Turkish tool and mould industry to grow 15% this year

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ETMM: What kind of growth rates has the Turkish mould making industry seen?

Ozogul: As one of the main subsidiary industries of the Turkish automotive industry, the mould making sector registered record growth in 2011. That year, Turkish automakers recorded a production increase of 18% and exceeded $30 billion in output. Their subsidiary industries, including mould and tool suppliers, manufactured close to $13 billion worth of products.

In addition, the industries subsidiary to the automotive industry experienced 26% growth in exports from 2010 to 2011, reaching a total of $9 billion. The Turkish mould making industry exported approximately $350 million worth of moulds in 2011. It was a $700-million sector overall when moulds manufactured for the domestic market are included.

ETMM: What are growth expectations for this year?

Ozogul: We experienced a growth rate of 8.9% in 2011, which is double what was projected. So, expectations for 2012 have grown, too. Nevertheless, global economic uncertainties and monetary problems in our most valuable export market, the EU, are early signs of a potentially difficult 2012.

Despite this pessimistic forecast, foreign capital began flowing into Turkey in 2008, the year the economic crisis was felt severely, and has kept flowing through the following years of recovery. Hence, a projected overall economic growth rate of 4% for 2012 will most likely be met. By the same token, we expect the Turkish mould making industry to grow by 15% this year and to exceed $800 million.

ETMM: Are there any specific tool and mould manufacturing technologies on the rise in Turkey?

Ozogul: Since the mould making industry is production based, technology is of great importance. Companies in the primary and large-scale subsidiary manufacturing industries employ very advanced technologies, such as synchronous and reverse engineering, flow and form analyses, FEM optimisation of tools, machine tool vibration analyses, laser metal-fusing, MDC systems and computer-aided management and planning technologies.

Moreover, various applications of rapid prototyping processes for computer-aided measurements of form and dimension are widely used. High-speed machining centres, 5-axis laser-cutting machines and 3D measuring machines have taken modelling, production, measurement and control to a high technical level.

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Turkish tool and mould industry to grow 15% this year