ISMR December 2024/January 2025 | Page 70

FOCUS ON SURFACE FINISHING

L-R : Okan Konyalıoğlu , Chairman of Askon Demir Çelik , Demiraslan Konyalıoğlu , Honorary President , and Melike Konyalıoğlu , Vice Chairman of the Board .
“ ARKU levelling technology is supporting Askon Demir Çelik on its path to growth with new customers and increased order volumes .”
By
Stéphane Itasse , freelance specialist journalist itasse @ fachtexte . tech
Image : Yönetim Kurulu Görseli .

PARTNERS IN PROGRESS

Turkish steel service centre and supplier , Askon Demir Çelik , shares its strategy for growth and the results of its latest machinery investments with ISMR .

Askon Design Centre , a sister company of Askon Demir Çelik , offers a selection of decorative sheet metal items ( subject to particularly stringent flatness requirements ). Here , you can see one of these decorative items ( before and after the precision levelling process ).

If you want to survive as a company in today ’ s market environment , you have to stand out from the competition . Turkish steel service centre and supplier , Askon Demir Çelik , manages to do this in a variety of ways , and with considerable success .

The company from Denizli in western Turkey , which was founded in 1932 and has 539 employees , has seen a massive growth in exports . Askon Demir Çelik entered the international market in 2018 . Today , it generates an annual turnover of 10 million euros in 32 countries .
Most of its exports go to Europe , but the company is also active in countries such as China and South Korea . Its customers mainly come from sectors such as mechanical engineering , mining , the defence industry , ground support equipment and automotive .
A strategy for growth
There are several strategic decisions behind Askon Demir Çelik ’ s growth . To stand out from the competition , for example , thick plates and special steels make up a large part of its product range . The company also offers additional services ; components and assemblies instead of steel sheets and laser-cut parts , or supply chain management instead of just deliveries . Quality also plays an important role in its strategic considerations .
However , the human resource policy through which the company is driving its growth is particularly noteworthy .
“ We are experiencing a shortage of skilled workers in every country we work , including Turkey ,” explained Murat Özdemir , the company ’ s deputy general director .
As the situation was becoming more difficult by the day , Askon Demir Çelik took the initiative and founded an academy three years ago . The company also trains women at the academy for office and production roles .
The finished decorative items are marketed worldwide .
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