We spoke with Özgür Savaş, sales director of Turkey-based Kerim Çelik, about the company’s digitalization strategy, targets for value-added products, and sustainability-focused investments.
Founded in 1960 as one of the first ventures of Borusan Holding and a pioneer in the development of Turkey’s modern steel service center model with the commissioning of the country’s first contemporary steel service center in 1977, Kerim Çelik today operates under the strong corporate structure of the Borusan Holding-ArcelorMittal partnership. With modern production facilities in Bursa and Manisa and sales offices in Istanbul and Adana, the company adds value to a broad industrial ecosystem with an annual steel processing capacity of 500,000 mt.
Kerim Çelik offers a wide product portfolio including cold rolled steel, coated steel (hot-dip galvanized, galvannealed, galfan, aluzinc, alusi, and Magnelis), pre-painted steel, hot rolled and pickled-oiled steel, electro-galvanized steel, and electrical steel. These products are processed through services such as slitting, cut-to-length, and multi-blanking before being delivered to customers in final-use dimensions. By serving as a critical value-added link between steel producers and end users, Kerim Çelik provides industry with a faster, more flexible, and more efficient supply model.
Global economic fluctuations, increasing difficulties in accessing financing, volatility in raw material prices, and increasingly complex supply chain management are pushing industrial companies toward flexible, fast, and efficient production models. In this transformation process, steel service centers play a critical role by supplying the semi-finished and processed steel products required by manufacturers in a timely manner and with the right specifications.
Digital transformation at the core of the strategy
Digitalization forms a key pillar of Kerim Çelik’s transformation strategy. Through its online sales platform launched in 2024, the company began delivering stock products quickly and efficiently to customers across Turkey. Via the platform, customers can purchase products directly through the “Buy Now” feature at listed prices or submit their own offers. In addition, a mobile-compatible application enables customers to access purchasing processes even when away from their computers. These innovations make the commercial experience more accessible, faster, and more efficient.
Strengthening its customer-focused strategic partnership model
Kerim Çelik has moved beyond being merely a supplier, positioning itself as a strategic solution partner in areas such as inventory management, production planning, logistics organization, and cost optimization. The company serves a broad range of industries, including automotive suppliers, white goods manufacturers and suppliers, heating-cooling and ventilation systems, electrical and electronics industries, construction, elevators, machinery and spare parts, radiators, pipe and profile producers, cable and cable management systems, furniture and accessories manufacturers, and other steel service centers.
For new material requirements, Kerim Çelik implements testing and product adaptation processes, evaluating customer requests separately from routine production and closely monitoring performance. This approach, refined through customer feedback, allows the company not only to respond to existing needs but also to develop products together with its customers.
R&D and innovation enhance service quality
One of the key factors strengthening Kerim Çelik’s service quality is its R&D and innovation capability. The Borçelik R&D Center, established in Gemlik in 2017 with approval from the Turkish Ministry of Industry and Technology, makes significant contributions to the development of innovative and high-value-added products.
This structure enhances Kerim Çelik’s competitiveness by supporting continuous process improvement, faster responses to customer demands, and adaptation to next-generation requirements. As a result, the company further reinforces its position as an industrial partner capable of delivering technically advanced and high-value-added solutions.
Özgür Savaş: Kerim Çelik’s 2026 goals are shaped around digitalization and sustainability
Commenting on the company’s strategy, Özgür Savaş, Sales Director of Kerim Çelik, stated, “2025 was a year in which we accelerated our efforts in digitalization and customer experience. With the launch of our online sales platform, we offered industrial customers across Turkey an always-accessible supply model. Supported by our 500,000 mt processing capacity and the technical strength of the Borçelik R&D Center, we are not just a supplier but a solution partner that improves our customers’ production efficiency. In 2026, our focus will be on expanding our value-added product portfolio and taking our sustainability-oriented digital investments to the next level.”
In 2026, Kerim Çelik aims to further improve customer experience, increase digital sales volumes, strengthen product development capabilities, and expand investments in sustainability, quality, and digitalization. Combining its long-established history with a modern production infrastructure, strong corporate partnerships, extensive product portfolio, technical customer services, and digital sales channels, Kerim Çelik continues to contribute to the production strength of Turkish industry.