Unforeseen situations such as pandemics and economic crises have begun to rapidly adapt to changing market conditions and become a major factor in the strategic planning of companies and governments. Many sectors began to develop according to their own dynamics during the pandemic period. The fact that the technological development is very fast and the product range is increasing day by day has significantly contributed to the growth of the electronics sector. Products from several sub-sectors, from consumer electronics to telecommunications devices, from computers to industrial devices, or from medical to defense electronics, continued to be produced. Ozdisan Elektronik, one of the leading brands of the components sector in Türkiye, made a significant contribution to the development of the Turkish industry during the pandemic with the solutions and products it offered to the industry. We talked with Ozdisan Elektronik General Manager Mustafa Yurttas about both Ozdisan Elektronik and the electronics industry.
How did you spend 2021 as Ozdisan Elektronik?
Actually, it would be more accurate to describe this situation in several headings. In 2013, we asked ourselves questions about what our goals were for the next 10 years. In this process, I can say that we have spent 8 years for putting the answers to those questions into practice. I can list the main aspects as export, e-commerce, PCBA key turn solutions, branches and central structures.
What has the pandemic changed in your business processes?
After the pandemic was declared, our business came to a screeching halt in mid-March 2020. This process until mid-June. This led to production reductions and subsequent disruptions. Limited working hours have also become a harbinger of the chip and component crisis that will emerge in many sectors in the future. During these processes, as Ozdisan Elektronik, we took early precautions and serious risks, creating a shield against the crisis for Turkish industrialists, and we took supply measures with forecasts so as not to disrupt their production. However, the chip crisis is currently ongoing and according to the forecasts it will last for another 1-2 years around the world. However, I can suggest that the crisis management habits of me and my team mates have made Ozdisan Elektronik even more successful in this process.
What are your thoughts on the development of ozdisan.com?
Our website has been continuing to serve more and more users every day since 2016. Thanks to this, Ozdisan Elektronik has now become a global brand with its brand awareness. Accordingly, our exports continue to increase exponentially every year.
Which markets are you most active in? What would you like to say about your sales and marketing activities abroad?
We export to more than 100 countries. The European market continues to be our “indispensable” market. We are strengthening our presence in this market even more every year. Apart from this, our trade, focusing on North Africa, America and the Far East (including China) continues as well.
Are there any new sectors that you are targeting?
Since the electronics industry is intertwined with all sectors, I believe that our target sectors are “all-encompassing” rather than just one or two.
So, how do you see the progress of the electronics sector?
There is nothing left in the digital age that is not electronic. Just as headlights are used to enable a car to navigate a dark road, the electronics industry is used to shed light into the darkness for other sectors.
How do you assess the situation of the Turkish electronic components market?
It's getting better every day. In a sector where global players are more in numbers, Ozdisan Elektronik continues to move at full speed at the front row of the market with national capital. Unfortunately, apart from a few companies in the sector, there are few companies operating with national capital.
Can you tell us about your R&D investments?
We operate in the components market by doing customer-oriented R&D activities. We offer huge support to companies engaged in R&D in this field.
Are there any brands that have recently joined your distribution network?
Recently, we have secured agreements with many famous brands such as Honeywell and Philips. Since Ozdisan Elektronik is a preferred company in this field, we are now in a “selective” position. We focus on brands that produce with a wide range of products, high quality and market demand.
What can you say about your goals for 2022?
Ozdisan Elektronik will continue to expand globally this year and we will strengthen our presence in this market by opening a branch in the USA.
Anything you want to add?
Finally, I want to underline that the opportunistic approach caused by supply problems in the electronic microchip sector, which we are dependent on, has not only opened the eyes of global giant manufacturers, but I believe that they will want to carry over these opportunities into the coming years. This process will probably take years to unfold. You can get healthy information by following Ozdisan Elektronik. Information flow from more than 200 companies we are in contact with on this issue comes regularly. We will continue to share this information with our companies in Türkiye.
