Glassware sector wants to expand its foreign market

Prepared to close the year with an export of approximately 7 billion dollars, glassware makers aim to expand their market share in the USA, Canada and Japan. Mesut Öksüz, President of the Glassware Association, who participated in the 10th International Home and Kitchenware Manufacturer-Brand Meetings Summit held in Antalya, told Anadolu Agency (AA) that the glassware industry has become one of the important brands in Turkey and that the sector exports to more than 190 countries.

Stating that Turkey is the 8th largest exporter in the world in the sector, Öksüz noted that the Turkish brand can be seen on a plate, glass or spoon and fork in almost every country.


Explaining that they have increased their exports by 70 percent in the last 10 years and they set out with the target of 10 percent growth every year, but they could not achieve the desired growth in exports this year due to the stagnation in the European Union countries, Öksüz said: “We are exporting almost 60 percent of our exports to EU countries, unfortunately the stagnation there also affects us. We entered the first quarter of the year with a growth of 10 percent, we saw that these figures fell to 5 percent in the second quarter and a little back in the third quarter. Considering the beginning of the year activity in the last quarter, we will close this year with a growth of 5 percent, if not 10 percent. We are targeting an export of approximately 7 billion dollars at the end of the year.”

The sector seeks alternative markets
Öksüz stated that as a sector, they always care about market diversity and they have seen how important this is by experiencing this year’s recession in EU countries.
Öksüz stated that they are working to increase the export rate in alternative markets without shrinking exports in EU countries. This year, we organized a commercial delegation to Kenya and Russia, and next year we want to increase exports by making commercial trips to target countries such as Canada, Japan, the USA and Israel.” he said. Stating that they also care about Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt, Öksüz said that they brought the buyers here with the manufacturers in Turkey through the organizations they organized throughout the year. Öksüz noted that they started to receive serious demands, especially from Saudi Arabia.

Mesut Öksüz stated that the sector has an annual business volume of approximately 13 billion dollars and more than half of this is achieved through exports.
“Manufacturers in Europe may turn to Turkey”
Emphasizing that they are very hopeful for the next year, Öksüz stated that they will enter 2023 with a growth target of 10 percent, and that they can even exceed this rate at the end of the year.

Underlining that they are an energy-dependent sector, Öksüz said, “We enjoy the advantages of having more affordable energy costs compared to Europe. I think we can achieve growth of . used the phrases.