Е-ПРЕССА
DÜNYA Newspaper – 01.10.2009
Bent on getting stronger in Europe, SAFKAR is setting up a distribution center in Germany
Manufacturing air-conditioners for commercial vehicles under the brands SAFKAR and PENGUEN, Ege Soğutmacılık Hava Tesisleri İhracat İthalat Sanayi ve Ticaret A.Ş. set its sights on formidable goals of international magnitude after its acquisition by Abaş Prefabrik. Wanting to build as widespread a service network in Europe as in Turkey, the company is establishing a sizeable distribution center in Germany.
Affirming that the facility was definitely going to be opened in 2009, Ege Soğutmacılık PLC General Manager Doruk Aydın said the center would give SAFKAR the chance to become a natural partner with the commercial vehicle manufacturers in Europe, mainly those in Germany. Reporting that the company wanted to activate its after-sales services in Europe, Aydın explained, “This center will give us greater strength particularly in spare parts and product distribution. This investment will reinforce our ties with the basic manufacturers in Turkey, as well, because we’re asked to meet the requirement of running a powerful service network in Europe simply in order to sell our products to BMC that manufactures in the same Turkish city as we do. We assume the responsibility for providing spare parts and service for an air-conditioner we mount on a commercial vehicle for as long as that vehicle remains serviceable.” Underlining the fact that Ege Soğutmacılık was one of the four major manufacturers of air-conditioners for commercial vehicles in the world, Aydın said commercial vehicles fitted with SAFKAR brand air-conditioners were exported to many countries in all continents. “Strength in after-sales services is very important besides the capability of designing products. Therefore, you’ll be one step ahead of the competition if you open up to the world in establishing a spare parts and service network. If a company defined limits to itself, it would be narrowing its horizons. Companies like us ought to view their customers as partners by mentality,” Aydın said, noting that Ege Soğutmacılık had strengthened its hand against its international competitors in product development and design by setting up a research and development center with a staff of 60.
180 suppliers work to build SAFKAR’s 10,800 parts
Aydın pointed out that they worked with a total of 180 suppliers to procure the 10,800 parts they use in manufacture. “We will strengthen our chain of supply and blend it with the constant development of our production culture. We will expand our service and dealer network in the global sense as a customer-centered firm with a focus on problems that keeps a close watch on the developments in the world,” he said.
Noting that SAFKAR worked with 96 dealers in 27 countries and exported directly to 33, Aydın commented, “We aim to grow as widespread and dominant in the European, Middle Eastern, and North African markets where we’re already strong as we are in Turkey. 70 percent of the commercial vehicles manufactured in Turkey are exported. One out of every two imported vehicles is sold to Europe. 20 percent of SAFKAR’s products are exported directly.”
Train air-conditioners for Malaysia and Iran
Declaring that SAFKAR had come a long way in becoming a powerful partner in train air-conditioners, Aydın reported that the company exported air-conditioners for trains and buses to Malaysia and Iran. Aydın said the basic industrialists in these two countries were among SAFKAR’s major customers, noting that selling directly to the basic producers in these markets demonstrated the international power of the SAFKAR brand.
Stating that the crisis had caused the automotive market to shrink in Turkey and abroad, Aydın said, “But there’s plenty of hope for the industry in the long term. We haven’t lost our dynamism and our eagerness to go for broader markets. Our sector is growing. Air-conditioners are no longer a luxury on commercial and public transportation vehicles but a requisite. Local governments are making it mandatory to have public transportation vehicles fitted with air-conditioners. That goes for minibuses, too. We can manufacture air-conditioners with different features for the buses used in public transportation in Antalya and those used in Erzurum. That is an important value added for our company. Our competitors offer their customers what is available in their portfolios. We, on the other hand, keep developing our product portfolio constantly. Great investments have been made in the SAFKAR brand for trains. We took part in the Turkish Railways’ modernization and proved ourselves with our wide range of products in this segment, too.”
