WE PRODUCE ON A PROJECT BASIS AND OFFER CUSTOMER-FOCUSED SOLUTIONS
AMON KIMYA CONFIRMS ITS PLACE IN THE INDUSTRY WITH ITS YOUNG AND INNOVATIVE STRUCTURE
Mehmet Özsüren and his son Necmettin Özsüren, who gave life to the success adventure they created by consistently continuing their investments with idealistic purposes in the business world, where success is becoming more difficult day by day, negatively affected by political and economic developments as well as increasing competition, have a career story that is an inspiration to everyone.
In addition to the power of their company in production, Özsüren Family has managed to break new ground in their sector with the new products they developed thanks to their R&D and Innovation studies; They take great pleasure in turning their dreams into reality by working day and night with their passionate and visionary understanding in their business life, which they started from scratch. We came together with Mehmet Özsüren and his son Necmettin Özsüren, who are preparing to carry their success in the Turkish business world to the international arena and make investments on a global scale, to learn what is behind their success. When the people you are dealing with are people who have devoted their entire lives to learning and producing, the questions we have prepared in advance are not enough.
“We have made it our main principle to turn what we earn from the fields in which we operate into investment. Our facility located in Erzin District of Hatay, where we currently produce, has the latest advanced technologies as a result of our continuous investment approach. We produce according to international quality standards in our facility and offer it to domestic and international markets. Our long conversation with Mehmet Özsüren and Necmettin Özsüren, who said, "In line with its goals for the future, continues its research to realize investments that will create added value for our country and nation." We think they will catch it. While you are reading this interview, they will be teleporting themselves to new investments again! We leave you with another success story that includes many unique moments. You will read it with interest...
We started our conversational interview with Mehmet Özsüren. To our question "CAN WE GET TO KNOW YOU?", he gave the following short information with his excited voice and memory full of memories:
I was born in Iskenderun in 1960. I graduated from high school. I am studying at the Open Education Faculty, Department of Economics. We set out on this struggle for life together with my brothers, Mustafa Özsüren, born in 1962, and Bekir Özsüren, born in 1964.
CAN YOU TELL THE STORY OF YOUR DEVELOPMENT FROM THE BEGINNING OF YOUR STRUGGLE TO THESE DAYS?
My father, Necmettin Özsüren, who was involved in some commercial activities in Kilis, often came to Iskenderun and since he had relatives, he would stay for a few days and then return. During his travels, he decided to settle here because he liked it so much. He started trading. He sold the garment products he brought from Istanbul not only in Iskenderun but also in different cities. He even sold the products made by merchant tailors and left over. He started to invest the money he earned in this way by entering different sectors. He opened a business selling white goods in a place called 'flea market', where trade is most intense. Meanwhile, we, as brothers, grew up and started to help our father. As the capacity increased in both the textile and white goods sectors, we turned the business into retailing. We opened a jeans sales store on Şehit Pamir Street. We also provided jewelery services to our people here. Then, we opened our second branch where we sell the products of Turkey's important brands. In the meantime, we closed the place where we sold white goods, but in 1995, we established our company Özsüren Döviz A.Ş. as an institution authorized for foreign exchange buying, selling and foreign exchange transactions.
WHY DID YOU TURN INTO DIFFERENT SECTORS?
As we grew and started to master the business, we got rid of the habit of 'saving the day' and started to see long-term sustainability as an integrated component of our business. We created a road map by reading the future correctly. As the Özsüren Family, we have created a common vision on this issue. We were aware that it was imperative that we direct our route to different sectors and production in our business strategies, especially for a better future.
WHAT DID YOU DO LATER?
Since the construction industry is active, we entered the build-and-sell business by establishing our company Özsüren Yapı Müteahhitliği A.Ş. Of course, our branch in the textile industry continues. We follow developing trends closely. Since we always had production in mind, we also made sales abroad for Bluejean by having contract manufacturing done in Istanbul. We also sent products with different brands to European and Middle Eastern countries. Meanwhile, our children were growing up and graduating from universities. Based on the fact that in today's global information world, companies cannot be isolated from the changes and developments they are in, we had to create radical transformations. So we did this and in 2011, we established our company, Amon Kimya, for production purposes, which we had been dreaming of for years.
WHY DID YOU THINK OF ENTERING THIS INDUSTRY?
Since we always had production in mind, we were doing our domestic and international research in this direction. We especially focused our targets on the recycling of products such as electronics, tires, steel, batteries and lead. During my trip abroad, upon the suggestion of a friend, I turned to the chemical industry and started market research. We have concluded that the domestic industry can produce most of the products brought to our country through imports. As a company, we focused on the manufacturing industry in order to turn this into added value. We established our facility in Adana OIZ. With the participation of my son Necmettin Özsüren in our company, we started to sail towards new goals. In addition to father Mehmet Özsüren, Necmettin Özsüren, who has become a seriously influential name in their companies despite being young, also entered our conversation and added color with his thoughts, vision and goals for the future.
CAN YOU GIVE INFORMATION ABOUT AMON KIMYA'S WORKS?
Our facilities, which we established in Adana OIZ in 2011 and in Hatay's Erzin District in 2015, have a total bulk chemical storage capacity of 30,000 tons. Our company produces and imports chemicals and industrial-medical gases, which are the main inputs of the cleaning, textile, food, iron-steel, glue, paint, glass, packaging, paper and cosmetics industries, and produces ADR-certified land tankers, ISO tanks used in maritime transportation, It supplies raw materials to many companies in Turkey and abroad with its container carrier trailers, trucks and tractors, and its expert team in dangerous goods transportation. We established a machine workshop on an area of 9000m2 in Hatay's Erzin District in 2015, due to its proximity to many regions of Turkey and especially to ports. Here, the design and manufacturing of pressure vessels, semi-trailer LPG Trailer, semi-trailer Ammonia Trailer, LPG and Ammonia Storage Tanks, LNG Tanks, Nitrogen Tanks, Argon Tanks, Carbon Dioxide Tanks, Cryogenic Evaporators and Tanks, Chlorine Tanks, Chemical Transport Tanks and Trailers, Production is carried out in accordance with world standards in areas such as LPG Filling Facilities, Construction and Equipment of Chemical Facilities, Manufacturing and Assembly of Steel Construction Structures, Manufacturing and Assembly of Hydroelectric Power Plants and Pipelines. The R&D department is of great importance, especially in our company, in order to be able to respond to changing, increasing and changing demands for application to different production processes and to be a pioneer.
WHAT IS THE SITUATION OF YOUR COMPANY IN QUALITY AND R&D?
Amon Kimya ve Makine San. Tic. Ltd. Ltd. It aims to be the leading company in the sector with the ISO9001 quality certificates it has received within the framework of the importance it attaches to international quality, the standards it implements, and its customer-oriented work. With the R&D Center we plan to establish, we will have the opportunity to make safer, lighter and more cost-effective new types of designs to produce qualified vehicles and tankers for hazardous material transportation. We will capture the advantages brought by Industry 4.0. We will follow robotic welding technologies. With this system, we will be able to diversify our production. DO YOU EXPORT? Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Lebanon, Israel, Iraq, Oman, Yemen, Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Somalia, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Bangladesh, Vietnam, Cambodia, India, Slovenia, Poland, Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Romania, Macedonia, Montenegro, We export to a total of 25 countries in the Middle East, Africa, Asia and Europe, such as Albania and Serbia.
AS I CAN SEE, YOU ARE AN INNOVATIVE COMPANY WITHOUT LIMITS, CLICHES OR MOLDS. WHAT CAN YOU SAY ABOUT THIS?
Our company makes its plans by taking into account the concepts of efficiency, quality and cost, which are the keywords of success factors; It offers unique products and services to its customers by using advanced production techniques and technologies. We are the first company in Türkiye to produce the anhydrous ammonia tanker with ADR. With our 24/7 devoted working approach, we are able to deliver the product demands of all the companies we are suppliers to, in a quality and reliable manner, at the most affordable and competitive costs, on time. We ensure long-term cooperation with our after-sales technical service. We can easily say that we have become the market leader in many products because we demonstrate strong performance. We did not imitate. We pursued qualified work and products. Because we always want to be different. We will do our best with all our energy to raise the target bar of our company, which constantly offers reliable solutions to its customers.
CAN WE GET INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR SHORT, MEDIUM AND LONG TERM PLANS AND PROJECTS?
First of all, we would like to say that since we have serious projects and goals for the future, our current places are inadequate for us. We want to provide our customers with faster access to the products they need, especially with our strategically positioned warehouses in the chemical industry. In order to increase our current capacities, we have created our investment plans with the aim of creating chemical storage and distribution infrastructure in the Marmara, Aegean and Black Sea regions. We also want to produce the products needed by our country's defense industry, as well as parts of vehicles used by fire brigade, garbage cleaning, irrigation, disaster situations or humanitarian aid organizations. We work on machine design and design based on software, design and automation. We have plans to establish facilities to manufacture Cryogenic equipment in the Pressure Vessel sector. These are big investments because they are qualified, more technological products. Due to the strategic location of our region, sales will be made to both Europe and the Middle East. In addition, we will expand our fleet with new tankers and tractors in order to provide quality and good logistics service to our customers.
WHAT ARE YOUR FUTURE GOALS?
We aim to be a global player in these highly competitive sectors both in Turkey and abroad. Therefore, the needs of companies are definitely our starting point. We do all our work solution-oriented towards the needs of customers and end users. We determine strategies according to global trends. Currently, especially industrial gases and chemicals in the domestic market. We are a serious player in the hazardous material transportation and logistics activities industry. We are the element of balance. We can easily say that we are an important name with our awareness and brand value. We have a strong team. We want to expand the business with foreign partners. Some overseas companies that sell raw materials are looking for places to invest in our region. Since our logistics infrastructure is strong, they make cooperation offers. We are trying to attract foreign investors here with a win-win approach.
WHAT ACTIVITIES ARE YOU CARRYING OUT TO ACHIEVE THE GOALS?
We analyze the changing and developing needs both in the world and in our country very well. In order to contribute to the country's economy, our primary goal is to work on the production of import substitute products and we intend to turn this situation into exports. In our R&D studies, we strive to create local and national products that will replace imported products. A Turkish manufacturer purchasing chemicals from a Turkish company will have great advantages in terms of time and resources. We will continue to be the leading company in the sector with the standards we apply within the framework of the importance we attach to quality at the international level, customer-oriented work and our investments in R&D.
WHAT KIND OF ISSUES DO YOU PAY IMPORTANCE TO BE COMPETITIVE AND SUSTAIN IN THE LONG TERM?
First of all, we attach importance to the quality of the product and the accompanying service. We always give suggestions to our employees regarding this. We focus on technical products, specific products and niche products. Although the market seems to be shrinking due to competition, we actually believe that a better structuring will occur with new opportunities. We believe that with the right team, the right people, and the right products, markets in sectors will always gain momentum.
WHAT ARE OUR MOST IMPORTANT PROBLEMS?
It is a great loss for our region that our ports in Iskenderun Bay do not have chemical handling and storage terminals. Toros Port is the only place in our region where ships carrying dangerous goods can dock. Considering that most of the approximately 500 thousand tons of chemical needs of industrial enterprises in the Southeastern Anatolia, Eastern Anatolia, Central Anatolia and Mediterranean Regions are met from here, the insufficient chemical handling and storage areas in our Gulf is a huge deficiency. We also have a land shortage for investment. For example, we need an area of at least 50 decares for our tank terminal investment, which we plan to make in partnership with foreign investors. In order to use the port advantage, it must not be far from the sea. Because when logistics costs are high, your competitiveness decreases and you cannot become a global player. One of the most common problems in this sector is the lack of technical team and personnel. Even people we call professionals change jobs every day. We can say that there is no one who owns their business and sees it as their own company. Our most important wish is to have people who love and devote themselves to this job in the industry.
WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT INSTITUTIONALIZATION AS A FAMILY BUSINESS?
Trying to take companies over individuals is not a correct strategy. Longevity is one of the most important goals in family businesses. Because those who cannot take the necessary steps towards institutionalization in time have a high probability of disintegration. If we do not show the professional stance expected from us, we cannot be one of the well-established companies. Family companies will extend their lives to the extent they succeed in institutionalization. We will establish our management and system within the rules, not depending on individuals. Even if the people change or are not in place, we will work with people who have adopted the corporate culture. In the future, we will leave the job to professional managers. However, if we consider that there is a family tradition at the core of the success of our companies, which have been around for nearly 60 years, we will constantly activate the power and dynamism of being a family and the traditions we gather around in the companies we will institutionalize and manage. While creating our constitution, we will place our companies on solid foundations in line with our goal of celebrating 100th birthdays in the future. IS THERE ANY FINAL MESSAGE YOU WANT TO SEND? As Özsüren Group, one of the cornerstones of our success is our great dedication to work with a focus on 100% customer satisfaction. For us, none of the work we do is one-time or temporary. Our goal is to be permanent in every field we work in. For this purpose, we monitor the products we deliver and, if necessary, make new adaptations based on the feedback from our customers. We are always there for our customers. Özsüren Group; It will continue to be a family made up of people who have a quality, respected, qualified workforce and determination to succeed, and who experience and make others experience the pleasure of domestic and national production.
