How far to the target?

Turkcell, İş Bankası, Efes Pilsen, Ülker, Temsa, Teknosa, TAV, Petrol Ofisi, Zorlu Tekstil…The common characteristic of these companies is that they are all preparing to be a ‘global or regional power’. It is only 3-5 years since that these companies were concentrating on becoming a ‘power abroad’ and they have made significant progress within a short period of time. These companies are adding all kinds of alternatives to their business plans, including establishing and acquiring companies and forming partnerships with a foreign company, and in the future they will play a more active role in neighboring countries.

When she was opening the new Temsa factory in Egypt, Sabancı Holding Board Chair Güler Sabancı said that the investment was very important in terms of becoming a regional power. Sabancı said: “Becoming a global power means first becoming a regional power.”

Turkish companies which at the beginning of the decade were talking more about becoming a ‘global company’ have in recent years turned more to the ‘region’. In recent years, the leading companies in Turkey have made significant investments in neighboring countries, which have a total population of over 200 million. Efes Pilsen, Zorlu Tekstil, Ülker and Temsa have moved towards realizing their targets through investments in factories, while Teknosa has begun to integrated itself into the region through the acquisition of a company. TAV has been building airports, İstikbal has been opening stores in the region and Petrol Ofisi has been following the region closely through a foreign partnership.

As you will read in detail below, our survey shows that companies which set out to become global or regional powers have made significant progress. Moreover, in 2007 and afterwards, in addition to organic growth, these companies will also evaluate any  acquisition possibilities that may occur in neighboring countries. These companies include Ülker, Teknosa, Temsa, İş Bankası and Petrol Ofisi. In addition, companies such as Ülker and Boydak have given themselves 5-10 years in order to reach their target.

Turkcell On The Lookout For New Opportunities
Turkcell, which today has 32 million customers, is without doubt the leader of the GSM sector in Turkey. At the beginning of the decade the company set itself a target of becoming a regional power. What made this attractive was the opportunity to become the operator for the 220 million people who live in neighboring countries. The company has made various investments in this regard.

The company’s CEO Süreyya Ciliv said that they will take their technological expertise and the experience they have acquired over the last 13 years to neighboring companies in 2007. Ciliv says: “In 2007 we shall try to make investments in the Middle East, Eastern Europe and the Balkans; in short, where we see investment opportunities. While looking for possible investments we are also looking at rational opportunities which will enable us to create added value.” The company will use the US$3 billion loan it received in February to expand abroad. In the first stage, the company will submit an offer in the tender for a third mobile communications operator in Saudi Arabia.

Petrol Ofisi Establishing A Refinery
In 2005 Petrol Ofisi drew up a new strategic plan and, as the leader in the fuel distribution sector, set itself a new target of becoming a regional power in energy.

In line with this goal, in 2006 it formed a partnership with OMV, one of the most important oil and gas companies in Europe. OMV became a shareholder of Petrol Ofisi by buying a 34 percent stake in the company. Petrol Ofisi Strategic Planning and Business Development Manager Coşkun Duru says that, together with OMV Petrol Ofisi will establish a refinery in Turkey and that it is planning to conduct oil and natural gas exploration and exploitation and natural gas distribution activities in the Caucasus and in countries which are Turkey’s neighbors and which are rich in natural resources.

Zorlu Will Become The Region’s ‘Favorite’
Textiles is one of Zorlu Holding’s main businesses. The group’s target of becoming a global producer is the result of 20 years of work. Vedat Aydın, the head of the Textile Group, explains that first they began to focus on exports and became familiar with foreign markets and then to sell Zorlu brand goods. The group has invested US$500 million in this field since the 1990s. Its strategy to become a regional power began with the promotion of the Taç brand in neighboring countries. After 1995 the sale of the Taç products to neighboring countries through luggage trade created an increasing demand. Since 2000 the group has gone to Russia and established itself as one of the three leading brands. Similar policies have been applied in countries such as Ukraine, Bulgaria, Romania, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Iran. Vedat Aydın says that, as a result of these efforts, Taç has become a regional power in household textiles.

Ebru Firat
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