The Economy with 490 billion Dollars of Value is ‘Packaged”

Noting that the packaging industry achieved 7.5 billion dollars of export value in 2022, Mr. Zeki Sarıbekir, President of ASD Turkish Packaging Manufacturers Association said their export target for 2023 was 10 billion dollars of export value. Underlining that Türkiye ensures an approximately 490 billion dollars of economic transaction with packaging, Zeki Sarıbekir said: “In Türkiye a total of 819 billion dollars of GDP was made possible with packaging. The target we set for 2030 is 50 billion dollars as industry size and 20 billion dollars as exports. Our competitive power and potential as an industry is very high.” 

The packaging industry came together at the traditional iftar dinner organized by the ASD Turkish Packaging Manufacturers Association. Prof. Acar Baltaş and Prof. Emre Alkin participated as speakers at panel titled 'Post-Disaster Mental Health, Ethics, and Economy" in the organization. Mr. Zeki Sarıbekir, President of the ASD Turkish Packaging Manufacturers Association made a speech on the current state and future of packaging industry where he noted that both the world and Türkiye go through challenging processes and added that “We could not come together in our iftar activity for the last 4 years due to the pandemic. Earlier this year, on February 6, we had the single most devastating earthquake disaster of our country affecting 11 provinces. We are in grave sorrow. We hope our country will recover soon. We initially hesitated while we were planning out İftar invitation. The extraordinary solidarity and unity our country displays at such sad times we are going through once again demonstrated the importance of being together.” 

THE FOREIGN TRADE SURPLUS IN 2022 WAS 2.7 BILLION DOLLARS

Mr. Zeki Sarıbekir noted that the importance and necessity of packaging becomes ever clearer for all in times like this and continued by saying, “As packaging manufacturers we provide services to not just food and beverage but to all industries starting from health, cleaning, hygiene, etc. products. Thanks to packaging, consumers receive the products in a healthy and hygienic way. We, as the packaging industry, act conscious of this fact. We continue with production ensuring that the supply chain is not disrupted.”  

Mr. Zeki Sarıbekir informed that in 2021 Turkish packaging industry achieved 28 billion dollars in market size value and added that “In 2022 our industry exported 3 million 300 thousand tons of packages to 180 countries and achieved 7.5 billion dollars of export value. In 2022 our industry had 2.7 billion dollars of foreign trade surplus and we continued to increase our contribution to closing the foreign trade deficit that is one of the most important problems of the national economy. In addition, we continue to achieve a performance that is above the Turkish average with our export unit price.”

2030 TARGET IS 50 BILLION DOLLARS

Noting that in 2023 that is the 100^th anniversary of our republic they are targeting to increase market size of Turkish packaging industry from 28 billion dollars to 30 billion dollars and consumption per capita from 325 dollars to 380 dollars while increasing export to 8 billion dollars, Mr. Zeki Sarıbekir continued by saying, “However, we think that we can achieve our 2023 export target by the end of 2022. Thus, we reset our target for 2023 as 10 billion dollars. In our country we ensure an economic activity of approximately 490 billion dollars in value with packages. 60 percent of total GDP in Türkiye (819 billion dollars) was achieved with packaging. The targeted size of our industry in 2030 is 50 billion dollars while our export target is 20 billion dollars. Our competitive power and potential as an industry is high. Products of Turkish packaging industry is exported directly and indirectly to 180 countries in the world. Turkish packaging industry is determined to be the packaging center of Eurasia.”

SUSTAINABILITY ROADMAP OF PACKAGING INDUSTRY

Mr. Zeki Sarıbekir underlined that as packaging industry they focused on growth and increasing their contributions to the country and added that they accelerated their sustainability-related works for the future. Zeki Sarıbekir said: “We are continuing our efforts to complete our 'ASD Sustainability Report' to raise awareness and guide on sustainability in the industry. We will publish the first report of our industry on sustainability. We believe that our report will be an example for the packaging industry to create sustainability roadmap.” Noting that responsible production, energy efficiency, renewable energy, transitional economy, greenhouse gas calculation - reduction and European Green Deal could be mentioned among priority issues towards reduction of the effects if climate change, Mr. Zeki Sarıbekir said: “Member of our industry must have their carbon footprint measurements. We need to follow the production and commerce processes and change targeted  in the European Green Deal. We need to build our production processes on transitional economy that keeps resource efficiency at the highest level and is a sustainable production model.”

Sincerely,

ASD Turkish Packaging Manufacturers Association