THE FIRST IN THE SECTOR: DEMİRDÖKÜM IS CELEBRATING ITS 50TH ANNIVERSARY

The 50th Anniversary of DemirDöküm, which has been established in the year 1954 by enterprising of Vehbi Koç as the pioneer of industrialization in Turkey, with a press conference. Top Management Members of Koç Holding and DemirDöküm's Managers told about the past 50 years and future of DemirDöküm Company during the press conference, realized at Rahmi M. Koç (RMKM) museum in Sütlüce.

DemirDöküm, which has introduced Turkish consumers with many "firsts" within the past 50 years, has realized many "first productions" of Heating-Cooling sector. DemirDöküm, besides realising many firsts, ranging from cast iron radiator to instant water heater, from panel radiator to building heating system boiler, from mono-block electrical thermo-siphon to kombi, from cast iron boiler to cast iron boiler with atmospheric burner and to condensed kombi, has attained the feature of being the first company, which celebrates its 50th anniversary.
DemirDöküm Company, taking a place among the most widespread companies of Turkish economy, proceeds with firm steps immediately following the knowledge, experience and struggle of half a century.

Upon an introduction film with the theme of "enthusiasm of the first day", which was played during the press conference as condemning DemirDöküm's 50 years, Mr. Melih Batılı, General Manager of DemirDöküm, began to talk by indicating that DemirDöküm is market leader with its produced products as being "leader and pioneer establishment" of the sector and "having the most powerful distribution network of Turkey". Mr. Batılı, particularly, underlined the successes obtained from abroad countries, while talking about the current point that DemirDöküm has attained. He stated that they continue to establish strategic partnerships, to make investments and to present new products for the market in the year 2003.
DemirDöküm, which founded an oil-radiator factory at Dongguan region of China and then a sales and marketing company named Demrad International Trading again in China, within this period. DemirDöküm realizes export facilities to all of European counties, mainly to United Kingdom, Germany, France by means of DD Heating Ltd. established in United Kingdom within May. Also, DemirDöküm opened representation offices in Dresden - Germany, Paris - France and Moscow - Russia for the sake of strengthening its effective structure throughout all European countries. Mr. Batılı, who continued to speech with expressions such as "the light that we have fired 50 years ago... Enthusiasm of the first day that we have felt...The proud and confidence, which increase day by day...This will be similar after a second 50 years period" and concluded his words by thanking to everybody, who has worked hard for DemirDöküm and to Turkish people, who has ensured us the comfort leader within this period of 50 years.
Dr. Bülent Bulgurlu, president of Koç Holding Construction and Tourism Group, spoke about their targets such as "For the year 2003, export target of our Group is 81 million Euro and total targeted turnover of DemirDöküm Group, together with its local and foreign companies, is 211 million Euro, by indicating that "DemirDöküm exports to totally 38 countries".

Mr. Bulgurlu, who emphasized that "A new liveliness and enlargement will show their effects on construction sector and natural gas will bring a great motion to the sector by being widespread in our country as from the year 2004", outlined the medium-term strategic planning as follows: "We targeted to increase our combined turnover, which is expected as 211 million Euro in the year 2003, to a level of 530 Euro with a rise of 21% in the year 2008 and to increase our export 122% within 5 years."

Mr. Mustafa V. Koç, Chairman of Koç Holding Board of Directors, made the last speech. He told as follows; "We are proud of DemirDöküm, realizing the principle that Koç Group becomes leader on every business" and then continued by saying that "DemirDöküm has an important role on the situation that at least one of our products was found in every houses of 16 million families totally existent in Turkey". DemirDöküm family together with its directors, engineers and workers, has a share on this success, by working hard."