Customer-inspired innovations
Founded more than 30 years ago with innovation, quality, and customer satisfaction in mind, METE Plastic Industry & Trade, Inc. has become a key player in the Turkish plastics industry. In recent years, the company has gained a loyal customer following abroad thanks to its diverse manufacturing portfolio – including garden furniture, stadium seating, and packaging materials – and its ability to innovate. We recently spoke with Mr. Ömer Karadeniz, the Chairman of the Board at METE Plastic Industry & Trade, Inc., to find out more about the company's approach to innovation, customer relationship-building, and competition, in addition to its plans to expand in the future.
GSC: METE Plastic Industry and Trade, Inc. is revered for its high-quality, affordable products and outstanding customer service. With a physical presence in Turkey alone, how does the company stay connected to its customers around the globe and meet their expectations regarding product design and pricing?
Ömer Karadeniz: It is important to find the right products for our customers, rather than finding the right customers for our products. Companies cannot grow if they do not understand customer needs. If you truly understand your customers and gain confidence, your potential for growth knows no bounds. In order to enter distant markets, you need to be patient. We enter into markets, such as the Dominic Republic and Ecuador, only after familiarizing ourselves with the legislation in the countries and by building sustainable relationships with our customers – a practice that we have continued for many years. We have gained our customers' loyalty by learning how to keep our customers satisfied.
GSC: METE Plastic Industry and Trade, Inc. produces garden furniture and stadium seating (both under the PRIMA brand), in addition to kitchenware and packaging materials. With such a diverse manufacturing portfolio, how does the company remain innovative in each of these areas?
Ömer Karadeniz: In a time characterized by seemingly constant technological advancements and a high level of competitiveness, investments are essential for a company's future. Our company operates on the principle of innovation. We invest heavily in R&D, which means that our company employs the latest trends in technology in our R&D and manufacturing activities, and will surely continue to contribute to innovation in our country and in the plastics sector in 2015. We believe that innovation is the power that will drive us into the future and help us to achieve even greater success. We continue to expand our product range by adding newly designed products according to our customers' requests. We have already begun designing innovative products and this will certainly continue, as we have already allocated a considerable amount of this year's budget for R&D activities.
GSC: How does METE Plastic Industry and Trade, Inc. distinguish itself from its competitors, both at home and abroad?
Ömer Karadeniz: Consumers are now more aware and focused on quality and innovation. In this respect, we have seen that the companies that produce high-quality products with the latest technologies surge ahead of their competitors and that the real competition is among the companies that are corporate. We produce high-quality products and we listen to our customers. When building relationships with customers, the ability to listen is much more important than talking. In order to provide great service, you should know what your customers need from you and how can you meet their expectations. We present our customers with products and services that can save them time and money. We make an effort to earn the trust of our customers every day by behaving ethically and honestly, and maintaining the highest level of communication. Most importantly, we hold ourselves accountable for the decisions that we make. Finally, we regard everyone in our company is a member of the team. We believe that everyone on our team is important and deserves respect for who they are and how they can contribute to our company.
GSC: Since the company was founded in 1982, METE Plastic Industry and Trade, Inc. has become a key player in the plastics industry in Turkey. Nowadays, the company is quite active globally, with exports to Europe, the Middle East, Asia, Africa, and Central America. With strong international sales and growing recognition abroad, is there talk at the company about opening manufacturing or R&D facilities elsewhere? If so, is there any one region that is particularly interesting for the company?
Ömer Karadeniz: In order to be close to our customers, we have plans for opening manufacturing facilities in our export markets. We currently have many R&D projects and we plan to open a manufacturing facility in Central America in the foreseeable future.
GSC: Thank you very much for this interview, Mr. Karadeniz.
Further information: METE Plastic Industry & Trade, Inc.