The U.S. e-commerce giant Amazon officially opened Wednesday its first logistics center in Türkiye in the Tuzla region, located on the Asian side of Istanbul, with the participation of high-level officials.
Launched through an investment of over $100 million (TL 2.75 billion), according to the company’s previous statement, the center, which started operating in September 2022 has created hundreds of new employment opportunities since then, while making significant contributions to small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Türkiye to grow their businesses and meet increasing customer demand.
The opening ceremony was attended by Mustafa Varank, Chairperson of the Industry, Trade, Energy, Natural Resources, Information and Technology Committee of the Turkish Parliament, Zekeriya Çoştu, Deputy Minister of Industry and Technology and Turkish Presidency Investment Office Head Burak Dağlıoğlu.
Stefano Perego, Vice President of Amazon Operations in Europe and North America, Hakan Karadoğan, Amazon Operations Türkiye General Manager and Richard Marriott, Amazon Türkiye Country Manager, also attended the opening.
In a speech during the ceremony, Varank, a representative of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party), said that e-commerce continues to develop with great momentum worldwide.
Varank pointed out that Türkiye enjoys a competitive climate in logistics services, and that the development of e-commerce will contribute to the development of other sectors in the country.
He revealed that 600,000 companies in the country are currently practicing e-commerce.
Highlighting Türkiye’s readiness to provide support to the global companies operating within the country, Varank said: "We are pleased with the interest global companies currently have in Türkiye. Many companies moved their operations and R&D centers to Türkiye, especially after the pandemic."
"Those who have operations in Türkiye have expanded their operations. Because Türkiye continues to stand out as an important country for global brands, with its young and dynamic population at the point where the continents meet, and with its feature of being a logistics corridor, especially thanks to its recent investments in infrastructure," he explained.
Daglıoğlu for his part said that Türkiye’s economy is growing rapidly and is transforming into digitalization.
He pointed out that the investment made by Amazon is consistent with Türkiye’s strategy and aspirations.
Stating that Amazon's investment is very critical in terms of its value, the employment it creates, the economy, and the supply chain role it will provide, Dağlıoğlu said: "But it has a more important dimension for us, the e-export it will mediate. We have many SMEs and micro exporters. They become exporters through all these digital marketplaces."
"This facility established by Amazon is one of the infrastructures that will facilitate trade and export. The economy is becoming digital, companies are becoming digital, but there is always a need for such physical infrastructures," he noted.