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Chairman’s message
Esteemed shareholders, business partners, and employees:
Zorlu Holding continues to put the dimensions of its production, export, and employment figures as well as its competitive strength in international markets to work in order to create value for all of its stakeholders. Commanding a position of importance in the Turkish economy, Zorlu Holding remains on course as a sustainable success-focused global player that provides products and services at world standards of quality.
Since the day it was founded, Zorlu Holding has repeatedly been the author of successful, trail-blazing activities in every business line in which it is active. Zorlu Holding distinguishes itself by putting the innovative technologies that it develops to work in its own business processes. At the same time, Zorlu Holding also regards its social responsibilities as essential elements of its business practices and thus continues to create added value for the country in that domain as well.
With brands in which Turkey takes pride, manufacturing facilities that set the pace for Turkish industry, and an uninterrupted stream of national and international investments, the Zorlu Group undertakes and carries out exemplary projects in sectors ranging from textiles and white goods to electronics, information technologies, energy, and–the most recent addition–property.
As we speed towards a potentially head-on collision with an energy crunch here in the 21st century, the Zorlu Energy Companies Group is turning its attentions more and more to energy resource diversification with a particular focus on environment-friendly, renewable energy investments. Our immediate goal at this time is to increase our total installed capacity to 4,200 MW within the next five years through projects like the Osmaniye wind power plant, the Denizli geothermal power plant, and ten hydroelectric power plants, three of which are already at the investment stage.
As Zorlu Holding celebrates its 25th year, the Group’s flagship company Vestel ranks among the strongest players in Turkish and international markets in the areas of electronics, white goods, and information technology. With its vision of being a truly global company and adhering to an export-focused growth strategy, Vestel supplied EUR 1.1 billion worth of brown and EUR 442 thousand worth of white goods to global markets in 2008. Accounting for an overwhelming 80% of Turkey’s TV unit exports, Vestel contributes towards efforts to further increase the country’s export potential.
Because it seeks to achieve sustainable corporate growth and to enlarge its international market shares, Vestel gives great importance to R&D activities. The unmanned aerial vehicle project, which is rooted in transferring the Company’s knowledge and experience in technology into the defense industry, is a prime example of Vestel’s production and R&D strengths.
Zorlu Property Group develops and carries out original projects that fully satisfy international expectations and quality standards at premier locations both in Turkey and abroad. With Zorlu Center, a project unlike anything undertaken elsewhere in Europe, Zorlu Property will be adding another prestigious asset to Ýstanbul’s rapidly rising star on the world stage.
Incorporating five separate functions that make it the first and only “mixed use” project of its kind in Turkey, Zorlu Center consists of a culture and arts center, a hotel, a business center, a shopping center, and residences.
We believe that the culture and arts center occupying an area of about 25,000 m2 and accommodating 3,500 people will become one of the most important new focal points of Ýstanbul as a European cultural capital. 80,000 m2 of recreational parkland will be a welcome addition to Ýstanbul’s greenery. With Zorlu Center, Ýstanbul will be gaining a brand-new addition to its venerable cityscape.
Last year we reorganized our activities in the textiles business by bringing all of our ventures together under a single roof and name: Zorluteks Textile. Having grown rapidly and transcended its own national boundaries in a remarkably short time, Zorlu Textiles will continue to supply its customers with innovative, high-quality products and services in the future as well.
With 57 companies and about 23,000 employees, Zorlu Holding strives to create a better future and to improve the quality of people’s lives. As the Zorlu Group we will continue to fulfill our responsibilities towards the community and environment of which we are a part in the best way possible will also contributing towards our country’s growth and development through the projects and investments that we undertake.
n closing, I take this opportunity to extend my thanks to all our shareholders, business partners, and employees for their contributions towards our collective success.
Ahmet Zorlu
Chairman of the Board of Directors
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