Steel Summit 2025 Kicks Off with Strong Participation

The opening speeches were delivered by Cem Öztüre, Founder and Chairman of SteelRadar, and Feyyaz Yazar, Executive Board Member of İzmir Demir Çelik (İDÇ).**

Cem Öztüre spoke about the history of SteelRadar, the organizer of Steel Summit, which operates under Öztüre Holding. He stated:
“As SteelRadar, our goal is to communicate with the market in real-time, to remain an honest and accurate platform without engaging in speculation.”

Addressing the challenges faced by decision-makers, Öztüre said:
*”Decision-makers are like pilots watching the cockpit indicators. Their eyes must be on the markets. Price alone is not enough for decision-making. Raw material stocks, finished product stocks—these are among the key factors in decision-making. A decision-maker must make critical decisions 300 days a year. Measuring a decision-maker’s performance is very difficult. Management must both trust and monitor them. That’s why platforms like ours shed some light on decision-makers.”*

Feyyaz Yazar, who began his speech by touching on the history of İzmir Demir Çelik, shared the following details:
*”With our latest investment, which further enhances our production capacity, our crude steel production capacity has reached 3.1 million tons, our rebar production capacity is 1.4 million tons, and our joint profile capacity is 400,000 tons. With our joint profile rolling mill, we offer a product range that is high value-added and preferred in international markets. We produce billets and blooms in various sizes, meeting both the needs of our rolling mills and domestic and international market demand. Additionally, our port company has a handling capacity of 7.5 million tons, and our 370 MW coal-fired power plant meets the energy needs of import-based products. Our 150 MW renewable solar power (GES) investment, with a 75 MW section expected to be completed soon, is also progressing rapidly. Our company and its affiliates continue to add value to our country and its people.”*

Speaking about the Turkish steel sector, Yazar added:
*”Let me summarize some key points about the Turkish steel sector. As you know, in 2004, our steel sector operated at 63% capacity, producing around 37 million tons. Semi-finished product imports increased from 4.8 million tons to 7.12 million tons, a 48% rise. Export markets are shrinking. The tariffs imposed by former U.S. President Trump, applied in cents, and the recent tariffs we implemented will further deepen market fragmentation. Additionally, the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) brings extra costs—these can be seen as external impacts, but their domestic effects are different. There are also negative domestic regulations, the most significant being the Construction Rebar Monitoring System (İDİS), introduced in 2024 for long products. Despite having no benefit to the sector, labeling and painting add a $2 per ton cost. Alongside this, labor and other costs also burden the industry. Another major issue is the 50% partial tender recall for iron and steel products, which has no benefit for producers or distributors. We are well aware of our association’s efforts against these challenges. While our sector faces brutal international competition, it also struggles to remain sustainable against domestic negative practices. Unfortunately, such regulations continue to increase, creating a sense of discrimination against our sector. But I believe we can change this process. We must stand strong, like steel, and act together as the Turkish steel sector.”*

Following the opening session, Dr. Veysel Yayan, Secretary-General of the Turkish Steel Producers Association (TÇÜD), gave a presentation titled “The Macro Outlook and Development of the Turkish Steel Sector.”

After Yayan, Mehmet Çakmur, Vice Chairman and CEO of Kocaer Çelik, took the stage with a presentation on “Global Perspectives in the Steel Market: Current State and Future Trends,” assessing the sector’s international outlook.

After the opening speeches, the summit continued with a scrap panel. Over the two-day event, many current topics will be discussed, ranging from scrap markets to green steel, regional trade dynamics, and investment strategies.

Steel Summit 2025 aims to shed light on the present and future of the iron and steel sector.