Key Names in the Chemical Industry Meet at GEBKİM's Almanac

The GEBKİM 2020 Almanac project brought together the year's key developments and 2021 targets. The GEBKİM Almanac was enriched by the views and comments of not only important actors in the chemical industry but also valuable figures shaping Turkey's economic and educational vision. Assessments of 2020, which passed under the influence of the pandemic, and 2021 projections were included in the almanac prepared by GEBKİM, headquartered in Dilovası, Kocaeli. The almanac also detailed the activities of GEBKİM Chemical Specialization Organized Industrial Zone and GEBKİM Education, Research and Health Foundation. Minister of National Education Ziya Selçuk, who contributed an article containing valuable views on education to the GEBKİM Almanac, expressed his views in his piece: "We are making an effort to implement an education model that aims to provide our children with lifelong permanent behavioral and cognitive characteristics such as responsibility, honesty, reason, self-confidence, patience, research and creative spirit, being organized and disciplined; love for people and social life, respect for the environment; love of country, teamwork and solidarity, with the common consensus of all segments of society." Among the other names found on the pages of the GEBKİM Almanac are Kocaeli Governor Seddar Yavuz, Kocaeli Provincial Directorate of National Education Director Fehmi Rasim Çelik, Kocaeli University Rector Prof. Dr. Sadettin Hülagü, Gebze Technical University Rector Prof. Dr. Muhammed Hasan Aslan, Kocaeli University Hospital Chief Physician Prof. Dr. Nuh Zafer Cantürk, Turkey Exporters Council (TİM) Board Chairman İsmail Gülle, and Istanbul Chemical Substances and Products Exporters Association Board Chairman Adil Pelisteri. During the pandemic process, the chemical sector continued production while taking all precautions for the health and safety of its workers. The chemical sector, which holds strategic importance in the Turkish economy, reaffirmed itself through its indispensable products for life during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Important actors of the chemical sector and heads of civil society organizations contributed to the Almanac with their assessments of the sector and 2021 projections.

KİPLAS Board Chairman Levent Kocagül, Plastic Manufacturers Federation (PLASFED) Board Chairman Ömer Karadeniz, Packaging Manufacturers Association (ASD) Board Chairman Zeki Sarıbekir, Turkish Plastic Manufacturers Research, Development and Education Foundation (PAGEV) Board Chairman Yavuz Eroğlu, Plastic Manufacturers Association (PAGDER) Board Chairman Selçuk Gülsün, Hard Plastic Packaging Manufacturers Association (SEPA) Board Chairman Mustafa Kınacı, Rubber Association Board Chairman Nurhan Kaya, Composite Manufacturers Association Board Chairman Barış Pakiş, in their articles pointed to current developments in the chemical subsectors and highlighted sector problems. İTÜ Faculty of Management, Management Engineering Faculty Member Prof. Dr. Öner Günçavdı captured a picture of Turkey's current economic situation and issues exacerbated during the pandemic process for the GEBKİM Almanac, providing an analysis that also includes solution proposals. Sabancı University Materials Science and Nanoengineering Program Faculty Member Prof. Dr. Yusuf Menceloğlu, Dünya Newspaper Board Chairman Hakan Güldağ, and Journalist-Author Metin Can were among the names that met in the GEBKİM Almanac with their valuable articles containing views and future projections on new trends, technologies and digital transformation. PMO Partners Founder and General Manager Bengü Türk shared important information about changing trends in the chemical sector with the pandemic and the GEBKİM Technology Development Center to be established to enable digital transformation. İzgören Academy Founder and Trainer Ahmet Şerif İzgören also made an important contribution to the project, in addition to their assessments of change during the Covid-19 pandemic process and its impact on the world of education, with a training prepared especially for GEBKİM Almanac readers with the theme "Our Focus is the Future." GEBKİM Chemical Specialization Organized Industrial Zone and GEBKİM Foundation Board Chairman Vefa İbrahim Aracı, saying that 21 years ago they set a precedent by bringing chemical industry companies together in an organized structure with a collaborative business culture, noted that GEBKİM played a pioneering role not only through its contribution to the country's economy but also through its projects in education and health. Expressing that as a team well acquainted with Turkish industry, they are aware of the importance chemistry holds for our country and the needs in this field, Vefa İbrahim Aracı stated: "We wanted to bring scattered chemical industry establishments together in the right location, in a specialization organized industrial zone with modern infrastructure required by chemistry, respectful of people and the environment, foster a collaborative business culture and advance our competitiveness through the synergy to be created. With these objectives, the clustering idea pointed to a visionary approach under the conditions of that period. We embarked on a journey to create a chemical ecosystem where companies in the same sector set aside fierce competition and through collaborative business culture formed a united force under the specialization OSB umbrella, and we succeeded in this. Companies in GEBKİM Chemical Specialization OSB strengthen their strengths by combining their abilities, differences and strengths. Cooperation, environmental sensitivity, investment in innovation, honest business practices, service to country development and most importantly, investment in people form the common denominator of all companies in our zone." Noting that GEBKİM OSB continues to grow as an exemplary clustering model in the chemical industry that commands attention today, Aracı said: "With its modern infrastructure designed specifically for the sector's needs, social facilities, production approach respectful of environment and people, management vision, GEBKİM Vocational and Technical Anatolian High School, Kindergarten, EU projects, digital transformation and innovation initiatives, as well as cooperation with public, local government and universities, we have surpassed our dreams. With the dedicated efforts of our companies, we will continue to advance while increasing the added value we provide to our city and country day by day. I thank everyone who contributed to the GEBKİM Almanac project, which presents the work of GEBKİM and our companies and includes articles by very valuable figures," he concluded.