Turkish promotion sector eyes US market

ISTANBUL

U.S. promotion giants, seeking alternative markets other than China after the COVID-19 pandemic, are preparing to choose Türkiye as their new source, according to a sector representative.

Ömer Karatemiz, head of the Promotion and Printing Industrialists Businessmen Association (PROMASIAD), stated that the Turkish promotion sector is the supply base for Europe and that the majority of exports are made to Europe. He noted that the U.S. is approached with prejudice due to the economies of scale in exports and the remoteness of the market.

He also said that the organization’s participation in the ASI Show Chicago last week created new opportunities for Turkish firms.

"We had various contacts with the leading representatives of the promotion industry in the U.S.,” he said.

“In our meetings, we saw that our counterparts were eager to import from our country. There were no participants from Europe and the Far East at the fair, but we were there to represent our country. We attach great importance to this in order to show the potential of the Turkish promotional sector.”

Karatemiz noted that nearly 60 percent of Turkish exports in the sector go to EU countries, while the U.S. market is at least seven times the size of the EU market.

“The U.S. no longer wants to buy promotional products from China,” he said.

“If we can get the right positioning here in terms of logistics and local service, secure the right investments, and develop the right product concept, I believe we can capture a much bigger share of the U.S. market as a result.”