Interview with Nisso Behar, CEO of Kobe Poliüretan

Kobe Polyurethane's Founder and Chief Executive Officer Nisso Behar sat down with us for an engaging conversation. Mr. Behar shared valuable insights with our readers about the company's operations and vision.

First of all, could you tell us about yourself and your background in the industry so our readers can get to know you better?

I was born in Istanbul in 1970. After completing my undergraduate degree in English Business Administration at Istanbul University, I finished my Master's degree in Marketing at the University of San Francisco. I took my first professional step in this sector in 1996 as Sales Manager. Later, I pioneered the establishment of the first polyurethane systems manufacturing plant in Turkey and served as its director for about 15 years. Following this accumulated experience, we founded Kobe Polyurethane and began serving the industry.

Can you provide information about your company's history and the areas it serves?

Kobe Polyurethane was established in August 2015 in the GEBKİM Organized Industrial Zone located in Dilovası, Kocaeli. Our facility, built on an area of 25,000 m², contains production lines for saturated polyester resin, MDI prepolymer, catalyst and polymix. Since we believe in continuous improvement in every department of our company, from our founding to today we have made new investments every year, both developing our product portfolio and upgrading our system to a level where human error is minimized through process and automation. With our new investment coming online in 2023, we continue to increase our capacity. Additionally, we are enriching our human resources, which we believe will propel us forward, through new hires and training programs.

What product groups do you offer to the polyurethane sector?

We made a rapid entry into the sector by beginning production in the last quarter of 2016. In the initial phase, we began serving the footwear industry. In line with our customers' needs, we developed a broad product range serving all product groups in this sector. Feedback from our customers indicates that our products for all types of soles, sandals and occupational safety footwear have raised the quality bar in the sector one notch higher. By the end of 2017, we began introducing molded polyurethane foams for the automotive and office groups, on which we conducted R&D work, to the market. We also introduced filter and integral systems in the same product group to the market. Adhesive products and insulation foams, which the industry needed, became part of our product range in subsequent years. With our advanced technology, we have developed a product range for polyester polyol products according to their wide range of applications, supplying these products to qualified customers with polyester use both domestically and internationally.

Can you discuss the R&D work you conduct to develop your products and the resources you allocate to these activities?

We believe that R&D work is very important both for the sector we are in and for Turkey's development. Particularly in companies like ours that produce higher-quality products and guide customers toward value addition, progress is only possible with a good R&D team that continuously follows and utilizes technology and innovation. To enable this team to work more efficiently, we have established and continue to develop a laboratory infrastructure equipped with the latest technology devices used in the industry. Starting from synthesis work, all analyses are conducted to reflect the product's final form at the customer's end. While we support our R&D work with TÜBİTAK projects, we also conduct joint work with various domestic and international companies to develop new and specialized products.

Could you outline your sales activities?

Our primary goal in our operations is to provide service that can meet customer demands. For this purpose, we are engaged in a direct sales planning approach to end users without using intermediaries. With our sales managers who are knowledgeable in their field and sector, and the high-quality technical service we provide, we generate quick answers to all kinds of customer needs. With our high stock levels and flexible production planning, we provide immediate responses to changing customer product demands. We fully understand the importance of "Just in Time" delivery for our customers in today's world. Product technical specifications vary according to geographical characteristics. In line with these needs, we serve all of Turkey and surrounding geographies while keeping customer satisfaction in mind. At the same time, we closely monitor global developments and economic trends. We chart our course accordingly.

Rising environmental pollution and climate crisis have made sustainability more important. What does sustainability mean to you and what points do you focus on for more sustainable production?

Kobe Polyurethane's sustainability vision is built on the foundation that all economic activities can only achieve their main goal of improving the quality of life of individuals in society. As a chemical facility, while we provide conditions from which all our stakeholders benefit and feel comfortable, we always believe in a set of values where environmental factors come before our economic activities. While demonstrating this sensitivity at every point of our production and processes, our investment in recycling technologies and bio-based products and our work with business partners on this matter are progressing rapidly. In the near future, we will share our progress on this matter with all our business partners.

How do you assess developments in Turkey's polyurethane sector?

Before the pandemic, the polyurethane sector worldwide had a growth rate of 5%. After China, Turkey is the country with the fastest growth rate. We are confident that when the balance returns after the pandemic, this growth will continue. Various and successful operations are being conducted in the polyurethane field in Turkey. Since polyurethane is a versatile product, it will constantly create new areas of application for itself, so we believe we are in a sector that is correct and has a bright future. Of course, our responsibility is to not stand still where we are but to be a pioneering company that creates innovation.

Can you share your targets and projects for the coming years?

We are proceeding with an innovative approach in the polyurethane field. Among our targets is developing products that will add value to both our company and our sector. Creating new areas of application and producing domestic substitutes for imported products are at the top of our objectives.