The plastic industry, despite all the challenges it has faced from the past to the present, has become one of the strongest building blocks of Turkey's industry with its dynamic structure, flexibility, and strategic importance. Plastic, which adds value to more than 40 sectors, is the key to transformation and sustainability.
When it comes to our industry, there is actually much to say, and we all, as representatives of the sector, already know these things. It is our responsibility to convey and warn those who are unaware or who seek to gain by creating a negative perception. The plastic industry provides various benefits and advantages, especially in terms of cost and freight, to all sectors through the many different products it produces that benefit 30 industries and sectors.
The Journey of Plastic from Yesterday to Today
Plastics that used to meet ordinary needs yesterday are now indispensable to the industrial sector and will be the shining star of tomorrow's digital and technological landscape. Our sector continues to grow at a rate faster than Turkey's overall growth rate, reaching the rightful and deserved position. Of course, due to the many advantages this rapid change and transformation bring, plastic is replacing other materials, and thus, there are attempts to undermine it in the market and competition arena with the perception of unwanted harmful materials.
THE PLASTIC SECTOR: Unique and Present in Every Area of Life
The plastic sector is unlike other sectors. It has its own unique structure and areas of use. It is a comprehensive sector that touches every stage of human life from health impacts to environmental effects, from industrial fields to recycling.
Many of us have witnessed how the plastic sector, which I met in 1977 with valuable industry veterans and sector representatives, has evolved since that day until now.
In times when PETKİM did not exist, despite crises such as raw material shortages, coups, devaluations, inflation, high credit rates, energy cuts, and black markets, our sector managed to overcome all these uncertainties and prove itself. It accomplished this through its dynamic structure, being an indispensable product, its flexibility and strength, and advantages affecting costs like freight. This indicates that the strong directions of our sector have always outweighed its weak aspects.
Today, the Necessity of Competition, Technology, and Unity
In today's fierce competition both inside and outside our sector, as much as we need the rapid change brought by technologies, digitization, and artificial intelligence, we need unity and togetherness just as much. The world is like a tapestry; you can only fill your place there. Thus, to complete a picture, we must be whole and integrate the pieces into a pattern. With this understanding, both as companies and associations, we must take our place in our umbrella organization PLASFED now and in the future, raising our voice collectively to communicate the sustainability and importance of our sector to all of Turkey and the world—something that we feel the value of more and more each passing day.
The plastic sector, with its approximately 150 years of history and a dynamic nature, is replacing other materials due to its many advantages and rapid transformation, drawing attention to itself. It has disturbed the vested interests and faced negative perceptions. We are going through times when we need unity and solidarity more than ever. I wish for this unique cooperation, not occurring in every sector, to continue to strengthen across all platforms. I wish you all fruitful and prosperous days ahead.
Translated by Artificial Intelligence
