ISTANBUL
The Turkish Housewares Association (ZUCDER) is preparing to open trade centers in Germany and the US to boost exports, the association’s chair announced on Monday.
“We have made our agreements regarding Germany, we will enable our members to open stores/warehouses in Germany with ZUCDER pre-financing and government support and to grow in Germany, one of our biggest markets, through both online and traditional sales,” Mesut Oksuz said at a news conference in Istanbul.
The US, as the world’s largest economy, is also the top purchaser of housewares, accounting for over 25% of global imports, Oksuz said.
He said: “The share we get from the imports of this country is only around 0.3% and it is very difficult to sell to those who do not have a warehouse in this country or who cannot meet certain standards.
“Therefore, it is time for us to enter the world’s largest market, as an association, increasing the share of our members in this market with the deployment of our members in certain states of this country and the joint warehouses we will open will be one of the primary goals of the coming period.”
ZUCDER also plans to create a digital program to boost employment in the sector and connect producers with major online marketplaces, Oksuz said.
The digital platform will allow producers to arrange B2B meetings year-round, he added.
The Turkish houseware sector closed 2024 with exports totaling $5.6 billion, resulting in a foreign trade surplus of $2.5 billion.
Oksuz also highlighted ZUCDER’S efforts to increase exports, citing 10 summits organized over the past six years and visits to countries, including Russia, the UK, and Saudi Arabia.
