Dear BEYSAD readers, we continue to introduce our new members who stand out with their strong corporate structure. In this issue, we have interviewed with Mr. Celalettin Kesikbaş, the general manager of Lava Metal, which is a new BEYSAD member based in Eskişehir. We would like to thank him for sparing his time for this interview and believe their company would be a good example to other supply industry firms with its innovative structure.

Can you please tell us about yourself briefly?

I was born in Eskişehir in 1967. In 1990 I graduated from the Electrics and Electronics Engineering Department of Middle East Technical University (ODTÜ). I worked for various companies. I became a partner to ESTAP in 1997 which operates in the informatics industry. At a time when its annual turnover equaled TL50 million, last ten-year export volume reached USD120 million and headcount was 400 people, we entered into an agreement with Legrand, a French firm, for the acquisition of ESTAP by them. Following the acquisition I worked as a general manager for the same firm for three years. In mid-2010 I founded LAVA A.Ş. In the business life I believe in professional partnerships and team work. I have always acted on these principles in my business decisions. 

Can you please tell us about Lava Metal and its business activities?

Although our company was founded with five partners and started its business operations only in 2010, it has already proven its promising position in the market and has a say in its industry segment. Our company partners consist of professionals who worked in the casting industry for many years as members of the senior management. 

Our company is established on a site of 15.000 m2 in total, 6.000 m2 of which is closed space, within the Eskişehir Organized Industrial Zone. 

Our establishment purpose is to provide our customers with perfect services by means of combining our partners' 40-year of experience with state of the art machinery and processes. Particularly, its casting and enamel coating plant is the most modern facility in the region.

Lava's main field of activity is related to white goods industry, in particular cast grills for worktop/built-in ovens and cookers. The company has the capacity to manufacture 4.000.000 small and 1.500.000 large cast grills on annual basis. 

In addition, cast pans, grills and frying pans are sold in the market under the brand LAVA. 

Through its new and state of the art cast molding (Sinto and Disa), sand preparation, melting, sand blasting/grinding processes as well as its license of Ferrotechnic, received from world leader in the field of enamel, Lava has a modern electrophoretic enamel coating plant. All the machines are fully automated and CNC-controlled.

In its modern facility equipped with machinery that can manufacture in a lean and productive manner Lava offers products at the highest quality standards with high production capacities. In order to ensure its customers' needs are met and they are satisfied, Lava offers uninterrupted service based on continuous improvement thanks to its total quality and ERP/MRP management system.

In addition to offering its customers high quality and reasonably-priced products, Lava provides them with long-term business partnership, high performance, highest quality logistics service, flexibility in production and mature engineering services.

When did you meet Lava Metal?

We have been engaged in the casting business for almost 40 years as a family. However, I have myself stayed away from it. When I decided to leave the informatics industry in 2010, I was looking for new opportunities in the market. Once I started to focus on the casting business, I made some research in the market to see how this business could be done in a more professional style. As a result of our feasibility analysis, we decided to make investment in this industry. 

Can you please tell us about the organizational structure of Lava Metal?

While starting this business, we not only invested in technology and machinery, but also in human capital; thus, we were able to recruit very experienced partners in our company. We started our journey together with Macit Kesikbaş, Taner Tunç and Faruk Yalçın who are experienced in casting, Reyhan Ekşi who is specialized in finance and production accounting, Aysel Ay who is experienced in the field of enamel and licence of Ferrotechnic, one of the world leaders in the field of enamel. Each party is an expert in their own domain. 

Our organizational structure within the company is truly a horizontal one. Quality management, laboratory, R&D, method and process management and logistics are departments that are established at the outset and everybody is using the ERP/MRP software launched on the first work day. Communication among these units is very strong. We have clear objectives and everybody is supporting one another on the basis of these objectives. In a sense, everybody in the firm is speaking the same language. Training of our personnel is of vital significance for us. Besides, we aim to launch lean production activities within our plant during 2012. For this purpose, we have already started necessary structuring works. 

To which industries does your company offer services?

White goods industry forms our main field of activity. Cast grills that we manufacture are used for worktop/built-in ovens and cookers. In addition, cast pans, grills and frying pans are sold in the market under the brand LAVA. We have available capacity to manufacture products in high volumes tailored specifically to a customer in such industries as automotive, heating, valve, electrics and construction. 

What are your company’s main attributes that make it different from your competitors?

Our main difference is that our cast grills are enameled with electrophoretic enameling method. Therefore, all of our products can be washed in dishwashers and do not lose their colors. No trace is left on them when they are cleaned with a piece of cloth. As their scratch resistance is really high, they are not scratched and preserve its original appearance even after long period of use. Their texture is soft and their acid resistance is high. At the same time, this special enameling method allows the product has same thickness in all surfaces and enamel thickness is perfect even in edges. In addition to passing a number of shock tests, our products are subjected high-level salt tests and they do not rust. 

Products of many Turkish and European manufacturers, those of Chinese manufacturers in particular, mostly fail these tests. Our ambition at the outset was to pass all these tests. We have aimed to produce the most excellent products, use the most advanced technology and offer the highest quality. Therefore, we have installed the world's best machinery and lines at Lava plants. Other than Lava, only one other firm has an electrophoretic enameling plant in the entire Europe. 

We strengthen our position in the market every day thanks to our product quality, integrated quality system and commitment to technological innovation on the basis of ERP/MRP management system and our constantly-improving system understanding. As Lava, we believe the quality should not only be associated with manufacturing processes. In this sense, we control our management system and business processes stretching from our suppliers to customers at every step. 

Our quality understanding relies on the objective of meeting customer satisfaction and expectations at maximum. The effect of our products on customer side and analysis of their feedbacks given to us throughout the process is of crucial importance to us. Positive feedbacks that we have received from our customers up until now are the most apparent indication of our high quality service level and distinction of our products. 

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

Lava sees BEYSAD as an important platform which helps us keep abreast of developments in the industry, learn about other companies operating in the sector by means of interviews and obtain relevant information with a different perspective. Therefore, on behalf of Lava family I would like to note that I am very pleased to make this interview with you. Thanks to its achievements and future investments in the market, Lava Metal will always be there to assist BEYSAD whenever necessary. Thanks a lot for the interview.