Dear BEYSAD readers,

In this issue we are pleased to introduce you to Ali Acar, Country Manager of Nitto Denko, a new BEYSAD member. He was so sincere during the interview that I decided to keep this foreword as short as possible. We would like to thank Ali Acar for sparing their time for this interview in his busy schedule.  

Can you please tell us about yourself briefly?

I was born in Istanbul in 1969. I am married with a son aged 8. After graduating from the Austrian High School, I took my undergraduate degree at the Mechanical Engineering Department of Istanbul Technical University. I initially worked for Siemens for seven years holding such titles as product development engineer to supervisor of the construction unit. Then, I worked for ZF Turkey (engaged in automotive transmission and axle systems) as a Sales/Marketing Engineer, Tesa Turkey as an Automotive Sales Manager, Uzel Makina as an Export Manager and Holder GmbH (based in Stuttgart, Germany) as an Assistant General Manager. Since its establishment on 4 April 2010 I have been working for Nitto Denko Turkey as a Country Manager. 

Can you please tell us about Nitto Denko and its business activities?

Founded in Japan on 25 October 1918, Nitto Denko Group’s extensive lineup of electronics-related products such as optical films, flexible printed circuits, thin-film metal circuit boards and semiconductor encapsulating resins, are applied to various devices including wide-screen LCD TVs, personal computers, cell phones, handheld game consoles, portable audio players, hard disk drives and so on. (It is the first factory in Japan manufacturing electric isolation tapes.) 

Employing more than 34,000 people in the entire world and achieving a turnover of EUR6.4 billion in 2010, Nitto Denko is one of the leading Japanese firms and its headquarters are based in Osaka, Japan. Holding 108 entities in different parts of the world, Nitto Denko carries out manufacturing activities in Japan, USA, East Asia (China, Thailand, Taiwan), Europe (Belgium and Czech Republic). 

Nitto Europe NV Belgium, of which Nitto Denko Turkey is part, was founded in 1974 in Genk, Belgium. With its headcount of 780, Nitto Europe NV Belgium offers products to Nitto entities and business partners in Europe and USA. Nitto Denko Turkey has a different structure and aims to serve a different purpose among other Nitto entities in Europe that are part of Nitto Europe NV. There are ten such entities in Europe. The remaining nine practices, other than Turkey, operate as sales office. Nitto Denko Turkey is the sole entity in Europe that is equipped with converting/finishing machinery. The firm finishes products that meet the business partners' needs in a storage area of 650 m2 and manufacturing area of 1400 m2. 

Can you please tell us about the organizational structure of Nitto Denko Turkey?

Our company is located in the Tuzla Mermerciler Organized Industrial Zone in Tuzla, Istanbul. The firm operates with an area of 2000 m2. As of April 2012 the total headcount equals 14 people and 40% of the personnel consists of blue-collar workers. With the new projects in the pipeline, this rate increases constantly. 

The investment to be made in Turkey pleased us a lot and we are all proud to be members of a company that is to make a huge investment in Turkey in this industry segment. 

Nitto Denko's senior management has well appreciated the Turkey's emerging economy and its significant position in the region and taken necessary actions in order to be a full-fledged local manufacturer in the Turkish market. 

Who is your largest customer in Turkey?

Nitto Denko Turkey offers services to companies operating in the automotive, appliance, electronics, metal, furniture, machinery production and solar energy industries. Our largest business partners include leading main industry manufacturers of the automotive, appliance and furniture industries and their suppliers. 

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

• We are one of the leading companies of the world in our own industry.
• We operate on flexible principles.
  • We perform manufacturing in line with market dynamics.
  • We manufacture products that are compatible with the demands of our business partners (we do not call them "our customers").
  • We create products by carrying out R&D activities together with our business partner (for instance, the polarized film was developed in collaboration with a leading TV manufacturer and our firm has played a vital role in the creation of LCD monitors).
  • Nitto is a sector leader in manufacturing niche products.
  • Our business partners are our greatest values.
• As our firm is a Japanese company and both countries share similar cultural values, our senior management has been able to quickly and thoroughly comprehend Turkey's dynamics, its way of doing business and values. Therefore, we have proceeded rapidly and flexibly.
• We perform local shaping.
• We carry out local production. 

There are many other factors making us different. However, I do not want to scare our competitors. 

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

We have not been able to attend BEYSAD events frequently up until now. From now on, we will do our best to join your activities more and ensure both parties (including BEYSAD member) know each other well so that we can identify what we can actually do for you.