Specialty Fabrics Review November 2024 - 39

well as touring the plants. He explains
that most of the plants are installing
new machines every five to 10 years,
so the companies are reinvesting the
profits back into new equipment.
In addition, he says, they are also
able to do more with fewer employees.
" It's amazing, " he says, " to see a tenter
frame here in the U.S. that takes four to
six people, and [Türkiye] can have one
person running two machines because
of the advancement in the machinery
and the technology. "
Türkiye's wise
investment strategies
However, there are other careful
investments that have allowed the
nation to advance over the last two
and half decades.
" The growing interest of foreign
capital in Türkiye has led to increased
investments in the textile sector and has
expanded production capacities, " Karen
says, while " improvements in supply
chain management have enabled more
effective management of raw materials
and products. " This, in turn, he says,
has enabled companies to save on costs.
Horton adds, " The [Turkish]
government also mandates they have
to put a certain amount back into their
companies to continue to grow them. "
The companies also must put part
of the profits back into research
and development.
Karen also cites fashion trends as
having transformed the Turkish textile
sector into what he sees as a " more
flexible and responsive industry. "
This is bolstered by Türkiye's freetrade
agreements and customs union
arrangements, which, Karen says, " have
reduced barriers to textile exports and
facilitated access to new markets. "
Many of those new markets
are in the European Union. " This
demonstrates the sector's strong
Türkiye and textiles: The Ottoman Empire and beyond
T
ürkiye has made a point of building on its robust history in the industry
dating back to the Ottoman Empire to maintain its position as a key
player in the market.
" I love going to Türkiye just from the history side of things, " Ross Horton,
president of R. Horton Textile Machinery Sales and Services, says. " It really
flabbergasts me, because in the United States, people get excited about a
product from the 1800s, but in Türkiye, they say, 'This thing is from 1800 B.C.!' "
On a more practical note, Horton cites the country's plethora of cotton
farms that helped kick-start the Ottoman Empire's textile markets and
how today's expansion has come about in part because of manufacturers
setting up shop close to those cotton fields, " making everything much
more economical. "
Berk Karen, foreign sales representative for Polteks, agrees. " [Our]
historical experience dating back to the Ottoman Empire [together with]
our technical knowledge provides an advantage in producing high-quality
products and developing innovative solutions. "
Karen adds that being close to major markets coupled with the industry's
flexible production capabilities helps the industry reduce logistics costs and
production times and facilitates easier exports.
With Türkiye maintaining its mission of being an " export-oriented
economy, " says Karen, " the textile sector contributes to this structure and
will always have significant advantages that contribute to [our country's]
strong position in the international textile industry. "
SpecialtyFabricsReview.com 39
foreign-trade network and the strategic
importance of the European market, "
Karen explains. However, he adds, if the
country can continue to grow in other
markets that it already has a foothold
in-including the Middle East, Russia,
America and Asia-and expand to new
growth markets in Africa and Latin
America, this could eventually reduce
the country's dependence on the EU.
Nonetheless, he says, while " Türkiye's
trade relations with the EU may be
influenced by political and economic
factors, the EU is still expected to
remain a strategic trading partner. "
Horton concurs, noting, " The cost
of getting everything to Europe is
much less than it is from a lot of other
places, like Bangladesh, India and
China. " With Europe, there are fewer
 An Elteksmak employee fabricates
a rail for the company's Gen 4 Poslu
tenter frame in Denizli, Türkiye.
Tenter frames are used to dry and
heat-set fabrics.
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