Turkish exporters once again showed the world their successful way of operating under extraordinary conditions with the alternative models the country has developed during the pandemic period, preventing the outbreak from tackling the supply channels, Turkish Exporters Assembly (TIM) Chairman Ismail Gülle said Tuesday.

He was speaking at an online meeting organized by the Uludağ Automotive Industry Exporters Association (OIB) under the coordination of TIM. During the event, the results of the ninth Future of Automotive Design Competition that was organized under the theme of electric vehicles were also announced. OIB aimed at increasing exports by developing value-added products and technologies in the automotive sector with the competition.

Stating that it is important for young people to show interest in the sector, Gülle emphasized that within the scope of the competition, original, innovative projects that would be turned into commercial results will be created.

Gülle, who said that production alone is no longer sufficient, noted: "We know that sustainable production infrastructure will gain more importance in the coming period. For this reason, it is inevitable for us to focus on sustainable production and export."

He said that the local automotive industry has integrated into the global supply chains and has come a long way in terms of sustainability. The sector is also among the most important sectors that enable the country to move confidently toward its goal of being a country that gives trade surplus.

"We live in a period in which conventional trade has changed shape due to the pandemic," Gülle said reminding that protectionism’s shadow is seen on the global trade.

"Thus, we are aware that we have to transform our companies into companies that make quick decisions and enable flawless work. Our companies need to invest more in research and development (R&D) and innovation," he noted.

Gülle also informed that the automotive industry achieved an increase of 0.5% in September year-on-year with exports worth $2.6 billion.

Turkey is no longer a country that uses technology but one that designs and produces it, he added.