Interview with Zeki Kuyumcu, Owner of Starmak Mühendislik

We conducted an interview with Zeki Kuyumcu, owner of Starmak Mühendislik ve Dış Ticaret, about his professional background, representation and distribution activities, and objectives.

Mr. Kuyumcu, could you briefly tell our readers about yourself, your education, and your professional background in the sector?

I graduated from ODTÜ Mechanical Engineering in 1980. I began my career that same year in Izmir at DYO paint factories, which are part of Yaşar Holding, as a Project and Maintenance Engineer. For more than 17 years until I established my own company, I was involved in all paint factory investments of the holding. I was hired to work on the holding's new factory to be established in Gebze/Dilovası. After working on project and maintenance matters for 2 years, I completed my 4-month military service in 1982, during which the company continued to pay half my salary. Immediately after military service, I went to Gebze as Site Engineer for the investment whose construction had just begun. During my approximately 3.5 years in Gebze, I had the opportunity to be involved in a factory investment from beginning to end for the first time. After the investment was completed, I continued as Factory Production and Operations Manager together with 2 other young Chemical Engineering colleagues. After the factory was put into operation, I also managed all auxiliary operations including the boiler room, compressor room, wastewater treatment facility, and hydro-pneumatic tank. This period was a time for me to gain experience. After 3.5 years, I moved to the Dewilüx paint factory, newly acquired by the Holding in Izmir, where I was involved in the facility's operations, capacity increase, and modernization work. Finally, I worked as Machine and Equipment Selection Manager on the completely new DYO paint and binders factory investment established in Izmir's A.O.S.B. (Atatürk Organized Industrial Zone). After this project was completed and the factory was put into operation, I left the company where I had worked for more than 17 years to establish my own business.

Could you outline the development process since establishing Starmak Mühendislik?

I established Starmak in 1997 as an engineering firm, primarily drawing on the experience I had accumulated over many years. My first project was a 6-month assignment as commissioning and inspection engineer for the newly established DYO Paint Factory. After that, I sought to expand my business by obtaining representations of companies I had come to know during my career—companies that were among the best in their respective fields. First, I traveled to Antwerp, Belgium, and obtained the representation of De Vree filling machines, then later obtained representations from German companies Niemann and Full. After that, as a result of companies referring each other, other firms were added to my list of representations. After becoming a representative, to develop my business, I virtually visited all companies established in Turkey to introduce myself. Since the companies I represented were already well-known and especially because of the technical experience I had acquired throughout my career, requests for quotes began to arrive, and within the first year I made several machine sales that could be considered successful for my business. From that point on, I continued to assist both the companies I represented and customer firms in machine selection and technical matters, and I continue to love the work I do. All company representations I have held since my first year in business have continued uninterrupted for 19 years.

Could you briefly describe your areas of operation and the products and product groups of the companies whose representation you perform?

In addition to the representation work I attempted to describe in your previous question, I carry out engineering and contracting work particularly on paints and binders factory investments, working together with offices and subcontractor companies. I believe all the companies I represent are among the best in their fields in terms of engineering and are well-known companies domestically and internationally. WILHELM NIEMANN GmbH & Co. is a German manufacturer of dissolvers and basket mills, FÜLL Systembau GmbH is a German manufacturer of dispensing systems, D.W. RENZMANN Apparatebau GmbH is a German manufacturer of tank washing and distillation machines. J.DE VREE & Co. N.V. is a Belgian company manufacturing semi and fully automatic filling machines, Biic BIANCHI S.p.A. is an Italian company establishing and manufacturing complete binders facilities, Idealtec S.r.l. is an Italian manufacturer of powder automation. Beyond these, I have other company representations with which I work to supply all types of technical materials—pumps, valves, filters, mixers, etc.—according to companies' needs.

Could you provide information about your project services for establishing complete paint and binders facilities?

We carry out all engineering work for establishing a new factory or increasing capacity and modernizing and automating existing facilities, working together with the companies I partner with. These works include: capacity calculations and layout plan preparation (I perform this work together with companies that request the project design), preparation of flow diagrams (piping and instrumentation), preparation of manufacturing plans for tanks, boilers, mixers, etc., architectural and steel structure design, electrical and automation projects, and preparation of specifications. During the design process, it is beneficial for investing companies to resolve as many details as possible and then proceed to the procurement and manufacturing phase. Otherwise, time and value losses occur due to missing details and design deficiencies in the investment process. Following the design process I have attempted to describe, we can carry out machine and equipment selection, preparation of material procurement lists, procurement, and manufacturing and contracting services together with our subcontractor companies. Within this scope, in addition to work I have done at many companies, there is the paint and binders factory investment of İba-Valresa company, a joint investment of Turkish and Spanish companies established in Ankara in 2008, and complete production facility investments that took place in Azerbaijan and Libya domestically and internationally.

Could you tell us about your customer portfolio? Which sectors do you serve?

In line with the knowledge and experience I have acquired, I particularly serve paint and binders factories within the chemical sector. As is known, all manufacturing companies in this sector and companies supplying machinery and equipment know each other. For this reason, virtually all companies in the sector producing at different capacities are among our customers. If I must name them, the known short names and order of the companies are: Akçalı Boya, Akzo-Marshall, Betek, DYO, Ece Boya, İshakol, Jotun, KCC, Kalekim, Kanat Boya, Kansai Altan, Kayalar Kimya, Merbolin, Polisan, Sintaş, Sun Chemical, Tek Boya. And other companies are among our domestic customers with whom we have worked for years. Could you discuss the quality principles you apply for the reliability of your products and the continuity of your company? I believe the companies I represent are preferred precisely because they are leaders in this sector and technology creators in their fields, and they reflect their own quality policies to their customers. Niemann manufactures only dissolvers and basket mills, De Vree manufactures only filling machines, Renzmann manufactures only washing machines and distillation units, Full manufactures only dispensing systems—they are specialist companies in their respective fields. Because I have factory experience in the past, I try to put myself in their place and, in a sense, feel their needs to assist them as quickly as possible. During various conversations with our customers at different times, hearing from them about our efforts to respond quickly to any of their needs is a source of pride for us. Do you provide pre-sales and after-sales support activities for your customers' satisfaction? Nearly all of our customers are companies with engineering departments and maintenance staff. In general, all machines and equipment sold do not cause many problems. When maintenance assistance is requested from us, we aim to provide all types of technical assistance to minimize downtime and deliver the necessary spare parts to them in the shortest possible time.

Could you provide information about your targets and projects?

As before, I hope to be involved in all projects in this sector and to help our customers in their choices through our experience. Since my company was founded, I have observed with satisfaction that each year, the needs coming from our customers—though not always the same companies—have increased whether for modernization and renovation or as new investments. What are your thoughts on the Turkish paints sector? The Turkish paints sector is a leading sector in capacity and knowledge accumulation both domestically and internationally, and especially in our region. All our factories employ engineer teams with extensive experience. When I visit factories, I observe with satisfaction original R&D work and the increasing number of countries to which exports are made each passing day. With the increase in automation levels in factories and the addressing of technical safety deficiencies, it will continue capacity and development.

What are your thoughts and expectations regarding the Paintistanbul & Turkcoat 2016 Fair?

The fair is an indispensable necessity for the sector and is a gathering event of the sector where domestic and international participants exchange information with guests and customers. Because we continuously participate in this fair together with all the companies I represent, I observe with satisfaction that each time the fair attempts to meet the expectations of participants and visitors. On behalf of myself and the participating companies, I extend my thanks to those who contributed to it.

Finally, do you have a message you would like to convey to the sector?

All companies work with flammable and explosive substances as required by the sector, and unfortunately we witness sad accidents and fires almost every year. Because I have witnessed various accidents and fire incidents during my working life, I believe that in addition to in-house theoretical training, practical training is needed to prevent this situation. Sensing in a way where such a fire hazard could originate and being able to respond early with the company's own personnel when a fire occurs is, in my opinion, more important than anything else. While working in the factory, I witnessed solvent vapors on a 3-cylinder engine igniting due to static electricity, solvent vapors accumulating under a cover during hot work such as welding and other spark-producing operations—despite all precautions—igniting, a solvent layer accumulating on water easily catching fire, inadequately ventilated tanks, reactors, etc., always creating danger, and similar fire incidents. With the hope that similar accidents will not happen again, I wish that safety measures be given priority.