing and delivery are our
advantages.
What distinguishes you from your
competitors?
We differentiate ourselves through our
technical expertise and operational skills.
Our product quality, pricing strategy, and
meticulous approach, from customer
communication to order processing and
delivery, serve as our strengths.
August 2023 74

Electric car
makers race
for supplies
of lithium for
batteries
Threatened by possible shortages of lithium
for electric car batteries, automakers are
racing to lock in supplies of the onceobscure
“white gold” in a politically and
environmentally fraught competition from
China to Nevada to Chile.
General Motors and the parent company
of China’s BYD Auto went straight to the
source and bought stakes in lithium miners,
a rare step in an industry that relies on
outside vendors for copper and other raw
materials.
Others are investing in lithium refining or
ventures to recycle the silvery-white metal
from used batteries.
A shortfall in lithium supplies would be
an obstacle for government and industry
plans to ramp up sales to tens of millions of
electric vehicles a year.
It is fueling political conflict over resources
and complaints about the environmental
cost of extracting them.
Ford Motor has signed contracts stretching
up to 11 years into the future with lithium
suppliers on two continents. Volkswagen
and Honda are trying to reduce their need
for freshly mined ore by forming recycling
ventures.
Global lithium output is on track to triple
this decade, but sales of electric SUVs,
sports cars and sedans that rose 55 percent
last year threaten to outrun that.
Each battery requires about eight kilograms
of lithium, plus cobalt, nickel and other
metals.Adding to uncertainty, lithium has
emerged as another conflict in strained
U.S.-Chinese relations.
Beijing, Washington and other
governments see metal supplies for
electric vehicles as a strategic issue and are
tightening controls on access.
Other governments including Indonesia,
Chile and Zimbabwe are trying to maximize
their return on deposits of lithium, cobalt
and nickel by requiring miners to invest in
refining and processing before they can
export.
GM is buying direct access to lithium by
investing $650 million in the Canadian
developer of a Nevada mine. In return, GM
says it will get enough for 1 million vehicles
a year. BYD Auto’s parent company, battery
maker BYD Co., has announced more than
$5 billion in investments in lithium mining
and refining over the past 18 months.
Despite rising output, the industry may face
shortages of lithium and cobalt as early as
2025 if enough isn’t invested in production,
according to Leonardo Paoli and Timur Gul
of the International Energy Agency.
“Supply side bottlenecks are becoming
a real challenge,” said Paoli and Gul in a
report last year.
Alastair Bedwell of GlobalData said miners
are reluctant to “go all out” on lithium
until they are sure the industry won’t
switch to batteries made with other
metals.
Developing lithium sources is a yearslong
process.
Mines that came online in 2010-19 took
on average more than 16 years from
discovery to the start of production,
according to Paoli and Gul of the IEA.
“These long lead times raise questions
about the ability of supply to ramp up,”
they wrote.
Worldwide lithium resources are
estimated at 80 million tons by the U.S.
Geological Survey.
Bolivia’s are the biggest at 21 millions
tons, followed by Australia with 17 million
and Chile with 9 million. China has 4.5
million tons of known reserves and the
United States has 1 million.
Forecasts of annual global production
range as high as 1.5 million tons by 2030.
But demand, if EV sales keep rising at
double-digit annual rates, is forecast to
increase to up to 3 million tons.
August 2023 76

Türkiye’s Akkuyu NPP progressing to boost
economy, power supply
Construction of Türkiye’s first nuclear
power plant, the Akkuyu Nuclear Power
Plant (NPP) in southern Mersin province,
is progressing at an impressive pace. Denis
Sezemin, the production and construction
organization director of the power plant,
has confirmed that the first unit is on track
to be completed this year.
Once operational, the plant is expected
to significantly contribute to the country’s
budget, estimated at $50 billion (TL 1.296
trillion) over the lifespan of all four power
units.
The Akkuyu NPP project is important for
Türkiye as it aims to supply 10% of the
country’s electricity.
Construction efforts are focused on four
key areas, and significant progress has
been made. In Unit 1, which received
nuclear fuel in April, the final touches
are being made to ensure its completion
this year. Unit 2 has also seen notable
advancements, including the installation of
the core holder and the concreting of the
foundation plates for the reactor section
and turbine building.
In Unit 3, the foundations of the reactor
building and turbine building were
concreted. In Unit 4, excavation was carried
out for the main power unit facilities.
Currently, the project is in its most active
phase, with a total of 560 different
buildings and facilities being constructed
on-site. In addition to the main power plant
structures, the construction of the training
center is also underway, which will serve as
a crucial facility for training and certifying
nuclear power plant employees before they
commence their duties.
Regarding the fuel reaching the field in
April, Sezemin said it had been safely
stored in a dedicated fresh fuel storage
facility.
When Unit 1 is ready for loading, experts
will carefully transfer the fuel into the
reactor, he said, noting that this will initiate
the physical start-up process, which is a
critical stage in the unit’s life.
During this phase, the reactor is gradually
brought to a controllable minimum power
level, signifying a significant step forward in
the plant’s operational readiness.
The VVER-1200 reactor technology used in
Akkuyu NPP is the most sought-after, safe,
modern and proven technology, Sezemin
went on to say. Currently, six power units
with VVER-1200 reactors are in operation
in the world. The units belong to the latest
safety class “3+.” Forty percent of the cost
of NPPs consists of security systems.
About the facility’s contribution to
the Turkish economy, Sezemin said:
“During the operation of the four power
units, approximately $50 billion will be
contributed to the Turkish budget. The
cumulative impact of the project on total
gross domestic product (GDP) will exceed
this amount. During the 60-year life of the
power plant, Türkiye will receive a portion
of the revenue from electricity sales.
Fifteen years after the commissioning of
each unit, 20% of the net profit share from
the sale will be brought into the economy.”
Sezemin also said that the Akkuyu NPP
project employs more than 26,000 people.
“This is a huge number of jobs even on
a national scale, let alone the region.
When all four units are put into operation,
approximately 4,000 people will only be
employed as operating personnel. The
influx of workers and specialists into the
region means an increase in the solvent
population and, thus employmentin other
sectors. This will increase the demand
for goods and services in the region and
will ensure the development of hotel
management,” he said. Answering a
question on how active Turkish companies
are in the joint Russian-Turkish project,
Sezemin said Turkish companies supply
materials, equipment and services for the
project, carry out various construction and
assembly works, and transport equipment
around the construction site.
“Approximately 40% of the total project
work will be done by Turkish companies.
Turkish builders and designers make
significant contributions to the project.
The complex was designed due to the joint
work of Turkish and Russian engineers.
Turkish industry is also actively involved
in the project; most of the construction
materials at the construction sites are
Turkish-made,” he noted.
August 2023 78

Central Bank
head highlights
confidence
in Türkiye’s
inflation fight
Türkiye’s newly-appointed central bank
Governor Hafize Gaye Erkan said there
is confidence in the government’s
determination to fight inflation, as all units
are striving to deal with the problem.
After meeting with the leadership of the
Turkish Banks Association, Erkan told
reporters in Istanbul that they had a very
productive discussion with the banking
sector. They were briefed on the sector’s
issues and their requests to simplify the
macroprudential framework, said Erkan,
who was appointed following Recep Tayyip
Erdoğan’s victory in Türkiye’s May 28
presidential runoff.
She expressed confidence that all economic
units are working hard to combat inflation
in line with the government’s economic
targets, adding, “I am sure that we will
tackle this in a stable, determined and goaloriented
manner.”
Erkan stressed the importance of price
stability for financial stability, explaining
that they would combat inflation by
ensuring both price stability and financial
stability. Finance Minister Mehmet Şimşek
said Türkiye’s path to price stability would
be gradual but steadfast.
Annual inflation eased to below 40% in
May after touching a 24-year high of above
85% in October last year. The Central Bank
of the Republic of Türkiye (CBRT) said
inflation will come under further pressure.
August 2023 80

MYS Logistics
handles with
care with
30 years of
experience
MYS Logistics company is specialized
in customs clearance, vehicle tracing,
accounting, document transactions,
insurance, vehicle inspection, etc.
especially to and from Georgia with its
branch offices in Hopa-Artvin and Batumi-
Georgia. We made an interview with Murat
Kaya, proprietor of the company for further
details:
Would you briefly introduce yourself
and MYS Logistics?
I was born in Artvin in 1985. I started in
the logistics industry as a transportation
person at Bursa Truck Garage in 2001. MYS
Logistics is a Georgian and Turkish flagged
firm. We are basically in the sector since
1970. We, as Kaya family, have been in the
transportation industry from generation
to generation. Myself, as a person in the
family with years of experience, have
been serving as a young professional.
Our company has been rendering quality
service through its branches is Batumi-
Georgia, Hopa-Artvin and İnegöl-Bursa and
its young and dynamic team.
Through our accounting and consultancy
firm in Batumi, we offer services to those
friends who want to invest in Georgia
through our professional and experienced
team. I have a certified public accountant
and four other accountants in our Batumi
office to offer full service to investors.
What do you have in your product
range and what are the important
factors in these mention to worthy?
What kinds of studies do you have in
R&D and product development fields?
We are at the service of our customers
with a fleet of 10, five of which are truck
trailers of 120 m 2 , three of which are 105
m3, two of which are refrigerated.
What are your superiorities over
your competitors?
The difference between us and our
competitors is due to our company
being passed down from generation to
generation. This has led to our experienced,
trustworthy, and innovative team, along
with the presence of representatives in the
countries where we operate.
Do you have investment plans for
the short, medium and long run?
We are planning to renew and develop our
vehicle fleet and increase the number of
our team.
August 2023 82

Over 30M US drivers unaware of
potential deadly airbag explosion
Over 33 million individuals in the United
States are currently driving vehicles
equipped with airbag inflators that pose a
potential fatality risk. These inflators have
the rare possibility of exploding during a
collision a releasing dangerous shrapnel.
And only a tiny fraction of drivers know it.
And because of a dispute between federal
safety regulators and an airbag parts
manufacturer, they aren’t likely to find out
anytime soon.
The National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration (NHTSA) is demanding
that the manufacturer, ARC Automotive
of Knoxville, Tennessee, recall 67 million
inflators that could explode with such force
as to blow apart a metal canister and expel
shrapnel. But ARC is refusing to do so,
setting up a possible court fight with the
agency.
NHTSA argues that the recall is justified
because two people have been killed
in the United States and Canada and at
least seven others have been injured by
ARC’s inflators. The explosions, which
first occurred in 2009, have continued as
recently as this year.
After an investigation that lasted for eight
years, NHTSA tentatively concluded that
the inflators are defective. The agency’s
documents show that the inflators
date from at least the 2002 model year
to January 2018, when ARC installed
equipment on its manufacturing lines that
could detect potential safety problems.
One of those who died was Marlene
Beaudoin, a 40-year-old mother of 10
from Michigan’s Upper Peninsula who
was struck by metal fragments when her
2015 Chevrolet Traverse SUV was involved
in a minor crash in 2021. She and four of
her sons had been on their way to get ice
cream. The sons were not hurt.
ARC maintains that no safety defect
exists, that NHTSA’s demand is based
on a hypothesis rather than technical
conclusions and that the agency has no
authority to order a parts manufacturer to
carry out recalls, which ARC contends are
the responsibility of automakers.
In a letter to NHTSA, ARC said no
automaker had found a defect common to
all 67 million inflators, and no root cause
has been identified in the inflator ruptures.
“ARC believes they resulted from random
‘one-off’ manufacturing anomalies that
were properly addressed by vehicle
manufacturers through lot-specific recalls,”
the letter said.
In a statement, NHTSA indicated that
August 2023 84

oth ARC and automakers are responsible
for recalls and that it can seek a recall
from a parts maker that supplies multiple
automakers.
The next step is for NHTSA to issue a
final ruling on whether the inflators are
defective, then hold a public hearing. It
potentially could take ARC to court to seek
a recall order. NHTSA would not say when
or whether any of this will happen.
In the meantime, owners of vehicles made
by at least a dozen automakers – Chevrolet,
Buick, GMC, Ford, Toyota, Stellantis,
Volkswagen, Audi, BMW, Porsche, Hyundai
and Kia – are left to wonder anxiously
whether their vehicles contain driver or
front passenger inflators made by ARC.
(Some vehicles have ARC inflators on both
sides.)
Because ARC supplies inflators that are
included in other manufacturers’ airbags,
there’s no easy way for vehicle owners
to determine whether their inflators are
made by ARC. Neither NHTSA nor ARC nor
the automakers have released a full list
of affected models.The standoff with ARC
has sent automakers struggling to find out
just how many of their vehicles contain
the inflators. The auto manufacturers are
also asking NHTSA whether they must start
doing recalls. Automakers know many of
the models affected. But many say they’re
still gathering information from later model
years to determine which vehicles contain
the affected inflators.
“We are still investigating,” said Maria
Buczkowski, a spokesperson for Ford. “We
have not had any ARC airbag inflators
rupture in the field.”
James Bell, a Kia spokesperson, said, “We
do not have a final count on vehicles that
were built with ARC inflators, but the team
is collecting the data.”
Toyota confirmed that some of its vehicles
have ARC inflators but wouldn’t comment
further.
Other automakers said they were trying
to find a cause and were working with the
government or didn’t respond to requests
for information.
NHTSA contends that byproducts from
welding during manufacturing can clog
a vent inside the inflator canister that’s
designed to let gas escape to fill airbags
quickly in a crash. Pressure can build to the
point where the canister is blown apart.
Michael Brooks, executive director of the
nonprofit Center for Auto Safety, called on
NHTSA and the automakers to release a list
of affected models.
“Customers, I think, have a right to know
if there’s a potential defect in their car,
particularly if it’s sitting a few inches from
their chest and can explode,” Brooks said.
The situation, he said, is reminiscent of the
early stages of the Takata airbag inflator
recalls in 2001. It took years for all the
affected vehicle models to be announced.
Both ARC and Takata used ammonium
nitrate to inflate airbags. Takata’s situation
was more dangerous, Brooks said,
because, in its inflators, the chemical could
deteriorate over time when exposed to
high heat and humidity. Unlike Takata,
ARC uses ammonium nitrate only as a
secondary chemical to inflate airbags.
ARC’s problem appears to derive instead
from a manufacturing defect.
From 2017 to 2022, the ARC problems
triggered seven small recalls from
automakers. The same day NHTSA
announced its action against ARC, General
Motors announced the recall of nearly 1
million more.
The company said it’s recalling certain
2014 through 2017 GMC Acadia, Chevy
Traverse and Buick Enclave SUVs because
the ARC inflators can explode. The recall
came after GM was told this year that the
driver’sairbagg ruptured in a 2017 Traverse.
GM, which says it doesn’t know what
caused the inflator to explode, has hired an
engineering firm to help investigate.
“We disagree with NHTSA’s new sweeping
request when extensive field testing has
found no inherent defect,” ARC said in
a statement. While the recall demand is
being sorted out, Brooks of the Center for
Auto Safety recommends that owners of
vehicles from the 12 affected brands insist
dealers disclose whether their particular
vehicle contains an ARC inflator.
“The more customers who complain,
the more pressure that puts on the
manufacturers,” he said.
August
2023
86

Kaya Plastik Automotive supplies a wide
variety of spare parts for 45 years
Kaya Plastik Automotive has been offering
products such as reservoir & water tank,
bumper plastic, gear knob, dipstick, glove
box cover, rear fog lights, door inner and
outer opening handle, engine top cover,
signal lamps, reflectors, lock buttons,
ceiling lamp etc. The company has a fame
of being reliability in business. We asked
the details of their services to Aydın
Kaya, general manager of Kaya Plastik
Automotive.
Can you talk about the
establishment of your company
and the developments that were
effective in entering the automotive
spare parts sector?
Our company first entered the sector in
1978 and has been continuing as one of the
leading producers of the sector for many
years. The automotive sector is very lively,
dynamic and one of the leading sectors of
both Turkey and the world.
August 2023 88

We preferred to produce and export with
our manufacturer identity. We continue
to carry on the beginning we made many
years ago. With our 45 years of experience,
we have gone through many processes
and gained a lot of experience. It gives us
pleasure and pleasure to produce with the
constantly changing and renewed brands
and models of the sector, which is open to
development, and to follow the trends in
the world. As long as we work and produce,
we are happy and enjoyable.
Can you give information about the
product variety and features?
We have more than 500 products. These
products include reservoir & water tank,
bumper plastic, gear knob, dipstick,
glove box cover, rear fog lights, door
inner and outer opening handle, engine
top cover, signal lamps, reflectors, lock
buttons, ceiling lamp etc. We have many
products such as ..... While determining
the projection of our products, we decide
by looking at the needs of both the
domestic and foreign markets, their sales
volumes and the competitive situation.
The demands of our products are high due
to their high quality, competitive prices,
continuous production and high customer
satisfaction. We have deep-rooted
communication and business partnerships
with our domestic and international
customers. It is one of our top priorities to
constantly send goods, that is, not to leave
our customers without products and to
keep in touch with them. We are increasing
our portfolio on both volume and product
basis day by day and we are investing in the
coming days.
What can you say about your
production facility and R&D studies?
Our production and administrative
buildings are in the same place. Of course,
we see a lot of benefits from this. We
affect everything faster and faster, and
production is a very lively and dynamic
structure with continuity. Producing a
product from raw materials is both a very
enjoyable and exciting point. We have been
in production since our childhood.
We have been living the process from raw
material to finished product for 44 years,
and we are proud of it again with each
production. We see the benefit of our
experience in this direction. I’ve been with
the company our father founded for the
last 30 years and it’s great to see it grow.
Which countries do you export to,
which ones do you want to include
in your export network?
We are currently exporting to many
countries in these continents and regions,
including Europe, South America, North
America, Russia, the Balkans, and North
Africa. Our aim is to introduce our own
products to countries that we have not
yet reached and have not been able to
introduce our products to. In this direction,
our door is open to all wholesalers and
distributors. Meeting and working with
new customers is one of our biggest sales
goals. All our domestic and international
customers are very valuable and valuable
to us. We care about your ideas and
thoughts. We receive and evaluate your
feedback.
What are the fairs you have
attended or are planning to attend
in Turkey and abroad?
Every year we work on fairs, trips abroad
and marketing. There were 4 fairs we
targeted for 2023. We participated in
some of them and we will attend some of
them until the end of the year. Fairs we
will attend in 2023 are Equip Auto Algeria,
Automecahnica Birmingham, Expopartes
Colombia and Auto Tech Cairo.
Can you evaluate your location in
terms of conditions such as raw
materials and distribution?
You know, Istanbul is the center of trade.
We do not have any problems in terms of
both production and logistics. The worker
problem can occur in our country from
time to time, as it is in the whole country.
There are no problems with finding
suppliers or shipping raw materials or
ports.
Aydın Kaya,General Manager of Kaya Plastik Automotive
Can you comment on the positive
and negative aspects of the
automotive spare parts industry in
terms of the Turkish market?
As I said, the industry is a very dynamic and
vibrant industry. The negative aspects of
the sector are the fact that raw materials
and semi-finished goods are purchased
in foreign currency, working without
stock, prices change every day, worker
problems and lack of technical personnel.
The positive aspects are the continuation
of the momentum of Turkey’s exit. Giving
importance to the automotive sector and
having government contributions.
August
89 2023

SABIC expands specialty materials portfolio with
new LNP STAT-KON compounds to help advance
ADAS radar and improve safety
New LNP STAT-KON WDF40RID and
WDF40RI compounds address a key
challenge of mmWave radar – its increased
noise-to-signal ratio. To minimize noise
that interferes with the transmission of
the main radar signal, these compounds
provide a high dissipation factor (Df) for
efficient absorption. Compared to other
semi-crystalline glass filled materials,
SABIC’s new glass fiber-reinforced
grades deliver higher absorption and
lower reflectivity. In addition, they offer
ultra-high flow and very low warpage,
empowering customers to create new
designs for internal and external singlelayer
absorbers, or to optimize traditional
metal-backed absorbers.
“Steady improvements in accuracy and
reliability are helping ADAS technologies
increase vehicle safety,” said Joshua
Chiaw, Director, Business Management,
LNP & NORYL, Specialties, SABIC. “To
help accelerate ADAS improvements,
SABIC continues to add new specialty
materials with exceptional properties
that have the potential to enhance the
design and performance of ADAS sensors
ecosystem including radar, LiDAR and
camera components. Our new LNP STAT-
KON compounds, well suited for radar
absorbers, could help propel the shift to
higher-frequency mmWave radar to enable
better image resolution and greater range.
These new solutions reflect our extensive
experience with both ADAS and the
mobility sector as a whole.”
Improved Radar Performance
The award-winning LNP STAT-KON
WDF40RID compound exhibits high
absorption (up to 75 percent at 77 GHz)
and controlled reflection (as low as 25
percent at 77 GHz), which together can
significantly reduce noise. This innovative
product can surpass incumbent materials in
higher absorption and lower reflection by
as much as 10 percent on a flat design and
can be further optimized with appropriate
design shapes. LNP STAT-KON WDF40RID
compound delivers consistent performance
August 2023 90

SABIC announced the expansion of its specialty materials portfolio for advanced driver assistance
systems (ADAS) to further strengthen occupant and pedestrian safety. The company’s two new
LNP STAT-KON compounds are well suited for ADAS radar absorbers and can help propel adoption of
millimeter wave (mmWave) radar, which significantly improves sensor accuracy and range. By providing
robust and high-resolution information about remote objects, mmWave radar could enhance driving
safety and support the trend toward the use of autonomous vehicles.
across mmWave frequencies used for ADAS
radar (76-81 GHz band). By maximizing
noise dissipation, the new compound can
help minimize ghost images and sidelobe
interference, resulting in greater ADAS
radar resolution and accuracy.
The LNP STAT-KON WDF40RI compound
is formulated for metal-backed radar
absorbers. LNP STAT-KON WDF40RI
compound can raise radio wave absorption
to nearly 80 percent, while lowering
reflection below 20 percent, and provide
total shielding when working with metal
backs. Both grades’ noise shielding
performance is consistent across mmWave
frequencies between 75 and 110GHz.
Exceptional Flow Properties Power
New Designs
Incumbent radar absorber materials
typically exhibit high viscosity and
reduced flow stemming from the use of
conductive additives. High viscosity limits
ADAS manufacturers in designing thinwall
internal absorbers or large external
absorbers that surround the radar sensor.
The LNP STAT-KON WDF40RID compound
has an improved flow rate enabling very
thin walls (down to 1mm) for interior
radar absorbers that can reduce side lobe
noise and free up space for additional
electronics. From a processing standpoint,
high flow can sharply reduce scrap from
short shots and increase yield. The
new compound also delivers excellent
dimensional stability at long flow lengths
(up to 20cm). Its low warpage supports the
design of large, curved, exterior absorbers
to reduce noise from adjacent metal parts.
“Our development team applied their
ingenuity and deep technical knowledge to
balance conductivity and flow properties
in our new LNP STAT-KON compounds,
while ensuring exceptional noise diffusion
performance,” said Jenny Wang, Director,
Formulation & Application, APAC,
Specialties, SABIC. “These new products
have addressed key drawbacks of currently
available materials, opening the door to
new internal and external absorber designs
and improved processability. Adoption
of these new compounds can help the
industry advance the state of the art in
ADAS radar.”
Broad Portfolio to Help Advance
ADAS
SABIC offers a growing array of highperformance
materials that may be used
in radar, LiDAR and camera components.
These materials include ULTEM,
NORYL and EXTEM resins and LNP
FARADEX, LNP KONDUIT and LNP
THERMOCOMP compounds. In addition
to radar absorbers, SABIC’s specialty
products have been used for covers and
housings, lenses and lens assemblies,
infrared (IR)-transparent radomes,
electromagnetic shielding plates and
brackets.
August
91 2023

Deco Brands mobile refrigerators make a good
image in international markets
Deco Brands offer a good variety of
products and has gained a good reputation
in domestic and international markets.
We asked details of their success to Suphi
Command, General Manager of DEKO
brands, which increases its export targets.
Can you tell us about the
establishment story of the DEKO
brand?
Our company’s aim is to manufacture new
value-added products that have never
been produced yet by developing new
production techniques and technologies.
We set out for this purpose. At first, we
started with consultancy and then we
progressed on mobile vehicle refrigerators.
Which products do you have in
your product range? What are your
activities in general?
In the mobile vehicle refrigerator segment,
we have products for Truck and Heavy
Vehicle, Minibus and VIP sector, Offroad
and Military vehicles, Vaccine and Medicine
Transport, Boat, Yacht, Caravan industries.
In addition, customer-specific OEM product
design and production are also carried out.
These products are exported to 22 different
countries in 4 different continents abroad.
Can you evaluate the demand for
vehicle refrigerators? What types of
vehicle owners make demands on you?
With the pandemic process, there has
been an increase in the sales of individual
Suphi Komut, General Manager of DEKO
products. The fact that people move
away from cities and turn to nature has
led to serious increases in the camping
and caravan sector. The sector continues
to grow rapidly. Both new companies
producing existing products and new
products that have never been produced
until now have been introduced to the
market.
Usually, we have two different sales, areas
for individual own personal use and areas
as part of his professional life. A significant
increase is observed in both groups.
Do you have activities abroad?
Are you considering investing in
different areas within your sector?
Will you increase your investments
on behalf of the automotive sector
in the future?
We do not have any production-related
activities abroad. However, our customer
network covers the whole of Europe.
We are continuing our new product
development and patent studies on new
type refrigerators to be used for electric
vehicles without using any energy from the
vehicle (i.e. without shortening the vehicle
range).
In the automotive sector, we plan to reach
more widespread customers by developing
new technologies that will produce more
value-added products.
Flexible Molding Technique and Fast Ice
Making Technology are only available in the
products produced by our company in the
world. Likewise, we continue to work on
new technologies that we plan to do in the
future.
What are the policies you have
determined to increase customer
satisfaction?
In order to increase our customers’
satisfaction, we have successful business
results in developing products that can
perform above their expectations. For
example, our Rapid Ice Making Technology
can make ice 3-4 times faster than a home
refrigerator.
August 2023 94