CET Composite and Epoxy Technologies enables composite manufacturers to produce products with high-temperature resistance and superior mechanical performance. In the interview we conducted, CET Composite Founder Ömer Güven shared valuable information about the company's products and services.
Could you briefly tell us about yourself, your education, and your professional background in the sector?
I ranked in the top 100 in the university entrance exam and obtained my bachelor's degree in Industrial Engineering from Sabancı University and my master's degree from Koç University. Later, I worked briefly as a Management Trainee at one of Turkey's leading technology companies. However, since middle school, I have worked in almost all departments of our family chemistry company, gaining experience in all functions from production to R&D, from procurement to quality.
What factors influenced your decision to focus on composite and epoxy production for the defense industry sector?
Turkey's annual epoxy system imports are at approximately USD 600 million. When we evaluate this as epoxy-based chemical systems, it creates approximately a USD 1 billion current account deficit. There is no domestic production of high-performance epoxy resins used in the defense industry, and only a few manufacturers exist worldwide. Turkey is completely dependent on imports in this regard. Moreover, the products these companies supply to Turkish Defense Industry companies are limited to a certain level. In such circumstances, Turkey's achievements in defense composites are limited to what these companies permit or what they do not consider as strategic threats in end-user certificates. We are a young team that set out to break this hegemony and has succeeded.
What are the main products and services your company offers?
We domestically perform synthesis, modification, formulation and mass production of epoxy-based performance chemicals. We crowned the well-deserved pride of being Turkey's first epoxy resin synthesis company with our patent approved this month.
Can you tell us about the innovative composite materials your company has developed? What specific defense applications are these materials used in?
To date, we view this as our biggest gap. Our company, established as an epoxy system manufacturer to supply technology and materials to the composite sector, does not produce composite parts. The fact that we can supply epoxy systems to composite parts manufacturers without end-user certification enables composite manufacturers to produce products with very high temperature resistance or high mechanical performance. We have localized more than 30 ultra-high-performance products in the defense industry alone and produced more than 200 products in total. The products we manufacture are currently serving Turkish defense industry in rocket production, space technologies, armor, aviation components and electronic systems.
Can you provide information about your company's future growth targets?
Our company is currently in a leading position as a domestic manufacturer in the aerospace and space industry. Within three years, with our newly opened facility, our goal is to become the leader by volume in Turkey, and to be among the top three companies in resin technologies in Europe when we include all other sectors.
What new technologies or materials do you plan to work on in the future? What is your company's long-term vision?
Resins impart certain unique functions to composite systems. We obtain many properties through resins. We can provide parameters such as high temperature resistance, hardness, fracture toughness, conductivity, insulation and flexibility through different types of resins. Every day we strive to improve our products and produce products with different functions. In other words, we try to push the boundaries of the properties we give to composites. We have reached very serious degrees in temperature resistance, but there are still higher temperatures we can reach. In the future, we will continue to develop systems that provide even higher temperature resistance. Non-flammable and ultra-flexible systems will be our main focus areas.
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