Interview with Korhan Köse, Foreign Trade and Development Specialist of Yükseliş Elevator

Could you give information about your export activities in 2020? 
As Yükseliş Elevator, we bring our products together with 54 countries in 5 continents and continue our export activities by growing every day. Although the pandemic, our export figures have increased this year. 63 percent of the products are exported which are produced in our factory. With our specialized foreign trade department, we provide the most accurate and effective communication with our business partners abroad, and we provide them with the best service in all processes, including project design, export and after-sales. This year, we opened our elevator test tower and offices in the 3rd stage of our factory. Yükseliş Elevator testing tower is currently Turkey's highest elevator test tower. In addition, we continue to elevator motor production line preparation works located in the 3rd stage at full speed. We aim to increase our share and profitability from the world markets by adding gearless elevator motors to our product range that we will export soon, and deliver our products to more countries regarding to our company vision.

How do developments in the euro-dollar parity affect your exports? Is a high exchange rate an advantage for exports?
Since the foreign exchange rate increase reducing the Turkish Lira’s value, it is expected that our prices will be advantageous for foreign buyers on the foreign currency basis, but the use of raw materials purchased (imported) with foreign currency makes this situation disadvantageous. Especially that excessive exchange rate fluctuations causing big differences on price offers in the short term, adversely affect the price equilibrium between international manufacturer, intermediaries and end users.

As a company that has been operating in the sector for many years, what have you determined for the sustainable export policy for 2021?
Overseas business in our company is a long-term cooperation with our partners, it continues with sustainable export policies. With the expanding production capacity and product range, it is aimed to obtain products with high added value to the market and competitive in the international market by R&D. At the same time, we plan to get more output with less input by increasing the use of robotic and smart production systems. Experts have continuously told about in 2021 serves to continue in the case of pandemic. Therefore, business travel may be restricted. We aim to make more use of technology in activities such as market research, branding, promotion. We will focus more on customer needs by making online meetings frequent in order to ensure our sustainability with the companies we currently cooperate with. We plan to turn the crisis into an opportunity by using all the features of online marketing in new markets.

Which of your products are more demand in abroad?
Our main product groups consist of elevator automatic doors and cabins, buttons, slings, elevator components and complete elevator systems. Especially our round door with limited product manufacturer in the world is more demanded. In addition, Yükseliş is widely preferred in the world for round panoramic complete elevator solutions.
     
When you evaluate your company data for this year compared to the same period of the previous year, what are your 2021 export predictions?
Yükseliş Elevator continues to grow steadily every year. When we compare this year with the previous year in terms of export figures, we observe a 25.44 percent increase in USD and EUR combined. Yükseliş Elevator continues to grow steadily every year. In Wuhan city of China began in the early days of the pandemic Covid-19, international lift customers has turned the interest of from the Far East to Turkey. High quality of elevator, competitive prices and quality service to customers faced with, despite the improvement of the conditions in the Far East has continued to make purchases from Turkey. Considering this situation, we have a micro-scale expectation of 27 to 35 percent; we have a macro scale expectation between 40 and 70 percent, an expectation that we call a incredible increase of 50 to 70 percent.

What is your most important problems and propose solutions to the problems you experience in exporting our industry?
As the elevator industry, we serve structures such as hospitals and hotels, which are very sensitive in terms of urgency. Our technical teams need to intervene immediately in case of a failure that occurs abroad and cannot be resolved locally. Unfortunately, due to travel restrictions in many countries because of the pandemic, repair team to get a visa from Turkey it has become quite difficult. Troubles on these type of urgent journeys, adversely affects all process and damages manufacturer country and brand prestige. Diplomatic steps can be taken in order to obtain a much faster visa in this regard.