Turkish Machinery: These are the plans of the new president

Ms. Kayhan Yılmaz, what was your path into the engineering sector?

Sevda Kayhan Yılmaz: My father had his own company and wanted me to become an engineer. I, on the other hand, wanted to become a neurologist or neurosurgeon because I consider the brain a miracle. But my father was a businessman and did not want to invest in something he did not consider necessary. He pushed me toward engineering.

Shortly before the decision, a friend of his said, “For a woman, engineering is very exhausting. Please think it over again.” My father said, “Okay, business administration is fine, but of course engineering.”

I realized that this way I could find something my father did not like. In the exams, you can achieve a high score for business administration with math and Turkish. If you take physics, chemistry, and math, you go into the engineering field. My physics was very good. I always got top grades. My math was good. But I did not solve the physics. I chose math and Turkish. So I knew I would study business administration just to do the opposite of what my father wanted.

Do you regret that today?

Kayhan Yılmaz: Today I think he was right. I should have studied mechanical engineering and then done an MBA. But I always tried to acquire technical knowledge on my own. I took specialized courses in technical drawing and materials science.

The fact that I took over the management of the company is fate. Our company is run by women. I am the second generation, and the third generation consists of three women. Our board of directors is made up of seven women. My brothers did not want the job, so I was the last one left. But I am happy in production because creating things is in the nature of women.

What does it mean to you to have been elected the new president of Turkish Machinery, and what goals have you set for yourself?

Kayhan Yılmaz: The mechanical engineering industry in Turkey has a strong institutional and cultural tradition that goes back a long way. Through the vision and legacy of our former presidents, this heritage has gained continuity and developed into a school of its own.

The collective expertise of the sector, its production discipline and its experience with international expansion give me a solid foundation as I take office. At the same time, it naturally means a great responsibility for me and my colleagues on the board to represent an industry of this magnitude, one that shapes a country’s production capacity and underpins almost all branches of industry.

I see this responsibility as a mandate to further develop existing know-how and strengthen our industry’s position within the evolving global production structures. Against this backdrop, as Turkish Machinery we will continue to deepen global cooperation abroad and remain a benchmark and source of knowledge at home for our industry’s integration into world markets. Our goal is to ensure that our companies are more strongly, visibly and sustainably present in international markets.

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The mechanical engineering sector is under great pressure. Where do you see the biggest challenges for Turkish machinery manufacturers?

Kayhan Yılmaz: Global trade conflicts, high tariffs, rising energy costs, more difficult financing conditions and geopolitical uncertainties are leading not only in Türkiye, but also in all other production centers, including Europe, to investment decisions being taken much more cautiously. As a result, industrial investments worldwide are increasingly based on a more selective foundation. At the same time, the nature of competition has also changed significantly. Today, competition is no longer defined solely by price, but by much broader parameters such as energy efficiency, CO₂ footprint, digital integration and security of supply.

However, the Turkish machinery sector has already demonstrated its ability to adapt to this change: over the past 20 years, Türkiye has been among the two countries that have increased their share of global machinery exports the most in percentage terms. The central task now is to secure this achievement on a permanent basis by reaching new thresholds in technological development. In this context, scaling up our companies, accelerating technology investments and further strengthening alignment with international standards will be the key areas of action.

Germany is an important industrial and trading partner for Turkey. How do you, as the machinery sector, currently assess the cooperation between the two countries?

Kayhan Yılmaz: Our relations with Germany in the machinery sector are no longer based solely on a classic trade relationship, but increasingly on deepening production integration. The production structures in Turkey and Germany are complementary in many industries, making the two countries different, yet closely interconnected, links in the same value chain.

One of the most important indicators of this integration is the quality of production. Analyses based on OECD data show that the domestic value-added share of Turkey in machinery exports is around 76 to 77%, reaching a level very close to that of Germany.

This picture makes it clear that relations between the two countries are not based on a cost-oriented supply structure, but on cooperation between industries with comparable production depth. The current cost pressures and supply chain risks facing European industry also give this integration additional significance.

The geographical proximity of Turkey, its flexible production capabilities and its strong engineering base offer German companies an important advantage in ensuring production continuity. Therefore, cooperation between the two countries should not be evaluated solely on the basis of trade volume, but above all from the perspective of joint production capacity, technical compatibility and the potential to create value together.

What role do Turkish suppliers play in the supply chains of German machinery manufacturers? Are there sectors in which they are particularly well represented?

Kayhan Yılmaz: For many years, Germany has ranked first among the export markets of the Turkish machinery industry. This continuity shows that relations between the two countries are based not only on trade, but also on cooperation focused on production and quality. This cooperation has also brought about a significant transformation for Turkish suppliers.

The high technical standards and quality requirements of German industry have helped raise the production processes, certification infrastructures and engineering capabilities of manufacturers in Turkey to a higher level. Today, many Turkish companies are no longer only able to supply individual parts, but also develop systems and offer comprehensive solutions.

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From the perspective of German manufacturers, Turkey is therefore positioning itself as a reliable supplier that meets high quality standards, has a flexible production structure and offers fast delivery capability. The increase in industrial trade between the two countries and the deepening of cooperation between companies are helping to further strengthen this mutual compatibility and turn supply chain integration into a permanent and sustainable structure.

Which industries in Turkey currently offer the greatest growth potential for the mechanical engineering sector?

Kayhan Yılmaz: Today, growth potential is primarily determined by technology and fields of transformation. The automotive industry – especially electric vehicles and battery technologies – energy systems, the defense industry, and the chemical sector are among the areas with the highest investment dynamics. What these sectors have in common is that they significantly increase the demand for high technology and automation. Every investment in these areas therefore immediately opens up new demand fields for mechanical engineering.

In addition, demand for production technologies that are compatible with the European agenda for the green transition also represents a strong growth area for our sector. In particular, energy-efficient machines, low-CO₂ production solutions, digital traceability infrastructures, and systems that support circular production processes will see increased demand in the near future. This development offers Turkish manufacturers the potential to strengthen their position in the European market not only through cost advantages, but also through their ability to comply with standards and regulations.

Automation and artificial intelligence are also among the key topics at this year’s Hannover Messe. How far has the Turkish machinery industry progressed in terms of digital transformation?

Kayhan Yılmaz: Since the early years when discussions about Industry 4.0 first emerged at Hannover Messe, the Turkish machinery sector, as one of the players that closely follows technological developments and production trends worldwide, has consistently attracted great interest on this platform. Our sector’s ability to adapt early to global transformation processes has confirmed this interest. Significant progress has been made in the field of digital transformation, especially among export-oriented companies.

Our companies have made significant investments in automation, data analysis, and the digital integration of production processes, building a production infrastructure that complies with international standards as well as customer requirements and regulatory provisions. For us, digitalization is no longer just a question of efficiency, but also a decisive factor in terms of traceability, quality assurance, and sustainability. In the coming phase, one of the most important factors for the competitiveness of our sector will be to extend this transformation to a broader base of manufacturers.

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In future, you will be a woman at the helm of Turkish Machinery in an industry that is still male-dominated. In your view, what is necessary to ensure that more women in the machinery sector can take on leadership responsibilities?

Kayhan Yılmaz: Even though the machinery sector has historically been dominated by men worldwide for a long time, this structure is increasingly changing. Gender equality and the participation of women in working life are no longer seen merely as a question of representation, but are also understood as a fundamental component of sustainable development. Companies in Turkey are likewise striving to achieve stronger alignment in the field of social sustainability in addition to ecological and economic issues. In this context, steps toward equal opportunity, inclusion, and diversity increase the visibility of women in professional life and their role in decision-making processes.

Turkey occupies a remarkable position in this area. The share of women working in science and technology is 44 percent, which is above the European Union average of 41 percent. The proportion of female graduates from engineering faculties is also comparatively high. This picture points to significant potential with regard to the human resources needed by the sector.

The fact that a woman is now at the helm of Turkish Machinery is therefore not only an individual development, but can also be understood as an expression of the importance, vision, and determination that our sector attaches to this transformation. I am convinced that in the coming years, as a result of these steps, we will see more women taking on leadership responsibilities in the machinery sector.

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What are your wishes for further strengthening German-Turkish cooperation in the machinery sector?

Kayhan Yılmaz: For German-Turkish cooperation in the machinery sector to continue to solidify in the coming period, the most important factor is to preserve and further deepen the common production perspective. European industry is currently looking for reliable partners that are geographically close and have strong standards. With its long-standing integration shaped by the customs union, its technical compatibility, and its production discipline, Turkey is providing a strong response to this need. 

We are convinced that this relationship can be elevated to an even higher level through joint R&D projects, technology transfer, and increasing mutual investments. In particular, cooperation in the field of new production technologies and sustainability will create long-term added value for the industries of both countries. As Turkey, our goal in this process is not only to be a part of it, but to be a long-term partner that actively helps shape the future of European industry.