We had an interview with Mr. Cafer Bulut, General Manager of ILX Engineering, about present and future goals of ILX Engineering. He started his words by saying “Basic features of automation systems offered by ILX ENGINEERING; to optimize the resources used in accordance with the changing market conditions, to increase economic and technical efficiency, to standardize quality, to improve working conditions and therefore to increase productivity and profitability.”
First of all, could you briefly tell about yourself?
I was born in Sivas in 1979. I started my business life by coil winding in Karakoy-Istanbul, where I came in 1986 and continued my career in different positions in different companies until 1997. I continue my work in my own company which I founded since 1997.
ILX dökümanlarilx muhendislik (8)
What products do you produce as ILX Engineering and which sectors do you appeal to?
As ILX Engineering, we have been serving in the automation sector since 1997 and took part in the sales of industrial machinery parts products.
Apart from our own production and export ILX audio and video signal products such as Warning lights, illuminated columns, Tubular horns, multi-layer warning lights, buzzers and modulars and Fenac Encoders, we are the only Turkish distributor of the world-recognized European and Far Eastern major brands such as Kinco,Siko, Di-Soric etc.
Kinco product group includes PLC & Expansion Modules, Touch Panels (HMI), AC Inverters, Step Motors & Drivers, Servo Motors, Communicative Servo Motors & Drivers and Siko product group includes Rope Encoders, Absolute & Incremental Encoders, Magnetic Sensors & Bands, Digital & Analog Position Indicators, Actuators & Compact Servo Motors, Analog Potentiometers.
As ILX, we produce video and signal technologies. Especially in the last two years we have surpassed this and started to produce by adding other new products. We also produce signaling products for switches, sensors and aircraft. We attach importance to R&D and develop ourselves day by day.
As ILX Engineering, what are the points that you should pay attention to during the production of signaling products?
We do not only produce signaling products, we have a wide range of products in this field. We can group our product groups under three main headings:
In the first stage; Indoor products (factory etc. Indoor environments)
In the second stage; outdoor products (construction, building, door entrances, petrochemical plants, etc.) We aimed to comply with world standards in this field and produced products that are suitable for it.
DSC_0349In the third stage; we turned to the products suitable for industry 4.0.
This year, we had the opportunity to exhibit our products in this field for the first time to our foreign customers by taking part in the fair held in Dubai. If we talk about signaling in particular, the customer comes to us knowing what he wants and we produce products suitable for him.
Instead of generalizing our products within a standard norm, we can also mention the existence of project-oriented products that are open to development. Because the standards of indoor and outdoor products differ and it is not right to give a holistic answer to all of them.
Could you tell us about your outdoor products, especially the ones which are for aircraft?
Today, security has become more important. Large buildings, petrochemical plants, telecom poles, offshore platforms, etc. When it is dark at night, all high-rise buildings capable of impacting aircraft must have warning devices at certain distances.
What is important here is that these devices are world class acceptable. From electronic circuits to the leds, led sockets and so on, everything must have certain standards. These standards bring quality as well as cost burden. At this point, we are also going to use solar energy in order to achieve sustainable and longest efficiency. We conduct R&D of products that can produce their own energy independently from the grid circuit.
Is Industry 4.0 is well understood in our country?
I do not think that industry 4.0 is sufficiently understood in our country. We cannot say that it is understood in terms of production, quality and added value. I think that universities, businesses and vocational high schools should prepare for this issue. We have not reached the desired level in this regard. Smart products are becoming widespread in the world and we need to act fast about it.
You are the distributor of important companies abroad. Could you tell me about these?
Since 2002, we have been the representative of many important brands. We also manufacture our own products since 2005. The companies we work are the pioneers in the world. The fact that we are the representative of these big companies provides added value to our country. We mainly address the machinery and industrial sector and indirectly export them through these agencies.
With which countries do you mainly work abroad?
Our products are sent to many countries such as Middle East, Latin America, North Africa, Iran and up to the Maldives.
Do you face any difficulties in the domestic market?
I cannot say that we are having a hard time in terms of production and market. Because there is a general competitive environment and we prepare our products accordingly to the market. There is no need to be pessimistic about this and our products are getting enough attention in the market. That makes us happy. We are competing with the most global companies in the market. Our production makes it cheaper for products that will cost our country much more. We can say that our production makes an indirect profit of nearly € 20 million, even if not directly.
The studies on R & D contribute greatly to our country. What are your R & D activities as a company?
We carry out our R & D activities with our eight engineers (six electronics, one mechanical and one design). We carry out our R & D activities in both standard products and specific project-based products.
The basic features of ILX ENGINEERING’s automation systems are to optimize the resources used in accordance with the changing market conditions, to increase economic and technical efficiency, to standardize quality, to improve working conditions and therefore to increase productivity and profitability.
In this sense, Total Quality and R & D activities are our basic business principles and our philosophy of life. In doing so, we attach great importance to occupational health, safety and environmental protection. Our goal is to provide a safe, healthy work and living environment for our employees and society.
What are your future goals as ILX Engineering, do you plan to expand your production facility?
As a company, we were operating in a closed area of 1200 square meters initially. But now, we are working with a team of 55-60 people in a total area of 3700 square meters with the addition of an area of 2500 square meters with the investments made after 2010. We are seriously focused on exports.
We need to follow the innovations in order to hold on to the world markets. For product diversity, we need to prioritize industry 4.0, and secondly, security.
These two elements for product diversity are crucial for competing in world markets. As a company, we are trying to increase our market share in international markets by growing its products and developing world standards.
As ILX Engineering, do you compare our country with the world markets in terms of sector?
I don’t think our country is in the right place in the world market. We must be in a much better position. Especially when we consider factors such as our geographical position, trained manpower and young population, we can easily say this. I think that companies in the sector should also focus on exports.
I think that especially after 2021, positive developments will be even faster for our country. No need to be pessimistic. When we evaluate our company at world standards, I can say that we have a structure that is highly compatible with technological developments and open to development, young, dynamic and successful in every sense.
Do you really think the incentives given in our country have paid off?
I think 40 percent of the incentives given in our country have paid off. More serious measures need to be taken, especially in terms of supervision.I think that the incentives will provide more added value to our country when this lack of control disappears. The state has done its part in promoting, but the lack of supervision has failed to fully achieve its goal.
As a company, we will continue to have a say with high quality products that have caught up with technology with more production and more product types. We will continue to keep this perception alive through our valuable press by taking part in fairs in global markets.
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