We met with Ahmed Enes İnce, the General Manager of the Testeresan serving in the cutting tools sector for many years, to discuss the company’s goals. Making significant evaluations both in the cutting tools industry in general and within their own company, Ahmed Enes İnce said, “The key to success in the industrial world is not only offering high-quality products but also making a difference by quickly adapting to changes in the industry.”

Advancing with the goals of increasing production capacity, enhancing after-sales services, and boosting brand recognition on a global scale, SİLOMA continues to strengthen its position in the industry with sustainable and innovative solutions. SİLOMA Project Sales Executive Eyüp Emir shared the strategic steps the company has taken in this direction and its future growth plans.

Starting production in a 100-square-meter workshop in 1968, As Metal, which now manufactures turnkey press lines for CLT and GLT materials, is one of the few companies in this field serving global markets. We met with As Metal’s Chief Financial Officer, Gürkan Necipoğlu, to discuss the transformation of their company over the years, the R&D projects they have implemented, and their goals for the future.

We conducted an interview with Oemak Machine’s co-founders, İbrahim Altıparmak and Mesut Barut, discussing the evolution of the Turkish woodworking machinery sector over the years, industry innovations for 2024, and the short, medium, and long-term goals of the Oemak Machine brand. Altıparmak and Barut, emphasizing the importance of maintaining reliability while offering high-quality products to the market, stated, “We want to stand out not only through the quality of our products and services but also through the strong relationships we build with our customers and our contributions to the industry. For this purpose, we are advancing confidently into the future on the path of sustainable growth by using resources efficiently.”

We came together with Burak Akıskali, Board Member of Nesto Machine, which makes significant contributions to the Turkish woodworking machinery industry by exporting the machines they produce in their 4,500 square meter factory in Bursa-İnegöl to more than 40 countries, to talk about the goals of their company, the work they will carry out throughout 2024, the fairs they will attend, and their evaluations regarding the growth of the sector. Burak Akıskali pointed out that the perception of Turkish woodworking machinery manufacturers has gained an increasingly important place in international markets every year: “We believe that in the upcoming days, companies that increase brand awareness, raise the perception of ‘Made in Türkiye’ and make investments in this regard in the international market will shine even brighter. As Nesto Machine, we are working towards this goal with all of our strength.”

Üstünkarlı, which has been providing uninterrupted service in the Turkish woodworking machinery industry for 70 years, today exports the machines it produces in Türkiye to different parts of the world. We heard from the company’s general manager, Nezih Üstünkarlı, about the Üstünkarlı brand, which has proven itself in the global market with its long years of experience and investments in R&D and technology. Stating that, as a Turkish manufacturer, they act with the vision of being a reliable and sustainable company that is respected at home and abroad, Nezih Üstünkarlı stated that as a company, they focus on continuity before profitability.

AES Group Chairman İsmet Toktaş AES Group, which has made a name for itself in Türkiye and around the world with the machines it puts on the market, its dealer network that expands every year and its after-sales services, introduces Turkish quality to the whole world. Stating that their main vision as a Turkish brand is to have a leading position in the world, AES Group Chairman İsmet Toktaş said: “As AES, we are not just trying to sell machines. We strive to create a usage experience and satisfaction that will last for years, from pre-sales processes to machine sales and from there to after-sales processes. We believe that the collaborations that will be formed in this way will be more solid and long-lasting.”

LIGNA, the leading trade fair for the global wood and woodworking industry, will welcome visitors for the 50th time in Hannover, Germany, from May 26 to 30. This year, more than 60 Turkish companies will participate in the LIGNA Fair, which holds great significance for the global woodworking machinery sector.

The IIFF2025 International Istanbul Furniture Fair, held at Tüyap, brought the furniture sector together in Istanbul, concluding with a high level of participation. The fair, which was inaugurated with the attendance of Minister of Trade Prof. Dr. Ömer Bolat, Istanbul Governor Davut Gül, President of the Turkish Exporters Assembly (TİM) Mustafa Gültepe, Chairman of the Board of the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce (İTO) Şekib Avdagiç, President of the Federation of Furniture Associations (MOSFED) Ahmet Güleç, and prominent sector representatives, saw AİMSAD participate with a joint booth alongside the WoodTech and Intermob Fairs.

According to the Woodworking Machinery Sector Report prepared by AIMSAD based on the foreign trade data published by TUIK; sector exports were recorded as 150 million dollars in 2024. At the end of 2024, when imports amounted to 101 million dollars, production to 370 million dollars and domestic sales to 322 million dollars, the foreign trade balance was recorded as 48 million dollars. In addition, the ratio of exports to imports at the end of the year was 148 percent.

The Member Workshop, where new roadmaps for the development of the Turkish woodworking machinery industry were defined by AIMSAD, was held at Titanic Business Kartal Hotel with the participation of industry representatives. The workshop marked a critical step toward achieving the goals of sustainable growth and enhancing the industry’s global competitiveness.

Founded in 2014 to ensure cooperation, solidarity, and information exchange among member companies operating in the woodworking machinery and its side industries, AIMSAD held its 4th Ordinary General Assembly Meeting at the Titanic Business Kartal Hotel in Istanbul. The current Chairman of the Board, İsmet Toktaş, was re-elected by receiving all votes, renewing the confidence of the members.