ROUND TABLE

Building Away

These four Turkish construction companies have exported their craft abroad and continue to see this line of business as a test of quality and creativity.

İBRAHİM CEVAHİR

INVITATIONS

In Macedonia we are building a 400-unit luxury apartment complex with a total area of 245,000 sqm. The Iranians have also invited us to build a shopping mall. They want a minimum of three and maximum five malls as big as the Istanbul Cevahir Shopping Center.

HAJJ YOUR STAY

We also have another investment project in Saudi Arabia. In Mecca and Medina we are building 5,000 studio apartments for Hajj pilgrims. One studio is sold to 36 people who stay there when on the Hajj.

ATTRACTED TO YOU

There are many great malls in Istanbul. However, any that you go to for over an hour will just bore you. You could spend a whole day in Cevahir, and you wouldn’t be bored. In Iran there aren’t any proper malls. Therefore, it makes sense that Cevahir would be attractive for them.

MEHMET OKAY

UP NORTH

We have also looked into various Middle Eastern countries, but decided not to go ahead with those projects. Frankly, we’re used to working up north. We’re more familiar with the people, the language, the climate, and the bureaucracy in Russia.

TOP 100

Internationally, we are in the top 100. Currently we have projects in Russia and the Ukraine. We will build some of the highest buildings in Europe, in Moscow with Capital Group, and the project designers are SOMGROUP.

DIFFERENT TASTES

We’ve mostly worked with local architects, and projects have mostly been minimalist. However, there are different tastes in different countries. The Russians and Middle Easterners like their architecture a little more opulent and showy.

ÜMİT ÖZDEMİR

HIGH PROFILE

Tekfen Construction became predominantly active in areas producing oil and gas, such as the Caspian Sea region, the Persian Gulf, and North Africa. Tekfen Construction has undertaken projects for global energy companies such as BP, Eni, and large state-owned companies that require the highest professional standards.

SECOND CHANCE

The company was very active in Iraq for 25 years before the war, and the country offers significant potential now that some stability has been achieved. Tekfen Construction now has the opportunity to re-open its Baghdad office and renew its registration.

WHERE WE LEFT OFF

Tekfen Construction will also re-open its branch office in Libya, and is closely following the opportunities and new developments in North Africa. We will resume our activity in Libya when the right moment and project comes, and hopefully continue our existing work.

ORHAN BABAOĞLU

REMOTE CONTROL

Metag governs all of its activities from the general management offices in Ankara. The company has accomplished significant construction projects in various countries, primarily in Afghanistan, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Romania, and Turkey.

LOCAL CONTENT

In our construction projects, the percentage of Turkish employees in the labor force is only 12%. This is because Turkish citizens generally work in the management department, and the locals actually do the majority of the work on the field.

GIVING BACK

Metag is the largest investor in machinery and equipment in Afghanistan, which is another factor that brings us success; our company knows how to invest while simultaneously giving back to society.