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Turkish construction sector has 500 projects in 48 countries

29 March 2011 [10:26] - TODAY.AZ
The Turkish construction sector undertook around 500 projects worth more than $20 billion in 48 countries last year, according to data from the İzmir Chamber of Commerce, or İZTO.

The success achieved by the construction and building products sector, the driving industry of the Turkish economy, is incontrovertible, said Akın Kazançoğlu, deputy board chairman of the İZTO, speaking to the Anatolia news agency. “The construction sector will continue to grow rapidly both in the domestic market and fast-growing nearby countries.

"In the last 30 years, the construction sector has undertaken nearly 6,000 projects worth around $200 billion in 89 countries," Kazançoğlu said. Only last year, this figure was more than 500 projects worth of $20 billion in 48 countries. Turkmenistan, Libya, Iraq and Russia are the leading countries.

"The sector, which has succeeded in the African and Asian markets and Russia in recent years, will develop more under the leadership of the Turkish government. Barter agreements to pave the way for Turkish builders to have business in African countries should be signed," Kazançoğlu said.

"To develop the construction sector and increase the competitive power, tax burdens should be reduced, new financial instruments should be put into effect and high energy costs should be dropped."

More than 200,000 companies are active in the Turkish construction sector. "The sector, which leads employment opportunities, constitutes nearly 6 percent of Turkey’s gross domestic product," Kazançoğlu said.

The number of registered employees in the sector is 1.5 million, Kazançoğlu said. "However, with architects, engineers, construction product manufacturers, distributors and sellers, this figure reaches 3 million and constitutes 35 percent of the total GDP."

Turkey has improved to eighth from 21st in world construction products exports in the last 10 years, boosting its share to 3 percent, he said. "Fully 23 percent of this figure is exported to Middle Eastern countries, 22 percent of it to European countries and 16 percent of it is to Turkey’s neighboring countries."

Even though Turkey uses some of the most expensive energy, it ranks seventh in world cement production, fifth in natural stone and marble production and 10th in iron and steel.

By developing its information technology infrastructure, Turkey will target becoming technology-focused, instead of production-focused, Kazançoğlu said, adding that Turkey should overcome its difficulties by increasing its research and development and innovation competence.


/Hurriyet Daily News/
URL: http://www.today.az/news/regions/83291.html

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