Sustainable management and sustainable business practices are two of Nordmann's core corporate elements and form the foundation of activities that are aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs). The company works in close cooperation with its suppliers, for "Partnership" and "Performance", to provide raw materials that will help its customers reach their sustainability targets.
Nordmann, which distributes specialty products and chemicals in international markets, sources the highest quality products globally. Founded in 1912, the company has been serving through its center in Turkey since 2016. Through 24 affiliated companies in Europe, Asia and North America, Nordmann distributes natural and chemical raw materials, additives and specialty chemicals. It is a family company that has maintained its presence for more than a century and continues its successful operations on a global scale. Nordmann is today a 112-year-old family firm, established in 1912. The company's full name is Nordmann Rassmann, behind which lies a meaningful story of loyalty. The Nordmann and Rassmann family members met in Liverpool in the late 1800s. They came to Hamburg in 1912 and founded the company. Two years after the company was established, World War I began. Nordmann was not conscripted due to his age, but Rassmann was drafted and died in the war in December 1914. The Nordmann family has officially kept the Rassmann name from past to present. As can be understood from this, Nordmann Rassmann is a company deeply rooted in and attached to its past. "Nordmann Rassmann is a highly respected group in Europe, but above all highly esteemed; recognized and respected not only by its suppliers or customers but also by its competitors," says Rüştü Barkay, General Director of Nordmann Turkey. This is the company's eighth year in Turkey. We met with Nordmann Turkey General Director Rüştü Barkay; we discussed the company's structure, its operations and sustainability approaches.
Could you describe Nordmann Global's sectoral journey, structure and operations in Turkey?
Nordmann has no manufacturing of its own. We are affiliated with Hamburg-based NRC (Nordmann Rassmann Company) and bring products from many parts of the world through our suppliers. In Turkey, we clear these products through customs and distribute them from our warehouse. In short, we are a distributor of chemical additives or specialty chemicals.
You serve a variety of industries with diverse products. Could you talk about your product portfolio?
Nordmann Rassmann began its journey in Turkey with strong presence in the plastics and paints sectors. Adhesives and sealants, coatings and inks, construction, dental applications, elastomers, flame retardants, flexible packaging, food, personal care and plastics are the areas we serve globally. In recent years, the cosmetics sector has been activated more in Turkey's structure. This year, with the addition of several more international suppliers, our sales and product network expanded. We regularly bring products from suppliers in America, many European countries, the Middle East, the United Arab Emirates and the Far East using sea, air and land routes. Turkey has a very significant advantage in this regard because we can use all transportation channels. After clearing the imported products through customs, we domesticate them in our warehouses in four separate regions of Turkey—if we count Istanbul as two separate regions—and then provide them to our customers. We have warehouses in Istanbul on both the European and Anatolian sides, in Izmir and in Mersin. From our warehouses in Izmir and Mersin, we serve Anatolia, and from our Istanbul warehouses, we serve the Marmara Region.
Rüştü Barkay, General Director of Nordmann Turkey
Chemicals generally fall into the high-risk product category. In that regard, what do you pay attention to in storage?
First, let us emphasize: we use warehouse services at international standards. Instead of our own dedicated warehouse, we work with warehouses that have chemical records and are subject to chemical inspection. Our warehouses comply with all standards, from fire extinguishers to environmental and occupational safety. This is a very important matter for us. Twice a year we conduct internal audits and also request reports from the warehouses we work with. Chemicals are largely products with high explosion risk, and even if not, they may carry environmental risk. This also makes compliance with international standards in warehouses mandatory.
We know that sustainability is one of Nordmann's main focus areas. Your new partnership with Cromogenia Units was announced in March, and sustainable raw materials are also an important focus point. Could you explain to us what this means?
For us, sustainability is a combination of ecological, social and economic responsibility. We use our product and application knowledge to help our customers select raw materials they need to create sustainable solutions. Since last year, we have been working with Cromogenia Units to distribute HDI-based polycarbonate diols, water-based binders and hydrophilic aliphatic polyisocyanates to manufacturers in the DACH region. Cromogenia Units focuses on developing and producing a wide variety of chemical specialties, particularly environmentally friendly products. The partnership we have established means we can offer our customers sustainable solutions such as water-based systems instead of solvent-based systems for various surfaces, and at the same time increase wear resistance and product durability with lower emissions.
What can you tell us about Nordmann's sustainability approach, targets and activities you undertake to reach these targets?
Sustainable management and sustainable business practices are two of Nordmann's core corporate elements and form the foundation of our activities that are aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs). We ensure our customers are aware of the various ways our extensive product range and applications can be used to support them, and we also advise them on recycling and product durability. Our goal is to be transparent and provide our customers with a clear picture of the entire production cycle. To this end, our team is currently developing a comprehensive system to assess the sustainability profiles of suppliers and business partners.
Please tell us about Nordmann's 4 P's (People - Partnership - Products - Performance). What do these terms mean exactly?
We attach great importance to each of these four P's because they relate to our comprehensive sustainability understanding and our corporate philosophy. With "People," our focus is on encouraging our colleagues and business partners to act sustainably and work together to make positive contributions. For "Partnership" and "Performance," we work in close cooperation with our suppliers to provide raw materials that will help our customers reach their own individual sustainability targets. In terms of "Products," we work to support our product range with renewable, natural raw materials that meet our sustainability criteria. This approach not only enables us to reach our business targets, but also allows us to actively support sustainable development.
What do you think we can/should do for the world? What recommendations do you have for your competitors and stakeholders?
We believe chemistry provides and will continue to provide solutions to some of the most important challenges of our time, from nutrition and health to mobility, energy and climate change. Chemistry has the potential to make a significant impact on sustainability and environmental protection. Accelerating research and development towards environmentally friendly products and processes is of key importance. This includes seeking alternative raw materials, finding ways to reduce energy consumption and emissions during production, and continuing to develop recyclable materials. The chemical industry and its stakeholders can play an important role in supporting a sustainable future by adopting a proactive approach and working in cooperation with governments, other industries and society as a whole.
Report by: Bikem Öğünç
Gallery
