Zeki Demirtaşoğlu was born in 1971 in Çankırı, Turkey. He graduated from Mehmet Rüştü Uzel Chemistry Technical High School and then Ankara University, Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Food Engineering. Mr Demirtaşoğlu then received a master's degree in microbiology. As a Chemist, Food Engineer and Biotechnologist, he had theoretical knowledge and command of the sector. In 1999, He founded his company Bastak Instruments, in Ankara. The factory began by producing flour additives. Then over time, flour and wheat quality control laboratory devices such as enzyme metre, humidity device, gluten washing device, sampling device were also added to its product portfolio.Today, 43 kinds of quality control devices and 35 kinds of flour additives are produced. He is also the founder and chairman of the Milling Machinery Manufacturers Association. Thanks to this association, the Turkish milling industry and its achievements were introduced first to Turkey and then, to the rest of the world.
I picked milling because I enjoy working in agriculture and knew I wanted to pursue it as a profession. Milling was ideal since it is both difficult and gratifying, as well as a good blend of mental and manual effort. I like critical thinking and problem solving, but I also like being able to get my hands dirty with machines and be directly involved in problem solutions. I consider Milling as a profession, rougher than farriery but more delicate than jewellery.
How important has flour – feed milling become in Turkey over the time you have worked in the industry?
In the last 40 years, we have become able to sell products even to European countries, which are the heart of the industry, in the production of milling machines which has started in Turkey in the 1970s. Started with sieve production and then moved to machine production, today we sell products to countries such as Germany, Japan, and Italy, which uses industry 4.0 intensively. I would like to underline that the industrialists, who started production in this field in the 1970s, are now exporting to more than 165 countries. Our total exports in the category including all giant European countries such as England, Germany, France and the USA occupy an important place with US$2.5 billion according to the data of the Turkish Statistical Institute in October this year, and most importantly, our country's exporters, who broke the record by exceeding US$225billion.
The fact that we have the largest share in machinery and equipment and milling exports amongst the companies reveals how important the sector is.
What are two major developments that have had the biggest impact on the industry's progress?
We believe that the region where people live determines their destiny. The discovery of the first Milling started after wheat production and people in this region obtained flour related products and spread it all over the world. This culture spread all over the world from Anatolia, so the people living in this geography continued this agricultural mobilisation that they started in the past and brought them together with grinding technology. Currently, the milling machines produced in Turkey are in the first place in the World. The biggest reason for this is that the quality of Turkish machines is in an upper segment when compared to their counterparts in the world, the importance given to technical support and they create turnkey factories. Whilst there are 14 big companies in the sector all over the world, 184 big companies in Turkey are engaged in this business. As the industry and association, we are very proud of the championships of the Republic of Turkey.
What has Desmüd brought to the Turkish Machinery industry so far?
At Desmüd we aim to carry our Turkish manufacturers and stakeholders, who are in a leading position around the world, to a higher level; also develop market opportunities and cooperation opportunities, follow up new emerging technologies, and support scientific and sectoral research. Since its establishment, Desmüd has united the Turkish milling machinery industry, strengthened its unity and solidarity, and has been carrying out activities before the government in order to overcome some difficulties in front of the industry by meeting with government officials in case of need. It carries out its activities especially in close relations with the ministries of industry and trade. In addition, it has played a major role in the opening of "Milling departments" in three vocational high schools in Turkey regarding the staff needed by the industry and has made great contributions to the Turkish milling industry by providing scholarships, internships and job opportunities to these students. These efforts are also reflected positively on the export figures and brought us one step closer to our 2023 targets, the 100th anniversary of our Republic.
In your role with DESMUD what are your future challenges and goals?
Our main goals are: Increase and sustain the competitiveness of our national industry, it is to develop policies in line with the priorities of our sector in cooperation with all segments of the Machinery Manufacturing Sector and relevant institutions, to contribute to creating the infrastructure and tools to realise these, to play a leading role in creating a culture of solidarity and cooperation by supporting the activities of sectoral organisations. To be a leading, participatory and sharing organisation that contributes to the increase in the quality of life of our society and the sustainable development of our country, contributing to the achievement of an internationally competitive structure in quality, technology development and innovation.
Although the blue-collar need of the sector is very high, we took the first step in this regard and we aim to meet the blue-collar needs of our sector by giving scholarships to our students in 3 schools within the scope of the protocol we signed with the Ministry of National Education in regions where milling machine production is intense. We pursue a policy of expanding this education within the scope of the university, and we also intend to bring education to the international arena, and to bring stakeholders to Turkey with the experience of those who want to study.
In your view how important is the flour – feed industry in Turkey in the supply of quality foodstuffs to consumers?
Turkey, which draws attention with the intense interest of European investors due to the recently increasing global shipping prices, stands out with its geographical location, transportation network, demographic structure and the conveniences it offers to investors. The exponential increase in long-distance transportation costs along with the epidemic turns Turkey, which offers location and cost advantages for many foreign international companies, into an attractive investment and production center. Recently, many European-based international companies announced their new investment plans for Turkey, which has strong logistics infrastructure and opportunities. The fact that the global supply chain is turning to Turkey from a network dependent on Asia and especially China due to its production quality and logistics opportunities has brought with it the expectation that investments in Turkey will increase in this field. In the latest analysis of the international rating agency Fitch Ratings, it was stated that Turkey is the country that will gain the most from the change in supply chains in Europe. With Turkey's strategic location, free trade network, strong logistics infrastructure, production diversity, high incentives, cost advantaged qualified workforce, strong industrial cluster and liberal investment climate, the country offers a suitable environment for international companies to connect to the global value chain. With Turkey's strategic location, free trade network, strong logistics infrastructure, production diversity, high incentives, cost advantaged qualified workforce, strong industrial cluster and liberal investment climate, the country offers a suitable environment for international companies to connect to the global value chain. Turkey's strategic location, as a production, export and management centre in the region, has become a magnet that attracts multinational companies and enables them to participate in the global value chain.
The Global Miller
This blog is maintained by The Global Miller staff and is supported by the magazine Milling and Grain
which is published by Perendale Publishers Limited.
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