"The most important feature that separates us from our European competitors is our after-sales service. This is a constant phenomenon both in Turkey and in the world. That is why Akyürek Technology refers to people's confidence. No matter where in the world we are, we will be able to solve the problem no later than 24 hours if our customers report a problem."

Akyurek Technology, which provides services in the pulses, nuts, seeds and oil seed sectors, manufactures in 3 main divisions: cleaning, sorting and packaging. Stating that they have been exporting to 78 countries with sales and marketing network extending from America to Balkan countries, Russia to Middle East and Africa, Akyurek Technology International Sales and Marketing Director İlker Akyürek said this interesting words; "We allocate the most budget to the R&D department while allocating budgets. Because we know that innovation always takes you forward."

Akyurek Technology International Sales and Marketing Director İlker Akyürek, who is the guest of the Miller Magazine Technology Platform this month, shared his success story, new tobacco lines, AR-GE activities and his targets with our readers.

Mr. Akyürek, Akyürek Kardeşler Ltd. Şti. is one of the biggest companies in Turkey and in the world in the cereals, pulses, seeds and oil seed processing technology sector. Could you tell us your story leading to this success? Akyurek Technology Company was established under the name of Akyürek Kardeşler Tarım Ürünleri 43 years ago and in the branding process, it was renamed as Akyurek Technology. It is the biggest company of Turkey in the production of post-harvest cereals, pulses, seed sifting and processing machines. Our company which is growing rapidly in its historical development and increasing both its work power and its capacity, continues its production in a factory established on a total of 45 thousand square meters of land including 16 thousand square meters closed area.

Let’s talk about the technologies and solutions you have developed. We know that as Akyürek, you build turnkey seed facilities but could you give us details? What kind of facilities does Akyürek build and what services does it provide? Akyurek Technology produces dried granular food cleaning machines. We produce machines that perform all the processes from harvest to packaging. We provide services in pulses, nuts, seeds and oil seed sectors. In our factories, we can separate these products into 3 main divisions as cleaning, sorting and packaging. As well as all the supporting equipment, we offer to our customers on a turnkey basis AkyurekExcell screening machines, light sorting machines, stone sorting machines, New Generation Sorturk color sorting machines, and automatic packaging machines. There are 128 machines and equipment that we produce. In addition to these, we have also entered the tobacco sector. We have recently started to set up lines for tobacco factories. Our factory has been preparing for this sector for a year and the production of all machines has been completed. We are building sales and marketing network and we will start building tobacco facilities all over the world.

Have all the technologies used at your facilities been developed by you? When establishing a facility, what do you receive from outside and what are the technologies that are entirely your production? Akyurek Technology is the first company in the world to produce machines that work in the dry food sector. We do not get service from outside about machines. But we can get some auxiliary machines from suppliers in accordance with the expectations of our customers or as required by a project. For example, we purchase machines such as compressors and generators from our suppliers. Our team that manages supply chain management professionally manages. We work with the largest technology companies in the world in their respective fields.

Could you tell us about your place and market share regarding the seed processing industry in Turkey and the world? How many countries have you been in since your company was established and how many countries are using Akyürek technologies? Our company introduces the Turkish technology with its export to 78 countries. Through the sales and marketing network from America to the Balkan countries, Russia to the Middle East and Africa, it reaches the overseas countries and contributes to the dry food sector of each country.

Could you also give us information about your overseas organization? I think you have representations in nearly 10 countries? In which countries do you have representations, partnerships or offices and how do you conduct your works abroad? We have our own offices in Russia, Ethiopia, Bulgaria and Ukraine. We are expanding our structure by opening showrooms in these countries. In addition, we have representatives in America, Algeria, India, Uzbekistan, Peru, Italy, Spain, Romania, Nigeria and Sudan. First of all, we have our own professional foreign trade team. Each country has a separate responsibility. So we can communicate with our customers 24/7. We plan our sales and marketing strategy and reach the targets that are appropriate for this strategy. We follow the developments of the global world and conduct market research on a country basis and accordingly direct our team. Most importantly, we introduce 100 percent Turkish technology to producers around the world.

Another issue that is as important as technology is service. What can you tell us about Akyürek's technical service, spare parts, service support and training? The most important feature that separates us from our European competitors is our after-sales service. This is a constant phenomenon both in Turkey and in the world. That is why Akyürek Technology refers to people's confidence. No matter where in the world we are, we will be able to solve the problem no later than 24 hours if our customers report a problem. We have a certain number of teams in countries where our representatives are located and make periodic customer visits every month. When we set up a factory, our expert teams provide train for each machine for a period of 1 week. This is how the system works for every product sold.

Today, it is a very important issue to develop advantageous new technologies to meet customers' technology requirements and to increase competitive power in the market, which requires R & D. How does Akyürek allocate a budget for R&D studies and what are the subjects in R&D studies? At the forefront of the departments we care about is our R&D department. We work with specialized engineers. We are looking for technology according to the needs of the sector. We always produce newer and useful models. New model machines are designed and produced every year in accordance with the demands of our customers and as a result of sector researches in the world. We allocate the most budget to the R&D department while allocating budgets. Because we know that innovation always takes you forward.

Speaking of R&D work, what can you say about innovations, innovative and innovative solutions that you have brought to the seed processing industry for over 40 years? If so, can you mention about the innovations that you have developed and the gains that these innovations have made to the industry? Tobacco lines that we have designed recently and carried out with great confidentiality will bring great innovations to the tobacco sector in particular. We are starting to collect these fruits. We opened our office in Spain and showed that we are ambitious for this sector. We even sold a few facilities before the serial production. I must say that I am very hopeful about this sector.

Mr. Akyürek, what do you think are the reasons why the producers who process products like cereals, pulses, seeds, greasy seeds, choose the technologies of Akyürek Brothers? What do you promise to your customers as a company? As I mentioned above, Akyurek Technology is a well-established company for 43 years. We now have a friendly relationship with our customers. They trust us endlessly and we do not let them down with our quality. Instead of our state-of-the-art facilities and other machinery manufacturers around the world, they prefer a better quality Turkish company. We thank them.