SteelOrbis talked to Dr. M. Erdem Şireli, secretary general of Turkey’s Stainless Steel Industry Association (PASSAD), regarding their position in the industry and their targets.
PASSAD is a relatively new association. Could you share your founding purpose and core mission with us?
We began our activities as the Stainless Steel Industry Association (PASSAD) in August 2024. Our goal is to ensure that stainless steel, a durable, highly recyclable and sustainable material, is used more widely and consciously in our country. At the same time, supporting the healthy development of the sector, encouraging domestic production and promoting a sustainable approach to production are among our primary objectives. In this regard, we base our work on internationally recognized practices and attach importance to carrying out joint projects with public institutions.
How does PASSAD plan to contribute to the development of the sector? What are your most prominent activities?
Since our establishment, we have placed particular emphasis on educational activities. Stakeholders from different companies in the sector have participated in our free training programs, which we hold regularly every month at our association headquarters. We plan to continue and expand these training programs in 2026.
In addition, we signed an important cooperation protocol with Istanbul Technical University (ITU) on March 5, 2025. Under this protocol, we are continuing our work on a master's level program on stainless steel. Furthermore, faculty members from the ITU Department of Metallurgy and Materials Engineering play an active role in our association's training programs. By participating in ITU Career Days, we also had the opportunity to bring qualified students together with companies in the sector. In the coming period, we aim to increase our academic support by providing scholarships to successful students.
You mentioned a summit you will be organizing in 2025. Could you tell us about this event?
We will be holding the Stainless Steel Summit at the ITU Süleyman Demirel Cultural Center on October 14, 2025, which will be a first in Turkey. This event, which will be attended by approximately 500 participants, will bring together all components of the industry. National and international company executives, technical experts, supplier company representatives, academics, civil society organizations, and students will come together to evaluate current developments in the stainless steel sector.
We are also organizing a prize-winning project competition among university students on the theme of “Stainless Steel and Sustainability.” This competition will be an important step in encouraging young people to generate ideas about the sector.
Are there any structural problems in the sector? What are your observations in this regard? What does PASSAD recommend in light of this situation?
Looking at the stainless steel sector, 2024 was a year of declining production and consumption on a global scale. In Turkey, the capacity utilization rate of the stainless steel sector fell to around 50 percent.
First of all, we believe that trade policies that enable the evaluation of domestic production capacity should be established. Measures should be taken to ensure that products that can be produced domestically are consumed first. We believe that imports should be limited to products that cannot be met by domestic production.
This is critical for the growth of our sector and the development of the country's industry in high value-added areas. Furthermore, controlling and preventing the use of low-quality imported products is extremely important in terms of protecting the sector's reputation and technical safety.
Finally, could you briefly mention PASSAD's goals for the coming period?
Our goal is to promote stainless steel correctly, train qualified human resources, spread a culture of sustainable production, and support domestic producers. In this regard, we will work with more stakeholders in the areas of education, communication and policy development.
Our agenda also includes efforts such as the accurate collection and sharing of sectoral statistics, increasing digital publications, and establishing stronger contact with the public. Our goal is to contribute to Turkey's position as a globally competitive producer of stainless steel.