The electrical machinery sector, which consists of investment and intermediate goods, has vital importance in Turkey. Basically Turkey produces almost all kinds of electrical machinery. Major products covered by the industry include electric motors and generators, transformers, electrical distribution and control equipment, isolated cables and wires, accumulators, batteries and electrical equipment.

There are approximately 500 firms operational in the cable sector which has the highest share in the production of electrical machinery industry. In the last ten years in particular, by means of foreign capital accompanied with high technology and “know-how” license agreements, the cable sector has recorded substantial progress in production technology. At present almost 50% of the companies operational in the cable sector have ISO 9000 Quality System Certificates. Today power cables and all types of telecomunication cables are produced in Turkey. Most of the fiber optic cables which are produced with high technology are exported.

The Turkish electrical household appliances market has a great volume due to the country's population of about 63 million and continuously rising living standards. At present there are 11 million households in Turkey which indicate a huge market. The sector has been adapting itself parallel to the consumer preferences by modern production technology. Besides manufacturers in the sector are competitive both in domestic market and in abroad with their quality equal to world standards and wide variety of products all of which have latest technological specifications.In addition to more than 50 medium-scale manufacturing firms and the market’s eight major producers, there are also around 1000 parts and components supplier firms. About 130 of these supplier firms have been organized under the “White Goods Parts Suppliers Association of Turkey-BEYSAD”, and eight major producers are the members of the “White Goods Industrialists Association of Turkey-BESD”.

In Turkey, exports of electrical machinery industry have been increasing significantly. The total value of exports of electrical machinery was approximately $924.5 million in 2002. In 2002, amongst the European Union countries, Germany was the most important buyer of Turkish exports of electrical machinery.

Germany is followed by the United Kingdom, France, Italy, Syria, Bulgaria and USA. The exports of isolated cables and wires showed a considerable increase and have the largest share in the exports of electrical machinery. Exports of isolated cables and wires rose to $489.6 million in 2002. It is obvious that producer and exporter firms in cable sector are competitive in international markets with their capacity, technology, service and quality. In spite of strict competition in international markets, the value of cable exports will be expected to increase gradually.

The value of electrical household appliances export was 181.9 million Dollars in 2002. Electrical ovens which are part of electrical household appliances are the major export products. In 2002, the value of oven exports was 135.9 million Dollars. Electrical oven sector has been developing with its modern production, technology and high quality. Our major market in exports on electrical household appliances is the EU

countries. In 2002, England, Germany, France, Israel, Greece, Poland and the Netherlands were the major buyers of Turkish electrical household appliances. The other important exporting subsector in the electrical machinery industry is transformers. In 2002, the exports of transformers became 166.6 million Dollars. The main export markets are the USA, Germany, Saudi Arabia, Italy, Umman and Malaysia. In Turkey, there are nine important large scale firms and a few medium and small enterprises in transformer production. The quality of Turkish engineering in the power transformers is as high as European countries.

It is worth to mention that since most of exports of the sector is directed to the EU, Turkish electrical machinery products comply with international standards, technical norms and all of them carry CE Mark on them. The obligation to affix the “CE Mark” also started in the Turkish domestic market in 2002.

Source : The Undersecretariat for Foreign Trade (DTM)