Established in 1965, Erdemir, Türkiye's first integrated flat steel producer, continues to make strong contributions to the country's economy, industry, and employment throughout its 61 year production journey.

At the service awards ceremony held to mark Erdemir's 61st anniversary, awards were presented to employees who completed 15 and 20 years of service.

Murat Yalçıntaş, General Manager of OYAK and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Erdemir-İsdemir, along with members of the Erdemir and İsdemir Boards of Directors, visited Erdemir to attend the ceremony and inspect production activities on site.

“Erdemir is an institution that builds the future”

Murat Yalçıntaş, who visited the production facilities and met with employees as part of Erdemir's 61st anniversary celebrations, drew attention to Erdemir's strategic role in Turkish industry.

Yalçıntaş said, “Erdemir, one of the strongest representatives of OYAK's responsibility to create value for our country and our members, is an institution that builds the future. Erdemir's signature is on the uninterrupted functioning of our industry, the reduction of external dependence, and the sustainable increase of our competitiveness. As the carrier of our integrated industrial approach that centers people, knowledge, and technology, Erdemir is a strategic force within the OYAK ecosystem.”

Stating that Erdemir plays an indispensable role in Türkiye's development efforts, Murat Yalçıntaş also underlined Erdemir's strategic role in terms of the sustainability of industry in an environment where wars are taking place, uncertainties are increasing, and supply chains are disrupted.

Yalçıntaş stated that in today's world, where localization is becoming increasingly important, Erdemir, with its high value-added and continuous steel supply, eliminates the risk of disruption in the supply chain in sectors critical to our country, especially the defense industry, and reduces external dependence, thus ensuring the continuity of domestic industrial production.

Recalling that Erdemir plays a critical role in the National Aircraft Carrier (MUGEM), planned to be the largest ship in the Turkish navy's inventory, and the Altay Tank Project, one of the most remarkable steps of the Turkish defense industry, Murat Yalçıntaş said, "Erdemir is a source of confidence for our country."

“Those who hold the steel hold the power”

Erdemir General Manager Şaban Yazıcı, emphasizing that Erdemir is an investment that has changed the face of Türkiye, stated, “Erdemir has paved the way for heavy industry investments in Türkiye, accelerated the development of domestic production capacity, contributed to the development of a qualified engineering culture, and enabled the spread of industrialization with the supply ecosystem that has taken shape around it. Erdemir is an actor that establishes industrial systems. With its technological, engineering, and human resource accumulation, Erdemir is today a school for the steel sector and a permanent institution in the memory of Turkish industry.”

Stating that the main raw material of the industry is supplied from Erdemir, Şaban Yazıcı said, “The main raw material of every product you can think of household appliances, white goods, agricultural tools, cars, machinery and equipment, shipbuilding industry, wind energy plants, all infrastructure investments depends on steel. Therefore, Those who hold the steel hold the power.”

Emphasizing that Erdemir, as in the past, continues to work for the needs of the future, Şaban Yazıcı reminded that Erdemir currently produces over 600 steel grades and stated that Erdemir, the first and most well equipped company in the steel sector with its R&D infrastructure, will continue to work on the production of niche and value added products.

Drawing attention to Erdemir's significant contributions to the region where it is located, Şaban Yazıcı stated, “Erdemir is a cornerstone of economic and social life in the region. We directly or indirectly provide a portion of regional employment. We contribute to the development of the ancillary industries and service sectors. We play a leading role in the formation of Karadeniz Ereğlisi's identity as an 'industrial city,' and we will continue to establish strong collaborations with our local stakeholders.”

Operating within OYAK's Mining and Metallurgy Companies, Erdemir today increases its global competitiveness with approximately 4 million tons of crude steel and 5 million tons of finished product production capacity, a strong R&D infrastructure, and product diversity.

Together with its subsidiaries, Erdemir ranks 52nd in the world and 4th among producers in EU member countries according to the World Steel Association's 2025 crude steel production data, and provides direct employment to approximately 13,000 people.

Erdemir, which has increased the number of flat steel grades in its production portfolio to 619 by 2026, stands out with its high value added production. Particularly in recent years, its contributions to the localization of the defense industry have positioned it among Türkiye's strategically important companies.