'Turkey has great potential to compete worldwide'

By Gokhan Ergocun

ISTANBUL (AA) - Turkey has a great potential to compete worldwide, particularly in the textile, auto, and machinery sectors, according to the CEO of Hannover Fairs Turkey, which handles the Turkish operations of one of the world's largest fair firms, Deutsche Messe AG.

With access to various regions, companies in Turkey have significant market diversity, Alexander Kuhnel told Anadolu Agency.

"Turkey is a strategic economy with a broad access network both in terms of industrial production and foreign trade ties," he said.

Kuhnel said factors such as Turkey's dynamic young population offer "major advantages" for companies who want to invest here.

"Incentives and support provided by public administrators aiming to keep the investment climate alive show Turkey’s commitment in this direction."

- Strong economic infrastructure

The fair company believes that Turkey will draw more foreign investments in the future and that investor companies in Turkey will grow stronger.

Touching on the economic issues Turkey faced last year, he said: "Although under these circumstances, which were not easy, I can say that the last two years of Turkey’s export-oriented growth strategy were productive both for our industry and for Hannover Fairs Turkey."

He stressed that while the number of visitors and exhibitors at the company's events climbed, business opportunities and new commercial partnerships were the industry’s biggest achievements.

On the country's economic structure, he said during its nearly quarter-century in Turkey his company has repeatedly witnessed the national economy’s strong infrastructure and Turkey’s ability to take quick measures to counter global uncertainty.

He said Turkey’s SME-intensive production structure cushions companies from global economic crises.

"Fluctuations in the world economy can, of course, create periodic ups and downs for developing countries, including Turkey.

"However, Turkey’s investors have proven to be a major asset, as they have created long-term plans and a strong financial framework aimed at meeting the financing needs of the real economy."

- Investments will continue

Saying that the company is consolidating its existing investments, he stressed that it is focusing on in-house business development and creating new shows and topics.

"We’re determined to observe industry needs and continue our investments with solutions tailored to the demands of our customers," he underlined.

The fair organizer continues to invest in existing projects as well as developing new projects in Turkey, with faith that the innovative technology culture will help Turkey climb even higher in the future world economy, he said.

The company hopes to demonstrate Turkey’s potential to the whole world with strong exhibitions in 2020, such as at manufacturing fair Win Eurasia in March and automotive expo Automechanika in April.

The Win Eurasia fair will showcase technological developments such as automation, digitization, the internet of things, and augmented reality, all of which are needed for the digital transformation process of Turkey’s industrial sector.

"We convey our observations to foreign company representatives for whom we act as mediators with our exhibits in their commercial relations with companies in Turkey," he noted.

Deutsche Messe, founded in 1947, is one of the world's 10-largest exhibition organizers. It has been holding exhibitions in Turkey since 1996 under the name Hannover Fairs Turkey.

In Turkey, the company organized 18 major trade exhibitions, many of them the Eurasian region's largest events, focusing on the manufacturing industry.