The Turkish Textile Industry having experienced decline in machinery import during the crisis era, started to focus on machinery import again starting from 2010. The Turkish manufacturers continuing investments in 2012 realized an import equivalent to 825 million USD in the first six months. Although the local textile machinery and accessories industry maintains its growth with slow steps, the difference between imports and exports rate constantly grows. Especially the local industry dealing with textile finishing machineries needs and waits for legal legislations and supports in order to compete. Consequently, it is aimed to draw a line to the machinery imports, which constitute a crucial element of the country’s trade deficit, and also to save Turkey’s image as “a country not able to manufacture technology but able to buy it”. The President of TEMSAD (Turkish Textile Machinery and Accessories Industrialists’ Association), Mr.Adil Nalbant answered our questions about their studies in 2012 and informed us about the position of the local textile machinery industry in the world and its problems. Nalbant indicated that Turkey is still dependent to outside in terms of technological machineries but added that also the local machinery manufacturers achieved partial increases in exports.
Nalbant having started his words first of all with the definition of the Textile machinery and Accessories industry indicated the products listed in the Customs Tariff Statistics Positions as follows: Machines manufacturing, weaving, cutting fibers from woven materials; Machines preparing fibres, producing and preparing yarns; Weaving looms (machines); Knitting looms, machines and devices manufacturing guipure, tulle, lace, net; Auxiliary textile machines, devices and machineries-parts; Machineries and parts of machines manufacturing felt and hosieries; Washing, drying, dyeing machines and devices for weaving machines and ironing machines and devices; Sewing machines, furnishings, needles, machineries and parts.
Important Increase in 2012 in Ethiopian Market
Nalbant expressing that the Turkish Machinery Manufacturers realize production mainly in the field of finishing and dyeing machineries underlined that in 2012 they could not exceed 300 million USD, which is regarded as a psychological limit. In terms of the market, Nalbant informed that they experienced a decline in the exports realized to Middle East Region and continued as follows: “ We kept growing in India, which in our largest market”, he said. Nalbant indicated that considering the last 10 years of export performance the countries to which Turkey exports are India, Bangladesh, Germany, Egypt, Iran, Uzbekistan, Syria, England, Pakistan and France and continued his words; “When we have a look at our export figures in 2011 and 2012, we see that Russia and Ethiopia, where new investments are realized, replaced Syria and Pakistan. Due to the demand increase after the 2009 crisis, Iran was the top 1 country in terms of our exports but this situation reverted back again in 2011. Our export equivalent to 272 million USD in 2010 increased by 9,6 % in 2011 and reached 296 million USD. For 2012, I may well say that the export figures remained stable in the previous year’s figures. We couldn’t realize our 350 million USD export target in 2012.”
Mr.Adil Nalbant made evaluations according to Central Anatolian Exporters’ Union’s (OIAB) data and repeated that Iran was the most exported country in 2010 and as of 2012 a crucial recession has been experienced. Nalbant; “Another attracting point is that within our largest top 10 markets Iran is the only market, where we experienced a decline in exports. India, which was our second largest export market in 2010 with an export figure of 25 million USD, strengthened its largest market position in 2011 by exceeding the previous year’s export figures. India also maintained its country leadership in 2012. Ethiopia, which ranked as the 10th largest export market in 2010, positioned as our second largest market thanks to its big bounce in the last two years.
The Local Market Doubles the Exports
Nalbant informing that they couldn’t reach precise data about local market told that the machineries sold to the local market doubles the exported machineries. Nalbant continued; “We provide machinery equivalent to 600 million USD to Turkish manufacturers”, he said. Nalbant pointing out that an attentive study should be conducted in order to increase import and export and mentioned the followings; “If Turkish manufacturers want to increase sales numbers, they need to focus on productions dedicated to other fields than finishing and dyeing. Technological investments should be realized. Manufacturers shall spend the money earned from textile again to textile. For a long time, no textile machinery production plant was established. The supports of the government remain limited. Thus, the exports of textile machineries remain stable. Precautions should be taken and all companies must be especially support in terms of R&D.”
