Conveying that they consider national participation exhibition organizations important in order to strengthen our country in world cosmetics market more (İKMİB) Chairman of the Board Murat Akyüz said: “As İKMİB we will organize national participation in the world’s most important cosmetics exhibitions in the forthcoming terms as well in order to have our exporters reach this goal.”
Branding is now gaining importance on the road to increase Turkish Cosmetics Industry’s share in the world market. In fact, although cosmetics industry exports gain weight in the Middle East and North Africa, Europe is as well among the important markets. Also, especially in the last term, the recovery in EU is reflected positively on exports. Claiming that in the January – June 2014 term our cosmetics industry realized the highest exports worth 88 million dollar to Iraq and Iran carries an important potential with regards to Turkish cosmetics industry Istanbul Chemical Substances and Products Exporters’ Association (IKMIB) Chairman of the Board Murat Akyüz provided us information concerning their activities.
Murat Akyüz, our industry’s must be loving you so much that you have been elected IKMIB President for the 3rd time. What kind of things are you planning to do in your new term?
“First of all, I’d like to thank you very much. Since the term we have taken over the flag, we covered important distance in the industry. We realized this success together with our industry’s valuable representatives. Chemical industry is among the first three industries in Turkey Exports ranking and claims a place among the leading industries of Turkey. Despite all the difficulties, we have passed 4 years full of successes in harmony. My friends in the Board of Directors, our General Secretary, our industry branch office and other related office workers made serious contributions in this journey of ours. Our devoted works will continue in the new term as well. We will organize national participation in many exhibitions in the world, from Middle East to Asia, from USA to Europe. Our search for new markets will continue as well with our industrial export and purchasing commissions. We keep on supporting all the works that will contribute to the goal of 500 bl. dollar exports target by the year 2023.”
When our cosmetics industry’s exports are considered, it seems that most of our exports consist of Middle East countries like Iraq, Iran, Egypt. To what degree do the conflicts emerge in the countries in question affect our exports?
“As you mentioned, despite all the negation in the region, we are mainly exporting to Middle East countries. If we are to explain it with some exports data; our cosmetics industry realized the highest level of exports with 88 million dollar during January – June term in 2014 to Iraq. After Iraq, come Russia, Iran, Germany, Azerbaijan, England, UAE, Ukraine, Libya and Romania respectively. With the economic pickup in Europe, European countries again became our most important markets. We believe that we will cover the loss emerging from the conflicts in the Middle East and neighboring countries with new markets and Europe countries.”
IRAN BIG POTENTIAL
Could you please talk about the importance of Iran market for Turkish cosmetics industry and your works concerning Iran market?
“Iran has an important potential with regards to Turkish cosmetics industry. In 2013, Iran was the most exported market after Iraq and Russia. As for the six months period of 2014, Iran ranks 3rd with 38 million dollar exports… We keep on researching in order to improve our trade with Iran.”
Could you please tell about the search of our industry, which possesses the success to realize the same exports we do to neighboring countries to other countries as well, for the new markets?
“Even though cosmetics industry exports gain weight in the Middle East and North Africa, Europe is among the markets we give importance to. Especially the pickup in Europe during the last term reflected positively on our exports. In order to reach new markets, our Cosmetics Foreign Marketing Team, which covers 41 companies of ours, keeps on organizing trade committees along with our national participation exhibitions organizations. This year they have gone to Nigeria and Ghana after Panama and Mexico and they have met with companies there.”
In order to represent Turkish Cosmetics Industry in foreign markets successfully, you are organizing national participation in important exhibitions. Will these works continue increasingly in your new term?
“As I mentioned before, we are organizing national participations in international cosmetics exhibitions in Europe, Middle East and Far East and we are bringing together our cosmetics industry with different geographies. We realized national participation in Cosmoprof Worldwide Bologna Exhibition in Italy. Besides, we also arranged national participation in Beautyworld Middle East Exhibition, for which we are the main sponsor this year just like we used to be in the past years, in Dubai in May. We have arranged national participation in this fair, which is one of the biggest events in the world, for the 10th time. Cosmetics industry is developing fast in chemical industry. In order to have our country gain more strength in the world cosmetics industry, we give very much importance on the national participation exhibition organizations. As IKMIB, we will organize national participation in the world’s most important cosmetics exhibitions in the forthcoming terms as well in order to have our exporters reach this goal.”
What do you suggest to our manufacturers in order to increase our exports?
“We think our companies should keep on searching for alternative markets at full speed. In this sense, we offer opportunities both with national participation exhibition organizations and purchasing committees to our companies to meet new markets. After a good research period, it may take some time in order to show up the real potential of a market. For this reason, our companies should invest with middle and long term targets. On the other hand, branding is gaining importance at the point of increasing Turkish Cosmetics Industry’s share in the world market. Our quality is of world standards. Our companies can string along with the change very fast. However, I believe that our companies will invest more in R&D and branding and raise the bar more.”
UNIQUE DESIGNS
Could you please talk about the importance of packaging for cosmetics industry and as IKMIB, what kind of studies do you conduct about packaging?
“Packaging has a great importance in the sales cosmetics products. Unique designs can make the product attractive and plays an active role in the sales of the product. It is also very important for a brand to show its quality and to provide clues about its image. As IKMIB, we are conducting studies about this. We have been supporting the IMMIB Industrial Design Contests, which aim to open new windows in design field for our companies, for 10 years. The place of design in our life, its contribution in differentiating and its acquisitions both in our industry and the economy of our country can be presented in a productive platform. Hundreds of unique works applying to our contest every year increase our trust both in Turkey and human force of quality. Besides, in cooperation with Istanbul Ferrous and Non- Ferrous Metals Exporters’ Association, this year we will be organizing the first “Packaging Design Contest” which is aimed at packaging industry. With this contest we organize aimed at Plastics and Metal packaging industry, we are intending to have unique and innovative designs, which will approach packaging in terms of aesthetic, logistics, ergonomic and economic sides, come out. Our designers and exporters are seriously interested in this subject. We will deliver awards to the owners of the ranking projects.”