Turkish OYAK Group switches on new strategic facility in China

By Emre Aytekin

HUZHOU, China (AA) - Akdeniz Chemson, the Türkiye-based global market leader in the PVC stabilizer product group, started up its new production facility in China in a new investment to meet growing demand in the East Asian country's expanding market.

A subsidiary of the Turkish OYAK Group, Akdeniz Chemson launched operations of the facility in Huzhou, a city in eastern China's Zheijang province, with an output capacity of 30,000 tons annually.

OYAK General Manager Suleyman Savas Erdem said this new investment was the result of the company's vision and sustainable development strategy in recent.

"Today, we carry out 24-hour uninterrupted production in different sectors, from China to the US, on all continents and in all time zones," said Erdem.

"We analyze the demands and needs of the sectors in which we operate, and act with the understanding of 'right investment in right market'."

Erdem emphasized that Akdeniz Chemson opened its facility in China as part of efforts to step up its overseas investment in the chemical and agricultural sectors.

"Always keeping sustainability and profitability in its focus, OYAK will combine Akdeniz Kimya (Chemical) and Chemson under the Akdenic Chemson brand in 2020."

"With this big move, Akdeniz Chemson Global (AC Global) has become the world's largest company operating in five continents in the field of PVC stabilizers," he added.

Erdem said OYAK would continue investing in chemical product groups in which it is market leader and added: "With this understanding, we didn't give up our Chinese investment and continued our work even during the pandemic that affected the world."

He underlined that with the new investment, the firm will respond to the increasing demand across East Asia and China, a strategically important market for OYAK.

Akdeniz Chemson, a strong player in its region, will always continue investing with accurate analysis of market needs and expectations.

Huzhou is built on the Yangtze River delta, one of China's most important production centers on its east coast.

The city is located close to the ports of Shanghai and Ningbo, two of the largest import and export terminals in China and the region.

Established in a town roughly 30 kilometers (about 19 miles) from the city center of Huzhou, the Akdeniz Chemson facility spans an area of 20,000 square meters (215,280 sq feet).

Located in an industrial zone featuring transportation and other infrastructure facilities, it will also increase the number of lines in the integrated facility to three and annual production capacity to 30,000 tons.

The facility, which became operational with its laboratory, production lines, and warehouses, produces calcium-zinc and organic-based new generation stabilizers.

- Exports to 110 countries in 5 continents

Stabilizers function as a critical component for processing PVC, a kind of plastic polymer material, or for the development of shaped products to achieve the desired quality and durability.

Akdeniz Chemson is the world's largest company in the field of PVC stabilizers with sales to five continents.

It produces for every sector that uses PVC and is active in Europe, Central Asia, North Africa, the Middle East, the US, China, Brazil, and Australia.

The company currently sells its products to about 110 countries.

- Global player in chemical industry

OYAK Group's chemical companies, which have more than half-a-century of experience in the Turkish chemical industry, have maintained steady growth in recent years with global investments.

OYAK's Almatis, the world market leader in the specialty alumina product group, focuses on new product development, along with research and development, to respond to the sector's changing needs.

Almatis' new factory, which went into operation in India last year, will soon also further strengthen OYAK's dominance in the South Asian market.

The carbon black production facility of OYAK Synthetic Carbon Products Industry, another subsidiary, to be built in Türkiye's southeastern province Iskenderun, will also be a first in the country.

The facility will be able to meet all of Türkiye's annual domestic carbon black needs, totaling 220,000 tons.

OYAK's carbon black investment will be able to replace annual imports of $300 million when it starts production.

In addition to reducing the current account deficit, the new investment will produce added value for the country's economy and foreign trade with its export potential.

*Writing by Gokhan Ergocun from Istanbul