BE4 Summit by BEYSAD, the first sector-focused Industry 4.0 meeting in the country, was held in Hilton Bosphorus (Harbiye) Hotel, Istanbul on November 18-19, 2016 to create the White Goods Main and Suppliers aspect of the Industry 4.0 movement that has started in the country with a huge enthusiasm.

As you know, BEYSAD (White Goods Suppliers Association) is one of the most important and active non-governmental organizations of the industry that is operated in the domestic production and that brings the White Goods suppliers together.

BEYSAD, with its about 200 members, is an organization that has adopted the principle of working actively in creating joint ventures and projects with the leading global main industries.

In order to activate the white goods aspect of the Industry 4.0 movement in the leadership of TÜSİAD, BEYSAD BE4 Summit, the first ever production-focused Industry 4.0 meeting in Turkey, was held with Microsoft being the main sponsor and various robotics, automation (ABB, Fanuc, Festo, Staubli) and software companies (Asay, O&O, Sade, Smarte) with distinct competencies supporting the event.

During theBEYSAD BE4 Summit which was attended by approximately 200 individuals, the attendants listened about the new industrial revolution that is called the Industry 4.0 from the leading people in their areas from the perspective of the sector, furthermore they could get detailed information on solutions with regards to the transformation at the presentations and stands of the event sponsors. At the end of the event, the subject was taken one step forward and a workshop was held in the same hotel on Saturday, November 19 in order to identify leading “Pilot Operations” to create solutions specifically for the sector and to create success stories in the sector and the workshop was attended by 60 individuals.

BEYSAD’s all shareholders attended to this meeting;

·         BEYSAD Members

·         TÜSİAD Board Members

·         Turkish Electrical Electronics and Services Exporters Association (TET) Board Members

·         TÜRKBESD Members (White Goods Manufacturers’ Association of Turkey)

·         TOBB Durable Consumption Sector Assembly Members

·         Universities and NGOs

·         Sponsors

·         Press

The first day of the event was for exchanging information in the form of an overall seminar and presentations of general briefing by the representatives of TÜSİAD and the universities, on exchange of experiences and guidance regarding their relevant operations by the main industries and of introduction, solution, and sector-related learnings of the robotics, automation and software companies. Between the presentations, the exemplary equipment and solutions of the sponsor companies could be examined in detail at the stands established in the meeting hall.

Following a moment of silence and the national anthem, the program started with BEYSAD Chairman Burak Özaydemir’s opening speech who gave a short briefing on the awareness campaigns and event they have held in order to become who they are now, the role of such events in shaping the future and the road map they are suggesting for the next step.

BEYSAD (White Goods Suppliers Association) Chairman Mr. Ş. Burak Özaydemir in his opening speech of the event said: “We think that Industry 4.0 that is in the agenda of all the sectors holds a privileged spot in terms of the White Goods Main and Suppliers Industry. Since our sector is the top 2^nd production base on the global scale, it is superior in terms of size and capability to be a pioneer in practices and it also has to apply efficient and cost-focused solutions in all the processes because of the ruthlessness of the global competition. The depth of the main industry – suppliers’ industry relations in our sector creates opportunities to come up with solutions that would cover the entire supply chain. We think that the local solution partners in Turkey have a critical significance in the successful implementation of such solutions to be specific to all the companies. With this event, we aim to draw a road map through much exchange and collective brainstorming with the public as well as our critical shareholders in the whole supply chain and the technology ecosystem. We think that the pilot projects to be created here will become significant learnings and competencies that will enable a full transformation in the sector.“

Next, BEYSAD’s former Chairman Mr. Bahadır Balkır, who is now a member of the Board of TÜSİAD as well as the Head of the Transformation in Industry Round Table of TÜSİAD, gave a presentation on“Turkey’s Industry 4.0 Platform.”

He was followed by Microsoft Vice General Manager Mr. Cavit Yantaç who highlighted in his presentation titled “Things and Data! The New Currency” that just as energy and oil as a currency defined the economic development in the industrial revolutions before, the data of things and the interpretation of such data will be critical in the upcoming period. Okan Uni. Technology Transfer Office Head Mr. Bülent Erbaş gave a speech on any supports that could be received in terms of Industry 4.0 under the title“Incentive Mechanisms” and thus, the opening session ended.

In the second session, mainly information was exchanged on exemplary activities carried out by the main industries as to the Industry 4.0. Highly impressive, vision-creating, and guiding presentations on sector-specific applications were followed curiously.

The first guest of this session was Arçelik Production and Technology Vice General Manager Mr. Oğuzhan Öztürk who gave a presentation titled “Digital Transformation at Arçelik” and after him, BSH Regional Production Processes Manager Mr. Özgür Sarıkaya presented“i4.0 / Connected Industry” and the last speaker of this session Vestel White Goods Automation and Project Development Manager Mr. Tolga Özdenli delivered an impressive presentation containing videos of their new facilities. They as the main industry presented their visions, road plans, experiences and exemplary operations in terms of the Industry 4.0 to the attendants.

The first session in the afternoon was completed with the presentations of the sponsor companies on robotic and automation solutions especially for the white goods suppliers industry. The guests of this session were ABB Robotics Local Business Unit Manager Mr. Cem Emre Tural, Fanuc Robotics Sales Engineer Mr. Fatih Gündüz; Staubli Robotics Department Manager Mr. Bahadır Kılıç and finally Festo A.Ş. CEO Mr. Osman Türüdü.

After the coffee break the last session began, which covered the solution suggestions of the sponsors that can present software solutions and the developments suggested by Istanbul Technical University for the Industry 4.0. In this scope; firstly O&O Vice Chairman Mr. Cenk Tuna and then Smarte Managing Partner Mr. Melih Ballıkaya provided informative presentations.

The second University guest was Assoc. Prof. Dr. Deniz Tunçalp, İTÜ Technocity Vice General Manager and Faculty Member of İTÜ School of Business Administration. Following his speech, questions asked by Mr. Rüştü Bozkurt, columnist from Dünya Gazetesi, were answered.

Finally, BEYSAD Industry 4.0 Committee Member Mr. Bilgin Semiz delivered theBEYSAD closing presentation. The presentation starting with impressive video contained information on the start of the BE4 Project, the point the sector is at after a whole day of presentations, and what the future will bring. The presentation was a good summary and was received with a high interest.

During the event, all the speakers were submitted Thank You Plaques by the Board members of BEYSAD.

On November 19, the second day of the event, a group of 60 people met in the same location. The program began with a charming presentation on Industry 4.0 given by Siemens Vice General Manager and TÜSİAD Industry 4.0 Working Group Leader Mr. Ali Rıza Ersoy. The presented continued with a Q&A and overall, it was listened curiously.

The workshop section of the program that took the entire day was held in a common mind approach led by Kerim Han Milar. The first phase started with due diligence by SWOT for the Industry 4.0 in the White Goods Suppliers Industry with the representatives of the main industry, technology companies and member companies. The second phase included studies on tasks and actions for different shareholders in the sector. And during the last phase, suggestions were derived from the solutions shared on the day before in order to create sector-specific "Pilot Projects" and those that were considered of priority were detailed and expanded using evaluation criteria. At the end of the meeting, the attendants agreed to hold similar events periodically, to continue exchanges, and to follow the developments together in order to have a sustainable Industry 4.0 activity.

We would like to underline our commitment to have more of such events that start to shape our future and thank all our shareholders for their moral and material support…