Gov’t, firms unite for national elevator bid

ISTANBUL - Hürriyet Daily News

Science Industry and Technology Minister Nihat Ergün says Turkey has the know-how and capability to produce its domestic elevator brands. REUTERS photo

Turkey prepares to produce its very first domestic elevator company, a very strategic move for several industries, as 18 different Turkish ministries, the Competition Board and various local private sector business groups are scheduled to meet in Istanbul today to discuss the matter.

 “We will sit down with construction firms, elevator companies and the Housing Development Administration of Turkey [TOKİ] to form various consortiums to create a few elevator brands,” Science, Industry and Technology Minister Nihat Ergün said during a meeting in Ankara on Oct. 19.

Many office buildings and government buildings use foreign elevator brands, but Turkey can produce even better elevators because it has the know-how and capability, Ergün said.

“We have a problem with organization and because we haven’t been well-organized, we have missed out on some important opportunities. Now, in this period, we don’t want to miss out.”

Meanwhile, international giant ThyssenKrupp Elevator has announced it plans to grow by three-fold in five years in Turkey and open an elevator factory, according to Reuters.

ThyssenKrupp’s Eastern Europe, Africa and Middle East head Ramon Sotomayor said the company saw many opportunities in the elevator market in Turkey.

“In such a rapidly growing market like this one we can’t just sell products, but have to open a factory as well,” Sotomayor told the daily Dünya.