CEO Today Middle East Awards

91 CEO TODAY MIDDLE EAST AWARDS 2020 Manufacturing www.zorlu.com.tr consists of four plants comprising of home textile, curtain weaving- knitting, finishing and garment factories, produces 250 million square meters of home textile products per year. Exporting 65% of Turkey’s home textile production and 34% of curtain production, Zorluteks delivers 18% of its exports and 24% of bed linen exports alone. The market leader in a market of 700 million, exports 62 percent of its production to different markets, primarily to the US, Europe, Japan and Russia; while the rest is sold domestically by TAÇ, Linens and Valeron brands. TAÇ, the biggest brand of Zorlu Textiles Group, reaches millions of customers in 800 stores and salepoints in Turkey, and 158 stores and 690 sales points abroad, with a wide range of products ranging from linen curtains to linen, from towels to blankets and licensed products. Turkey’s first home textile chain operating in international markets, Linens has 17 stores. Linens stores offer products such as curtains, linens, bedspreads, towels, bathroom products, baby products, tableware and accessories; a complete “curtain installation service” is provided as well. Valeron, which first became famous in the European home textile market, is now sold in 40 countries across the US, the Far East, the Middle East and Europe. The Zorlu Textile Group, who has spent years on innovation in textiles and has made its mark in the forefront, is investing $ 4 million every year on R&D for sustainable innovation. Two R&D centers at Korteks and Zorluteks host 200 engineers working in all areas of smart textiles, including wearable technology. Many smart products such as self- cleaning blinds and cloth curtains, cool keeping pique, LED light curtains and QR-coded bed linen that produce content continue to make consumers’ lives easier by using the technology of the future.