Fadıl Demirel, Gen. Man., KARDEMİR: there are 3 plants in Turkey producing iron. İskenderun, Ereğli, and Karabük. Yet there are nearly 22 establishments that can melt existing steel and form alloys and mill it. Turkish iron and steel producers have a total capacity of 38 million tons. Actually now 27 million tons are produced. there are two types of output: flat and long groups. Turkey is the second in Europe with its 38 million tons after Germany, as a steel producer and globally is the 11th as the leader in the region. Again producewise among the neighbouring countries we are in the lead. In rail production Kardemir is unique in Turkey and the region. Also up to 550mm I, U, and other profiles it is the only heavy profile producer. Considering these, Turkey is in a very nice position regionally. It seems that steel formation of the region will be in the leadership of Turkey. There is scope in our sector to produce all the combinations, which is the Iron and Steel Institute. Countries that are better in steel have these institutes. We talk about it but it has not come true. All the issues raised here should be discussed, coordinated and formed, philosophized about in the Iron and Steel Institute. This is what I wanted to raise here in this meeting.
Günhan KARAKULLUKÇU, EC member ULARTE: I am an economist but what I do is producing steel structures, as an industrialist. We consume steel. The areas are generally investment sectors, therefore the job is closely economic. We are affected by macro economical situations but there is another aspect, that is theri is a time gap. We feel the problems a bit later. And of course when the economy improves, we feel it a bit later. In general we are very close to the economical aspects. Regarding Turkey in general there are two issues. One is, some situations necessitate building only in steel. And the other has alternatives, where reinforced concrete can be used. There is an improvement in itself in only steel situations. Thus I want to focus largely on alternatives to steel, where depending on macro economy, or the local market conditions, custom duties or the price of alternative products where certain areas can be changed. Here again we see that in countries where the alternative is cheaper for steel to advance is difficult. In turkey concrete is much more cheaper. In this light, we see alternating situations both in Turkey and the neighbouring countries. In some countries where even concrete is difficult to find and expensive as an alternative, then it is better that we produce the steel here and do the assembly at the venue. However, closer to home it is not easy to be competitive as we would like to be for sometimes, the alternative is better, or competitiveness is higher, or habits keep us in check. We have to accept that our sector is a fluctuating one and therefore we have to remember the bad times in the good times. There are good years and there are bad years. We have almost no effect on the bad year conditions, not going into the deep end of economic perspective, these are mainly the result of macro economy, so there is nothing but to better your performance knowing that it is a longhaul and the conditions are affected by other costs and the general economic agenda. Looking at the biggest 225 contractor firms in the world, in Turkey we are quite successful but we are almost totally out in Process engineering. We do not yet have Process Engineering firms that take a job to completion, pushing producers forward, competing with the world. The structure where there is a section of Process Engineering, namely IPG, that can create the added value we should be developing. This will take us to larger markets.
Melih ŞİMŞEK, Akşan Aş, Gen. Man.: From time to time in some region or other characteristics of steel come forward or recede. In the aftermath of 1999 earthquakes steel had advanced as a remedy for earthquake. Regarding the neighbouring countries, almost all are underdeveloped. There are serious resources, especially like fossil fuelwise, or energywise. Therefore they need to develope rapidly to reach the contemporary levels, need acceleration. Thus steel is preferred for its qualities in speediness in this respect. Recently perception of ecological matters has grown globally. This makes it necessary to produce a solution for this problematic issue. And this is another motivation for steel. There was no housing in steel to talk about in Turkey. Then after the 1999 earthquakes, steel grabbed the agenda. And grew rapidly. In the world we are the second contracting country. This year we are the runner up after China. Actually there are every kinds of opportunities for steel. I believe it will be a prerequisite instead of a choice in a short while. Especially in the neighbouring countries, rapid development to achieve the levels of the modern world steel is a very adventageous system.
Yüksel TİRYAKİOĞLU, TML İnşaat Exec. Bo. Mem.: In fact constructional steel usage in Turkey has not reached a desirable level. Industrial structures, where wide and high span is required employment of steel is unavoidable. Thus in this context a rise in steel utilization is observed. However this is not enough. If we consider simply the projection, materials, production, application, and economics then projection was quite an issue till recently. It may be assumed that this problem is mostly solved today. Local steel materials in Turkey is still very limited in variety. There has to be investments in this field. As for the production, many setbacks are overcome, desired quaülity of projects and productions according to regulations are being realized. Yet this cannot be said also for the applications. Experience and trained staff are lacking. Economical factors are also against the steel system in Turkey. For example the rapid finishing factors, are not considered here much. Priorities that make steel systems in developed countries preferred are not significant here. Even if the production is adequate then the limited variety of materials, the high cost of power, technological lackings have to be overcome. Turkish contracting firms have to upgrade to IPG, as they are called in the international markets. Especially the immediate region has to be targeted and planning, infrastructure are organized thus, then in the international contracts that are to regulation, high technology transfers, automation and above all project production a fast advance in these areas will surely make possible to achieve a place in these markets.
Faruk İNSEL, TESEM Project Gen Man.: Around Turkey, on one side are the Independent States, i.e. Kazakhstan and Russia and on the other side North Africa -maybe till Algeria is a more accurate term- Tunus, Libya, and Egypt, Gulf and, Middle Eastern countries, and also the Balkans. This region’s constructional steel share in total is 7 or 8%. This has to be more like 15%. We believe we have to decide what is to be done. There is a huge market for steel here. The other market as big as ours is gathered around a single standard but we have all kinds. Our colleagues are grappling with English standard, European standards, and even Russian standards. Unless we wish to amount to something we have to unify these various standards. In our region we have to use European standards uniformly. In the Middle East if the firm that has made the project is an English firm then you work with the profiles in the English standards, or if the company is American then accordingly. This should not be. We have to have sTurkish standards. This is our task. For example in Algeria steel comes from Egypt, then in Baku you meet up with an Ukrainian firm but everywere the contractors are Turkish. We are everywhere. Nowhere can you see others then turks in these regions. The production center is also here. As the headquarters of the region we have to cut down on wastefulness increase production, heed training, create the infrastructure and create solutions. This is not an individuals endeavour, it has to be collectively done, I think.