Critical Warning from the National Stainless Steel Summit: Domestic Production Capacity Must Be Strengthened

The Stainless Steel Industry Association, formed by leading companies operating in the stainless steel sector, jointly organized the 1st National Stainless Steel Summit with Istanbul Technical University. Speaking at the summit’s opening, PASSAD Board Chairman Haluk Kayabaşı stated, “The progress of the stainless steel sector on solid foundations will add great value to our country’s economic and social structure. In this context, we will closely follow innovations with a global perspective and support the enhancement of our country’s competitiveness.”

ITU Rector Prof. Dr. Hasan Mandal, who hosted the summit, used the following expressions: “Stainless steel, which holds strategic value for defense industry and civil production, plays a vital role in the green and digital transformation period. As ITU, I believe that the protocol agreement we made with PASSAD, which possesses deep-rooted knowledge accumulation in stainless steel, is extremely valuable in terms of strengthening the bond between industry and academia and contributing to knowledge creation, qualified workforce, and sustainable production culture.”

The Stainless Steel Industry Association (PASSAD), established by pioneering companies in the stainless steel field with the goal of creating a common vision and sustainable future, continues its mission of guiding the sector. PASSAD, which conducts promotional and awareness activities with numerous institutions and organizations to enhance competitive capacity on the international platform, this time organized the 1st National Stainless Steel Summit in collaboration with Istanbul Technical University (ITU).

At the summit, where sessions were held on topics including the dissemination of successful practices in environment, human health and quality, implementation of sustainability principles, preservation of sectoral knowledge and central data, and the status of stainless steel production in Turkey and the global market, industry leaders and expert academicians shared their views that will shape the sector’s future.

“The growth of the stainless steel sector will provide great benefits to our country”

PASSAD Board Chairman Haluk Kayabaşı, who made the opening speech of the summit, said the following: “In line with the emerging requirements in our sector, we embarked on this path with the responsibility of creating common thinking and vision for our country’s future. With this goal, we have laid the foundations of our PASSAD Stainless Steel Industry Association. Our mission is to make the stainless steel sector stronger, expand its usage areas, and support sustainable growth in the sector by producing solutions to the problems of producers and consumers. The development of the stainless steel industry on a solid foundation will provide major contributions to our country’s economic and social structure. Within this framework, we will closely follow global trends and innovations with an international perspective and contribute to the enhancement of our country’s competitive power. In order to have a say in the stainless steel sector globally, we aim to be in efficient and continuous cooperation with all stakeholders in the sector. In the upcoming period, we will implement projects that will expand the use of stainless steel and enable sustainable growth of the sector; we will support domestic producers and determine the direction of the sector through the collaborations we will establish.” Kayabaşı conveyed his thanks to the sector representatives and academicians attending the summit, especially ITU Rector Prof. Dr. Hasan Mandal.

“A partnership that will strengthen the ties between industry and academia”

Istanbul Technical University Rector Prof. Dr. Hasan Mandal, who hosted the summit, spoke as follows: “Within the framework of the 1st National Stainless Steel Summit organized with PASSAD cooperation under the hosting of our university, we came together with representatives of the sector, academia, students and non-governmental organizations. Stainless steel, which carries strategic value for defense industry and civil production, has critical importance in the green and digital transformation process. As ITU, I believe that the protocol agreement we made with PASSAD, which unifies long-term knowledge accumulation in the stainless steel field under an institutional structure, is extremely valuable in terms of strengthening the bridge between industry and academia and contributing to knowledge production, qualified human resources and sustainable production culture. Because we know ‘What’ we will do for the future; but what is truly critical is ‘How’ we will accomplish this. The answer to this ‘How’ question is shaped by mutual learning, joint production and interdisciplinary vision.”

Sector representatives demand anti-dumping measures

More than 500 participants, representing all stakeholders of the sector, attended the 1st National Stainless Steel Summit, defined as ‘the most comprehensive gathering of Turkey’s Stainless Steel sector’. In the summit’s ‘International Stainless Steel Markets’ session, while the challenges faced by the sector were expressed, emphasis was also placed on the pressure created by dumped steel products on domestic producers and unfair competition. In the session, it was stated that the trade conflicts that began during US President Trump’s period negatively affected the sector, and that protectionist policies against steel increased in European Union countries as well. Attention was drawn to the necessity of increasing stainless steel production, which is of strategic importance for Turkey. A demand was raised for the implementation of trade protection measures such as anti-dumping, which are applied to many products, in the stainless steel field as well.

At the summit, important sessions were also held under the titles “Stainless Steel Trade and Logistics, Stainless Steel Usage and New Solutions, International Perspective on Stainless Steel, Stainless Steel Technology and Sustainability.”