President Erdoğan Opened the New Factory of Mfa Mask

04 Jun 2023

President Erdoğan Opened the New Factory of Mfa Mask

On June 4, 2021, the opening of the new factory of MFA Mask, one of the leading Respiratory Protective Equipment brands of Turkey and Europe, called Koca Yusuf, was held with an impressive ceremony with the participation of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. First of all, MFA General Manager Fatih FURTUN gave a speech at the opening, followed by President Recep Tayyip ERDOĞAN's speech. After the speeches, the factory was opened with a collective ribbon cutting ceremony.

FURTUN: “WE HAVE NEVER BEEN OPPORTUNIST!”

Speaking about the company's past, investments and the pandemic period, MFA Mask General Manager Fatih Furtun said in his speech, “We are not wealthy people from father or ancestor. Exactly 13 years ago, we made a fateful union with Mr. Murat Uzun. We started work in a workshop of 80 m2. Despite the limited opportunities, we set out for big goals by overcoming the difficulties. We set new goals and tried to work with the same enthusiasm and determination as the first day, after each of our dreams, such as the words of Master Necip Fazıl, "Whatever mountain I want to climb, my goal is not today, but after every day". By Allah's leave, we have accomplished countless firsts in our country over the years with the support of our occupational safety experts, workplace doctors and our customers who prefer our products, who support, trust and believe in us.

Then, referring to what the COVID process has done as a company, Furtun said, “From the moment the Covid 19 epidemic began to be seen in China, we switched to emergency management. While the first case was detected in Turkey in mid-March, we declared in January that our priority is Turkish Industry and Healthcare workers. We regularly informed our customers in order to ensure reliable supply and avoid problems. We contacted our ministries and official institutions. We walked hand in hand with our state in full coordination throughout the process. We acted with a national spirit and responsibility. We shouldered the burden until new manufacturers entered the market. We produced non-stop on a 24-hour basis. We were not opportunistic! We immediately delivered the products that our country needs, unconditionally and without bargaining.

We quickly delivered our products to healthcare professionals not only in Turkey, but also in China, Europe and Central Asia. We became one of the most important suppliers in Europe, especially during the period when the supply from China was cut off. The 'stay at home' call on the official social media account of Real Madrid, which has 93 million followers, was made using MFA Mask. On the official website of the European Parliament, the topic about the mask was explained again using MFA Mask products. Romania and Slovakia sent military aircraft to reach our products. We have signed many more success stories like this one. I would like to thank all my colleagues who work day and night without saying, at the expense of their health, and who breathe life into the world from Zonguldak.”

Furtun gave the following information about the company;

“I must proudly state that; 85% of our 250 employees are women. Our products, produced with the power of women, are exported to 24 countries. Our facility is also a very important test center for respiratory protective equipment. We can test many products in different parameters here.

With our humble staff, we have never compromised on the principle of honest and ethical trade. We have always prioritized service and product quality. By competing with our rivals in the giants league, we made an effort to serve our country better. As a result, we brought a global brand to Zonguldak and Turkey.”

Fatih Furtun gave the following information about the company's new investments;

“Again today, we are starting the construction of the second phase of our factory, which is the continuation of this investment. We will name our new facility “Corporal Hasan of Iğdır”, an Ottoman soldier who was kneaded with the love of homeland and faith.

Our investments will not be limited to this. With the permission of Allah, we will undertake many important new investments in line with the 2023 targets of the 100th Anniversary of our Republic.

For years, companies from abroad have found market space in our country. Now, we will spread our slogan "Healthy Breath of Turkey" to the global dimension by establishing a Mask Factory and Logistics Center in Kazakhstan and Germany in order to get more shares from the foreign market. We will start to produce and market many high-tech new respiratory protective products in Turkey until 2023.

ERDOĞAN, “A MODERN FACILITY REPRESENTING THE DEVELOPING AND STRENGTHENING INDUSTRY OF THE CITY”

Speaking at the opening, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said, “They spent an exceptional day in Zonguldak, the capital of labor, full of openings, artifacts and good news. He wished that this work, which can be worshiped by 7 thousand 500 people at the same time, and which impresses with its architecture, location and outbuildings, will be beneficial.

President Erdoğan stated that they are happy that a modern facility representing the developing and strengthening industry of the city was brought to Zonguldak by our young investor brothers, and wished the new production facility of the MFA Mask Factory, which was opened, to be a blessing. Good luck to everyone who works and will work at the production facility.

“THE TURKISH INDUSTRIAL CONTINUES TO WORK AND CREATING EMPLOYMENT FOR OUR PEOPLE AGAINST PEOPLE THAT HOPE OUR ECONOMY STAYS”

Stating that he believes the factory will contribute to the development of the city's exports along with employment, President Erdoğan continued as follows: "Our company MFA Mask, which was established in 2008 with the slogan of 'Turkey's Healthy Breath', has accomplished very important works in a short time. The company was selected as the 30th fastest growing company in Turkey by the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey. , Turkey's first bio mask and full and half face gas masks specially produced for the use of our law enforcement are just a few of these products."

Expressing that the company is working hard to meet the increasing demand during the epidemic, President Erdoğan said that it has the title of the company that exports the most in Zonguldak. Expressing that the factory they opened is an exemplary facility not only with its production model and technological infrastructure, but also with its architecture, President Erdoğan said: "It is also admirable that our factory makes an environmentally friendly production from renewable energy with roof solar panels with an installed capacity of 1 megawatt. this factory will produce 45 million particulate traps, respiratory protective professional masks, 240 thousand full and half face gas masks with different qualities and 910 thousand full and half face gas mask filters annually.

As you can see, Turkish industrialists continue to work, produce, continues to create employment for our people. I change this a little more. First I say investment, employment, production and finally I say exports. Now MFA does all four of them. Investment is investment, employment is employment, production is production, and export is export, especially for European countries. This, of course, is not enough, what more to do secret? We will develop this with an expansionist export approach."

“I THANK THEM ON BEHALF OF MY COUNTRY AND NATION”

Stating that Turkey's production capacity is getting stronger day by day with domestic and international investments, President Erdoğan said: We also protect everyone who trusts the Turkish economy without marginalizing them. Every entrepreneur who produces, exports, especially offers jobs and food opportunities to our people and adds strength to our economy, has a place on our heads."Stating that he was happy to learn that the company is on the eve of new investments, President Erdoğan said: "I hope that the new filter factory, which will produce high value-added products with an investment of 70 million lira, will be put into operation as soon as possible, right next to this facility.

I would like to thank them on behalf of my country and nation, and on behalf of all Zonguldak residents, for accelerating their investments at a time when the global economy was drifting into a vortex of uncertainty due to the coronavirus epidemic. I congratulate our Ministry of Industry and Technology, the Minister and his team for supporting such investments that strengthen Turkey's power."

“TURKEY IS AMONG THECOUNTRIES THAT PROVIDE THE MOST SUPPORT TO ITS CITIZENS AND THE BUSINESS WORLD DURING THE EPIDEMIC”

Stating that the coronavirus epidemic has negatively affected the whole world and Turkey, and that people are experiencing difficulties, economic, material and moral losses, especially due to restrictions in tourism, food and beverage and services sectors, President Erdoğan said that 84 million people are in trouble, no matter where they live or in which sector they operate. stressed that they consider it their duty to be a cure. “Turkey is among the countries that provide the most support to its citizens and business world during the epidemic process.

At a time when even the most developed countries of the world were fighting a mask war, there was a shortage of ventilators, and the elderly care homes turned into morgues, we offered first-class health care to our people free of charge. We have produced fast and effective solutions in many issues, starting with the supply of products that are urgently needed in the field of health. We have accelerated the projects for the production of products such as masks, protective equipment, gloves and respirators, which are difficult to obtain from international markets, with domestic and national means," said President Erdoğan;

“According to the records of the Industrial Registry System, while there were 14 mask manufacturers in Turkey at the beginning of the epidemic, this number has increased to 424 today. As a result of this increase in the number of manufacturers, exports of medical and surgical masks have increased 100 times. He said it went up to $5 million.”

“UNVIEW HEROES! OHS EXPERTS AND WORKPLACE DOCTORS!”

After the speeches, Fatih Furtun and MFA Mask General Coordinator Murat Uzun presented a gift to President Recep Tayyip ERDOĞAN. At the dinner given in honor of the delegation, President Erdoğan was informed about the sector. Emphasis was placed on the importance of the OHS Culture, which was created by the work carried out by our Occupational Safety Specialists, Occupational Doctors and Occupational Safety-related companies for years. In our industry, where people work together during the pandemic, the economy continues to turn without interruption if the epidemic is managed correctly, and this culture has spread to different layers of the society, and the evaluations that OHS experts are among the unseen heroes in the fight against the pandemic in Turkey, together with the workplace physicians, were made by MFA officials. It was shared with President Erdogan and state elders. After the meal and planting of saplings, the opening program came to an end.

The Story of Koca Yusuf, after which the factory building was named

Koca Yusuf (Yusuf İsmail; 1857 - 4 July 1898), Legendary Turkish wrestler from Deliorman. He is known as the first Turkish wrestler to step on the mat and do Greco-Roman wrestling.

The 138-kilo athlete was 1.88 meters tall. One of the legendary names of freestyle wrestling,

Yusuf was nicknamed "Husband" with his large body, wrestling skills, strength and athlete's morality. He became known as the "Terrible Turk" in the world. He became the Kırkpınar chief wrestler in 1885; Since 1894, he has wrestled with the most famous wrestlers of the period in Europe and the USA. Undefeated, he defeated the most famous wrestlers of the world and came up with the slogan "Strong as a Turk".

Koca Yusuf, who set off on the French flagged La Bourgogne transatlantic on May 21, 1898 to return to Turkey, collided with a British flag freighter off the coast of the ship and sank, drowned together with all the passengers and crew, and his body was lost in the ocean. It has become a symbol of honesty, morality and Turkish power. Working with the goal of a strong Turkish brand in the global market, without compromising the principle of honest and ethical production and trade, MFA aims to keep its memory alive and introduce it to generations.