BEYSAD continues to organize “Professional Business Trips” to visit the factories of our members and the main industries for the purposes of improve cooperation and help with the business opportunities among our members.

As a part of the works of R&D Capacity Enhancement and Innovation Committee, a visit was organized on 4 November 2015 to Şişecam Science and Technology Center in order to visit their R&D Centres and get relevant information from the authorities. The visit was attended by about 25 members of ours and went very productively and effectively.

The meeting was hosted by Prof. Dr. Şener Oktik, Head of Research and Technological Development, with senior authorities. We would like to thank Dr. M. Hakan Sesigür (Manager of Innovation and Quality Management); Hande Sesigür (Glass Technologies Director); Atilla Ünsal (Melting Technologies and Engineering Director), Melek Orhon (Analytic Support Services Director), Dr. Vedat Sediroğlu (Atmospheric Coating Technologies Manager) and all the authorities for sincerely underlining the importance of cooperation.

The meeting started with the opening speech of Prof. Dr. Şener Oktik in the early morning in a very friendly environment around a table. Prof. Oktik talked about the importance of shareholding, the benefits of business development together, and the secret of the success of Şişecam.

On behalf of BEYSAD, BEYSAD Vice President Burak Özaydemir began to speak and stated that BEYSAD aimed to enhance cooperation among its members and shareholders through such activities and therefore, to increase the added value of the sector and to decrease the dependency on imports.

Next, Şener Oktik and Şişecam authorities cordially responded to all the questions asked by our members. Mr. Oktik underlined the necessity of developing business with all the shareholders in the value chain. The rate of imports in incrustated glass can only be reduced through collective work, he added.

The secrets of the success of the company are firstly the loyalty to the encouragement and support by our Great Leader Atatürk, and then the right human resources strategy and the corporate loyalty, as put by Mr. Oktik, who added that Şişecam is a publicly listed company - 72% İş Bankası participation and 28% publicly traded.

The question on how sector trends are followed at Şişecam was respondedthat they are identified through the close relation of the glass units with the sector and the needs for white appliances are communicated to the headquarters via the flat glass unit.

Upon the question on the educational background of the employees, the need for and effort to employ individuals who can think outside the box were underlined. It was informed that 10% of the company employees have a PhD and 22% have a master’s degree and it is wished to employ more number of employees with a master’s degree on glass science and technology and therefore, they have signed an agreement with Gebze Technology University. A post-graduate studies programme on this field will be opened in the university that is located near Şişecam. Moreover, besides engineers, there are also ceramists, geologists, and designers.

It was highlighted that Turkey is very rich in glass raw materials and proudly that imports of raw materials for coloured and non-coloured goods are very limited.

Prof. Oktik:“Competition keeps us alive and always dynamic… Quality and differentiating products are very important to us…”

Atilla Ünsal:“In the meeting held, the authorities were asked a number of questions. Our knowledge comes from within us, our own experience. Our production technologies come from us. Therefore, our engineering departments are supported extensively. In 1980, we paid 3 million dollars to engineering companies… We improved ourselves not to be dependent on them.”

After the question and answer part, Prof. Oktik was submitted a Thank You Plaque by Burak Özaydemir. In the second part of the programme, we caught the chance to see all the departments and laboratories of the building constructed in the architecture contest. During the laboratory visit, they told us about their works clearly and cordially and answered all our questions warmheartedly as around the table and we saw that they were willing to establish cooperation.

The programme ended after lunch which we had together. We would like to thank my dear friends Dr. Hakan Sesigür and his spouse Hande Sesigür for their great support in making this organization happen and all Şişecam community as well as our esteemed members for their participation.