Duropur offers customized solutions for various sectors

Duropur, which can be described as one of the sector's new players, is taking quick and confident steps with the right objectives. With a facility built on a completely automated infrastructure, the company, which has included R&D and quality control laboratories, offers specialized solutions for different areas and different markets. Akın Kuruağaç, a professional who has played a role in the polyurethane sector for 20 years, has worked especially in the field of polyurethane-based construction chemicals. Throughout his career path, Kuruağaç has taken on various positions in many departments from R&D to procurement and sales, and has gained experience in different markets by serving customers from different countries. Familiar with foreign markets, their application practices and product portfolios, Kuruağaç continues his successful work today as General Manager of Duropur. We spoke with Duropur General Manager Akın Kuruağaç about the solutions his company offers to the polyurethane sector—particularly in the field of waterproofing—and its foreign operations. [caption id="attachment_160579" align="aligncenter"] Duropur General Manager Akın Kuruağaç[/caption]

Duropur serves as a polyurethane manufacturer specializing in the R&D and commercialization of waterproofing, protection and repair solutions. Can you tell us about your company's growth process since its establishment?

Although I have 20 years of experience in the sector, Duropur Construction Chemicals is quite new to the industry. Since we understood the challenges in starting a business and even in growth processes, when we established Duropur, we put every step on the table and worked through each one individually. Currently, our facility holds a very good position among its peers, and with production infrastructure based entirely on automation, we have added R&D and quality control laboratories and managed to record and monitor all follow-up and control processes. Our quality control process begins with laboratory testing of every single raw material we purchase before it is accepted into stock, and we continue this in production with our intermediate controls, recording every data point in the process and passing it through our own control filter. In this way, we can provide feedback to our customers much faster and with certainty about what we do. Through continuous benchmarking work, we compare every product we produce with its equivalents on the market and constantly innovate ourselves. Unlike competing companies, we established our R&D and quality control laboratory even before we began production, trained the colleagues we brought into our organization, and completed all our infrastructure work before production even started. Our laboratory has all the test equipment needed to serve the polyurethane sector, and we are in a position to respond to our customers at every point.

When it comes to waterproofing, what needs have developed in the construction sector over time, and what solutions have you offered?

In the construction sector, with the improvement of building quality and the development of engineering solutions, alongside decorative features in buildings, structural protection has come to the forefront and quality has begun to be questioned. Thus, the standard of materials used has risen. The fact that customers question quality alongside cost has driven our development. As more wear resistance was sought in areas exposed to light foot traffic, we developed our products accordingly. As more UV resistance was sought in outdoor applications, we conducted studies in that direction. As vertical surface applications increased, we developed new products. In summary, we developed our products according to market needs and also conducted R&D work on products newly introduced in other countries, produced them within our organization, and offered them to our country.

Can you explain polyurethane-based waterproofing to us?

First and foremost, polyurethane-based waterproofing materials adapt perfectly to different weather conditions. They are breathable and exhibit high wear resistance. They have high adhesion capability to different substrates. With their high resistance to UV rays, they are suitable for use in different regions. They are flexible and work together with the structure they are applied to. They are easily applied with airless guns, brushes and rollers; because they are solvent-free, they provide higher waterproofing. With our own product portfolio, we provide solutions for different areas—from polyurethane-bitumen mixture materials used in base curtain walls to waterproofing materials suitable for use under ceramics in wet volumes such as kitchens, bathrooms and toilets; from flat roofs and terrace areas to structures that need waterproofing on sloped or even vertical surfaces. Our products developed for use in the waterproofing of water tanks, pools, wastewater treatment facilities and manholes are also part of our portfolio.

What are the quality and standards in waterproof polyurethane products/what should they be? How do you compare your work in foreign countries and in our country?

Actually, over time we have caught up with European standards. Of course, since the use of these products in Europe and America is much older, both their standards have developed and they have become familiar within their own markets. In our country, with the TS EN 1504-2 standard, which has begun to be applied over time, customers are now also questioning the control conditions of surface protection systems for concrete, which shows that a certain awareness has been established in our own market. The increase in these awareness levels, the inclusion of CE standards in this process, and the CE certificates we obtained for the products we produce, I believe, show that we have caught up with our European competitors.

Can you discuss any special formulations or technologies used in the manufacturing of your waterproof polyurethane products that contribute to their durability?

If we are to talk about polyurethane-based materials specifically produced for waterproofing, they have already set themselves apart from other different materials in their own segment. With both the vibration resistance shown by their flexible structure and their crack-bridging capabilities, they have advanced ahead of others in terms of physical durability. Furthermore, with their structure based on polymer chemistry, they show considerable resistance to different chemicals, which gives them the advantage of being applicable in different areas. Their impact, tear and wear resistance values shown to a certain extent are also more advanced compared to competitors. Finally, due to their high UV resistance and long-lasting nature, they are becoming the preferred choice in outdoor applications.

Which markets do you serve with your products? What is your position in these markets?

Our main objective and field of operation is to be among the strong exporting companies that our country needs. For this purpose, although our main goal is foreign markets, we also serve the domestic market. Our foreign sales have reached markets beyond just neighboring countries, extending to more distant markets. Our ultimate goal here is to achieve export continuity by capturing a customer portfolio from every geography in foreign markets.

What are the factors that lead to your preference in foreign markets? Can you share the most important points in your marketing strategies with us?

During our period of service, both our product quality and certifications have brought us up to par with our European competitors. In addition, we use the logistical advantages that our geographic location brings. Furthermore, we are preferred with our fast production, fast shipping and quick after-sales service. We have added our subcontracting options to the services we can provide in different languages, optimized our costs and conducted specific pricing studies for each country we serve and plan to serve. At the same time, we offer customer and application-oriented solutions by testing required products as quickly as possible in a laboratory environment.

In the coming period, do you plan to enter new markets? What are your 2024 foreign trade targets?

We strive to set new goals each year and add new countries to our network. We are constantly working to improve the products we currently produce and add new products to our portfolio. In this direction, we visit different trade fairs to examine new products and monitor market trends. Of course, our new product trials continue relentlessly, and we test the products resulting from these trials in the market and measure customer reactions.