Mehmet Yıkılmaz Interview

The crane sector is appealing to a wide range of sectors. Güralp Crane, on the other hand, gets a great deal of its share of this market. Güralp crane that exports to 40 different countries around the world, particularly in Europe, just not at the time of sales, after-sales staff fully trained in the process in order to meet customer expectations, quickly and economically with its regional offices on the basis of being the only company who provide a service are rightly proud of. Güralp Crane took the necessary steps in the name of institutionalization with the strategic and administrative decisions taken in the same period 10 years ago. We share our interview with Güralp Crane Marketing Group Manager Mehmet Yılmaz.

Unfortunately, still effective data can not be used in our sector. However, our company data and sectoral impressions show that both in the domestic market and in the foreign market, the sector is more mobile compared to the same period of the year we left behind. As is known, the use of winch systems is spread over a very wide area. As long as the locomotive sectors, construction, automotive and machine production sectors, are alive, many sectors are experiencing mobility directly and indirectly. In addition, due to the current exchange rate levels, mobility is observed in export-oriented companies.

Clearly, despite many different factors in the process of local elections, the markets did their best to remain stable. The exchange rate market, which moved during the close of the local elections, has affected the processes of many investments due to financial reasons, but we see that it has not stopped investments. Firms have only made efforts to get the right position against changing balances. This has led to an extension of investment processes. The election process ahead is a first for our country. I think we'll be able to see the effects more clearly in the coming days.

As mentioned above, the crane sector addresses a wide range of sectors. However, sectors such as construction, automotive and durable goods, where the use of ancillary industries is high, are the sectors that affect market mobility. All kinds of developments in these sectors lead other connected sectors as well. Energy, mining, machine production, the movements in the sectors also affect the crane sector.

This is a situation that every industrialist who loves his country and his business will want. This discourse should not take different meanings because the market audit and surveillance activities clearly show that the sector is not able to produce products that comply with the regulations, standards and regulations that it is subject to. The primary reason for this criterion in any new firm formation-competency-searched. The company is allowed to establish, and subsequent inspections are determined that the company is making inappropriate product production and sales. The penalties are inadequate. At this stage, of course, another filter comes into play. Customers. The companies that will buy the winch system are questioning the qualifications and references of the manufacturers by being a little bit more careful. An underlying reason is that many firms are trying to implement technical acquisition procedures. As Güralp crane, our company is trying to explain the importance of crane systems by alerting many of our customers in this direction, the risks of work accidents that may arise in businesses. We think that serious companies operating in our country should do their part individually in creating awareness by moving in this direction.

Would you compare the crane sector of turkey 10 years ago and today for us? (quality, technology and production sales volume, R & D etc.)

From certain angles, we can't say that there are very big differences in the sector. Today, we know that many companies do not even work engineers. In this context, concepts such as quality, R & D, technology seem to be really distant to the sector. Of course, we also have companies that invest in quality, technological products and machinery parks and people. As Güralp crane, our independent R & D department was established 10 years ago, today the product range of GMD series lifting machines is almost complete. Güralp Crane has the most economical products compared to the machines with the most compact, unique design, maintenance costs and times are minimized and similar features are produced in the sector with the R & D work done. In addition, Güralp crane products, especially in Europe, to 40 different countries in the world managed to export. With the strategic administrative decisions taken in the same period 10 years ago, the necessary steps were taken in the name of institutionalization. Today, Güralp Crane has an organization structure that is not similar in its sector in our country thanks to the regional directorates of Izmir, Bursa, Ankara, Konya and Istanbul with its staff of over 250 people. Güralp crane moment not just in sales, post-sales process quickly and economically in order to meet customer expectations with its staff fully trained is the only company that can provide services on the basis of regional offices. Güralp Crane has been able to make serious investments in its production technologies and machinery park compared to 10 years ago. Today, we are producing with semi-automatic and full automatic source automation in our modern facilities with 12,500 m2 closed area. We have universal and CNC chip production lines. We have a facility where job security is always taken into consideration with a management approach that values people. Güralp Crane who have made considerable investments in the name of ensuring continuity of quality material and welded fabrications, external validation of a laboratory capable of supply products, control equipment, 100% of each lifting have produced as a Test Station testing technological machine.

Cement, mining, machine manufacturing, iron and steel, aluminum, galvanized, glass, energy, construction, automotive and automotive side industry sectors can be listed as the main sectors. We have provided services to our customers with our solutions in important projects in our country in 2014. The crane systems of the three important galvanizing plants currently under construction are made by our company. Also this year, Medcem Cement investment, which is the most modern and largest investment in the cement sector of the country, was preferred for the products of our company. In the automotive sector, we produce crane systems for an investment in a tire factory established in Anatolia. Last year, in the Istanbul – Izmir Highway Project, portal cranes with a total capacity of 200 tons were delivered to the contractor Nurol construction company on two systems with technological features in the construction of the Gulf Crossing bridge that will pass through Yalova. Our products are being used in two important projects, one in Turkey and the other in the iron and steel sector abroad.

As can be understood from the answer I gave to your previous question, the construction of a truly independent R & D for Güralp Crane began 10 years ago. Güralp Crane R & D department is continuously active in product development and development of production technologies. We are working on a new product with the support of TUBITAK for an equipment that is not currently manufactured in our country. We have a business that requires complete engineering and we keep our company up to date by closely following the technological developments in the world.

Crane systems must be manufactured in accordance with the required operating regime in accordance with certain standards, regulations and legal requirements. Interpreting, projecting and producing all these factors requires purely engineering work. For the correct selection of the components mentioned, you must first determine the work that the crane system will do, the daily operating regimes, and the conditions of the environment. You can then make your choices according to the calculations and analyses made in accordance with the standards in your company Library. As Güralp Crane, 14 personnel including 9 engineers and 5 technicians/ machine painters are employed in the project Department of our company. Our company is a member of FEM and all product groups are designed and produced in accordance with FEM standards. In addition, the specific legal regulations and standards and requirements of the country in which the products will be shipped are also studied and implemented on a project basis.

With our staff of 55 people who are in charge of our service and installation activities, expert, trained and qualified according to the Occupational Safety Regulations, our customers ' demands for after-sales services are met. Our teams who are employed in our Izmir Central, Bursa, Ankara, Konya and Istanbul regional directorates provide the fastest and most economical service possible to our customers. Our company was founded in 1991, far beyond the requirement of having 10 years of spare parts as required by legal requirements, and has increased the quality of service by providing spare parts and services to its products that continue to operate. R & D activities foreseen in return for the receipt of feedback from the service department themselves during the most accurate equipment minimizes potential user error, mainly thanks to periodic maintenance activities are concentrated, thus economical over the lifetime of the products is designed to provide the same reliability and competent service.