Turkish Forum

Category: Business

  • Opel Announces Sponsorship Of Turkish Soccer Club Galatasaray Istanbul

    Opel Announces Sponsorship Of Turkish Soccer Club Galatasaray Istanbul

    Earlier this April, Opel has officially announced a partnership with Turkish soccer club Galatasaray Istanbul. The club has 18 national championships, 14 cup victories, and calls itself “the most popular and successful soccer club in Turkey”, and Opel says that the partnership is the next building block in the brand’s strategy.

    According to Opel, the partnership will allow the European General Motors subsidiary to capitalize on advertising opportunities with and surrounding the club. The Galatasaray Istanbul deal, whose amount hasn’t been disclosed, follows an agreement with Feyenoord Rotterdam as one of the leading Dutch teams.

    “Opel and soccer – a perfect fit”, said Dr. Thomas Sedran, Opel Vice President Operations, Business Development and Strategies. “The connection stands for brand values like dynamics, performance and passion. Galatasaray Istanbul is an important part of this, particularly in light of the growing markets in Eastern Europe. This won’t be the last step we take to further reinforce the connection between Opel and soccer.” Club president Ünal Aysal adds that “Galatasaray and Opel share many common values and both have a rich heritage. We are happy to be part of this professional collaboration and look forward to many shared successes.”

    On April 9th, Galatasaray was defeated by Real Madrid in the Champions League quarter-final, preventing the Instanbul team from reaching the last four of the UEFA Cup Champions League.

    Preceding the deal with Galatasaray, Opel’s British sister brand Vauxhall signed partnerships with the national teams of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. In the German National League, Opel is partnered with Borussia Dortmund, Fortuna Düsseldorf, Bayer 04 Leverkusen, SC Freiburg and FSV Mainz 05. Meanwhile, Chevrolet is a sponsor to Manchester United and Liverpool F.C.

    The GM Authority Take

    The General and its brands seem to be on a major push to make all kinds of advertising and marketing partnerships with European soccer teams, all in an effort to build the brands and sell more cars. Let’s hope the efforts will pay off.

  • Russia, Turkey Seek to Boost Trade to $100 Bln

    Russia, Turkey Seek to Boost Trade to $100 Bln

    Tags: Alexander Novak, Taner Yildiz, Turkey, Russia

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    ANTALYA, April 20 (RIA Novosti) – Russia and Turkey are committed to expanding mutual investment and cooperation, aiming to bring bilateral trade to $100 billion, the Russian and Turkish energy ministers said on Saturday.

    The Turkish-Russian Joint Economic Committee (JEC) held its 12th Meeting in the southern province of Antalya with the participation of Turkish Energy and Natural Sources Minister Taner Yildiz and Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak.

    Yildiz said there is good potential to increase the volume of trade from the current $34 billion to $100 billion.

    Around 1,500 Russian companies currently operate in Turkey while Turkish contractors are involved in projects in Russia worth a total of $50 billion, he said, according to the Hurriyet daily.

    He also said Turkish-Russian cooperation could continue in third countries.

    Yildiz and Novak signed a JEC protocol prioritizing the diversification and expansion of bilateral trade and the creation of an investor-friendly environment in order to achieve the $100 billion target.

  • Colombia attempts to hinder steel imports from Turkey

    Colombia attempts to hinder steel imports from Turkey

    Kolombiya’dan Türk Çeliğine Karalama

    Turkish Steel Exporters’ Association has stated that certain circles in Colombia have started a campaign of defamation against imports from Turkey, claiming that Turkish products are not up to standard, with the aim of hindering steel imports from Turkey.

    According to the CIB, as of January 1st 2013, Colombia started to take samples of imported Turkish steel products at customs for analysis. CIB chairman Mr Namik Ekinci said that the sampling implemented in the wake of groundless claims has resulted in imported products being delayed at customs for a long period of time and that the action represents a non tariff barrier aimed at hindering imports.

    The CIB stated that in past years some other circles which were uncomfortable with steel imports from Turkey resorted to the same system, while he warned Colombian importers not to base their imports from Turkey on an analysis which does not reflect the truth. As a result of the CIB’s efforts and dialogue between the CIB and the Colombian steel industry association Fedemetal, the analysis report in question regarding Turkish steel imports has turned out to be groundless and the institution responsible for the claims has published a disclaimer.

    Mr Ekinci said that Turkish steel exporters previously faced similar obstacles in other steelmaking countries, underlining that Turkish steel products are exported to 186 countries, adding that Turkish steel is preferred in these countries given their high quality at competitive prices and that the high quality of Turkish steel is always proved in the face of such claims.

    The CIB chairman underscored that these attempts to disrupt steel imports from Turkey will contradict the essence and purpose of the free trade agreement planned to be signed between Turkey and Colombia. He went on to said that the CIB would like to invite Colombian business people and media members to visit steelmaking facilities in Turkey and to observe production processes for high quality products. Mr Ekinci indicated that the CIB welcomes any collaboration with Colombian business people and is ready to supply the Colombian steel industry with materials as well as know how and experience regarding the industry.

    Source – Steel Orbis

  • Nordex to supply 125MW in Turkey

    Nordex to supply 125MW in Turkey

     

    Nordex has signed deals to supply and service 125MW across four wind farms in Turkey.

    The German manufacturer will sell 38 of its N100 2.5MW turbines to Eksim Holding with the Hasanbeyli wind farm in eastern Turkey, close to the town of Osmaniye, getting 20. The remaining 18 will be installed at a project close to Silivri, near Istanbul, and both schemes are slated to be grid-connected by the autumn.

    Elsewhere, Nordex is supplying repeat customer Dost Enerji  with 12 of its N90 2.5MW turbines. One will be added to the Yuntdag wind farm to the north of Izmir which marked Nordex’s first foray into the Turkish market in 2007 and currently features 23 of its machines. The remaining 11 turbines will be installed at the Geres wind farm near Yuntdag.

    Nordex management board member Lars Bondo Krogsgaard said: “We are delighted our long-standing customers Dost Enerji and Eksim Holding have again opted for Nordex turbines. As well as this, it testifies to two superb partnerships in the Turkish wind power market, which is characterised by strong growth potential and excellent wind conditions.”

    Eksim Holding coordinator of renewable energy Dr Ruchan Hamamci said: “We are operating wind farms with a capacity of 140MW and will be adding a further 95MW to this with our Hasanbeyli and Silivri wind farms. Nordex has supplied us with reliable and efficient wind power systems allowing us to come closer to reaching our goal from day to day.”

    Image: Eskim Holding is taking 38 N100 turbines (Nordex)

  • Turkey’s Sabanci exits food retail, selling stakes in DiaSA, CarrefourSA

    Turkey’s Sabanci exits food retail, selling stakes in DiaSA, CarrefourSA

    By Seda Sezer

    ISTANBUL, April 19 | Fri Apr 19, 2013 9:20am EDT

    (Reuters) – Turkey’s Sabanci Holding is exiting the food retail sector, selling its stake in discount supermarket chain DiaSA and making progress on quitting its joint venture with Carrefour, sources close to the matter told Reuters on Friday.

    Turkish food group Yildiz Holding has agreed to buy all shares in DiaSA from Sabanci and Spain’s Dia for 300-350 million lira ($167-195 million), two sources said.

    The sources said that Sabanci was also making progress in talks with French group Carrefour on the sale of its stake in their CarrefourSA joint venture.

    Yildiz Holding officials were not immediately available to comment. Carrefour, Sabanci and Dia declined to comment. ($1 = 1.7965 Turkish liras) (Reporting by Seda Sezer; Editing by David Goodman)

  • Almost 700,000 trees to be cut down for Istanbul’s third airport

    Almost 700,000 trees to be cut down for Istanbul’s third airport

    Stambul (1)

    A total number of 657,000 trees will be cut down for construction of Istanbul’s third airport, a report published on the Turkish Environment Ministry’s official website says.
    The report says the total number of trees in the area is 2,513,341 and 657,950 of them will be cut down completely, while 1,855,391 trees will be moved to new places.

    However, the exact number of trees expected to be cut down and moved will be revealed after the airport’s project is completed, officials told Hürriyet Daily News yesterday.