Mr. İbrahim Doğangün, Founder and General Manager of Etis (Industrial Plants Manufacturing Industry) answered our questions. In this interview, Doğangün, one of the veteran names of the sector, shared his experiences.
Could you briefly tell our readers about yourself, your educational background and your professional resume?
I am a person who attaches importance to details, organization and order, open communication and sharing.
I was born in September 1963 in Kırşehir as the third and youngest child of a family, which has a history of professions such as contracting and jewelry craftsmanship by his father and a history of juridical and mukhtars by his mother.
My father worked as goldsmith (1970- 1974) when until I was 7-8 years old. During this period, when I was not in school, I was doing simple errands in our shop. While I was 12-14 years old, and when my father become Petrol Ofisi (an oil producer) gas dealer,
I was working in the summer holidays by doing auxiliary jobs from pumping to office work in our shop, and I learned the tradesman relations. In this way, I have had the chance to internalize what is meant by human-oriented trust sharing and solidarity, now which is tried to be told in the articles about how to be successful.
Initially, first with the guidance of my father, later by myself when becoming became accustomed to, these small works, broke the unnecessary parts of my pride and arrogance, and developed my courage and entrepreneurship.
I studied Machinery in Technical High School and Business Administration in University. During my interim gap period in the last year of the university, which was because I extended a half term school from a single course,
I got my first serious work experience by running our artisan restaurant, which I took over from my brother who moved to another city. I managed this job for about a year and a half until I went to the military service. After a short term 6 months of military service,
I wanted to establish my business life in Istanbul After the short term-6 months military service, I wanted to establish my business life in Istanbul. From a relative, I got a proposal for a joint work in Eminönü Küçükpazar hardware products dealership. From that marketing work, I had a 5 to 6 months experience.
After that, I had an attempt to take over the hardware business, which became a failure because of lack of capital and fear of inability to pay. As a side job I was also doing a marketing door accessory business throughout Turkey. During this period, that job was evolved and matured.
I became Istanbul, European side representative of the Ankara based company, which was manufacturing fabricated doors.
Difficulty of Istanbul conditions and the fact that work required patience and time was not fully settled resulted in the search for me adding capital to Eksaş company – where I was selling hardware products at that time- and became a partner.
Could you briefly tell our readers how you started to work in this industry?
Because of the difficulties of Istanbul conditions, I searched for different opportunities. As a result of my search, I entered this sector upon the partnership proposal of Mr. Erhan.
In 1992, I became a 20% shareholder in exchange for my doctor’s office in Kirsehir, my car, which I bought by borrowing some money and used for my marketing works and my computer for office and accounting works. In the first period, with the help of my friends,
I dealt with the accounting and financial structure of the company. Then, when the necessity arose, with the basic knowledge of technical high school, I started to focus on production. I started using the computer for projects. Thus, for the facilities we built, we were able to draw projects using computer.
1992-1993 Robert Bosch Turkey (RBT) Bursa factory and Beltan plant work were our first simultaneously jobs. In this way, I had the chance to get to meet, my idol Kemal Coşkunöz. We worked with the project manager Halil İbrahim Kurt at SİMKO as the first local software for RBTR.
However, unfortunately, the place where the plant will be installed was inside the heat treatment section, which was the worst place for a program controlled facility. On the one hand hot, steam, gas smoke, on the one hand noise, loud sound and human traffic was existed, we worked very hard. Until the project was completed,
I became Halil Bey’s assistant. In order to work more calmly, we preferred to work at night after normal working hours. We worked hard, hoping to say it was okay every morning. However, fiction was wrong from the beginning. We were like trying to sell snails in the Muslim neighborhood.
The facility was installed in the wrong place. After all, we run and delivered the facility, but we almost run out. The facility did not work very efficiently. We learned that the following year, they uninstalled and scrapped our precious work, the facility, which we had left our sweat in the raw heat and bought a new facility from Germany.
Our first building was in the Küçük Sanayi (Small Industry Zone) site, then in 1995 we moved to Çalı. About a year later we rented a second building in the same area. In 1999, we realized the construction of a joint factory building with the land owner in exchange for the land.
I learned about the factory construction business as a result of my experience there.. During this partnership, we have experienced many adversities due to the general situation of Turkey, especially the devaluation in 93-94.
In 1996, we became the sub-contractor to the construction of the drum chrome-nickel plating plant for the Samet Menteşe company’s Kıraç plant .
The main contractor in the construction of the coating plant was the subcontractor to the German company Stohrer-Doduco; I managed the entire assembly which lasted 6-7 months, which was the first time
I met German understanding. After eight years of partnership in challenging country conditions and a difficult partnership relationship, financially I became poor but gained experience many times more. I founded Etis in 2001, the year when the deepest crisis erupted in Turkey.
In that era, leaving partnership was not a good idea, let alone establishing a new firm. Most friends who do the same job today, would understand better; nobody said “You do this job well, come, do our job”. Neither losing, nor harming, nor difficult conditions, the problem is, not being able to share .
As such, you can no longer manage most external and internal relations, due the outer factors. On top of that, there is no hope that it will improve, the stress and after the doctor’s advice, it becomes necessary to leave. After this decision we made in the fall of 2000,
I wanted to soften the sudden change, considering not to lose income and save time. With the sense of fidelity, I continued to work for 6-7 months without any wage to transfer and complete the works on me. In this period, I tried to decide what to do and how.
Could you tell us about the establishment process of Etis Industrial and the stages it has gone through until today? What is the current structure of Etis Industrial?
On February 12, 2001, I established Etis as a private enterprise as the abbreviation of “Industrial Plants Manufacturing Industry”. I didn’t call any of my old clients from my previous firm because that wouldn’t be right, wouldn’t be welcomed well. I did not have much help from my old company, which I tried to be in dialogue with and to trade.
My first job was a small drum coating unit. Even though I went to this customer many times, I was only able to get the advance amount. I wandered the little platers in the Küçükbalı neighborhood.
I did few jobs. Uğur Bey (Yüceyurt), whom I met while I was in Eksaş, offered me to paint the fire tubes which he had just started to manufacture. I assumed that if our own business would become not good, it would support me financially.
With his painting booth, and the drying oven I produced, and by employing a few more workers, we started to do that job. After all, we didn’t make much of it finacially, but it was important in terms of being the driving force and saving time. As the important milestones in the development process of Etis,
I can say, as a reference, and testing, proving myself, I constructed a semi-automatic coating facility for just the labor price at that time, which was the first facility we established,.
The governor of Bursa opened this facility, which was located on the way of Yunuseli. We receive the first fully automatic facility order to Arçelik Conveyor Conveyor Company with the guidance of the veteran of the sector Mr. Savaş (Altınok). Then the following year, order of the second and third plants to the same company,
Which enabled us to work with German automation company DITEC. Due to fact that I had to bill all previous, present and future projects in the same year 2003, I became the 27th among those who paid the highest income tax.
On December 31, 2003, our Company mandatorily transformed into Ltd. Şti (llc, limited liability company). These were the important works in terms of proving itself and development of our Company.
With the increase of our business in the process, we decided to enlarge our building. In 2004, we bought 1402 m2 land in Görükle Sanayi region. As soon as we received the area, by designing and contracting myself, we started the construction in June and completed rough construction in December.
Until 2005, when we moved to Görükle, we had worked as a “boss company” which I made all the proposals, projects and purchases by myself. After moving to our place in Görükle in 2005, we established our German representative in the same period. In this way, we realized twelve projects in Germany, the industry center in Europe.
Developments first led us to increase our production area to approximately 3500 m2 at our location in Görükle in 2007 and then to move Company to the top floor of our 11.000 m2 building in Hasanağa OSB, which we built for our group company Bodoplast in 2013.
In order to increase productivity in pro duction, we have entered into studies on ‘Lean Production’ with high-quality workforce employment and operating systems, and to develop our future infrastructure and to create investment opportunities in new subjects. But I should emphasize that, unfortunately, doing these improvements are very, very difficult especially in our country.
What kind of products does Etis Industrial provide mainly to which sectors? Could you give us information about the products, brands and services that Etis Industrial offers especially for Paint and Surface Treatment sectors?
Products, brands and services are common values formed and developed as a result of all kinds of knowledge, experience and ideas that are conveyed by societies from generation to generation and/or presented by different individuals and entities. And they can’t, they shouldn’t be in possession of anybody.
As in all areas of life, sharing and transferring information in the industrial field is vital for our social development. In our Anatolian culture, Ahi system exists. Master and apprentice relations are aimed at ensuring the continuity and development of the professions.
Of course, this should be done within the framework of certain ethical rules and respect for labor, otherwise there will be no development. As a Kırşehir -central of Ahi- oriented tradesman, who has lived in this culture more or less,
I am trying to live, reflect and improve this understanding from our employees to customers, whom I see as stakeholders in our companies, to our suppliers and even including our competitors.
From this point of view, I can say that one of our most important contributions to the sector in which we are involved, is the new companies established by our colleagues who worked with us before.
Even if it seems to create a rival on our own from one point of view, from another point of view, it is a situation that in alanımızcreases the total value if interpreted and applied correctly. However, the basic condition is, these firms should be able to mature and develop.
The right interpretation and implementation is also an issue that needs to be discussed, evaluated, infiltrating every field and is really in great need of the sector. Incidentally, I would like to say that Etis owes its point to all its laborers, including those who have left. So is the sector.
This is a two-way, in fact, including the achieved and the non-achievable dimensions, thus successful and unsuccessful ones. Everybody has to think about it. Because not only ourselves but we should also consider our common future, including others and our children.
Another important brand value I can specify regarding the products, brands and services we offer for the surface treatment industry is, Etis’s R&D capabilities in order to improve its R&D capabilities as an output of its field of activity, environmentally sensitive, high-tech equipment and a facility designed in accordance with this facility investment was established in 2012 as a pioneering and model project investment with 100% domestic capital, Bodoplast Plastik Teknolojileri A.Ş. Etis has contributed to the creation of new suppliers such as automation in surface treatment.
Burossa and Türmosan are companies that could be mentioned in this framework. Especially, the most critical auxiliary material input on plastic coating is the significant contribution to the industry by the supplier development activities through the hanger production initiated by Etis (for Ar Metal) and supporting the newly established companies in the production of hanger.
With the support of Ocaktan GmbH from Germany, companies such as Agali and Gatech that were established in Turkey, are the companies that can be referred in this context. As the first pioneer new applications in surface treatment facility for the first time in Turkey, we can state the following products and applications.
Plastic Aspirator Manufacturing (İzeltaş Establishment in DÖVSA), Code Table (Tunaoğlu Otomotiv) and Laser Distance Control System (Conveyor A.Ş.), Passivation and Lacquer and Drying Units and Facilities with Dip-Spin Technology (Teknik Vida), Dip- Spin Technology Cleaning and Painting Plant (SFS),
Drum Dipped Galvanized Pre-cleaning Plant (Mitas). Introducing automation control system and interface applications obtained from global suppliers working in overseas projects to our local suppliers (SAMET Menteşe, et al). In the years when I first entered surface treatment industry,
Turkey was a country that imported coating facilities. Now as Etis company, since 2007 we have been exporting facilities and units as investment goods for the first time and mainly to Germany, India, Ukraine, Russia, Tunisia and USA.
Generally speaking, our main field of activity is; design, production, installation, commissioning of surface treatment and coating facilities including zinc, zinc-nickel, nickel, chrome, hard chrome, copper, decorative chrome on plastic (POP), hazırphosphating, chromating, dimming (oxidation), anodizing, hard – Anodizing, coloring,
electroless nickel, electroless copper, electropolishing, cataphoresis painting (KTL) and all kinds of electrolytic plating for immersion type suspension, drum and dip-spin centrifugal basket turnkey industrial surface treatment and metal coating facilities are the main subjects of our activity.
Within the scope of these activities, all kinds of integrated units and equipments of coating and surface treatment plants are part of our service and supply chain.
Within the scope of Bodoplast activities, our main activity is the production of decorative electro-chrome and satin nickel plated products for the automotive industry, white goods, electronics, bathroom and kitchen fittings and accessories sectors.
In the flexible and fully automatic electro-metal coating plant equipped with the Bodoplast injection machine park and the latest technological innovations; according to customer requirements,
ABS and PC-ABS plastic injection products, CR + 6 and CR + 3 processes with a wide range of polished chrome and OEM approved satin effects are produced with metalcoated products.
Can you tell us about your domestic and international sales activities? What kind of product sales do you mainly sell to which regions in Turkey and abroad?
With the management and production infrastructure that has been involved in the production of metal plating facilities since 1992, our company has combined its past experiences with rational management understanding and has taken its place as a pioneer brand with its constantly developing and innovative understanding and structure.
As of 2006, our company opened abroad, especially in Germany, America, Russia, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Mexico, Iran, India and North Africa and has realized important projects.
What kind of activities do you do in the fields of innovation and R&D as Etis Industrial Company? Do you have any projects that you have developed within the scope of university-industry cooperation?
As a group company, we have R&D and Incentive Projects management unit. Etis is a company that has to carry out R&D and innovation activities in line with the needs of its customers. Therefore, R&D and innovation is what our company lives on.
Our R&D policy is to produce with innovative ideas in line with the latest technology standards and market needs in our sector. At Bodoplast, we have started the establishment of Bodoplast R&D Center. In our company, which has a young staff, our policy preparation activities are being conducted to guide our young employees in R&D and innovation topics.
Bodoplast has succeeded in adding Cr + 3 coating technology within the scope of its R&D studies which include an innovative and innovative approach to the expectations of the automotive sector within its fully automatic production facility equipped with advanced technology and respectful to the environment.
Uludag University, Department of Chemistry, Department of Physical Chemistry, we have an R&D study with Prof. Dr. A. Kara on the Study of Masking Properties of Surface Treatment in Electrochrome Chromium Plating Process.
In the past, we had a TÜBİTAK project with an academician from Çukurova University. Our company aims to meet the demands and expectations of its customers with its experienced and knowledgeable personnel, strategies that prioritize sustainable and continuous improvement and to become one of the pioneers of companies operating in its field.
Could you give information about Etis Industrial’s environmental policy and sustainability approach? What can you say about your work on worker health and safety?
Human, environment and customer-oriented vision with the most important issues. Bodoplast, our group company, carries the exemplary business identity in our opinion. Production and quality system TS ISO 16949 has ISO-14001 and ISO 18001 certificates that prioritize worker health and safety with its own purification system.
It has the capacity to conduct chemical process analysis and product validation, lay-out and process tests with its laboratory equipped with modern equipment and device investments. This infrastructure has successfully completed the audits of many internal and external customers through Toyota, Renault, Ford and Mercedes OEMs.
As a pioneer and an important group in the surface treatment sector, which has the most risky waste potential in the environment, it is our primary priority to observe the environment, which we consider as the trust of our children, to the environmental legislation and standards both in the plants it manufactures and in the plants we operate.
We pay utmost attention to pursue a sustainable environmental management policy based on new practices and technologies in this field. We are trying to make directives that emphasize the environmental and long-term contributions of the investments related to the flue gas treatment, waste water treatment and recovery infrastructure that can at least minimize environmental risks during the proposal, planning and operation phases of the new projects we have undertaken.
To increase the flue gas emission to acceptable levels by collecting the waste gases generated by the aspiration system and cleaning them in the gas washing unit during the operation of the facilities, reducing the pollution at source, reducing waste at the source such as double, triple cascade washing applications, minimizing waste formation and recycling and recycling. gain and disposal practices are made and made.
In this regard, we are planning project studies to bring and develop new technology. As part of our qual ity standards, we, as subcontractors and employees, are already conducting trainings on occupational health and safety and sustainable environment in order to raise environmental and social responsibility awareness for all our stakeholders.
What criteria are prioritized in the preparation of the investment plans of Etis Industrial? Are there any investment plans of Etis Industrial for the coming periods?
Our most important investment is the investment in human. As a company from the very beginning, we have done a lot of work to do this and our investments are still going on. We act with the idea that all future investments depend on this foundation, that is, people. In this context, our main priority is institutionalization.
Improving the competence of our human resources and therefore our entire competence, development on solid foundations with its team and opportunities can only be achieved through institutionalization. With the desire to hand over an institution in a good position and on the right path to future generations;
I’m trying personally. In this way, we created a very good synergy with our current management team. We, receive management consultancy services from Hasan Özkapıcı, as TWD© waypoint, regarding our institutionalization processes.
As I mentioned in your previous question, we are planning project studies such as reducing and reducing environmental pollution at source, reducing the use of scarce resources such as water saving, minimizing waste generation, and introducing and developing new technologies for reuse, recycling and recovery.
Our investment to develop our plastic injection machine park started in 2014 is still continuing. As the investments we have made in the last 5 years, we can show the investments of additional buildings and injection machines that enable us to double our building area and the unit investments that enable us to increase the capacity of the facility.
The plans for the investments we will make in the next 5 years are already ready. As Bodoplast, our vision is to be a world company that uses high production technologies, sensitive to environment and society, innovative, open to change, managing its risks with competitive price policy and aiming for continuous and balanced development in line with our aim to provide products and services in accordance with the wishes of our customers from design.
In addition to the import substitution we created with the industrial investment projects we have realized as Etis, I can say that we are a company that succeeds in creating added value in our country thanks to the net added value created by direct sales to foreign countries and that we are proud of it.
As a vision, I would like to state that we aim to become a well-known company in the world, a company which is known with quality on international scale and beyond.
