News article

•   08/26/2019
•   Created by Musa Çakmak, Michael Thomas

TÜV AUSTRIA has acquired a majority stake in the Turkish testing services company Sila Kalite (see news bulletin), thereby securing new market access in Russia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Georgia and the Gulf region. TÜV AUSTRIA CEO Stefan Haas on the advantages of the Austrian group’s latest strategic investment.

TÜV AUSTRIA has been operating in Turkey with industrial services since 2008. Has it been a worthwhile undertaking?

Absolutely! We have operated successfully from the outset in Turkey in the areas of testing, inspection, certification, IT security and conformity assessment. Our market entry in Turkey has been further bolstered by the country’s good economic development as well as increased interest in safety and quality in production and industrial facilities.

And now new markets are to be opened up via Turkey as a business location?

Yes, but not only that. Because the idea is also to complete and expand upon our range of industrial services in Turkey at the same time. Offerings in the field of materials technology make this possible. Our service offering has now been rounded off by Sila Kalite, Turkey’s leading company in non-destructive materials testing, joining TÜV AUSTRIA Group. At the same time, we are bringing TÜV AUSTRIA’s safety know-how into markets that are new to us, where Sila Kalite has successfully managed to gain a foothold in recent years. A win-win situation for both companies.

What is the thing about Turkey that makes it an attractive market for TÜV AUSTRIA?

The country has taken a major step forward in terms of process reliability. In March of this year, the laws in Turkey were brought into line with the amendments to the European Seveso directives. An increase in process reliability and quality means an increase in obligations for industrial companies and thus also additional opportunities for us as a safety and security services provider. For TÜV AUSTRIA Group, Turkey is also a hub for Central Asia and the Middle East.

What resources does TÜV AUSTRIA have in Turkey?

More than 120 staff are employed at TÜV AUSTRIA Turk. In joining our group of companies, Sila Kalite is adding over 200 highly qualified test engineers and inspectors. An additional transfer of know-how as well as short-term personnel reinforcements for specific projects come from our other TÜV AUSTRIA locations in Austria and Europe.

With state-of-the-art laboratories, testing halls, mobile testing facilities and testing equipment, we are a reliable partner for industry and manufacturing – from automotive services to certifications.

Sila Kalite’s multinational employment structure is a perfect fit with the diversity of TÜV AUSTRIA Group. These special human resources open up opportunities for effective synergies across all the sectors of TÜV AUSTRIA’s international subsidiaries, enabling rapid solutions to be found for local challenges.

What is the thing about the focus on safety and quality that makes it so important?

Both of these issues have not only been at the core of all areas of the economy and daily life for a very long time, they are also critical for healthy and continuous growth of businesses and, by the same token, they are important cornerstones for making entire business locations more attractive. As TÜV AUSTRIA, we make a significant contribution in this respect – in Austria, Turkey and all over the world.