Sales of white goods by Turkish manufacturers rose by 29% in Q1 to 8.521m units compared to the same period last year, boosted by 40% growth in domestic sales, according to the national white goods manufacturers’ association, Turkbesd (Istanbul; www.turkbesd.org). Exports in the first quarter were 26% higher, it said. In March, domestic sales were up 26%, exports by 42% and production by 43% compared with the same month last year.

In 2020, the sector had a production capacity of 25m units and exported 22m units. Turkey is the world’s second-largest white goods producer after China, and the leading European supplier, with around a third of production being exported. The country’s E&E sector in total has a production share of 10% of plastic finished products manufactured domestically (see Plasteurope.com of 11.06.2021).

Turkbesd President Can Dinçer said the sales figures – which include turnover of the six main products of its member companies – demonstrate successful momentum in Q1, especially for revenue in Turkey. The association’s membership has increased to nine, following the addition of Miele and Groupe SEB, he said.

Speaking at a press conference, Turkbesd vice chairman Semir Kuseyri pointed to the importance of digitalisation, R&D and innovation infrastructure to the sector. Digitalisation has accelerated tremendously with Covid-19, he said. “We are in a transformation process where production processes are digitised, and robotic technologies, Internet of Things, data analytics, artificial intelligence, cloud technologies and cyber security issues become critical.”

One of Turkey’s leading exporters of household appliances and a member of Turkbesd, the Vestel group recently expanded its production capabilities by adding an extrusion line (see Plasteurope.com of 17.06.2021).