Metal kitchenware manufacturers, trying to heal the wounds of the earthquake in Kahramanmaras, aim to export $100 million in the second half of the year.
Production in factories and workshops in Kahramanmaras, which stands out with the pots, pans, forks, knives and similar metal kitchenware sector, was interrupted by the earthquakes on 6 February.
Work continues to ensure that the factories and workshops in the city, which started to return to normal after the earthquakes, catch up with the old production figures.
Call to shopkeepers: “Stay in the city”
Kahramanmaras Coppersmiths, Aluminum Product Manufacturers and Founders Chamber of Craftsmen and Craftsmen Selamet Atli told Anadolu Agency (AA) that many workshops were heavily damaged in the earthquakes.
Stating that the manufacturers trying to heal the wounds of the earthquake started working in their workshops, Atli said, “We have not returned to our old self yet. A partial work has begun. The workshops that remain intact are working, on the other hand, our craftsmen continue to work on the benches they put in front of the damaged shops.”
Atli reminded that the copper, aluminum, casting and kitchenware production sector in the city exports millions of dollars every year and is called “Little China” due to its intensive production capacity.
Noting that they want to lift the foot of the industry quickly, Atli said:
“Looking at the industry as a whole, we had an export of approximately $200 million last year. We exported only $30 million in copper, but we will not be able to catch it this year. Hopefully, we will organize our workplaces in a short time – not counting the first 6 months – we want to catch half of this export figure in the second six months of the year. “
Emphasizing that the continuation of production in the city is of great importance for the city, Atli said, “My special call to our tradesmen is that they do not leave their hometowns and make their productions in Kahramanmaras. This profession is very important for our city.”
“We will contribute to the economy of the city and the country”
Producer Ali Emre Erbilir stated that 4 of 5 workplaces were destroyed due to earthquakes.
Expressing that they embraced production with all their hands to leave the hard days behind, Erbilir said, “We set up our machines outside, on the streets, we built a roof over them. Our masters and apprentices started to work. It is very important that this sector, which has high exports, rise up. By opening our shops, we will continue our work from where we left off and contribute to the economy of the city and the country.”
Source: AA / Prepared by Irem Yildiz