“By 2024, We will Establish Our Third Company in Turkey”

Interview: Özge Çağıl Sütcü 

Ali Karen, General Manager of Polteks said; “Through determined and meticulous efforts, despite being a 29-year-old company, we have managed to become the second in the sector worldwide. However, this is not enough for us, so we strive to work even harder. We are preparing to establish our third company in Turkey in 2024.”

As Tekstil Teknoloji magazine we interviewed with Ali Karen General Manager of Polteks. Karen shared the founding story of Polteks with us and recounted the experiences they had during this process. Discussing investment plans, Karen talked about their aim to venture into new export markets.

Could you tell us about yourself?

I was born in 1964 in Samsun/Hacıismail village. I grew up in a family of immigrants who came from Greece in 1924. I grew up with Black Sea and immigrant culture.

After completing primary school in the village, I completed middle school and technical high school in the center of Samsun. After graduating from technical high school, due to the political environment, I spent 3 years working as a master craftsman in my family’s workshop, and during this work, I realized that education, science, and belief are necessary to succeed in good work. Then I won the Akdeniz University Mechanical Engineering and graduated.

My family lived in a village close to the city center. They engaged in agriculture and animal husbandry. In addition, we operated our workshop in the industry. Our family supported wherever there was a need for children. That’s why I did all kinds of work in my childhood and tried to learn them well. My general goal in life is to do the best job no matter what I do.

Can you share with us the founding story of Polteks company?

After graduating from university, I worked as an engineer, production manager, and factory manager in two of Turkey’s large companies. While working as an engineer in the last company I worked for, I received a job offer from a large foreign company, but I did not accept it. Because I always wanted to stay in my country and do useful work for my country and be a useful individual to my country.

Then I decided to start my own business. I thought I would be more useful to my country in this way. So, 29 years ago, on 01.12.1994, I took the first step and settled in Bursa and established a small mold workshop. When the business of my workshop grew quickly, we started exporting. In fact, we further developed and started producing elastomer parts and machines.

“Our New Goal is to Export to Larger Countries Like Europe and America”

Where are your export markets, and in which markets do you operate?

26 years ago, we established the factory where we are now and tried to expand it every 5 years. 24 years ago, we established our factory in Romania. Our goal was to take a share from the European market, and we succeeded. 14 years ago, we also established our factory in Uzbekistan. Our goal was to take a share from the Turkish and Russian markets. Today, as a company that has achieved many successes, we continue to grow there as well.

Our next goal is to establish new factories in some of the world’s leading and developed countries. As a company, we believe that we have learned to do business in foreign countries, and accordingly, our new goal is large countries like Europe and America.

I visited 51 countries around the world and had the opportunity to see and examine the work done. We still do very nice work with some of them. This increased my curiosity for foreign languages, and despite knowing English and Russian, I strive to learn other languages as well.

“Importance Should Be Given to Education to Train Qualified Personnel”

You know there is a shortage of qualified personnel in the textile sector. What do you think could be a solution to this problem?

Turkish people are really hardworking. That’s why our request from our government is to give importance to education to train qualified individuals. In addition, in order to increase our exports, we should provide long-term credit to our customers. Our competitors in the world have banking systems that provide credit for up to 15 years, while we are forced to make cash sales. For this reason, we have to sell our very high-quality products below their value. The export and machinery manufacturing industry cannot reach where it deserves to be without long-term credit. Frankly, we also expect support from our government in this regard.

“We are Second in the World”

We produce machines with high technology worldwide, and one of our machines is the world’s best. It is in demand from many countries, including advanced textile countries, as it is our best-selling machine.

There are two major rival companies worldwide. One is a German company that has been in business for 140 years, and the other is an Italian company that has been in business for 118 years. This means that with the required heavy technical work, much experience, and recognition, one can stand out in the sector. Through our determined and meticulous efforts, we have managed to become the second in the sector worldwide despite being a 29-year-old company. However, since this is not enough for us, we are striving to work even harder. Because we have more work to do to leave our company as a strong, systematic, and institutionalized company to future generations.

“This Year, Our Factory’s Export Target is Expected to be at Least Around 75%”

Do you have any investment plans?

We currently have two companies in Turkey. We are preparing to establish our third company in 2024. Due to the very sluggish domestic markets, both our and our country’s only chance is exports. Aware of this, we are currently exporting to 25 countries. This year, the export target of our factory is expected to be at least around 75%.

As the management of the company, we believe in this: “If a company produces parts, it should have approximately 10 years of experience, and if it produces machines, it should have approximately 25 years of experience. Companies that pass these periods smoothly will have a good future.” Fortunately, we have passed these periods well and smoothly. We believe that from now on, we will run to the world with more experienced and solid steps.

I have one more request from our government. Companies that develop value-added products and sell them to the world should be identified, and industrial lands, which are also very expensive due to the fact that they are industrial lands, should be sold to these companies at minimum amounts. Also, it is important that loans are given to the right companies.

“My Advice to Young People is to Learn to Work While Studying”

What would you like to say to students who will choose this profession? What are your recommendations?

My advice to young people is to learn to work while studying. By working in different jobs, they will understand which profession they like. And accordingly, when choosing their profession in the future, they will also be directed to the right schools. It is no longer enough to just graduate from university; success is inevitable in the world if you study at the university you love and want. As a company, we try to provide all the support we can to students who do internships at vocational high schools to choose the right university or profession for themselves.

Exactly 27 years ago, we bought land from the Kayapa Industrial Zone. At the time we bought it, we needed 10 acres of land, but we were financially insufficient. Still, we managed somehow. The distance was far, yet we came. After building our factory, when we needed new employees, they did not want to come due to the distance. We had difficulty in finding employees. But now that settlements have progressed towards Kayapa and houses for employees have been built, these problems are over. Therefore, when industrial zones are established, settlement plans should be planned rapidly accordingly.

Kayapa Industrial Zone has now become a good industrial zone and is well managed. Companies behave like brothers and friends to each other. Perhaps we should increase the meeting days of companies and exchange information. I think there is a need for this because it is a very new company.