Minister Kacır: Technology Stars of the Future Are Here

Minister Kacır: There are future Aziz Sancars and Selçuk Bayraktars in TEKNOFEST competitions (2)

Minister of Industry and Technology Mehmet Fatih Kacır went to Isparta after his visit to TEKNOFEST organized in Antalya. After the governor’s office and municipality visits, Minister Kacır opened the carpet, marble and pallet factories belonging to the private sector in the Isparta Organized Industrial Zone. Governor Aydın Baruş, Isparta deputies Mehmet Uğur Gökgöz from the AK Party, Hasan Basri Sönmez from the MHP, Isparta Mayor Şükrü Başdeğirmen and other protocol members also attended the opening. Minister Mehmet Fatih Kacır said in his speech at the opening, “I hope that our 3 facilities, which will bring the heritage of our brand city in carpet weaving to the world, transform our marble resources into added value, strengthen our renewable and environmentally friendly energy production infrastructure, with a total investment size approaching 1.8 billion and provide a source of income for 160 citizens, will be beneficial and auspicious for Isparta, our nation and our country.”

Minister Kacır, who stated that they have resolutely taken steps that will ensure that Turkey is among the leading countries in production, investment, R&D and innovation in line with the vision of the National Technology Move, said, “We have achieved great gains in industry and technology in the last 22 years. We increased R&D expenditures from 1.2 billion dollars to 12 billion dollars, and the number of R&D personnel from 29 thousand to 272 thousand. The number of our employees in the industry increased from 3 million 900 thousand to 6 million 700 thousand. The organized industrial zones, whose numbers increased from 191 to 360, and the 45 industrial zones we established have become the production bases of Turkey. Our automotive production increased from 357 thousand to 1 million 468 thousand annually. Turkey became the third largest automobile manufacturer in Europe. Our white goods production increased from 6.7 million units to 32.3 million units. Turkey became the largest white goods manufacturer in Europe and the second largest in the world. Our iron and steel production increased from 16.4 million to 1 million 468 thousand. million tons, to 33.7 million tons. The national and original products of our defense industry, which lit the signal flare of our National Technology Initiative, have become elements that change war paradigms and determine geopolitical balances in the world today. With the investments we have made in satellite technologies, we have brought our country to a level where it can develop, test and produce its own communication and imaging satellites,” he said.

Minister Kacır emphasized that they have made the nation’s 60-year-old dream of a domestic and national automobile come true with Togg, and continued as follows:

“Our country, which is the address of trust and stability in its region, is taking firm steps forward on its development journey on the route of investment, employment, production, invention and export despite global and regional challenges. We are gradually putting into practice support instruments that will add new ones to our century-worth gains that we have fit into just 22 years, and will strengthen the competitiveness of the Turkish industry. We are implementing projects that will strengthen our country’s role as a global production and technology development base by prioritizing value-added and high-tech production, realizing the green and digital transformation of our industry, and mobilizing our qualified human resources at the highest level. With the Investment Committed Advance Credit (YTAK) program that we have rapidly put into practice, we have provided access to long-term and favorable financing conditions for the realization of technological and strategic investments that will contribute to the rise of our economy. With the HIT-30 High Technology Investment Program announced by our President, we have put into practice the largest-scale incentive program in our history that will make Turkey the focus of high-tech investments. With the green and digital transformation support programs, we are offering support mechanisms that will respond to the short, medium and long-term needs of businesses in the twin transformation. With the Local Development Initiative we have initiated, we are mobilizing the entire local potential of our cities and spreading it across the country.”

Following Minister Mehmet Fatih Kacır’s speech, the opening ribbon was cut. Afterwards, OSB Board Chairman Mustafa Karabulut presented Minister Kacır with a painting of a Turkish flag woven into a carpet. Following his program here, Minister Mehmet Fatih Kacır met with business people at the Isparta Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ITSO) for a meeting.