Dear BEYSAD Magazine Readers,

In this issue of our magazine we are pleased to introduce Mr. İlhan Aydıner, Project and Sales Manager of Çelikel which has become a BEYSAD member only recently.   Just like their progress in the industry, Mr. İlhan Aydıner and his firm have rapidly adapted to the organizational structure of our association by timely responding to all of our letters and surveys and have started to add value to BEYSAD as its new member. We would like to extend our profuse thanks to him and his company for their support and sparing time for this interview.  

Can you please tell us about yourself briefly?

I was born in Istanbul in 1970.  I studied mechanical engineering. I am married with two children. I have one daughter named Yaprak and Toprak is my son. 

Can you please tell us about Çelikel and its business activities?

Çelikel has a production process composed of casting via aluminium injection method and subsequent precise CNC processing operations. Our production activity is carried out in a closed space of 8,500 m² lying on a total area of 17,000 m² in Sancaktepe. Our firm currently employs 312 people. 

Total production tonnage that we plan to realise as of year end 2011 will equal approximately 10,000 T. With our customers' confidence in and support to us, we have begun to build a new plant inside the TAYSAD (Association of Automotive Parts and Components Manufacturers) Organized Industrial Zone in Gebze in mid-2011. We plan to complete the construction work in the second half of 2012 and move to our new plant then. Our new plant will have a closed space of 20,000 m² under a single roof and a production capacity of 25,000 tons per annum. The construction project is designed based on Simple Production Methodology and will stand as an integrated production plant in its industry, once it is completed. 

When did you meet Çelikel?

I began to work at Çelikel in early 2002 when I returned from the USA. I have to say this was an opportunity for both parties. 

Can you please tell us about the organizational structure of Çelikel?

With its total headcount and production volume our company is today more than a medium-sized enterprise and has assumed the mission of a corporate firm with its organizational structure created accordingly. Our organizational growth is still ongoing for the purpose of expanding our production volume in particular and associated engineering infrastructure. 

I am primarily responsible for my team. I am in charge of the proposal-order process management and entire sales activities, too. My duties within the scope of project management include timely preparation of all proposals according to customer expectations, project design of product implementation processes in a systematic manner in line with orders received and completion of these projects. 

My activities within the scope of sales field comprise follow-up and coordination of sales processes for these mass produced projects, including those relating to technical and commercial topics. I report to our General Manager in terms of all of my activities. Our company is a 100% domestic shareholding firm founded by Mr. Osman Deniz, Chairman of the Board of Directors, Mr. Oğuzhan Deniz and Mr. Okan Deniz, both members of the Board of Directors. As a family business, Çelikel possesses a corporate identity and is managed professionally. 

To which industries do you supply products?

Çelikel manufactures products to be offered to automotive and white goods industries. Products that we manufacture for the automotive industry constitute almost 67% of our total turnover. In this context, Çelikel manufactures approximately 20,000,000 units annually for automotive electric systems, automotive electronic systems and powertrain divisions. The remaining 33% share in our turnover is composed of drum supports and pulleys, which are both critical mechanical parts that we manufacture for white goods firms. Our annual volume of components that we supply to the white goods industry equals 5,000,000 units. 

Can you please give information about your export volumes and name countries that you sell your products most?

All of the products that we manufacture for the automotive industry and nearly 12% of the products supplied to white goods sector are exported to overseas, which allows us to achieve an export ratio of 70% of our total production. Our export markets include France, Spain, Germany, Poland, Slovakia, Italy, Mexico, Hungary, Brasil, South Africa, Russia and Thailand.

 What are the attributes that make you different from both your domestic and foreign competitors?

In the scope of our production for the automotive industry in particular, our company is capable of manufacturing approximately 90,000 units of different size per day thanks to multicavity moulds. The main characteristics that make us different from our customers include our high daily production volume, high OEE and low internal PPM rates, as detected by audits of our customers, designs and innovative methods that we employ in HPDC (High Pressure Die Casting) processes, continuous improvement works performed to increase the pressing number of moulds used in production processes and technical productivity that we offer to our customers. 

BEYSAD has come to meet your firm upon the reference of BSH. You have joined BEYSAD family after you have received a prize abroad. Can you please tell us about this award process?

In early 2009 our company has begun to work with BSH for its washing machine plants located in Lodz, Poland and Çerkezköy, Turkey. The agreement requires us to manufacture drum supports for BSH. After a collaboration period of one year, our performance in terms of pricing, quality and logistics were evaluated by relevant parties and, as a result, Çelikel was found eligible for being listed among top 36 BSH suppliers out of nearly 750 suppliers worldwide. Moreover, Çelikel ranked in the top place among casting suppliers. I imagine we might be the first company to receive this award just after a collaboration period of one year. Of course, this award has motivated us a lot. On behalf of our company and members of the Board of Directors of Çelikel I would like to use this interview as a means to thank to BSH, an important customer of ours, for honoring us with this award. We will continue to do our best in order to improve our current performance in the fields of price, quality and logistics with same motivation and determination. 

What are your expectations from BEYSAD as our new member? What can we do for you?

We are a new member of BEYSAD. However, we have been present in the sector for 40 years. We are also members of TAYSAD (Association of Automotive Parts and Components Manufacturers) and Association of Turkish Casting Companies. I believe that creation of a Strategy Paper for the industry will be a very beneficial source for all sector players and this paper should identify actions to be taken in order to boost the global competitive strength of BEYSAD members, plan out required solutions together with industry players in this respect, ensure closer relationships with member firms are established and pave the way for accurate resource planning. I am aware BEYSAD has already begun to focus on these activities and works are ongoing in these areas. I also think visits to the premises of member firms by BEYSAD officials is a good opportunity for establishing stronger ties within the industry. I would like to thank to the BEYSAD management for their valuable efforts in this respect and conclude my remarks saying that Çelikel is pleased to join the BEYSAD network.