 |
 |
||||||
[September 2007]
Kale Group Hosts 50th Year Celebrations
Hosting many brands such as Çanakkale Seramik, Kalebodur, Kalekim, Kaleterasit, RocaKale, Kalecolor, Kaledekor and Kalekalıp, the Kale Group in Turkey has been enthusiastically enjoying reaching its 50th anniversary.
50th year Ceramic Feast celebrations were held over 26-28 July 2007 in the county of Çan, Çanakkale where Kaleseramik Factories are located.
Guest of honour at the Ceremonies was Süleyman Demirel, the 9th President of the Turkish Republic; also in attendance were: Faruk Nafiz Özak, Minister of Public Works and Settlement; Ali Coşkun, Minister of Industry and Trade; Cemil Çiçek, former Minister of Justice; Abdülkadir Aksu, Minister of Internal Affairs; Yıldırım Akbulut; former Prime Minister; Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu, TOBB President; Ak Party Çanakkale Representatives; Orhan Kırlı, Çanakkale Governor; Süleyman Kamçı, Gaziantep Governor; and a large group of foreign guests.
Making a speech at the ceremony arranged in the factory, company founder İbrahim Bodur reminded everyone that the purpose of the Ceramic Feasts was to underline the importance of industry in the development of a region and a country and he emphasised that they had aspired to achieve what is difficult in the context of industrialisation and progress of Turkey.
Explaining that they established Çanakkale Seramik factories 50 years ago in Çan, with a population then of just 1,000 and where no infrastructure existed, İbrahim Bodur continued: “We pioneered industrialization of Anatolia, taking industry from big cities to counties and from there to villages. We enjoy the pride of having worked with three generations since our establishment until today.
"Until now, 21,000 of our employees have been retired and their social security has been provided."
Explaining that Turkey is a country with high competitive power, Ali Coşkun, the Minister of Industry and Trade said in the speech he made: “Kale Family, a very important institution of the private sector, is an establishment which has taken part in this success and has undersigned extraordinary services. It is the pioneer of the Turkish industry in unfolding to Anatolia from Istanbul, from the Marmara Region. Our current trend of developing world brands has started in this competitive period and the Kale Family, Çanakkale Seramik, Kalebodur are world brands”.
In the 50th year Ceramic Feast of the Kale Group, the opening ceremonies of the 5th Wall Tile Factory, the 3rd Floor Tile Factory, the Kaleserafoam Factory and the Composite Insulator Research and Production facilities were also carried out.
In addition, various symposia were held, concerts were given and sports matches were organised during the three days.
The speakers and subjects of the symposia included: Prof Dr Mehmet Sever on 'Destructive Earthquakes and the Crush Syndrome, How to Avoid? How to Save? How to Treat?'; Prof Dr Matt Lesniak on 'Latest Techniques in Brain Tumour Therapy'; Prof Dr Brian Rose on 'East Troas in the Light of Latest Excavations and Studies'; Archaeologist Reyhan Körpe on 'The Granikos Project, Purpose and Contributions of the Results to Region History'; and Doz Dr Billur Tekkök on 'Ceramic Production in the Troas Region'.
www.kale.com.tr
ENDS