Business News
Discover Turkey – an untapped industrial giant
It’s easy to regard Turkey as somewhere you go for a holiday. But a visit there soon dispels those thoughts and you begin to appreciate what a thriving place it is for business, both for industry and commerce. John Lamb joined a Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce delegation to Bursa, whose 2.4 million population makes it over twice as big as Birmingham. And Greater Birmingham companies are being urged to visit a huge industrial summit starting on 30 November to learn about the tremendous opportunities available in a market which many businesses might not even consider.
Turkey: a real eye-opener
Opportunities abound in Bursa
By John Lamb
Businesses in Greater Birmingham are being urged to discover the huge opportunities available in the part of the world where east meets west. As part of its drive to
promote improved trade between the UK and Turkey, Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce (GBCC) has arranged for members to attend a major industrial summit with some costs being met by Bursa Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BTSO). The Bursa Industrial Summit takes place at the giant Tüyap Bursa
International Fair and Congress Center from 30 November to 3 December. This follows a visit by a delegation from the GBCC to Bursa, the centre
of the Turkish automotive industry located about 100 miles from Istanbul. Motor vehicle producers, including Fiat, Renault and Karsan, as well as component producers like Bosch, Mako, Valeo, Johnson Controls and Delphi have been active in the city for decades. The summit will attract up to 40,000 companies from 20 countries,
involved in a wide range of production, including metal processing machinery, welding, cutting, drilling technologies, hand tools, pneumatics and hydraulics. Russell Jeans, GBCC’s chief operating officer, who is responsible for
international operations, said: “The importance of this summit cannot be over stressed but that might not be entirely appreciated by businesses involved in this sector in Greater Birmingham. “Following a lightning visit by the GBCC, the huge number of opportunities available in a country of 80 million people and a city of 2.4 million were laid bare. British companies could offer valuable expertise in Turkey, including automated machinery, technical know-how, particularly in engineering. “There could also be a lot for us to learn because Turkish State Railways started building high-speed railways in 2003. The first section of
the line, between Ankara and Eskişehir, was inaugurated on 13 March 2009 and is a part of the 332-mile Istanbul to Ankara high-speed rail line. “And we are extremely grateful to the BTSO for giving our members
the opportunity to get involved with markets in Turkey. It demonstrates how important Bursa regards Greater Birmingham in its bid to increase trade and co-operation between the two cities. “The Chamber’s International Hub can help all exporters in managing
risks, including areas like getting paid, practical advice, finding partners, currency issues and translations.”
Companies interested in finding out more about the Bursa Industrial Summit should email:
Bursa@birmingham-chamber.com
6 CHAMBERLINK November 2017
Auto connections: Chamber delegates and key figures at the Yepsan automotive components manufacturer in Bursa, including their chairman Mehmet Bas (sixth form left) and board member Unal Kahveci (second right)
Textile producer: Cemil Parlakay (left), sales manager at textile giant Ilay in Bursa, explains the production process to Birmingham Chamber’s (left to right), Paul Faulkner, Paul Kehoe and Russell Jeans
Members of the Chamber delegation which visited Bursa were united in their view that the trip was a massive eye-opener about their perceptions of Turkey. Anyone who felt the country was
somewhere you went on holiday quickly had their beliefs dispelled when they entered into highly- sophisticated and switched on cities like Istanbul (pop 18 million) and Bursa (pop 2.4 million). Bursa is a huge, sprawling city
100 miles from Istanbul and is the centre of the textile industry and manufacturing sector in Turkey. Paul Faulkner, GBCC chief
executive, said: “This was an extremely productive and insightful trip. There is so much potential in Turkey and one that West Midlands companies must take a close look at. “It is obvious that many UK companies are fearful of even
getting into export markets, but they do need to understand that there is huge potential out there. And many of those fears can be allayed through the Chamber’s International Hub, where a wide variety of advice is available, from ensuring payments to translations. “And it may not be obvious, but
there are many countries like Turkey that UK businesses do not take seriously as potential partners. “This will be a great opportunity
for inquisitive and ambitious businesses in Greater Birmingham to start to explore and develop relationships with Bursa firms, and BTSO have made it clear that they will welcome us back with open arms and do all they can to facilitate the opening up of new relationships. “And there are easy links with
Bursa via Istanbul with 12 direct flights a week with Turkish Airlines
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