President Erdoğan Meets with Export Family

TİM Chairman İsmail Gülle: I will continue to be the servant of Türkiye's economy and export

Turkish Exporters Assembly (TİM), which is the only umbrella organization of more than 100 thousand exporters with 61 Exporters' Associations and 27 sectors, held the "Champions of Exports Award Ceremony and the 29th Ordinary General Assembly of TİM” at the Istanbul Haliç Congress Center with the participation of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

At the Champions of Exports Award Ceremony, the awards of the top 10 exporting companies of 2021 were presented by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. At the 29th Ordinary General Assembly of TİM, the presentation of the “Türkiye's Top 1000 Exporters 2021 Prestige Book” prepared by the Turkish Exporters Assembly (TİM) was also held. The results of the research were shared with the public. Accordingly; Total exports in 2021 increased by 32.8% compared to the previous year and amounted to 225 billion 220 million dollars. The exports of the companies in the top 1000 in 2021 increased by 33.2 percent compared to the previous year and amounted to $ 123.3 billion. Their share of total exports was 54.7 percent.

While 827 companies took part in the top 1000 in 2021, 173 companies managed to enter 1000 for the first time. 80 percent of the first 1000 consisted of domestic companies. These firms accounted for 63 percent of the total exports of the top 1000 firms. 57.7 percent of the top 1000 companies were from in the Marmara Region. In 2021, the city with the highest number of companies on its list was İstanbul with 429 companies.

İsmail Gülle, who has brought firsts to the export family in many subjects with his actions during his 4-year period of office, said in his last speech as the Chairman of TİM, “Today I am addressing for the last time as the Chairman of TİM. Because of this, I am both happy and upset. I am happy because we have raised the bar much higher than where we took over, and we are handing over this flag as such. When we took office, we stated that we had come to “be the servant, not the ruler” of the export family.  Together with my colleagues, we have accomplished very important works that challenge time, space, and opportunities. We have carried out 8 years of performance in a short period of 4 years. In the era of “bests” and “firsts” at TİM, we have implemented more than 100 innovations. Just before the 100th anniversary of the Republic, we have become the tireless companion of our President on the path he walks.  The main thing for us is to serve to increase production and exports in Türkiye and thus to work for our country to have a stronger economy. This was the motto of my life before my presidency, and this was my only goal during my period of office. Even if my duty as the Chairman of TİM is over, I will continue to be the servant of Türkiye's economy and export from now on. Positions come and go.  The main thing is a strong and prosperous Türkiye.”

Turkish Exporters Assembly (TİM), which is the only umbrella organization of more than 100 thousand exporters with 61 Exporters' Associations and 27 sectors, working for the growth of the economy and being among the world giants, held the “2021 Champions of Exports Award Ceremony and the 29th Ordinary General Assembly of TİM” at the İstanbul Haliç Congress Center with the participation of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

To General Assembly and award ceremony, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Trade Minister Mehmet Muş, Treasury, and Finance Minister Nureddin Nebati, Industry and Technology Minister Mustafa Varank, İstanbul Governor Ali Yerlikaya, Top 1000 Exporter Company representatives, Non-Governmental Organizations, Presidents of Associations and related stakeholder institutions, TİM Delegates, Members and Delegates of the Board of Directors and Supervisory Board of Exporters' Associations and TİM Council Members participated. The awards were presented to the top 10 companies that exported the most in Türkiye in 2021 by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. The top 10 companies that received awards for exporting the most last year were Ford Automotive Industry, Toyota Automotive Industry Türkiye, Türkiye Oil Refineries, Kibar Foreign Trade, Vestel Trade, Arçelik, Oyak-Renault Automobile Factories, SOCAR Türkiye Petroleum, HABAŞ Industrial and Medical Gases Employment Industry, and TGS Foreign Trade. At the ceremony, the awards of the most exporting champions of 27 sectors were presented by the Ministers and TİM Chairman İsmail Gülle. 

“Together, we built a period in which Türkiye made a breakthrough in export”

TİM Chairman İsmail Gülle, who made a farewell speech at the “2021 Champions of Exports Award Ceremony and the 29th Ordinary General Assembly of TİM”, pointed out that they corresponded to a historical process during his 4-year tenure and witnessed trade wars, pandemics, and hot conflicts. TİM Chairman İsmail Gülle said, “Despite all these, we have built a period in which Türkiye has made a breakthrough in export. We said that Türkiye will rise with export. We targeted Türkiye with a Foreign Trade Surplus.  Thankfully, even in such a difficult period, we, exporters, who act with a sense of national duty in addition to the effective measures taken by our government, have achieved a success that is exemplary in the world by turning the crisis into an opportunity. We increased our share of global trade to over 1 percent. We broke export records in 19 of the last 21 months. Undoubtedly, our intensive cooperation with our government has been decisive in all these successes.”

“We have added approximately 40 thousand new exporting companies to our export family”

Stating that they have produced fast and effective solutions to the problems faced by exporters, including the pandemic process, and that the 223 problems they have conveyed to the export family on behalf of the export family have been resolved quickly by the government, TİM Chairman İsmail Gülle said, “We believed that overcoming these difficulties would only be possible with a strong vision and by strengthening our unity and solidarity. To this end, we have put consultation, dialogue, and strong communication at the center of our work. We saw exporters as a big family, and we opened the door of our assembly to all exporters and exporter candidates. In this mobilization, we have added approximately 40 thousand new exporting companies to our family. Especially the intense participation of our women and young people has been a great source of pride for us. We did not leave any incoming phone calls unanswered.  We responded to all the invitations from our sectors and provinces, and we traveled every inch of our country. We made an effort to catch up everywhere. Because that is what we promised when we set out on this path. As we began this blessed mission, we said goodbye to our family.  Our family became exporters under the roof of the Turkish Exporters Assembly. While working for them, we have dedicated our existence to exports.”

“In 2021, the exports of our top 1000 companies exceeded 123 billion dollars with an increase of 33 percent”

Stating that export has become Türkiye's main economic activity in the past four years and that Türkiye's growth is now led by export, TİM Chairman İsmail Gülle continued his speech as follows: “Both in 2021 and in the first quarter of this year, half of the growth came with export. The locomotive of our export was our first 1000 exporters, who realized 55 percent of our total exports. In 2021, the exports of our top 1000 companies exceeded 123 billion dollars with an increase of 33 percent. 173 companies, which were not on the list last year, managed to enter the top 1000 this year. This year, the exports of 15 of our companies exceeded 1 billion dollars. 80 percent of our companies on the list consist of 100 percent domestic companies. In addition, among our top 1000 exporters, we have companies from 52 different cities. This frame, which is represented in all of our 7 regions and spread all over Türkiye, excites us for the future of our exports. I sincerely congratulate every single member of our export family, who made these achievements possible with their work, and proudly waved our flag all over the world, working with the same enthusiasm and great love as the first day, despite the pandemic, day and night, and without saying far or near. I also congratulate our champions, whose awards we will present today. I would like to thank our Ministers who have taken care of all the problems of our export family. I would like to express my gratitude to our President who has placed production and exports at the center of our economic model with his vision and will.”

“We have carried out 8 years of performance in a short period of 4 years”

Stating that he addressed the last time as the Chairman of TİM and that he was both happy and upset because of this, TİM Chairman İsmail Gülle said, “I am happy because we have raised the bar much higher than where we took over and we are handing over this flag as such. When we took office, we stated that we had come to "be the servant, not the ruler" of the export family. After the export family elected me as the Chairman of TİM, the only umbrella organization of exports, time passed fast. However, we did not sit and stare at the passing of time. We ran with time, sometimes even ahead of time. Together with my colleagues, we have accomplished very important works that challenge time, space, and opportunities. We have carried out 8 years of performance in a short period of 4 years. In the era of "bests" and "firsts" at TİM, we have implemented more than 100 innovations. Just before the 100th anniversary of the Republic, we have become the tireless companion of our President on the path he walks. We worked in harmony with our government and ministers respectfully and full of love. The main thing for us is to serve to increase production and export in Türkiye and thus to work for our country to have a stronger economy. This was the motto of my life before my presidency, and this was my only goal during my tenure. Even if my duty as the Chairman of TİM is over, I will continue to be the servant of Türkiye's economy and export.”

“Fortunately, today there is no exporter who will say, 'We could not reach İsmail Gülle.'”

Emphasizing that the authorities are temporary and that what is essential is a strong and prosperous Türkiye, TİM Chairman İsmail Gülle said, “As the late Muhsin Yazıcıoğlu said, I tried to fulfill my duty directly and honestly for this world that we could not rule for a second, that we could not dominate.” This is how I came to this office, and I will continue to do so from now on. Fortunately, today there is no exporter who can say, 'We could not reach İsmail Gülle.' In four years, if I did good jobs, it is enough for me. If we have brothers and sisters whom we have unintentionally offended, upset, or cannot keep up, I ask them to forgive me.”

“With consultation, we have determined Mustafa Gültepe as the only candidate among our friends worthy of this duty”

Stating that the point they have reached today and their success are obvious, TİM Chairman İsmail Gülle said, “We have achieved this success together. We did all this for our country, our flag, our nation. If we are shown the finger in the society, it is not only because of the increase in export but also because we do everything without departing from the truth.”

TİM Chairman İsmail Gülle concluded his speech by wishing that the TİM Presidential election will be instrumental for the good of exports and Türkiye:

“We have planned the next one after us, and with consultation, we have determined Mustafa Gültepe as the only candidate among our friends worthy of this duty. I believe that it will display a just, characterful, correct administration that stands behind its promises. I would like to express my gratitude to my friends who were with me before, during, and after being elected to this post, and who did not lack their love and loyalty during this long march. I have always said it, and I say it again, I am proud to represent this great family. The effort is from us, the appreciation is from our export family, the help is from God.”

The contribution of the top 1000 exporters was 123 billion dollars

At the 29th TİM Ordinary General Assembly, the results of the “Türkiye's Top 1000 Exporters 2021” research were also announced. While the research, carried out by TİM, provides the opportunity to observe the annual performances of the largest export organizations and to conduct many detailed analyzes and guide exporting companies, also revealing the results of the studies carried out for the development of exports. According to the research, total exports in 2021 increased by 32.8% compared to the previous year and amounted to 225 billion 220 million dollars. (2020: 169 billion 637 million USD). The total exports of the top 1000 companies in 2021 amounted to $ 123.3 billion, an increase of 33.2 percent compared to the previous year. (2020: $92,576 million). While the share of these companies in total exports was 54.7 percent, the number of companies exporting 1 billion dollars and more was 15.

80 percent of the top 1000 are domestic companies

According to the research, while 827 companies took place in the top 1000 in 2021, 173 companies managed to enter 1000 for the first time this year. Domestic firms accounted for 80 percent of the top 1,000. These firms accounted for 63 percent of the total exports of the top 1000. In addition, 66.5 percent of the top 1000 consisted of producer-exporter companies. 57.7 percent of the top 1000 companies were located in the Marmara Region.

Companies from 52 cities took part in the Top 1000 Exporters List. In 2021, the cities with the most companies on the list are; İstanbul (429 companies), İzmir (78 companies), Gaziantep (71 companies), Kocaeli (65 companies), Bursa (52 companies), and Ankara (46 companies).

Top 10 companies with the highest export in 2021

Service Export Special Award: TURKISH AIRLINES A.O.

Turkish Export Champion: FORD OTOMOTİV SAN. A.Ş.

Türkiye Export 2nd: TOYOTA OTOMOTİV SAN. TÜRKİYE A.Ş.

Türkiye Exports 3rd: TÜRKİYE PETROLEUM REFINERIES A.Ş.

Türkiye Export 4th: KİBAR DIŞ TİCARET A.Ş.

Türkiye Export 5th: VESTEL TİCARET A.Ş.

Türkiye Export 6th: ARÇELİK A.Ş.

Türkiye Export 7th: OYAK-RENAULT OTOMOBİL FABRİKALARI A.Ş.

Türkiye Export 8th: SOCAR TÜRKİYE PETROLEUM TRADE A.Ş.

Türkiye Export 9th: HABAŞ SİNAİ VE TIBBİ GAZLAR İSTİHSAL ENDÜSTRİSİ A.Ş.

Türkiye Export 10th: TGS DIŞ TİC. A.Ş.

27 Sector champions awarded

Service Sector Export Champion: TURKISH AIRLINES A.O.

Automotive Industry Sector Export Champion: FORD OTOMOTİV SAN. A.Ş.

Chemical Substances and Products Sector Export Champion: TÜRKİYE PETROL RAFİNERİLERİ A.Ş.

Steel Sector Export Champion: HABAŞ SİNAİ VE TIBBİ GAZLAR İSTİHSAL ENDÜSTRİSİ A.Ş.

Ready-to-Wear and Apparel Sector Export Champion: TGS DIŞ TİC. A.Ş.

Electricity and Electronics Sector Export Champion: VESTEL TİCARET A.Ş.

Ferrous and Non-Ferrous Metals Sector Export Champion: KİBAR DIŞ TİCARET A.Ş.

Textile and Raw Materials Sector Export Champion: AK-PA TEKSTİL İHRACAT PAZARLAMA A.Ş.

Machinery and Accessories Sector Export Champion: TÜRK TRAKTÖR VE ZIRAAT MAK. A.Ş.

Furniture, Paper, and Forestry Products Sector Export Champion: HAYAT KİMYA SANAYİ A.Ş.

Jewelry Sector Export Champion: ISTANBUL GOLD REFINERY A.Ş.

HVAC-R Industry Sector Export Champion: BOSCH TERMOTEKNİK ISITMA VE KLİMA SAN. VE TİC. A.Ş.

Mining Products Sector Export Champion: EKOM ECZACIBAŞI DIŞ TİC. A.Ş.

Cement Glass, Ceramics and Soil Products Sector Export Champion: EKOM ECZACIBAŞI DIŞ TİC. A.Ş.

Aquaculture and Animal Products Sector Export Champion: KLC GIDA ÜRÜNLERİ İTH. İHR. VE TİC. A.Ş.

Defense and Aerospace Industry Export Champion: BAYKAR

Carpet Sector Export Champion: ERDEMOĞLU DIŞ TİC. A.Ş.

Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Sector Export Champion: UÇAK KARDEŞLER GIDA SER. ULUS. NAKL. PL. SAN. VE TİC. LTD. ŞTİ.

Hazelnut and Products Sector Export Champion: FERRERO HAZELNUT IMPORT EXPORT AND TRADE A.Ş.

Fruit and Vegetable Products Sector Export Champion: GÖKNUR GIDA MADDELER ENERJİ İM. İTH. İHR. TİC. VE SAN. A.Ş.

Leather and Leather Products Sector Export Champion: FLO MAĞAZACILIK VE PAZARLAMA A.Ş.

Ships, Yachts, and Services Sector Export Champion: TERSAN TERSANECİLİK SAN. VE TİC. A.Ş.

Dried Fruits and Products Sector Export Champion: AYDIN KURUYEMİŞ SANAYİ VE TİC. A.Ş.

Tobacco Sector Export Champion: JTI TÜTÜN ÜRÜNLERİ SANAYİ A.Ş.

Olive and Olive Oil Sector Export Champion: VERDE YAĞ BESİN MADDELERİ SAN. VE TİC. A.Ş.

Ornamental Plants and Products Sector Export Champion: ÇİÇEKÇİLER BİRLİĞİ DIŞ TİC. A.Ş.

Other Industrial Products Sector Export Champion: POLİN DIŞ TİCARET A.Ş.