Industry Vision Stretching From Türkiye to Azerbaijan

Turkchem 03 Nov 2026 72 7 dk okuma

In our interview with İlkay Özkısaoğlu, Founder of IMBEO and the name behind Composites Lounge, we discussed Artkim’s accumulated expertise in specialized trade fairs, the cooperation potential carried by the TURKCHEM Azerbaijan edition, and the developing industrial ecosystem between Türkiye and Azerbaijan.

Mr. İlkay, with your many years of international business development experience, how do you assess Artkim’s Azerbaijan vision and the industrial cooperation potential between Türkiye and Azerbaijan?
The strong historical, cultural and economic closeness between Türkiye and Azerbaijan also forms an important ground for cooperation in terms of industrial sectors. However, at this point, it is not enough to evaluate this potential merely by the trade volume between the two countries. It is necessary to look at it from a broader perspective; to consider production capabilities, technology needs, investment opportunities, supply chains and regional access possibilities together. My experience in international business development has shown me this: for companies, the lasting value of access to a new market is not measured solely by product or service sales. It is necessary to meet the right local stakeholders, understand the needs of the target market, develop trust-based relationships, and build long-term partnership models. For this reason, trade fairs are not merely organizations where products are exhibited; they are of great importance as strategic platforms that bring together representatives of different sectors, decision-makers and investment opportunities on the same business agenda.

Artkim’s Azerbaijan vision should also be evaluated within this framework. Since 2002, Artkim has built a strong B2B network through the specialized trade fairs it has developed in Türkiye in the chemical industry and allied sectors. The combination of this accumulated experience with Azerbaijan’s industrial potential and regional position is an important development that will offer new cooperation opportunities for companies.

Azerbaijan serves as a strategic transit point between Türkiye and Europe, the Caucasus, the Caspian Region and Central Asia. For this reason, I believe that the business relationships that will form here will not be limited to the two countries alone, but will contribute to a broader regional trade and industrial ecosystem.

You see Azerbaijan not merely as an export market but as a regional hub. What is the basis of this approach?
It would be incomplete to treat Azerbaijan merely as a market where products or services are sold. The country’s geopolitical position, developing industrial infrastructure, potential in petrochemicals, investment environment and logistical advantages make it a strategic hub in terms of regional business development. For Türkiye, Azerbaijan offers the opportunity to build more comprehensive industrial and technological cooperation on top of existing economic and cultural ties. For companies in Europe, Azerbaijan stands out as an important connection point that can provide access to the Caucasus, the Caspian Region and Central Asia via Türkiye.

The main point here is not to evaluate countries as independent markets from one another. A company can manufacture in Türkiye, develop new commercial connections in Azerbaijan, work with a technology or investment partner from Europe, and access different application areas in Central Asia. This approach requires handling production, technology, investment, logistics and supply chain processes within a common value chain. The opportunity offered by Azerbaijan does not stem solely from market size. The real opportunity lies in its capacity to bring together different actors and sectors in the region around stronger, more sustainable commercial cooperation.

How do you assess Artkim’s Azerbaijan vision and the role of the TURKCHEM brand in this process?
Artkim is not merely a structure that has organized trade fairs in Türkiye for many years; it is a strong platform supporting cross-sectoral interaction for the chemical industry and allied sectors. Bringing together numerous fields such as chemicals, paints, coatings, cosmetics, food, pharmaceuticals, polyurethane, composites, adhesives, technical textiles and surface treatment within the same ecosystem is one of Artkim’s most important assets. The TURKCHEM brand forms one of the main backbones of this structure. Bringing together different components of the chemical industry, TURKCHEM enables companies not only to present products and technologies, but also to make direct contact with new customer groups, suppliers, solution partners and industry professionals. The value of Artkim’s Azerbaijan vision lies in addressing the trade fair and sector network experience gained in Türkiye from a regional perspective. The aim here is more than simply transferring an existing event model to another country. The goal is to create a platform that will offer companies new cooperation opportunities by taking into account Azerbaijan’s own industrial dynamics, investment opportunities and regional connectivity strength. The TURKCHEM Azerbaijan edition will contribute to companies in Türkiye, Azerbaijan and surrounding markets making more direct contact, assessing sectoral needs and working on concrete commercial opportunities.

What kind of cooperation opportunities will the TURKCHEM Azerbaijan edition offer for the chemical industry and allied sectors?
The TURKCHEM Azerbaijan edition will offer strong cooperation opportunities for the chemical industry and sectors directly or indirectly connected to chemicals. Chemicals lie at the foundation of a broad value chain ranging from petrochemicals to paints, from coatings to cosmetics, from pharmaceuticals to food, from polyurethane to composites.

For this reason, the impact of the edition will not be limited solely to companies operating directly in the chemical sector. Raw material suppliers, production technology companies, packaging and logistics organizations, technical textile manufacturers, adhesive and coating technology providers, companies working in the composites field, and different end-use sectors will also be natural parts of this ecosystem. By bringing these different stakeholders together on the same business agenda, TURKCHEM Azerbaijan will provide strong ground for new commercial cooperation. Participating companies will not only gain the opportunity to make contact with new customers; they will also get to know the needs of the local market more closely, evaluate supply chain opportunities, and conduct direct business negotiations with potential solution partners. Considering Azerbaijan’s regional position, TURKCHEM Azerbaijan has the potential to be a strategic meeting point that will bring together sector representatives from Türkiye, Europe, the Caucasus, the Caspian Region and Central Asia. This structure will offer important opportunities not only for commercial contacts but also for technology sharing, investment negotiations and long-term industrial cooperation.

In which areas can manufacturers in Türkiye find stronger cooperation opportunities in Azerbaijan?
Türkiye has a strong production infrastructure and technical knowledge base in many areas such as chemicals, paints, coatings, technical textiles, polyurethane, composites, adhesives, machinery and production technologies. In Azerbaijan, meanwhile, developing industrial investments, petrochemical potential and regional access advantages provide a suitable environment for these competencies to meet new business models. However, this process should not be evaluated merely as sales from Türkiye to Azerbaijan. Local partnerships, technical solution development, joint production models, technology sharing, training programs and regional projects are also among the important opportunities. In particular, it is important for manufacturers to see companies in Azerbaijan not merely as customers but as potential solution partners who know the region and local needs closely. Likewise, Azerbaijani companies can also benefit from Türkiye’s production capability, technical expertise and relationships developed with European markets. TURKCHEM Azerbaijan will enable these needs and competencies to meet more directly. As companies present their products, technologies and expertise to the right target audiences, they will also find the opportunity to more closely evaluate investments, market needs and cooperation models in the region.

What value will the Artkim–IMBEO cooperation add to the TURKCHEM Azerbaijan edition?
The combination of Artkim’s strong sector network built across Türkiye with IMBEO’s international business development approach forms the core value proposition of this cooperation. Artkim’s experience in specialized trade fairs offers the power to bring together sectors, companies and professionals on the right platforms. IMBEO, on the other hand, contributes in the areas of market analysis, segmentation, B2B sales and marketing, strategy development, key account management, and structuring international business connections.

When these two approaches come together, trade fair participation turns into a more result-oriented business development process. The goal is not simply for participating companies to take part in the fair; it is for them to meet the right target audience, identify potential business partners, present their value propositions clearly, and turn their post-fair meetings into sustainable commercial relationships.

Composites Lounge also completes this structure with its content, visibility and international community dimension. The platform, which brings together experts, manufacturers, entrepreneurs, researchers and decision-makers in the field of composites and advanced materials, supports the sector’s information flow and international visibility.

The goal is not to create merely a three-day event experience around TURKCHEM Azerbaijan, but to develop a lasting B2B ecosystem that begins before the fair, strengthens during the fair, and turns into concrete cooperation after the fair.

Why is digital visibility important for industrial companies seeking to develop new business relationships in Azerbaijan?
In international markets, trust is often established before the first face-to-face meeting. A purchasing manager, investor or potential solution partner researches a company’s expertise, products, projects, references and sectoral approach through digital channels before scheduling a meeting. For this reason, LinkedIn, video interviews, podcast broadcasts, industry bulletins and expert content are no longer merely communication tools; they are important parts of the business development process. Companies need to explain, in a clear, consistent and reliable way, what expertise they have, what problems they solve, and what kind of vision they carry in the sector. Artkim’s experience in publishing and digital content is important in this respect. The approach of supporting trade fair activities with digital visibility contributes to companies communicating with their target audiences before the fair, presenting their expertise more strongly during the fair, and maintaining their contacts after the fair.

For companies wishing to expand into the Azerbaijani market, digital visibility does not replace physical events; it increases the value obtained from these events. When people come to a meeting already knowing who you are, the discussions move past the initial introduction stage more quickly and can focus directly on needs, solutions and cooperation opportunities.

Finally, what is the key message you would like to give to industrial companies in Türkiye and Azerbaijan?There are significant opportunities ahead of industrial companies. However, in order to benefit from these opportunities, it is necessary not to remain limited to existing markets, but to closely follow new sectors, technologies, business models and regional connections. Azerbaijan is a strategic market that offers Türkiye-based companies new cooperation and regional expansion opportunities. At the same time, it also provides Azerbaijani companies access to Türkiye’s production power, technical knowledge base and international sector networks. The conversion of this mutual potential into value depends on qualified meetings and long-term cooperation carried out on the right platforms. The TURKCHEM Azerbaijan edition will not only provide companies a space to present themselves and their products; it will create a business development ground where they can develop new commercial partnerships, evaluate supply chain opportunities, meet with technology providers, and directly follow regional developments.

The industrial ecosystems of the future will be shaped not only by technology, production capacity and product quality, but also by trust, visibility, knowledge sharing and strong business relationships. I believe that Artkim’s experience in specialized trade fairs, combined with TURKCHEM Azerbaijan’s focus on regional cooperation, will contribute to the development of new commercial opportunities stretching from Türkiye to Azerbaijan and surrounding markets.