Stars of exports in 2020 in the chemicals sector that is a major contributor to the national economy and the second highest exporter of Turkey are announced. Annual “IKMIB Stars of Exports Award Ceremony” of Istanbul Chemicals and Chemical Products Exporters Association (IKMIB) took place in June 18th, 2021 in a hybrid organization. At 2020 IKMIB Stars of Exports Award Ceremony 175 awards were given in 35 categories.
Chemicals sector that once again demonstrated its critical significance during the pandemic provides input for 27 sectors and creates high added value for national economy. While global economy and trade was having a challenging period in 2020 due to the pandemic, Turkish chemicals sector became the second highest exporter sector in Turkey with 18.3 billion dollars’ worth of exports. Global chemicals sector shrunk by 12 percent in 2020 with the effect of the pandemic while exports Turkish chemicals sector shrunk by 11 percent. Exports of this sector kept its 0.6 percent global share. Representing over 7 thousand active exporter companies in many subsectors from plastics to cosmetics, exports to rubber, medicals to dye, IKMIB realized more than 59 percent of total Turkish chemicals exports. Organized by IKMIB to honor and encourage member companies for their successful exports for the sixth time this year, the 2020 IKMIB Stars of Exports Award Ceremony took place on June 18th, 2021 in a hybrid organization. Streamed live on IKMIB YouTube channel, Deputy Minister of Trade of the Republic of Turkey Rıza Tuna Turagay, Turkish Exporters’ Assembly (TIM) Chairman İsmail Gülle, IKMIB Chairman of the Board of Directors Adil Pelister and representatives of awarded companies participated in the ceremony.
In the Award Ceremony, 175 companies making the top 5 exporters in a total of 35 categories of chemicals subsectors and product groups received awards.
Rıza Tuna Turagay: “Chemicals sector is one of the basic indicators of development level of a country”
Speaking at 2020 IKMIB Stars of Exports Award Ceremony, Deputy Minister of Trade of the Republic of Turkey Rıza Tuna Turagay underlined that Turkey grew by 7 percent in the first quarter of this year and said: “We will achieve even greater growth numbers in the second quarter and close this year with positive growth. There were problems in many sectors. We experienced the pandemic and God willing it will be history. We are trying to complete vaccination with a high tempo. God willing, with opening of tourism we will achieve relief.” Stating chemicals sector is one of the basic indicators of the development level of a country, Turagay continued as follows: “In May, chemicals sector became our export champion. The chemicals sector has the potential to increase its share in total Turkish trade. Today we are still dependent on imports in chemicals sector for 60-70 percent. We have to decrease this dependency. We need to work hard for this. We need to make large investments. Such investments are on our government’s agenda.
The chemicals sector makes up about 25 percent of global trade. Its share in our trade is around 12.5 percent. We need to increase this share. We are on the same track and we are all dedicated to the same aim. That is increasing our exports and ensuring we perform export based growth strategy properly. We achieved 7 percent growth in the first quarter and 1.1 of this is contribution of exports. We need to increase this even more. This year hopefully we will exceed 200 billion dollars and go beyond that border, but we need to export more value added products and work more. Last year, the global economy shrunk for 3.3 percent but this year it will grow 6 percent. Last year the global trade shrunk for 5.8 but this year it will grow 8 percent. There is an incredible liquidity in the market. Our Turkey is among the top countries that can attract this liquidity.”
İsmail Gülle: “Our export target is 200 billion dollars”
Turkish Exporters’ Assembly (TIM) Chairman İsmail Gülle said they left 2020 behind that was spent in the process of pandemic and made a successful start to 2021 as the year of exports and said: “Contrary to many negative expectations, our country grew by 1.8 percent in 2020 and 7 percent in the first quarter of 2021. Our export contributes to this growth to a significant extent. In the last two quarters our exports exceeded 50 billion dollars and the figures from June point at a figure above 50 billion dollars in the third quarter. We will have achieved more than 50 billion dollars of exports for three quarters in a row. Our target is 200 billion dollars. We will realize 200 billion dollars and above in coming months. In May the sector with the highest exports was our Chemicals and Chemical Products sector with 2 billion 131 million dollars’ worth of exports. The chemicals sector has a major presence in global trade. It achieves significant successes for us and for our country. I would like to congratulate all exporters of our sector for this performance.”
Adil Pelister: “We believe we will complete this year much above 21 billion dollars”
Chairman of the Board of Directors of Istanbul Chemicals and Chemical Products Exporters Association (IKMIB) Adil Pelister noted in 2020 when global supply chain and logistics systematics was almost completely disrupted due to the pandemic, the chemicals sector managed to complete the year on the second place with 18.3 million dollars’ worth of exports despite problems. Pelister mentioned that in the face of all major global problems, as national chemicals sector they had only 11 percent decrease last year and said: “As of this year, 2021 thankfully our ascension to make up for this loss restarted. Accordingly, in May in terms of total export figures our chemicals sector advanced to the first place as the highest exporting sector.Compared to the same month of last year as chemicals sector we will increase our export by 80 percent and realized 2 billion 130 million dollars’ worth of exports. Again, compared to the first 5 months of last year we achieved a 35 percent increase in exports and exports of our chemicals sector increased to 9.6 billion dollars. We believe we will complete this year much above 21 billion dollars. We are continuing to produce and export to that aim with all our might. I would like to thank once more our esteemed exporters who made us rightfully proud.”
Pelister: “The chemicals sector is the key to economic development”
Pelister mentioned that the chemicals sector occupies the top ranks at countries with the highest developed economics and said: “Thus, the chemicals sector is the key to economic development. Because the chemicals sector is the direct or indirect supplier of 27 sectors.
At this point we would like to rightfully express the need to the need to ascribe importance to our chemicals sector. I would like to also underline the need to establish National Chemicals Agency where our government, sector and the academia is represented in order to realize our vision for 2030. We believe that this agency will make contributions to scientific discoveries for especially Space Technologies.
The key to representation in the race for space also lies with our chemicals sector. We need to be able to produce and export products with high technology and high added value.
As IKMIB we are realizing our Chemicals Technology Center to that aim. It will include accredited reference labs, digital library, R&D center, and ‘incubation center’ where new discoveries will be realized economically and hopefully we will make the opening of this important science and economics center next year together.”
