During the meeting we had with Elektrosan Corporate Group General Coordinator Electrical Engineer A. Aydın BÜYÜKOĞLU, graduated from Istanbul Technical University in 1980; we had the opportunity to get detailed information about the sector and the activities of the corporate group manufacturing at the plants in Istanbul, Lüleburgaz and Kırşehir.

SUBCONTURKEY: Could you inform us about the names and corporate identities of the affiliate companies of Elektrosan Corporate Group?

A. Aydın BÜYÜKOĞLU: Producing electrical tubular heating elements, which are used as components and accessories in the household electrical appliances; Elektrosan Elektrik Malzemeleri Taahhüt ve Ticaret Ltd. Şti serves as the “subsidiary industry” for the key industries that manufacture devices in the fields of metal tube sheathed heater resistance, industrial type heaters, stainless steel tubes and Brazing (CAB). In addition, hotplates made of iron casting and various iron casting components are produced in Piramit Elektrikli Ev Aletleri San. Ve Tic. Ltd.Şti, which is our second producer company and an affiliate company of Elektrosan Corporate Group.

Our company “Elektrosan Elektrik Malzemeleri” was established in 1987, and started operating in the 100 meter squares of area. Today, under the management of Board Chairman Mr. Ilhan Oburoğlu (Electrical Engineer graduated from Istanbul Technical University in 1983);tubular  heater resistance for the electrical household appliances are manufactured in the 14.000 meter squares of indoor plant in Kıraç/Istanbul; and heater resistance for the industrial kitchens and industrial type heaters are produced in the 5.500 meter squares of indoor plant in Lüleburgaz.

Besides, the services of stainless tube and Brazing are offered for the domestic market and export in these plants. 200 employees are employed in total.

“Piramit Elektrikli Ev Aletleri Sanayi ve Ticaret Ltd. Şti.” started operating in 1996. The company produces “Electrical Hotplates”. Due to the problems experienced in the iron-casting base supply for a long time, we completed and put into use our investment in iron foundry in Kırşehir Organized Industrial Zone in 2016. The iron casting components of hotplate bases and industrial kitchen equipment made of iron casting such as toaster and griller plates, burner heads and firedogs are produced here. The company serves in the 7.000 meter squares of indoor area at the plants in Istanbul and Kırşehir with 50 employees.

SUBCONTURKEY: Could you give detailed information about your production capacity and the products you manufacture?

A.Aydın BÜYÜKOĞLU: As the electrical metal tube sheathed heating resistance, “Elektrosan Elektrik Malzemeleri” has the 17.000.000 meters/year of tube filling capacity, or the 13.000 pieces/ year of end product installed capacity in total at the plants in Istanbul and Lüleburgaz.

These products are mainly used in the electrical household appliances produced by the key industry customers, such as electrical domestic type full size and mini-midi furnaces, toasters, electrical grill and barbeque devices, flaky pastry plates, covered- open grills, electric pots, deep fryers, pizza cookers, electric thermo-siphons, bathroom and kitchen geysers, instantaneous water heaters, steam generator iron resistance, electric and oil-radiator resistors, tea-coffee machines.

In addition, various resistance are produced for our customers who produce devices for the industrial kitchen industry such as Bain-Marie, warm-keeping basin resistance, casting toast and casting grill resistance, semovar and coffee-tea machine heaters, resistance of the devices heating warm-keeping soup, chocolate, corn, sahlep and sauce, industrial type furnaces, resistance of the dishwashers and washing machines, and resistance of the casting Waffle and ice-cream cone machines.

For the sector of Heating-Ventilating-Air Conditioning; devices such as electrical boiler and electrical room heater resistance, finned tube resistance for the air ducts, spare vessel resistors for the solar heating systems and heat pumps, steam boiler and steam super-heaters, absorption heaters, industrial oil heating boilers, heat exchangers, line heaters and large-type flanged, headed, dip heater resistance, sauna heaters, defrosts, evaporators and open cold-keeping fridge resistance are used.

For the different sectors and industries; our products are safely used in the areas suitable for heating with electricity for various sectors and industries, such as incubator resistance, deicer resistance for the boards, pre-heater resistors for the groups of generators and electrogens, pellet-burning burner resistance, textile machines, resistance for the industry press irons, hairdresser steam generators, kettles, tea-coffee machines used in the aluminum injection casting and plastic joinery welding apparatus resistance.

“Piramit Elektrikli Ev Aletleri” has the 1.500.000 pieces/year of capacity in various diameters and dimensions at the plants in Istanbul and Kırşehir. Moreover, as the foundry, the plant has the 3.000 tons/year of pig casting capacity. Round Hotplates used in the electrical household appliances are produced in this company, and this year we will start producing square type high-powered Hotplates, intensely used in the sectors of industrial kitchens and navigation.

Stainless steel tube is produced in the thickness of thin meat (between 0.30 and 1.50 mm), in various small diameters (between 7.5 and 20mm), in the length of maximum 6 meters or cut short length, as annealed or unannealed, in various stainless steel qualities according to the customer demand in the domestic market and export. Currently there are 7 tube production lines with over 20.000.000 meters of capacity per year.

The stainless tube is used in various sectors. It is used in the tube resistance producers, boiler inner tubes of electrical instantaneous water heaters, the tubes of the mixers and blenders with handles, electrical storage typ of water heaters inner hot water tubes produced by cutting and shaping the outlets in accordance with the customer demand, drying hangers, the handles of the glass covers in the electrical furnaces, handles, stems and bodies for the sectors of accessories, bathroom and kitchen; and for the sector of automotive.

With CAB (Controlled Atmosphere Brazing Process), also called as Brazing joint, it is possible to make various pieces join with nickel brazing, copper brazing, silver brazing and brass brazing in the 5 furnaces for various sectors. As the gas protection, in addition to the gas mixture of hydrogen and nitrogen derived from the ammoniac crackers, hydrogen is derived from the water in the hydrogen generators by using electricity, and used. As fason, the annealing processes are carried out as well.

SUBCONTURKEY: How was 2017 for Elektrosan Group? Did the production increase? Could you please compare with 2016?

A.Aydın BÜYÜKOĞLU: As Elektrosan Group, 2017 ended with the production amount almost the same as the amount in 2016. However, even though our expenditures increased, our turnovers stayed at the same levels; this is why we can say that 2016 was better for us. The production increase in our factory in Lüleburgaz, product range and reaching various sectors had a positive effect on turnovers; thus, these could be considered as one of the positive outcomes of 2017.

Our other company, Piramit Ltd. Şti., has increased Hotplate production 40 %, started producing casting toast plates and burner heads for our customers in the industrial kitchen industry, and has gradually increased the iron casting range since our foundry in Kırşehir was put into use in 2017.

SUBCONTURKEY: Could you inform us about your R & D and product works?

A. Aydın BÜYÜKOĞLU: We consider our product “heater resistance” as the “heart” of the device in which it is used. Even though there are other components and accessories, the function cannot be completed without the resistor. Therefore, design has a great importance in the beginning.

Three different works are conducted in the electrical metal tube sheathed heater resistance regarding the new product.

At the first situation, as a result of the demand of a new product by the customer, the works are carried out in accordance with the technical image or samples. The production condition of Elektrosan, producibility, technical image and product index of this product are generated, and a sample is prepared in case of demand. Moulds, apparatus, gauges and machines are supposed to be developed for the special types, and are able to be prepared in our machinery workshop within the scope of our factory. In case of accepting the unit price made with the information transferred to the sales department, the required works are completed and production starts.

The second situation includes the works in partnership with our customers. These works are conducted as “Simultaneous Engineering Works” in partnership with our customers starting from the idea and design stages of the electrical household appliances planned by the customers to produce. For the relevant device, these works are completed by conducting the implementation of the electrical heater part in the most efficient way, and carrying out the applications, experiments and tests based on our long-term savings and experiences.

The third situation includes the R & D and design works for the different and new products, which could be produced within the scope of our factory in terms of machinery and production methods, and used as components or accessories in the productions of our customers. After these designs at the idea stage are offered to the Management Board, the producibility is discussed, and it is accepted; the required equipment and machinery investments are planned. Following the preparation of the sample, the product is protected with the certificates such as the patent and utility model. We have this kind of certificates for various products and productions.

Apart from the new products, product and process development works are conducted, and the suggestions of the employees are received during the coordination meetings held every week. In addition to the consistently followed developments both in our country and abroad, the Benchmarking works and exhibition visits; the investments and machinery in automation increasing the quality and efficiency, the organization of the Product Development works for innovations have a great share in our success. 

In this regard, to be able to stay at the high level in our sector in terms of quality and production, we have been comparing and developing by evaluating our products, productions and implementations with the competitors and leaders of our sector.

SUBCONTURKEY: What are your expectations and goals for 2018?

A.Aydın BÜYÜKOĞLU: Along with the resistance, we consider 2018 as the year of development and enlargement for the Hotplate and foundry. In addition that our foundry plant will bring advantages to our customers in the upcoming period, we also expect it to contribute positively to the new customer portfolio, preference superiority in the general customer scale and increase in the turnover. With our investment in the additional machinery in this foundry, we would like to reach the levels at which we are able to produce for the sector of automotive by preparing the cleaning, grinding automations, quality control equipment and nodular cast iron infrastructure. After experiencing the expected intensity, we would like to invest in the second moulding line. Continuing the investment research in various sectors, the company management keeps investing in the sectors of agriculture and stockbreeding, along with the sector of health.

Our goals for 2018 are determined as to increase the turnovers and exports, transition to online digital marketing whose infrastructure is prepared, increasing the recognition with exhibitions and advertisement organizations, and research on new foreign markets and new customers with new and young staff.

SUBCONTURKEY: The White goods sector is growing each year, and considered as the production base of Europe. What should be done to maintain this growth? Do you think the incentives in 2017 were enough?

A.Aydın BÜYÜKOĞLU: Apart from a few companies, the brand companies in Europe prefer contract manufacturing (OEM), instead of establishing companies and making investments in our country. In this regard, there are companies which are organized very well, produce high quality products and produce their own brands. However, it is observed that some of the domestic companies doing this business lose their brands, weaken and experience financial hardships in time, due to the reasons such as competition, low profit margins and exchange rate fluctuations. This extreme competition forces companies to supply cheaper materials, which decreases the quality level of the product; thus, the brand companies pull out of the market due to the quality problems, the demand goes to the Eastern Europe, Far East and China; and we lose jobs and employment.

Even if the market is tried to be extended thanks to the transformation, alteration and technology, and evaluation of the standards; because Europe has a certain capacity including export, it seems difficult to maintain the consistent growth. It is necessary to head for the products whose technological and added values are high, increase the product range, and concentrate on R & D and innovation works instead.

We benefited from some incentives implemented in 2017; and we are waiting for the results of some applications. In addition, we are benefiting from the “investment incentives” in our new plants.

SUBCONTURKEY: Do you have investment plans for the upcoming period? Could you inform us about your export? Are you looking for new markets?

A. Aydın BÜYÜKOĞLU: One expression of Bill Boggs explains our idea in a very good way: “Staying where you are is the fastest way to go back in the rapidly changing world”.

We have to fall in step with alteration and growth, with new investments every year. We are investing in both our sector and other sectors for the upcoming period. We spent last three years concentrating on the foundry we established in Kırşehir.

DISA, well known by the people in the iron casting sector, is recognized as a modern, proper and clean plant in accordance with the conditions of the known foundries; with the automatic moulding line system and computer-controlled casting powder mixing and preparing system in the closed cycle, and the dust absorbing filter systems. A few difficulties could be experienced at the beginning; because the working, management, material and purchase of different sectors; and the human resources, communication and transportation of some regions could differ. Notwithstanding, we are glad to be in Kırşehir Organized Industrial Zone, and we recommend this place to the investors. We have the hope that, in the upcoming years, the countries in Europe will completely pull out of the casting industry due to the environmental standards and conditions, and employment costs; thus, the export opportunities in this sector will increase. In addition, we keep working for developing the export for our other commodities. Finally; one group from our company participated in the exhibition in Iran, and we already started producing the first orders taken during the meetings. We directly export to some of the Turkic Republics, and send demounted products to some of them through our customers. We do market research in Northern African and Arab countries; and our brand is recognized in the countries to which we already exported. Even though the market in Israel changes according to the political developments in time, it is a market where our brand is recognized.

SUBCONTURKEY: HEFI- Istanbul Home Electronics Fair Istanbul will be held in June 2018, along with ISK SODEX. Could you share your opinions about these exhibitions?

A.Aydın BÜYÜKOĞLU: We participated in SODEX in 2016. The exhibition was preferred because it was one of the leading exhibitions intensely visited by industrial heater resistor users. We were happy with the results and returns, so we decided to join this year, as well. Besides, we will have the chance to introduce our new products, iron casting toast plates and other products.

When we learned that HEFI was going to be held during 2017, we registered by making a phone call. However, it was announced that the date of the exhibition was changed, and it would be held in June 2018. We would like to join HEFI, because it contains electrical household appliances sector.

SUBCONTURKEY: We know that you have one of the photographs taken during the establishment years of BEYSAD in your archive. Could you share the memory of this photograph with us?

A.Aydın BÜYÜKOĞLU: I discovered this photograph when I was looking at the old archive of mine during the visit of our precious friend Mr. Hasan Danişment in our company. This photograph was taken on 30.03.1994. The first general meeting of BEYSAD outside of TEE A.Ş.- which is the place our association was founded- was held under the chairmanship of Mr. Ender Çakıroğlu in Maçka Arı Kovanı Sosyal Tesisleri, near Istanbul Technical University Faculty of Mines. We know Ender Çakıroğlu from his Arçelik vision and the time he was the technical manager in Çayırova factory, and we became a member of BEYSAD with his recommendation.

Because there were not a lot of companies concentrated and working on “electrical household appliances subsidiary industry”, they wanted to increase the amount of the association members with the invitation (!) to the companies supplying for Arçelik A.Ş.. As Termo-Heat Isı Sanayi ve Ticaret A.Ş., we became a member, because we were the resistance supplier of Arçelik Çayırova, Bolu Ardem Oven and Bolu Water Heaters  plants. In those years during which even the main raw materials were found very hard; the aims and common share of all the companies were to produce more both in quantity and quality, serve the high-level companies, achieve the targets, find new markets, become a brand and have the last technologies. Because we were not be able to staff yet, we had to take on all the requirements including production, sales and accounting. My precious friend Mr. Besim Tuncay Oktayer (ATM Ltd. Şti.) who made a great effort for BEYSAD for many years, one of our precious chairmen Mr. Murat Önay (Önaysan A.Ş.), and my ex-partner, decedent Mr. Sami Özyıldırım are in the photograph taken during the cocktail after the meeting.

On the 25th year of BEYSAD, the situation of our association and the success of the young are the source of pride for everyone who has been under the umbrella of this association and made efforts for it.

BEYSAD General Meeting, 1994

From left to right, the second is Besim T.Oktayer, the third is A.Aydın Büyükoğlu, the fourth is Murat Önay, and the fifth is Sami Özyıldırım.

08.05.2018