Interview with Ebru Pilavcı Erişi, General Manager of BASF Chemetall Türkiye

In an interview we conducted, Ebru Pilavcı Erişi, General Manager of BASF Chemetall Turkey, answered our questions. Erişi provided information about BASF Chemetall's products and technologies.

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

After completing my undergraduate degree in Chemistry at METU, I pursued an MBA at Bilgi University. I started my career in 1997 at Betek Boya in the R&D department. Subsequently, I relocated to Ankara and worked as a sales specialist at Likrom Analytical Solutions until 2007. Later, I returned to Istanbul and worked in the sales department at Evonik for 13.5 years in various positions, serving as responsible for paints additives and specialty resins in Turkey and the MEA region. Since September 2020, I have been General Manager of BASF Chemetall Turkey.

Could you provide information about Chemetall's founding process and the stages it has gone through to the present day? What is Chemetall's current structure?

Chemetall is a company built upon traditions, values and experience dating back to the 19th century, when it was part of Metallgesellschaft (mg), an organization based in Germany. With headquarters in Frankfurt, Germany, Chemetall is today a leading global surface treatment company with more than 20 production facilities worldwide, 40 subsidiaries and 2,500 employees. December 2016 was an important turning point for Chemetall. BASF completed the acquisition of Chemetall, Albemarle's global surface treatment company. BASF's Paints and Coatings Industry Division expanded its portfolio through this acquisition to become a more complete solution provider. BASF combined its expertise in chemicals and coating applications with Chemetall's market-leading expertise in surface treatment. Through this acquisition, both companies will benefit from each other's global presence, resulting economies of scale and market access, offering customers unique solution competency and creating new growth opportunities. Chemetall's activities in Turkey began in 1988 when Chemetall acquired Side Kimya A.Ş. and renamed it Bonder Kimya A.Ş., and in the same year commenced production of surface treatment chemicals at the Gebze facility. The company changed its name to Chemetall in 1997 to use the international brand. In 2008, Chemetall relocated to its new factory in TOSB (Taysad Organized Industrial Zone) - Çayırova.

Which main sectors does Chemetall serve and what types of products does it supply? Could you provide information about Chemetall's products, brands and services?

Chemetall develops and manufactures customized surface treatment technology and system solutions for its customers' production processes. The products protect metals from corrosion, facilitate shaping and processing, prepare components optimally for the painting process and ensure excellent paint adhesion. The products are used in various industries such as automotive, aerospace, aluminum coating and metal forming. Chemical treatment of metal surfaces is Chemetall's core competency. The focus of worldwide operations is the development and application of technologies and system solutions specialized for surface treatment. Our product groups, Oxsilan®, Gardobond®, Ardrox® and Naftoseal®, have played a pioneering role in metal forming. Our surface treatment products and processes include cleaners and abrasives, corrosion protectants, chromium-free pre-treatments and surface treatment coatings, thin organic coatings and primers, lubrication products for cold forming, chemicals for wastewater treatment, paint stripping and paint removal chemicals, non-destructive testing materials and equipment, and aircraft sealant products. In addition to such products, one of our fundamental strengths is our on-site technical service recommendations. We provide technical services such as line service and chemical management, laboratory trials to optimize surface treatment processes, laboratory applications of various coating types, advanced chemical and surface analyses, testing of components and panels according to international standards, and customer training.

Could you tell us about your domestic and international sales activities? What types of products do you primarily sell to which regions domestically and internationally?

Chemetall's Surface Technology operations are present throughout the world. More than 2,500 employees work at the company's headquarters in Frankfurt am Main (Germany) or at one of numerous branches and production facilities worldwide. The close and partnership-based work we develop with our customers enables us to develop the most appropriate customer solutions for sustainable business success. In Turkey, we supply the domestic market, and we also export to the UAE, Azerbaijan and Egypt. With our own sales team and 3 distributors, we can reach every customer throughout Turkey.

What types of work do you carry out at Chemetall in the fields of innovation and R&D? Do you have projects developed under university-industry cooperation, and if so, what are they?

Chemical processes for surface treatment are constantly evolving. On the one hand, this is due to continuous global economic changes and resulting customer demands, legal frameworks and industrial production processes, while on the other hand, scientific and technical innovations open new opportunities for surface treatment. An increasing number of different and new metallic and non-metallic surfaces, the need for shorter processing times, the requirement to reduce energy consumption, and customer demands such as reducing water and chemical consumption are among the customer demands we address both when developing new technologies and adapting our existing processes. Our currently holding more than 1,200 patents and patent applications in the field of surface treatment, as well as numerous innovations successfully established in the market, demonstrate the success of our R&D strategies. Chemetall's integrated system solutions enable our customers to increase their productivity. In recent years, our company has developed and launched groundbreaking innovations. Given our commitment to new technologies, our company has established a strong network of R&D connections with all major industries, steel and aluminum producers, numerous research institutes, various industry organizations and universities. Examples of our innovations include: OXSILAN®: silane-based pre-treatment alternatives to zinc phosphate processes, Permatreat® 1903: chromium-free pre-treatment for beverage cans, Gardobond® X 4661 (SAM): chromium-free pre-treatment for aluminum rims, Gardomer®: specialized lubrication products for metal forming, and NAFTOSEAL®: low-density sealant materials for the aircraft industry. To meet regional market requirements and benefit from our accumulated knowledge worldwide, we have established a global structure for our R&D organization. Most of our R&D specialists work at one of our well-equipped competence centers in Frankfurt (Germany), New Providence (USA) or Shanghai (China). Additionally, smaller projects are being conducted at numerous local laboratories operated by Chemetall.

Could you provide information about Chemetall's environmental policy and sustainability approach? What can you tell us about your work related to occupational health and safety?

Our principles regarding the protection of health and the environment, as well as occupational and safety matters, are set out in our Quality (now referred to as EHS - Environment, Health, Safety) Management Guidelines. In addition to the protection of health and the environment, occupational and laboratory safety are values we are committed to and that are equivalent to our company's economic objectives. For us, health and environmental protection as well as occupational and safety means acting in full accordance with applicable laws and regulations. The prevention and reduction of environmental impacts and subsequent disposal during the production, storage, transport and use of our products, and research, development and production are its objective and constant struggle. To protect the environment and resources, raw materials and recyclable waste are used as much as possible and energy sources are consumed economically. Waste that cannot be recycled or reused is disposed of safely in accordance with existing regulations. We regularly monitor and review the environmental impacts of our operations and use the information obtained from these reviews to operate and optimize our facilities and workplaces in a way that minimizes the impacts of our operations on the environment and the health of our employees. Our Board of Directors and Site Managements regularly review these policy guidelines to assess whether they comply with internal and external requirements. If necessary, these guidelines are revised.

What criteria are prioritized when formulating Chemetall's investment plans? Does Chemetall have investment plans for the coming periods, and if so, what are they?

Our growth and investment plans are developed according to the long-term plans of our customers and industry as an organization focused on serving our customers. And as a global market leader, we are aware that our success depends on close cooperation with our customers. We aim to provide value and solutions to them through superior quality processes, timely delivery and the best technical services. We have broad experience in operating in diversified markets and understand our customers' needs and processes, so Chemetall can offer customized solutions. Our objective is always to seek new and better ways to create added value for our customers. As an example, the commissioning of Chemetall's largest investment in its history, a new facility in China, is expected to take place in 2021 and strengthen our position in the Asian market.