INTERVIEW
The Stars of Export awards, given by the Istanbul Chemicals and Chemical Products Exporters Association ( İKMİB) every year to honor and encourage member companies in the chemical industry for their success in exports, are granted to their winners for this year. At the awards ceremony, which was held online due to pandemic, Reksoil ranked among the top 5 companies in the lubricants category.
Mr. Aktaş, congratulations on your success in export. How do you evaluate this success of your company? What's your secret?
Thank you. As Reksoil, this is not our first success. We have been among the top five companies in the lubricants category with global companies for over 3 years. Rexoil is sold in many parts of the world and we try to deliver the right product that suits our customers' needs. With our years of experience, teamwork and wide product range, we offer products that appeals to every sector within our manufacturer identity. Since we take our business seriously, use the necessary instruments to achieve our goals, make long- term plans by observing the future and developing technologies, we are able to offer products needed in every continent.
As Reksoil, what is the share of your domestic sales and exports in all your sales?
As Rexoil brand, we meet domestic and foreign demands with our product portfolio that consists of automotive lubricants, industrial lubricants, process oils, grease and marine lubricants. Our share of exports was
higher in previous years, but currently the ratio of our exports and domestic sales is equal. Export is undeniably important and absolutely necessary for our country. Our goal is to contribute to our country from abroad by keeping our exports one step ahead.
How is the Turkish lubricant sector affected during the pandemic?
The most affected part during the pandemic was the domestic market. In this period, the decline peaked in April and May. Due to the lockdowns that our government had to impose in line with the precautions, the domestic market started to slow down and even came to a halt. With the normalization process in June, economic mobility has started in the markets. Today we are not too far away from the pre- pandemic conditions.
What about the consequences of the pandemic on you?
The slowdown in the domestic market was felt within our company as well. We continued to supply industrial products to companies that continued to work. In terms of exports, our company was not deeply affected except for a few customs gates that were closed. We were able to deliver our orders to customers by 90 percent. As the marine sector remained active at the beginning of the pandemic, I believe we had overcome this process with the least damage by closing the gap in the domestic market with marine lubricants.
In this context, can you share your future predictions? How the world will be in the future and what should companies do to survive?
With the pandemic, we have seen that companies must always base their plans and measures on the worstcase scenario and must always be prepared. As discussed, there is a possibility of a second wave, but we can only hope that it will not happen. I wish God's mercy on our citizens who lost their lives due to pandemic, and I wish patience to their loved ones.
If the companies use their investments and financial resources in a way that is more efficient and faster to pay off, rather than using them as comfortably and casually as before, they can come out with less damage. Technology develops more and more every day and it can influence and guide us. In order not to be left behind, I believe that we need to keep up with the change and use the materials in the best way.
Lastly, we closely follow the developments in our country. We are proud that our country will have a voice in the rapidly developing electric vehicle market with its domestic automobile factory under construction. As Reksoil, we have conveyed to the authorities that we are ready to do our part. Our goal is to prove that national producers have a voice in the global market by increasing our success in exports.