Packaging Saves Lives

Mr. Zeki Sarıbekir, President of Turkish Packaging Manufacturers Association (ASD) repeated his critical reminder about COVID-19, an outbreak that upset the balance worldwide and across Turkey: "One of the most important ways to protect against this virus is packaged products. Continued production at our factories will help our country and our world overcome these difficult times.”

Mr. Zeki Sarıbekir, President of Turkish Packaging Manufacturers Association (ASD) made a written statement on the agenda, where he underscored the fact that Turkey is among the strongest countries of the region in the packaging industry. Mentioning that methods of protection from the COVID-19 virus, which upset the balance in the healthcare, social and economic areas, are now at the top of the agenda, Mr. Zeki Sarıbekir said, "The importance of packaging has never been more evident. In our country, pharmaceutical, health, personal and home care, food and beverage products are delivered to the end consumer in a healthy and hygienic manner thanks to packaging. Our exports are made under these positive physical conditions. We'll be facing major problems if we fail to provide packaging supply for food, pharmaceutical and medical goods. In the current conjuncture, packaging saves lives”.

"We need to maintain the normal course of life by ensuring social isolation”

According to Mr. Zeki Sarıbekir, President of ASD, hygiene is key to survival in this specific period:

"As packaging manufacturers, we are serving not only the food and beverage industry, but all other industries as well, with health, personal and home care products being foremost. Continued production at our factories will help our country and our world overcome these difficult times. We must proceed with our work in a discreet manner, with together, by taking the necessary precautions. We all should be more sensible in this period. We need to step up the hygiene rules that we observe in our factories and offices pursuant to the measures announced by our Ministry of Health. We need to inform our employees regarding personal hygiene, ensure the necessary social isolation and maintain the normal course of our lives”.

1 billion 852 million USD contribution to current deficit

The packaging industry continues its contribution to Turkey's total exports. Turkish Packaging Manufacturers Association (ASD) has announced the 2019 Export-Import Report. According to the report, total packaging export realization was 2 million 639 thousand tons in 2019 with a 13 percent increase compared to 2 million 325 thousand tons in 2018. In terms of value, annual export increased from 4.60 billion dollars to 4.71 billion dollars. The Packaging industry made the highest export in the UK last year with a realization of 375 million dollars. In terms of import, a serious reduction was observed in the dependence of the industry to overseas. Import in the packaging industry dropped to 1.5 million tons with a 12 percent reduction in volume and to 2.86 billion dollars with a 13 percent decrease in value last year. Germany, China, Italy, USA and France were the top countries that we imported packaging from.