Turkiye’s machinery exports increased by 20.1% in January compared to the same period of the previous year and rose to $2.1 billion.
According to the data of the Machinery Exporters’ Association (MAIB), the machinery industry, which reached an export of $25.3 billion with an increase of 9.6% last year and broke the record of all time, started 2023 with a record.
Turkiye’s machinery exports increased by 3% in quantity and 20.1% in value compared to the same period of the previous year. Last month, the export amount was $2.1 billion.
The most exported market was Germany, with an increase of 22.6% and a figure of $273 million. Russia followed Germany with $165 million and the United States with $117 million. The increase in exports was 210% in Russia and 29.9% in the USA.
Kutlu Karavelioglu, Chairman of the Machinery Exporters’ Association, in his assessment to the AA correspondent, said that the sector, which left January behind with a significant increase, is also mobilized to undertake duties in the provinces affected by the earthquakes in Kahramanmaras.
Noting that companies, especially those in the field of construction and mining machinery, took immediate action to contribute to the rescue activities from under the rubble immediately after the earthquake, Karavelioglu continued his words as follows:
“From the first moment of the earthquake, there has been an intense need for lifting machines such as mobile cranes, work machines such as backhoes and loaders, and electrical machines such as generators. Although these machines are in the inventory of many users, our rental organizations, the organizations of our official institutions, especially construction contractors, miners and municipalities, in every province, they were insufficient at first due to the destructiveness and prevalence of the disaster and the incapacity of most of the machines and their operators. We understand that they will not be sufficient in any way in the face of this great disaster, from the fact that more than 12 thousand construction machines are operating at the head of the wreckage.”
“Our exporters sent all their machines ready for shipment to the field”
Kutlu Karavelioglu said that in order to contribute to disaster recovery efforts, leading exporters across Turkiye sent all their ready-to-ship machines to the field, and that he also appointed almost all of the service and maintenance staff.
Expressing that they are grateful to all associations such as the Turkish Machinery Federation and the Turkish Construction Equipment Distributors and Manufacturers Association (IMDER), who work hard to reflect their current opportunities on the field, Karavelioglu said, “In the next period, our focus will be on the shelter and infrastructure needs of earthquake victims.”
“Our priority agenda is the needs of the region”
MAIB President Kutlu Karavelioglu stated that the machinery manufacturers continue their humanitarian aid in coordination with the public and NGOs, and said that they prioritize the needs of the people of the region as the urgent agenda.
Karavelioglu stated that the importance of the machinery sector in the civil defense chapter, which is of great importance to ensure that infrastructure services such as energy, water, sewage and cold chain, are not interrupted during this difficult process, made the following statements:
“While the supplies were flowing to the region from all over the country, our companies made an effort to quickly manufacture and deliver products such as heaters, toilets, water tanks, and mobile kitchens to the region. Many of our manufacturers allocated some of their capacities to container production. Our members continue to work on providing infrastructure needs such as pumping stations, drinking water and sewer lines of settlements that will be partially or completely renovated, as well as all the needs of temporary cities.
As the Machinery Exporters’ Association, like all the organizations of the sector, we will continue to do our best to contribute to meeting the main needs of the region in the next period when debris removal and construction works will be carried out quickly. We will continue to be a guide for our foreign friends who want to provide international solidarity and deliver their humanitarian aid to our country.”
“Our businesses in the region will start operating again in a short time”
Kutlu Karavelioglu stated that the total share of the 10 provinces affected by the earthquake was around 3% in the machinery sector, which achieved an export of $2.1 billion including the free zones in the quarry, and gave the following information:
“The fact that more than 2,700 machine manufacturers in the region are mostly working in steel buildings has minimized machine and plant damage, but the situation for workers is challenging. Although the issues that will hinder production do not come to the fore in Gaziantep and Adana, which make more than half of the region’s exports, in Hatay, which is in the third place, the problems are big and the loss of personnel is at a high level.
The concern of all sectors, not just machinery, is urgently meeting the living needs of their staff. The ultimate goal of all aid, in cash and in kind, is to heal the wounds and prevent people from being without cities and cities without people. We foresee that the enterprises in the iron and steel sector, which is of great importance for machinery manufacturing, will return to their old capacity in a short time.”
Karavelioglu stated that the reconstruction of the damaged structures and the relief of pain will take time, but the starting of the industrial enterprises as soon as possible will greatly contribute to the economic sustainability of the region.
Kutlu Karavelioglu emphasized that the importance of the machinery sector for Turkiye’s ability to fend off threats and its technological independence is once again seen.
Source: AA / Prepared by Irem Yildiz