Source:pagev.net

THE FOUNDATION OF TURKEY’S FIRST PLASTIC EXCELLENCE CENTER HAS BEEN LAID

The Plastics Industry Will Compete for Leadership with the Excellence Center

PAGEV has laid the foundation of the PAGEV Plastic Excellence Center, which will propel Turkey’s plastics industry—ranked as Europe’s second and the world’s sixth largest producer with a production capacity of 10 million tons—toward global leadership. The groundbreaking ceremony for this massive project, valued at 70 million Turkish Lira and aimed at increasing the sector’s high-value production while reducing imports, was hosted by PAGEV, PAGÇEV, and SEM Plastik Chairman Yavuz Eroğlu, with the participation of the Minister of National Education Prof. Dr. Ziya Selçuk and industry representatives.

The foundation ceremony of the PAGEV Plastic Excellence Center, initiated by the Turkish Plastics Industry Research, Development, and Education Foundation (PAGEV) under the auspices of the Ministry of Science, Industry, and Technology, was attended by Minister Prof. Dr. Ziya Selçuk, PAGEV, PAGÇEV, SEM Plastik Chairman Yavuz Eroğlu, and numerous representatives of the plastics sector.

Located on the campus of Küçükçekmece PAGEV Vocational and Technical Anatolian High School, the center will cover a total of 30,000 square meters of indoor space. The PAGEV Plastic Excellence Center, with an investment of 70 million TL, will be completed in three phases. The first phase is expected to be completed within 2021, at which point it will begin serving companies operating in the plastics industry.

The center will strengthen not only the plastics sector but also Turkey’s economy at large. In addition to serving the plastics industry, it will provide services for products, raw materials, and machinery equipment sectors; offer research, certification, testing, and laboratory services; and collaborate with industrial organizations, universities, research institutions, professional associations, and NGOs for the production of state-of-the-art technologies. It will also provide vocational and technical training and consultancy services. The center will support the machinery sector by increasing the quantity and quality of plastic machinery, molds, and equipment needed for technological development.

Preventing the Import of Substandard Plastic Products

The PAGEV Excellence Center will establish a control mechanism for exported products, helping to maintain the reliability and reputation of Turkish-produced plastics in international markets. A major benefit of the center will be to prevent the entry of low-quality and non-standard imported plastics into Turkey by assessing their technical compliance in laboratories before importation.

Opportunities for Teachers and Students

Situated adjacent to the PAGEV Vocational and Technical Anatolian High School, the Plastic Excellence Center will allow teachers and students to engage with advanced technology. Students will have the chance to conduct some practical lessons at the center, and its educational and conference facilities will be available for use. The center will also foster strong connections between students, academics, and industry professionals, providing internship opportunities. Additionally, students will have access to mentorship from academics at various universities, including Istanbul University, with which the center has signed protocols.

Increasing the Plastics Sector’s High-Value Production

Speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony, PAGEV, PAGÇEV, SEM Plastik Chairman Yavuz Eroğlu stated: “Turkey’s plastics sector, with its current capacity and potential, is very close to global leadership. Our sector, which generates significant value for the national economy with a turnover of $37 billion, has a production capacity of 10 million tons, making it Europe’s second-largest and the world’s sixth-largest producer. To better illustrate our current position: Turkey aims to be one of the top 10 economies by 2023, and our plastics sector is already the 6th largest producer globally. Approximately 11,000 manufacturers in our sector employ 250,000 people and export to over 150 countries. Despite this positive outlook, why is Turkey’s plastics sector not in a leading position? The biggest obstacle is low-value production. We import high-value plastic products but export low-value products. The average export price per kilogram, currently $2.8, needs to increase to at least $4.5. The greatest contribution of the PAGEV Plastic Excellence Center, whose foundation we are laying today, will be to enable high-value production. Our center will facilitate R&D for all companies and create a significant leap in the sector.”

No SME Will Be Left Behind in R&D and Innovation

Yavuz Eroğlu emphasized that the center will ensure no firm remains without R&D and innovation: “SMEs make up 95% of our plastics sector. These companies produce many high-quality products but, due to their low value, sell them cheaply with minimal profit. Unfortunately, they often lack the resources for testing, R&D, consultancy, or training. Through the PAGEV Plastic Excellence Center, we will provide these SMEs with access to R&D, innovation, consultancy, and training, contributing significantly to high-value production. Companies across Turkey will be able to meet their high-value production needs quickly, economically, and through a single center.”

Highlighting the broader economic benefits, Eroğlu added: “The government provides R&D incentives to many universities and companies. Many pieces of test equipment, used only a few days per year, remain idle. With the PAGEV Plastic Excellence Center, these resources will be fully utilized, and funds spent on scarcely used equipment could be redirected as loans to SMEs.”

Support from the Ministry of National Education

Minister of National Education Prof. Dr. Ziya Selçuk expressed his support: “Looking at the PAGEV Plastic Excellence Center, we see a complete ecosystem from industry to education. While infrastructure and facilities are necessary, a true institution is defined by its people. Since this is an educational institution, we especially support the synergy created by universities, vocational schools, industry, students, and teachers. Projects like this will reduce our trade deficit and increase high-value production. We also believe such projects are matters of dedication. We thank everyone involved.”

Following the speeches, the groundbreaking ceremony of the PAGEV Plastic Excellence Center was officially held.