How was 2023 for Emlak Konut Elevator (EKA)?

EKA was established in February 2021 under the auspices of the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change as a subsidiary of Emlak Konut GYO, which leads the urbanization efforts of our country.

We inaugurated the production facility of our company, whose main field of activity is elevator systems, on January 30, 2023. In the first days of the year, we experienced the happiness and pride of realizing our first shipments. Immediately after the 'Disaster of the Century' with a magnitude of 7.7 centered in Kahramanmaraş, which occurred on February 6, 2023, we ensured the identification and provision of urgent needs with the support of our EKA employees and stakeholders. Our search and rescue team consisting of 27 volunteer employees and our aid trucks containing clothing, hygiene and food supplies arrived in Hatay on February 7. As EKA, we participated in the container production mobilization launched across our country to meet the temporary shelter needs of our citizens. We continued to produce high quality living containers in our production lines, which we reshaped in a short time, and shipped each completed container to the regions in need without wasting time.

By closely following global developments in technology and innovation, we visited domestic and international fairs and symposiums for our domestic and national technology development efforts. We received our Customs Union Certificate of Conformity (EAC). EKA, our company, which works with the business model of world brands, is taking firm steps forward with the goal of becoming a domestic and national world brand within the scope of the National Technology Move Vision and Technology-Oriented Industry Move Program under the leadership of our President. We contributed to the efficient production technology we realized with our smart software, robotic systems and Industry 4.0 methodology with our transition to the ERP system.

With our first domestic sales contract that we started in August 2022, we signed a total of 57 different prestigious projects until the end of 2023. We are proud to have made an important start by exceeding our annual budget numbers. We are taking firm steps towards becoming one of the important actors of the sector. We meticulously follow large-scale project management, which requires serious experience with projects with very high average unit numbers per project, with our professional staff specialized in their fields, and we work with all our strength to do our best with the awareness of this trust.

In your 2023 export activities, did you feel the need to make special adaptations in the technical specifications or designs of your products to meet the needs of target markets? If yes, what were these adaptations and for which markets?

Elevators installed in Turkey are obliged to comply with our Elevator Regulation. Our Elevator Regulation is based on the European Elevator Standard EN81-20. Similarly, there may be differences in standards and local regulations in other countries and regions compared to our country. Documents, certificates and technical compatibility requirements are required for market entry on the basis of the countries targeted for export. For example, in order to export to Russia, there may be technical issues such as having an EAC certificate and fire-resistant elevator landing door with EI (insulated door) feature. We have completed the necessary documents, certificates and technical studies on the basis of the countries targeted for export and we are in an effort to expand them further.

How much do you invest in your company's R&D and innovation activities in order to provide differentiation and competitive advantage in global markets? What are the concrete effects of these investments on the product development process and your export performance?

EKA has adopted a culture of R&D and innovation since the day we were founded. With our R&D activities, we are moving forward with determination in the Turkish Century with the aim of becoming a brand that constantly develops new products and technologies for the global market by offering innovative approaches. In this context, as a milestone of the importance we attach to innovation as EKA, we were entitled to receive the R&D center status from the Ministry of Industry and Technology in November 2022.

With the innovative works in our R&D center, we design and then manufacture elevators that can meet different needs in different markets. EKA not only produces elevator components and parts, but also takes part in all processes from installation to maintenance of the elevator. Our aim is to realize ideas that will lead the sector, rather than just technically improving shaft dimensions or aesthetic designs. In this direction, we plan to complete the first phase of our "Smart Elevator" project in 2024, which will work with artificial intelligence that will make elevators smarter and more interactive, increase energy efficiency and reduce carbon footprint.

What are the effects of the European Green Deal and related regulations on your company's production and export activities, and how do they affect your market choices and targets?

The steps taken globally to combat climate change and ensure sustainable development have gained momentum with the European Green Deal (EGC) announced by the European Union (EU) on December 11, 2019. EKA is a green and sustainable brand by nature. We see the use of renewable energy sources in all our production and consumption activities as an indispensable requirement of respect for our environment and our future. Our EKA ecosystem is based on sustainability. Regardless of domestic or foreign demands, the situation and needs of the markets, all our activities are carried out with this basic principle in mind.

In recent years, while many steps have been taken for green industry around the world, many policies in Turkey have been implemented in 2023. As a company, how do you plan to integrate sustainability and environmentally friendly practices into the elevator production process in 2024 within the framework of Turkey's green industrial policies?

A roadmap to ensure the adaptation of our country to the European Green Deal was determined and an action plan was created with the contributions of our relevant institutions, and the Presidential Circular No. 2021/15 regarding the working group and the Green Deal Action Plan was published in the Official Gazette dated July 16, 2021. We produce our own energy with a 2 MW solar power plant installed on a roof area of 15 thousand square meters in our production facility, and we aim to contribute to our sector and raise awareness with our green production practices. In line with our zero waste policy, we have zero waste certificates for both our head office and our factory, and we work in many areas such as sorting waste in our assembly sites and delivering it to the relevant places. In 2024, we continue our improvement efforts to reduce the carbon footprint at our headquarters, assembly sites and factory at full speed. We combine high performance and maximum efficiency with VVF Drive, LED Lighting, Sleep Mode functions offered in the standard configuration. Thanks to the 'Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor' we use, we provide 30 percent energy efficiency compared to traditional electric motors. With the optional 'Regen Drive' function we offer, energy savings of up to 35 percent are possible in your buildings. We support environmental protection and green buildings by taking into account the energy calculation and classification requirements for elevators (VDI 4701- Class 1A).

How do investments in green technologies affect the competitiveness of your products in the European market?

Depending on the country and region, different needs and demands can be observed in product and system requirements, working principles, energy consumption, etc. In the European market, more environmentally friendly products and productions are preferred, especially in recent years, before or after the "European Green Deal". As EKA, in line with our basic principles, we have products and production activities that can easily meet these needs of this market.

How have fluctuations in global supply chain management and difficulties in procurement processes affected your company's production and export operations? What are your strategies against these challenges?

In the direction of national branding and then becoming a global brand, we protect our values with sensitivity and continue our efforts with the belief of increasing our success day by day. With our high localization rate production and supply chain approach, we both contribute to domestic production and are minimally affected by fluctuations in the global supply chain. In addition, in this way, we deliver our products within the promised periods and keep customer satisfaction at the highest level.

Finally, what is your company's vision for the next 10 years in the elevator industry? What are the key strategies you have identified to achieve this vision?

We will continue our work in line with our vision of becoming a domestic and national world brand that competes with the important actors of the global market and emphasizes the quality of our products and services all over the world. We will continue our R&D investments with determination to develop world-class advanced technologies with our digital solutions and to increase our value-added product range. As EKA, we are proud to offer alternative solutions to imports with our domestic and national brand in high-level projects today. In 2024, our work will continue to increase in all aspects related to elevators in the projects titled reconstruction of the earthquake zone and on-site transformation of our cities, which are led by the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change, of which we are a subsidiary.

We are aware of the importance of solidarity in terms of national unity and solidarity, and with this awareness, we will carry out projects that will bring together all stakeholders of our industry. In this context, we will continue to grow and develop our supply chain ecosystem. We will maximize our domestic and national production capabilities in critical technologies in the coming period. We will increase Turkey's competitiveness in innovation, share our global know-how with our valuable solution partners, and realize the technological solutions of today and the future through collaborations. We will always carry our country's status as a global production base forward. The continuous development of qualified human resources for our industry will always be among our top priorities.

EKA is taking firm steps forward with the goal of becoming a domestic and national global brand. We will support our new investments with artificial intelligence projects in our production facility, which generates its own energy, is zero-waste compatible and produces in Industry 4.0 technology.