Interview with Kudret Tan, Founder of En-Ser

We conducted an enjoyable interview with Kudret Tan, Founder and General Manager of En-Ser, a company serving the industrial lubricants sector, discussing the company's areas of activity, its important position in the food sector, and its targets for the coming years. [caption id="attachment_104968" align="aligncenter"] Kudret Tan[/caption]

Could you tell our readers about yourself and your professional background?

After completing my secondary education at TED Collegiate, I finished the Industrial Management Department at Robert Kolej Yüksek in 1972. Subsequently, I continued my studies at Boğaziçi University's Industrial Engineering Department and graduated as an Industrial Engineer in 1982. While studying at Boğaziçi University, I also worked as a Middle and Senior Manager at Turkish Airlines Foundation, Rabak A.Ş., and Çukurova Import and Export A.Ş. After approximately 14 years of private sector experience, I founded En-Ser Contracting and Trading Company, which I continue to manage.

Could you provide information about En-Ser? Which sectors do you serve?

En-Ser Contracting and Trading was established in 1984. Initially, we obtained Shell, Mobil and Turcas mineral oils dealerships and began operating particularly in the industrial lubricants sector. Our company has always served our customers differently compared to competitors. By visiting our customers directly and providing detailed technical information, we maintained close communication and informed our customers. From 2002 onwards, we began managing Turkey's sales of cooling compressor oils for CPI Inc., headquartered in Michigan, USA. Until December 2018, we had significant customer potential in the cooling oils field. When our agreement with this company ended in 2018, we considered producing equivalent products in Turkey. In 2019, following our agreement with Petro Viscol facilities in Tuzla, which hold ISO 9001 and 14001 certifications, we began producing equivalent products under a Turkish brand. The renewed and expanded analysis laboratories at Petro Viscol facilities, competent production personnel, and the technical knowledge we have accumulated over the years helped us develop our new products. We currently produce high-performance Carina series compressor oils in three main types—naphthenic, semi-synthetic and fully synthetic—at this facility. Yücel Yıldır, the facility's founder, a qualified chemical engineer who worked for many years in Shell's R&D departments, provided important support to our work. Thus, we proved that nothing is impossible in Turkey and that Turkish people can achieve many things. Our high-performance products, particularly freon oils and ammonia compressor oils, were adopted by our domestic and international customers and received significant support. We believe this project, which will provide important added value to our country, will continue with new types of synthetic oils in the future.

Could you tell us about the chemical substances you use for hygiene purposes in your product groups?

Among the hygiene products we currently supply are two excellent products: ANTIGERM NANO 50, an environment and surface disinfectant produced using nano silver technology, and ANTIGERM ORLIN GERMICIDAL, used for hand hygiene. They are manufactured to EU standards and also hold Ministry of Health licenses. Both types of our products have been used with satisfaction by many of our customers during pandemic conditions, particularly in the food sector and in large multi-personnel industrial establishments.

Why are food machinery oils and greases important for the food sector? Could you share your product groups related to this area with our readers?

In Turkey, food machinery oils and greases only began to be recognized from the 1990s onwards. Mandatory changes in food regulations related to exports, FDA and NSF regulations, and demands for Halal certificates naturally increased demand in this field. When it became mandatory that greases and oils that could contaminate food products during food production must be food-approved, sales of oils and greases with NSF H1 and H3 codes (harmless to food) increased. Currently, these products are imported from abroad. We supply these products to our food industry customers across a wide range. The food sector is a rapidly developing sector in our country in terms of both exports and domestic consumption, requiring hygiene and production forms appropriate for food necessary for human health. The practice of using mineral oils and greases with carcinogenic effects in the food industry must absolutely be abandoned and inspections in this matter must be increased. Our task as a supplier is to provide producers with the correct greases and machine oils that meet the needs of production machinery at the most appropriate price and correct quality.

Why is the concept of equivalent oil important? What procedure should be followed to determine equivalent oils for use in imported machinery and equipment?

When working on equivalent oils, a specific methodology should be followed. In this methodology, the technical specifications of the oil being researched are first examined. Then the technical specifications of the proposed equivalent oil are checked against the same ASTM or DIN standard specifications. This initial comparison is very important. In the second step, samples are provided to the customer for testing in their equipment. After application results are obtained, the required quantity of oil or grease is provided to the customer. Subsequently, generally after 3 months of operating hours, a sample is taken from the working oil and laboratory analysis is performed. If the technical specifications found in laboratory results are within limits, the technical approval of the oil's equivalency is complete.

Could you describe the activities you have carried out in identifying products required by the market and securing their supply?

Identifying these products requires intensive one-to-one activity within the sector. Furthermore, it is necessary to understand machinery and equipment and have prior knowledge about the oils they should use. Unfortunately, in Turkey, the technical schools and universities that provide technical education do not provide sufficient information on this subject. Moreover, in developed countries, there is a field of study called Tribology in which extensive education is provided on lubrication techniques. Our country is unfortunately far behind in this regard as well. The responsibility here also falls to associations dealing with refrigeration, and engineering societies. Engineers and technicians with experience in industry should give seminars to our young people entering the sector at these associations or societies. There is a significant shortage of skilled personnel and technicians in this sector.

Refrigeration systems and cooling oils are among the sectors experiencing increasingly high demand and most open to development. Within this framework, what work should be carried out to train qualified personnel and bring them into the sector?

Development in the refrigeration sector in Turkey is very rapid. Because demand for agricultural products and processed food products is increasing rapidly in our country. In parallel, investments in cold storage, cold transport, and cold chain are also increasing rapidly. Unfortunately, refrigeration compressor production has not yet been realized in Turkey, and all compressors used in cold storage and cold chains are imported from abroad. A few large companies dominate the market in this area, and imported compressor prices and parts are excessively high. Turkey should transition to domestic production in this area and prevent foreign currency losses. Cold storage establishment and operating costs can only be reduced in this way. Until late 2015, refrigeration compressor oils were foreign brands, and a significant portion was imported from abroad. Some brands virtually established monopolies here, and the way was not opened for domestic production. In this field, together with Petro Viscol, we overcame an important barrier with the synthetic and fully synthetic compressor oils we began producing. The need for technical personnel in the refrigeration sector is also increasing rapidly, and young technicians should be encouraged to enter this field. As I mentioned earlier, intensive training programs should be implemented, particularly at machinery and electrical engineers societies, and Tribology (oil technology) departments should be opened at our universities. Could you describe the measures you take to produce while considering a sustainable world and a greener environment? To achieve a green environment, it is urgent to turn to products with minimum harmful effects on water, soil and atmosphere. For this, strict compliance with environmental regulations is necessary. Additionally, some recyclable products should also be produced.  

What developments do you foresee in the sector you serve in the coming years?

The coming years will certainly be years in which technology and technical education will become much more widespread. Many engineering disciplines will work together to produce new products. Biochemists, mechanical engineers, electrical, industrial and environmental engineers will work together to develop new oils, and while contributing more to industry, they will place high-performance products that cause less harm to the environment in service of humanity.