Selcuk Ozdil from
Turkey's Structural Steel Association has stated that Turkish structural steel industry continued to develop until the second half of 2008, but this development was subsequently interrupted by the economic crisis. He went on to say that
Turkey's structural steel sector picked up in 2011 on the back of pending projects and investments which had previously been postponed; however, he added, pre-crisis levels have not been reached yet.
Speaking at the 6th SteelOrbis Turkish Steel Market Conference held in Istanbul on November 18, Mr. Ozdil said that the annual apparent
consumption of the Turkish structural steel industry amounts to approximately 1.1 million mt, most of which consists of steel beams, with a small amount of steel sheet. Ozdil underlined that structural steel use in industrial buildings in
Turkey is nearly 30 percent of the total figure, while this rate is below one percent in housing
construction.
Regarding 2012, Mr. Ozdil said that the uncertainty in the global economy makes the market outlook ambiguous, adding that the sector hopes that the weakness of the euro will not continue.
Mr. Ozdil also stressed the significance for both
Turkey and its structural steel industry of the reconstruction project after the earthquake which hit the eastern Turkish city of Van in late October this year. He also added that in general steel use in buildings should be increased since it is the most sustainable
construction material.