• How many years have you been a member of the Sika Family?
Right after I got my bachelor's degree, I started my job in August 1992. However, the company's name was not Sika Construction Chemicals then; it was Sika Deteks Construction Chemicals. Sika's former partner Deteks is a company established by Turkey's doyen chemists, operating in fields such as leather, textile, construction and industrial chemicals. Since we chemists used the common laboratory, I had the chance to observe how any error in the process or any customer claim was handled by these doyen chemists. Their ways of dealing with the problems and their solution approaches have always been a guide to me.
• What did you feel when you first started at Sika? What were your first impressions?
When I started at Sika, the product range of 5-10 products that Sika produced at first seemed to me few in spite of these doyen chemists and the broad range of products of Deteks. But with the development of Sika Turkey over the years, we now have a considerable product range all over the world.
• Can you please share your most emotional moment in Sika?
I was very sad to the decision of leaving of Zeynep Özmen, the R&D and KK Manager, in 2007 before me. She is a visionary person that always promotes being better and from whose personality I have been influenced a lot. I have learned a lot from her.
• What is the moment when you have been most proud of being a member to the Sika Family?
It is the attention that Sika shows in complying with the Turkish legislation and Sika values on matters such as product, occupational safety, etc. The most important point is that no pressure is applied to the technical team by any means. This is very important for the technical team. Our only focus is to strive for doing all the best within the framework of the relevant legislations.
• We all face challenges in our professional life. Can you share the most difficult situation you have been in Sika and how you overcome that situation?
Sika's old production facility was in Kaynarca. In June 2007, we moved to our current new facility in Tuzla. However, production had to continue in both facilities. It is both a huge success and one of the most challenging issues to ensure that products of the same quality are dispatched from both facilities.
• What has your greatest professional success been at Sika?
The biggest success is the production of a technology that is not produced in any Sika in the world in 2019, but in the Tuzla facility due to the trust placed on us.
• How has Sika changed from the day you started up to now?
Too many things beyond comparison have changed. As I said, in a company that seemed as a low capacity company when I first signed in, now I do not even understand how my days are passing due to the dynamic tempo.
• Is there a moment when you really realise that you are a team?
Especially in Turkey in times of economic crises, which we unfortunately encounter too often. But even in difficult conditions, I feel that we are a team because of the care and commitment of all our co-workers.
• What do you think about Sika's and your future?
In such a dynamic company, it is necessary to be open to innovation at any time. I believe that an exciting future awaits us.
• Finally, is there anything you would like to add?
Whatever the conditions are, we must be attentive to do the best for the work we do. As in all areas of life, we may encounter positive and negative events in our workplace. We must take these with common sense and always maintain our self-discipline. Otherwise, working life would be unbearable. These are my advices especially for our young friends.