Sakarya exports 91% of vehicles produced in 7 months

One of the most important automotive hubs in Turkey, Sakarya, exported 91% of the 164,714 vehicles it produced in the northwestern province in the January-July period.

Home to manufacturers such as Toyota, Otokar and TürkTraktör, the province, which shoulders 19.6% of the country's automotive exports, generated nearly $2.9 billion from exports of 149,977 vehicles in the said period.

The province increased its exports by 1.2% compared to the same period 2018, when it exported 148,078 vehicles.

Sakarya, which remains seventh in exports after Istanbul, Kocaeli, Bursa, İzmir, Ankara and Gaziantep, earned some $3.15 billion from exports in automotive, ferrous and non-ferrous metals, air-conditioning, chemicals and chemical products, machinery and machine parts industries in the January-July period. It carried exports to 131 countries and 11 free zones in said period.

According to Automotive Industry Association (OSD) data, 151,614 automobiles, 436 midibuses, 529 buses, 123 pick-ups and 12,012 tractors were manufacture in the facilities in the province. A total of 784 vehicles were produced in the city on a daily basis in the same period, out of which 714 were exported. The province alone met 18.7% of Turkey's vehicle need in the said period.

Toyota led the way among manufacturers and exported 92% of the vehicles produced. It exported 140,003 vehicles in the January-July period. It was followed by TürkTraktor with 9,196 vehicles.

Otokar exported some 778 vehicles in the said period, corresponding to an increase of 157% compared to the same period of last year.