Turkey has been processing leather for 2400 years, with a deep-rooted history of leather and leather products, and the latest findings show that leatherworking has been done in Anatolia for 9 thousand years. Saddlery is a very old craft and the Turkish Saddlery Industrialists Association, which gathers the industrialists of the Saddlery and Saddlery Subsector in Turkey, elected its president in the elections where two candidates competed for the first time in the last 20 years.
The Saddlery industry, which is one of the oldest professions, dates back to the prehistoric ice age with its deep-rooted history. Handicraft is seen in accessories as well as in the items we use today. For example, it includes a wide range of products, from card holders, wallets, phone cases to watch and glasses boxes, which are indispensable today.
The association was founded in 2003 for the leather and leather products and saddlery sub-sector. Hasan YELMEN, the founder of the store chain DERİMOD, the doyen of the Turkish leather industry, among the important names of Turkey in the sector, has established many factories, associations, faculties and taught at universities. Another name that contributed to the establishment of the saddlery association is Kemal SARAÇKARDEŞLER, from the 5th generation of PETEK SARACİYE, a 168-year-old company, Hakkı Matraş, owner of MATRAŞ Leather company, the store chain of the Turkish leather industry, Engin Altaş, owner of GÖN Leather company, Recep YAYGAN, owner of SMS Leather company, ŞAHİNLER Leather. company Osman AKARVARDAR, TERGAN Leather company Mümin TERGAN, TREXTA Leather company İsmail FERAHLAR and Atilla KUTBAY and Orhan SAN representing the Istanbul General Chamber of Saddlers, form the basis of the Saddlery Industrialists Association.
Today, Saddlery Production sector has a potential of 150 billion dollars in the world. When it comes to saddlery products, products such as bags, wallets and belts that we frequently use in our daily lives come to mind. However, approximately 50 types of products, from saddles to watches and phone cases, are produced by the saddlery industry. With its history in Turkey, the leather industry union, which was established in the Ottoman Empire during the time of Mehmet the Conqueror, is one of the most established sectors in Turkey in this sense.
Saddlery Industrialists Association SSD, Hasan SÜREN became the new president of the association in the elections where two candidates competed for the first time in the last 20 years. Hasan SÜREN, owner of the Deriva brand and SÜREN Deri company, which has been producing for the leading companies of Turkey and the world for years, and also a Member of the Council of the Istanbul Chamber of Industry, stated that they were happy to leave behind a successful election process and said, “It was extremely exciting and gentlemanly. We have completed a selection process. I would like to thank everyone who has contributed to the saddlery industry, one of our most established sectors, and who has been a part of this selection process. We have only one winner with this election; And that is the Turkish Saddlery sector. I believe that we will work with all our strength to increase the production, employment and exports of our country with all the industrialists who work in our sector and expand the successes we have achieved so far.” made his assessment.
“We must train a qualified workforce for competitive advantage”
Providing information about the road map to be followed in the new period, Süren said, “One of the topics we will first address will be the problem of qualified workforce. One of the biggest problems for our industry is the problem of trained employees. With EYT, companies also lost their qualified employees. In this context, education will be one of the issues we will prioritize. In order to maintain competitive advantage, we must train a qualified workforce. The saddlery industry will enter 2024 in a much more planned manner. In this sense, we expect our exports to increase compared to 2023. Turkish Saddlery industry, we export to over 100 countries. Our exports reached 320 million dollars in 2022. This year, we experienced a decrease of 11 percent. “2023 was an exception, we will enter 2024 in a more planned way.” said.
Cemal AYDIN, who handed over his duty as the President of the Saddlery Industrialists Association SSD, said, “I have carried out a 20-year period, a very heavy but honorable and honorable trust entrusted to me, both by proxy and as the President. Today, I feel the honor and happiness of resigning with peace of mind, on a voluntary basis, from my duties that I have been carrying out for 20 years, and handing over the trust in the presidential election between the members of our association and two candidates. I would like to thank the Chairman of the Board of Directors, Mr. Güven KARACA, and the Members of the Board of Directors, Mr. Osman AKVARDAR and Mr. Engin ALTAŞ, for their contributions in the 9th Extraordinary General Assembly Meeting. Mr. Elected as the Chairman of the Board of Directors at the General Assembly of the Saddlery Industrialists Association (SSD). I congratulate Hasan SÜREN with my sincerest wishes and wish him continued success.” said.