21.10.2017 Hatay
Speaking at the opening ceremony of Wood Drying Furnace in Antakya Small Industry Zone as a part of the ABİGEM Window Project, TOBB President M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “Today we are pleased to contribute a new work to Hatay. The Wood Drying Furnace is a project which the chamber community has completed as a part of ABİGEM. The job of seeing the need of our business world and producing solutions to it is a matter of vision.”
Hisarcıklıoğlu noted that furniture producers can now complete the
timber drying process in a maximum of 1 month instead 5-6 months. “There will
be no need to go to distant places and dry lumber under the sun. An important
need of the region will be met. This facility will also reduce the inventory
costs of our export-oriented furniture producers.”
Hisarcıklıoğlu said that there are 19 EU-Turkey Business Development
Centers (ABİGEM) in Turkey, each of which contributes to the economy in their
own region, providing training and consultancy services for project preparation
and export.
“We support you in growing your business,” said the TOBB President, “The
Eastern Mediterranean ABİGEM in Hatay helped in achieving many successes. I
will give you one example which stands out. There was a company called TeoFarm
which operated from Antakya for 5 generations. Previously it only took on
subcontractor work. They conferred with Hatay ABİGEM. Now they are producing
their own brand. Turnover, staff and product catalogue has increased many times
over.”
Hisarcıklıoğlu stated that small enterprises expand their scope and
increase their competitiveness with ABİGEM.
Following the ceremony, Hisarcıklıoğlu visited Antakya Furniture Joint
Production Center and ABİGEM office.
Hisarcıklıoğlu received information on the joint production center and
services from Hikmet Çinçin, Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry
of Antakya.