Chairman Altuğ: “We Have a Strategic Position Providing Access to Massive Markets”

Akgün Altuğ, President of Sakarya Chamber of Commerce and Industry

A. Akgün Altuğ, Chairman of the Sakarya Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SATSO), stated that as global markets seek to reduce their dependence on the Far East and diversify supply chains, Türkiye is emerging as a rational and strategic alternative.

Speaking at the May Assembly Meeting, Altuğ said that the world is currently going through a historic period in which the global economy is experiencing a difficult transformation, trade corridors are being redrawn, and macroeconomic balances are being reshaped.

“Made in EU”

Highlighting that Türkiye’s most significant strength during this process is its logistics vision, Altuğ said:

"With only a four-hour flight radius, we possess a unique strategic location that provides direct access to massive markets with a population of 1.3 billion people, a total national income of 32 trillion dollars, and an import-export volume of 10 trillion dollars. In addition, the European Union’s ‘Made in EU’ approach and its self-sufficiency policies in critical sectors are opening an entirely new integration opportunity for our industry.

Türkiye has the potential to become the most strategic and reliable link in Europe’s production chain, particularly in electric vehicles, green steel, battery technologies, clean energy, and especially the defense industry. Beyond all these factors, our country’s most critical strength is our logistics vision. At this point, Sakarya holds a significant advantage. Within this landscape of opportunities, it is impossible to imagine a scenario in which Sakarya is not part of the equation.”

Sakarya Chamber of Commerce and Industry Assembly Meeting