From Istanbul to Mexico City: How a Turkish company is on the rise in the global market

Galip Yarar's international success story would hardly have been possible without trade fairs. The mechanical engineer founded TES-SAN, a company specializing in cast resin and filter systems, in 1994. "We established ourselves in Türkiye within a few years and are now a sought-after partner for Turkish industry," says the founder and CEO. The company recently moved into a new 12,000 square meter factory. Regular participation in ANKIROS in Istanbul, one of the world's most important trade fairs for the metallurgy and foundry industry, has been crucial to achieving this position in the domestic market: "At this trade fair, we were able to present our products directly to local foundries and win numerous contracts," says Galip Yarar. He also made important contacts with customers from Europe and the Middle East.

Since this year, ANKIROS has enriched the portfolio of Messe Düsseldorf. Alternating annually with ALUEXPO, one of the world's largest aluminium trade fairs, it is organized by the group's youngest subsidiary: Together with Deutsche Messe AG, Messe Düsseldorf has each held a 50 percent stake in “Hannover Messe Ankiros Fuarcılık A.S.” in Ankara since the beginning of the year. Wolfram N. Diener, President and CEO of Messe Düsseldorf, visited ANKIROS in mid-September, which grew by 8.5 percent to 1,137 exhibiting companies in its first edition with the Düsseldorfers on board. "With the joint venture, we are strengthening our position in Türkiye and the region, which is characterized by high growth rates and its strategic location as a bridgehead between Europe and Asia," says Diener. "We are also expanding our global market leadership in trade shows for the metallurgy and foundry industries."

Under the banner "The Bright World of Metals", the company brings together the industry's global players every four years in Düsseldorf at the world's leading trade fair quartet GIFA, METEC, THERMPROCESS and NEWCAST (GMTN). In addition, 16 trade fairs from Latin America to Southeast Asia serve as valuable growth platforms for local companies and as gateways to the respective regions of the world for international companies. This year, ANKIROS and GIFA Mexico have been added to the portfolio for the first time – entrepreneur Galip Yarar is exhibiting at both trade fairs. In 2019, he visited GIFA in Düsseldorf for the first time to further advance the international focus of his company, TES-SAN. "Visiting the trade show in Germany was a key experience. We gained a lot of important insights here – about us as a company, but also about the industry," says the CEO.

Four years later, at the next GIFA, the Turkish manufacturer had its own stand for the first time at a trade fair outside Türkiye. Dozens of new contacts were made, leading to further projects in Latin America, Europe and the Middle East. "GIFA in Düsseldorf has done a lot to expand our international network. It taught us to think globally," says Yarar. The Latin American contacts made at the trade fair are also the main reason for attending the upcoming GIFA Mexico in October. This event is an ideal opportunity for TES-SAN to reach out to regional companies, find new business partners, and introduce its products to the local market.

The example of TES-SAN shows how important it is to offer a broad range of trade fairs in different, yet connected markets. The potential of Türkiye and Mexico, which will join Messe Düsseldorf's portfolio of "The Bright World of Metals" this year, is enormous: Mexico has established itself as an attractive sales and production location with a fast-growing economy. Thanks to the USMCA agreement, the country is well integrated into global supply chains and is attracting international investors, including from the German mechanical engineering sector. Dr. Timo Würz, metallurgy expert at the German Mechanical Engineering Industry Association (VDMA), sees Mexico's development as very promising for the metallurgy and foundry industry, as there are numerous customers for machines and plants there. "Mexico has been one of the top ten markets for foundry machinery from Germany for many years. German exporters of metallurgical and rolling mill equipment as well as thermal process technology can also build on long-standing customer relationships in Mexico," adds the VDMA expert.

The country's metal production and processing industry will play an increasingly important role in its key customer industries, which in turn will lead to a growing demand for metallurgical machinery and equipment. "Against this backdrop, GIFA Mexico in conjunction with FUNDIEXPO offers manufacturers of metallurgical machinery and equipment an ideal platform to further promote their innovative and sustainable technologies to the Mexican market in several dynamic buyer industries and to deepen existing customer relationships," says Dr. Timo Würz.

All this has brought Galip Yarar to Mexico. His home market of Türkiye, where Messe Düsseldorf is expanding its presence, has also attracted attention in recent years thanks to strong economic growth. Despite a slowdown due to the pandemic, the IMF is forecasting annual growth of around three percent until 2028. The country, which straddles the Black Sea and the Mediterranean, has recently invested heavily in housing, roads, bridges and railways. Other major projects are in the pipeline. This is driving demand for metallurgical and foundry products in particular. "In the past two years, German mechanical engineering deliveries to Türkiye have grown across all sub-sectors. In particular, customers from the metallurgical machinery and plant construction sector have invested above average in innovative components and machines in 2022 and 2023 – often based on long-standing business relationships with their suppliers from Germany," says VDMA expert Dr. Timo Würz, assessing relations with the growth market of Türkiye. This development is paying off for Galip Yarar and his company. Also thanks to the strong ANKIROS trade fair in the home market, which attracts even more international visitors thanks to its connection with "The Bright World of Metals".