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Istanbul - 2004 : " 'MADE IN TURKEY' HAS BECOME A BRAND"

BiKey Textile works mostly on home textiles; bathrobes, bath mats, washcloths and many similar products. Directing to hotel textiles, the firm produces hotel towels, bathrobes, mats, towel slippers made of very durable yarns, suitable to commercial use and similar products. In addition to its normal production the firm also has promotional products for many well-known firms. "Our current markets are Ireland, Greece, Sweden, England, Italy, USA, Austria and Switzerland. In recent years our customers want to label "Made in Turkey" on their products. This makes us quite happy. In fact 'Made in Turkey' has become a brand on towels and bathrobes. We believe that trade would be productive when happiness happens at the two sides of trade," says Bulent Kacmaz. We conducted an interview with Bulent Kacmaz, owner of BiKey Textiles.

Q: Would you please tell us about your firm?
A: Our firm has come its today's position completely focusing on the customer pleasure and keeping conception of high quality at the forefront. The customer satisfaction is one of the most important concepts for the firm. At the end of our every work, by keeping in touch with customers we share what kind of positive developments can be made for the next order and production, and we seek always to be more successful with our customers. In addition to believing importance of face-to-face negotiation, our firm is determined, as a work principle, to research expectations of our customers even if there is no problem or trouble in normal procedures. We do that by routine customer visits.

Q: Would you please inform us about your product kinds and capacity?
A: Our products are made up mostly on home textiles, bathrobes, bath mats, wash clothes and many similar products. Directed to hotel use, we produce hotel towels, bathrobes, bath mats, terry slippers; all of which are made of very durable yarns, suitable to commercial use. In Europe, many of the five-star hotels' towels and bathrobes are supplied by BiKey. Knowing very well the difference between the home textiles and hotel textiles our firm advices suitable products to its customers and let their use facilitate. Our capacity is 100 tons per month. In addition to these, there are also promotional products we produce. We produce promotional towels, bar towels and promotional textiles to many well known companies, including medicine firms and beer brands.

Q: Would you tell us about your exports, and target markets?
A: In 2006, the expected exports volume is some 2 million USD. Our current markets are countries like Ireland, Greece, Sweden, England, Italy, USA, Austria and Switzerland. In addition to these countries, our target markets will be Denmark, Finland and Czech Republic in 2006.

Q: What is your production and sales policy?
A: Our production policy is to produce exactly what our customers demand. Every customer has various quality understanding and expectation. Our duty is to look after our customers' advantages and to bring quality to the optimum level. Our trade understanding does not finish with the production and delivering it to the customer. We take necessary precautions at the beginning by taking into consideration what the customer would experience in the future. We give much importance to our current markets rather than targeting markets. Increasing our trade volume in the current markets is more important than finding a new one for BiKey. Because, the firms, which recognize each other and know what they want and expect, can get more successful chance. Our new work with every customer becomes more productive than the previous one. Our sale amount in the domestic market is quite less, we prefer to give our energy to the customers in Europe.

Q: How is your competitive power?
A: WE have full confidence with ourselves in quality matter thanks to our customers who trust the image of Turkish towel. Throughout the world Turkish towel fact expresses a certain quality. Generally customers want their own brand called Private Label productions. But in recent years our customers want to label 'Made in Turkey' on the products. This makes us quite happy. In fact 'Made in Turkey' ahs become a brand at towels and bathrobes. In the price competition, especially in the markets which Chinese and Pakistani production are sold intensively, 'Made in Turkey' labels have overcome. Many of our customers express that 'Made in Turkey' products would provide advantage against Chinese and Pakistani products. We, as firm, give much importance to the quality of labor force. High quality is at the forefront. We prefer to waste our one month production into garbage rather than making our customer upset. We believe that trade would be productive when happiness happen at the two sides of the trade.

Q: Is there any factor that keeps you at the forefront other than quality?
A: Turkey is in a distance taking 2-3 hours by plane. With container transportation it takes o10-12 days; in highway transportation it takes 3-4 days. Turkey is a country within Europe. Transportation process is as important as production process. While we wait the loading approval from our customer we can finish the transportation process by sending products into our customer's depot depending on transportation type; either using highway in 2-3 days, or by marine line in 1-2 weeks. This is really an important advantage. While the firms which work with the Far East cannot imagine these periods, Turkish producers can reach customers' depots in a short time thanks to maneuver capability and near road advantage. In addition, the machines and parts that we use allow us to act more swiftly thanks to their flexible features. Having tow firms under the name BiKey, BiKey Textile, and BiKey Export, assuming production and exports we give quality control responsibility in production matter to BiKey Export. Making up two various poles in our firm provides an advantage to our customers in the matter of quality control.

Q: Are you hopeful with the future of Turkey-EU relations?
A: We, as BiKey, follow up the relations with great care. In fact, Turkey is a member of EU at the customs gates. Every product produced in our country is exported with zero custom duty to EU with ATR1 certificate. The rest of relations with EU are politics. In fact, we see that Turkey is a part of Europe due to our relations with our customers and in our journeys to foreign countries and with high trade volume. The remaining part is a political integration; the reforms realized in the recent years show that this integrity would result positive in a short time.