Interview with Sales and Marketing Director of İdaş

We had a pleasant interview with Bozkurt Şişman, Turkey Sales and Marketing Director of İdaş. Şişman told us about İdaş' establishment history and we discussed the company's new products.

Could you please briefly tell us about your education and professional background in the sector?

I graduated from Koç University, Department of Economics and completed my master's degree at UCI Irvine University in the USA. I started my career at Salvin Nonwoven. Since 2016, I have been working at İdaş, one of our group companies. I have been Sales Director for a year and a half. I oversee the business development, sales and marketing departments.

Could you please tell us about the development process of your company from its foundation to the present day?

İdaş is one of Turkey's most valuable brands. We see that İdaş has achieved many firsts over more than 50 years. In our Bozüyük facility, established on an area of 70,000 m2, we produce springs, sponge, beds, bed bases, headboards and metal furniture through a modernized integrated production line. İdaş takes pride in being a pioneer of firsts and innovations in spring mattress production. Since its establishment, İdaş has been producing mattresses for millions of consumers and major hotel chains, and has succeeded in becoming the preferred brand in the spring mattress and sleeping products sector, maintaining that position for half a century.

"Since the beginning of 1977, İdaş has been producing polyurethane foam. Since then, it continues to produce polyurethane sponge in its laboratories with the highest level of technological facilities."

Branding is a very important process for companies. Could you please tell us about İdaş's branding history?

Founded in 1965, İdaş began production at the Istanbul Topkapı facility in 1967 and continued production at Bozüyük facilities, established in 1976. In 1993, İdaş added superior spring technologies to its portfolio, including classic proprietary spring systems with American patents. In 1994, the company obtained its first TS-ISO 9002 certificate and became the first company to implement a quality assurance system. Since 2000, Istanbul and Bursa production moved to the Bozüyük facility. That same year, İdaş introduced package springs and the PocketFlex series of package spring bearings to customers. In 2003, using memory foam Visco, also called space technology, the company developed its first washable mattresses. In 2007, İdaş developed air-conditioning products offering more spacious sleep with Climarelle technology. In 2017, İdaş introduced Mira-Pocket and Weightless Relaxation spring technologies for the first time, developing mattresses with superior comfort suited to all body structures and lying positions.

Could you please tell us about İdaş's foam product groups?

İdaş, which operates world-class laboratory facilities, benefits from the experience of its sister company SALTEKS A.Ş., which has been operating since the 1940s in the field of filling materials. In addition to its extensive product range, İdaş stands out with its Woolmark Rich Blend®, Organic Cotton and Oeko-Tex 100 certified natural products. İdaş produces sponge, a crucial filling material, in its own foam production facility without outsourcing for filling materials.

Could you please give information about your polyurethane foam technologies?

Since 1977, İdaş has been producing polyurethane foam. Since then, it continues to produce polyurethane sponge in its laboratories equipped with the highest level of technological facilities.

Could you please give information about your export activities?

While completing our domestic structure, we aim to make investments to become a global brand within the next decade. Currently, as we accelerate our domestic operations, we are undertaking preparatory work within our international structure. We are working to gain experience in Europe, the Balkans and the Middle East. In this regard, we are making investment plans to improve our human resources, production infrastructure and distribution channels accordingly.

In all sectors e-commerce is becoming increasingly important due to digital transformation. What are your activities in e-commerce?

We believe that e-commerce is the path to success in the future. We prioritize customer experience and continually innovate in this area. We aim to provide a more pleasant shopping environment for our customers. We have a roadmap in which we aim to implement strategies aligned with our company's growth policy. We seek to achieve significant growth through effective structuring and planning. Providing our customers with the right product range in terms of quality, diversity, comfort and specifications through both classical retail and e-commerce channels is among our priorities. With customer experience at the center, we ensure that our visitors have the same experience both online and in our stores.

"İdaş, which has been producing mattresses for millions of consumers and major hotel chains since its establishment, has succeeded in becoming the preferred brand in the spring mattress and sleeping products sector and maintaining that position for half a century".

 

How many stores do you have in Turkey? In which regions are they mainly located?

We have an extensive sales network consisting of 220 concept franchises, İdaş Showrooms and nearly 300 corner stores in smaller cities and districts. The provinces with the highest concentration are those with the highest sales figures. However, we ensure that our sales network is structured to reach even the most remote regions, and we conduct our operations accordingly. We have over 500 sales points spread throughout Turkey and are proud to be a national brand.

Could you please tell us about the design process of your products?

Design is one of the most important aspects of our products. Our product designs are highly appreciated by our customers. We produce mattresses that are valued for both design and comfort by using many different functional and innovative fabrics. As a result of an important R&D project, our Crystal bed won the "2017 IFM Design Award".