Transformation to Technical Textile Within Textile Sector Will be Via TEKSMER

Being one of the leaders among sectors that act as a locomotive in Turkey’s export and employment, textile sector is on the verge of a transformation in the Aegean Region. Founded as a result of a 4-year effort for the production and devel- opment of technical textile products of high added value, the Technical Textiles Research and Application Center (TEKSMER) started to work with all its functions.

Founded in Dokuz Eylül University Campus with the coopera- tion of Aegean Textile and Raw Materials Exporters’ Association, Aegean Ready Wear and Garment Exporters’ Association and Dokuz Eylül University and with the support of İzmir Development Agency, TEKSMER will be making history in transforming the textile sector in Aegean Region. Stating that they are aiming to make İzmir the cap-
ital of technical textile via works to be conducted by Technical Textiles Research and Application Center, Head Coordinator of Aegean Exporters’ Association Sabri Ünlütürk added that the worldwide textile industry is undergoing a transformation process towards technical textiles and that they founded TEKSMER so as not to miss this transformation. Pointing that there has been a stall in Turkey’s
export in the last 5 years, Ünlütürk said: “We have to strengthen our R&D infrastructure so as to overcome the stagnation in exports and to ensure sustainability in exports. With TEKSMER, we will more from traditional export products to value added products. In order to reach the 20 billion dollars export target set by the textile sector for the year 2023, we have to multiply the examples similar to TEKSMER”. Providing the information that they founded TEKSMER with a technical expertise that will be able to conduct tests that could not be conducted in Turkey, Ünlütürk continued: “One of the upcoming scenarios for our technical textile sector is a labora- tory, where everything from yarn to the last point is possible. We have a device that does not exist in Turkey. We brought in a fiber drafting device, and our purpose is to produce fiber and yarn starting from the raw material needed by the techni- cal textile sector”.

The Future is in Technical Textile
Stating that the yarn and fabric exporters within the body of Aegean Textile and Raw Materials Exporters’ Association start- ed the URGE project named “Transfer from Conventional Production to Technical Textile Production” so as to develop the exports of products focused on technical textiles with high added value, EİB Head Coordinator Sabri Ünlütürk shared that 75% of the expenditure to be made by the companies in the project will be supported by the Ministry of Economy. Stating that they invited textile companies in Aegean Region to a sem- inar to be held on 20 December 2016 at Aegean Exporters’ Association called “Future is in Technical Textile” so as to explain them the URGE project called “Transfer from Conventional Production to Technical Textile Production”, Ünlütürk said: “We aim for the project participant companies to produce value added products and to increase their export potentials. We want to increase the market shares and vari- eties of the project participant companies, to gain continuity for their exports / productions, to develop their export market- ing abilities and support them effectively”. First of all, the companies taking part in URGE Project called “Transfer from Conventional Production to Technical Textile Production” will be subjected to needs analysis and they will take part in the training and consulting programs to be held in accordance with this analysis results. In the following process, it will be possible for the companies to participate in joint marketing activities such as marketing abroad, fair / exhibit participation, sectoral commerce committee and purchasing committees.