From the world's second-largest commercial vehicle producer to a rising star in electric mobility, Turkey's industrial landscape is undergoing a remarkable transformation, powered by an automotive sector that exported over a million vehicles and a textile industry that shipped billions in apparel last year alone.
Key Takeaways
- In 2022, Turkey's automotive industry produced 1,352,483 vehicles, marking a 3.5% increase from 2021 and positioning it as the 13th largest producer globally
- Turkey exported 1,112,000 motor vehicles worth $31.6 billion in 2022, representing 16.5% of total national exports
- Ford Otosan in Kocaeli manufactured 418,000 vehicles in 2022, contributing 31% to Turkey's total light commercial vehicle output
- Turkey's textile industry employed 2 million workers in 2022, contributing 7% to manufacturing GDP
- Textile exports from Turkey reached $28.5 billion in 2022, with apparel at $17.2 billion
- Turkey produced 1.6 million tons of yarn in 2022, 45% for export markets in EU and Middle East
- Turkey's iron and steel production reached 35.6 million tons in 2022, ranking 8th worldwide
- Flat steel products output was 19.2 million tons in 2022, 54% of total crude steel
- Turkey exported 17.5 million tons of steel products worth $21.3 billion in 2022
- Turkey's chemical industry output value was $45 billion in 2022, 10% of manufacturing
- Petrochemical production capacity reached 8.5 million tons/year in 2022 led by Petkim
- Fertilizer production totaled 7.2 million tons in 2022, 85% urea and DAP types
- Construction sector grew 5.8% in 2022, contributing 5.5% to GDP at $55 billion value added
- Cement production reached 68 million tons in 2022, exporting 20 million tons to 60 countries
- Housing starts totaled 1.1 million units in 2022 under TOKI urban transformation projects
Turkey's automotive, textile, and steel industries are key drivers of its strong manufacturing export economy.
Automotive
- In 2022, Turkey's automotive industry produced 1,352,483 vehicles, marking a 3.5% increase from 2021 and positioning it as the 13th largest producer globally
- Turkey exported 1,112,000 motor vehicles worth $31.6 billion in 2022, representing 16.5% of total national exports
- Ford Otosan in Kocaeli manufactured 418,000 vehicles in 2022, contributing 31% to Turkey's total light commercial vehicle output
- Togg, Turkey's first domestic electric vehicle, produced 4,763 units by end of 2023 with plans to scale to 100,000 annually by 2025
- Automotive parts and components exports from Turkey reached $8.7 billion in 2022, up 22% year-over-year
- Turkey's automotive R&D expenditure was $1.2 billion in 2021, representing 2.1% of sector turnover
- In 2023 Q1, Turkey produced 315,000 passenger cars, a 12% rise driven by export demand to Europe
- Bursa province accounted for 47% of Turkey's total automotive production with 635,000 units in 2022
- Electric vehicle battery production capacity in Turkey reached 15 GWh annually by 2023 via Farasis and TOGG partnership
- Turkey's commercial vehicle production hit 502,000 units in 2022, second highest globally after China in that segment
- Automotive employment in Turkey stood at 550,000 direct jobs in 2022, supporting 3.5 million indirect jobs
- Oyak Renault produced 270,000 vehicles in 2022, with 85% exported mainly to France and Germany
- Turkey's auto sector FDI inflows totaled $2.8 billion from 2018-2022, led by investments from Hungary's BMC
- In 2022, Turkey manufactured 145,000 tractors, holding 5th place worldwide
- Localization rate in Turkish automotive parts reached 52% in 2022, up from 45% in 2018
- Mercedes-Benz Turk produced 36,000 trucks and buses in 2022, exporting 95% to 70 countries
- Turkey's automotive export share to EU countries was 72% of total in 2022, valued at $22.7 billion
- AnkaMultra plant in Manisa produced 1.2 million engines in 2022 for global OEMs
- Turkey's EV production target is 1 million units by 2030, supported by $5 billion incentives
- In 2023, Hyundai Assan in Izmit produced 250,000 i10 cars, 98% for export to 100 countries
- Automotive cluster in Sakarya generated $12 billion output in 2022 with 150 suppliers
- Turkey overtook Japan in bus production with 12,500 units in 2022
- R&D centers in automotive sector numbered 45 in 2022, employing 12,000 engineers
- Turkey's share in global light commercial vehicle production was 8.2% in 2022
- BMC Avcılar plant exported $1.5 billion in defense vehicles in 2022
- Automotive plastics consumption in Turkey was 450,000 tons in 2022, 60% recycled
- Turkey produced 28,000 motorcycles in 2022, with 70% exported to Europe
- Karsan factory in Bursa produced 5,000 e-Jest electric minibuses in 2022 for EU cities
- Automotive sector energy consumption was 15 TWh in 2022, 40% from renewables
- Turkey's automotive testing centers conducted 2.5 million km durability tests in 2022
Automotive Interpretation
Turkey's automotive industry is accelerating from a sturdy manufacturing base into an electrified future, producing over 1.3 million vehicles and exporting $31.6 billion worth globally while strategically charging ahead with domestic EV production and deeper local supply chains.
Chemicals
- Turkey's chemical industry output value was $45 billion in 2022, 10% of manufacturing
- Petrochemical production capacity reached 8.5 million tons/year in 2022 led by Petkim
- Fertilizer production totaled 7.2 million tons in 2022, 85% urea and DAP types
- Turkey exported $4.8 billion in chemicals and products in 2022, mainly plastics to EU
- Soda ash production was 2.3 million tons in 2022 from Eti Soda plant in Beypazari
- Paint and coatings output hit 1.8 million tons in 2022, with 40% water-based
- Pharmaceutical sales reached $6.5 billion in 2022, 75% generic drugs produced locally
- Plastics production was 9.5 million tons in 2022, polyethylene at 45% share
- Toros Tarim produced 3.1 million tons of fertilizers in 2022 for domestic farms
- Chemical industry employed 320,000 in 2022, with Izmir cluster at 25%
- Synthetic rubber output grew to 250,000 tons in 2022 for tire manufacturing
- Turkey's caustic soda production was 1.1 million tons in 2022 via membrane tech
- Detergent production totaled 1.4 million tons in 2022, 60% powder types
- Advanced materials like polymers for composites reached $1.2 billion sales in 2022
- Bandirma petrochemical complex produced 1.5 million tons of ethylene in 2022
- Agrochemicals output was 120,000 tons in 2022, pesticides at 55%
- Chemical parks hosted 450 facilities producing 70% of output in 2022
- R&D spend in chemicals was $800 million in 2022, 1.8% of turnover
- Turkey imported $25 billion in chemicals in 2022, deficit of $20 billion
- Specialty chemicals for textiles grew 12% to $2.1 billion in 2022
- Mersin free trade zone produced 500,000 tons of polymers in 2022 for export
- Bioplastics production started at 10,000 tons in 2022 with EU-funded projects
- Adana Yumurtalik petrochemical park capacity 5 million tons/year operational in 2022 phase
Chemicals Interpretation
Turkey's chemical industry, while boasting impressive production lines from paints to plastics and pharmaceuticals, is currently built on a $20 billion trade deficit, suggesting it has mastered the art of making nearly everything except a balanced ledger.
Construction
- Construction sector grew 5.8% in 2022, contributing 5.5% to GDP at $55 billion value added
- Cement production reached 68 million tons in 2022, exporting 20 million tons to 60 countries
- Housing starts totaled 1.1 million units in 2022 under TOKI urban transformation projects
- Steel consumption in construction was 12.5 million tons in 2022, 75% rebar
- Public infrastructure investments hit $40 billion in 2022, including highways and airports
- Ready-mix concrete output was 120 million cubic meters in 2022, Istanbul 25% share
- Construction employment peaked at 2.2 million in 2022, 14% of workforce
- Turkey exported $1.2 billion in cement and clinker in 2022, 4th largest exporter globally
- Building permits issued for 850,000 units in 2022, total floor area 150 million sqm
- Glass production for construction was 8.5 million tons in 2022 by Sisecam
- Road construction added 25,000 km of highways since 2002, 2,500 km in 2022 alone
- Earthquake-resistant building retrofits completed 500,000 units by 2022
- Marble and stone output totaled 15 million tons in 2022 from Aegean quarries
- Construction machinery production was 45,000 units in 2022, 70% exported
- Airport construction investments $15 billion cumulative, new Istanbul airport 90 million capacity in 2022
- Gypsum board production hit 25 million sqm in 2022 for drywall applications
- Water infrastructure projects built 10,000 km pipelines in 2022 under GAP plan
- Prefabricated building production grew 20% to 4.5 million sqm in 2022
- Construction material exports excluding cement reached $3.5 billion in 2022
- High-speed rail construction advanced 500 km in 2022, total network 1,200 km operational
- Insulation materials output was 12 million cubic meters in 2022 to meet energy codes
- Bridge construction included 50 new spans over 500m in 2022, total 1,200 bridges
- Green building certifications reached 250 projects in 2022 under LEED standards
Construction Interpretation
While these numbers show a country literally cementing its economic foundations from the ground up—building homes, highways, and its global export strength—they also quietly sketch the sobering blueprint of a nation in a relentless race against time, retrofitting for earthquakes and expanding at a pace that demands sustainable and resilient growth.
Iron and Steel
- Turkey's iron and steel production reached 35.6 million tons in 2022, ranking 8th worldwide
- Flat steel products output was 19.2 million tons in 2022, 54% of total crude steel
- Turkey exported 17.5 million tons of steel products worth $21.3 billion in 2022
- Erdemir produced 7.8 million tons of flat steel in 2022, supplying automotive giants
- Scrap-based electric arc furnace production ratio was 65% in 2022, saving energy costs
- Long steel products like rebar totaled 16.4 million tons in 2022 for construction boom
- Iskenderun Iron & Steel exported 4.2 million tons in 2022 to Middle East markets
- Steel industry employed 250,000 workers in 2022, with 45,000 in R&D roles
- Turkey's steel capacity utilization rate was 82% in 2022 amid global slowdown
- Hot rolled coil production hit 12.5 million tons in 2022, 70% exported
- Colakoglu Metalurji produced 3.1 million tons of long products in 2022 using EAF tech
- Steel imports dropped 40% to 8.9 million tons in 2022 due to safeguard measures
- Alloy and special steel output grew 15% to 2.8 million tons in 2022 for auto sector
- Karabuk Iron & Steel produced 2.9 million tons of billets and slabs in 2022
- Energy consumption in steelmaking was 550 kg coal equivalent per ton in 2022
- Turkey recycled 25 million tons of scrap steel in 2022, 70% domestic sourced
- Pipe and tube production totaled 4.5 million tons in 2022, 60% welded types
- Steel sector R&D investment was $450 million in 2022 for green steel tech
- Eregli (Erdemir) exported to 90 countries with $5.2 billion revenue in 2022
- Direct reduced iron (DRI) production was 1.2 million tons in 2022 using natural gas
- Wire rod output reached 3.8 million tons in 2022 for construction mesh
Iron and Steel Interpretation
Turkey's steel industry is not just building skyscrapers and cars, but also an economic fortress, cleverly forging its 8th-place global ranking from recycled scrap into a $21.3 billion export machine that keeps a quarter-million Turks employed while shrewdly navigating a global slowdown.
Textiles and Apparel
- Turkey's textile industry employed 2 million workers in 2022, contributing 7% to manufacturing GDP
- Textile exports from Turkey reached $28.5 billion in 2022, with apparel at $17.2 billion
- Turkey produced 1.6 million tons of yarn in 2022, 45% for export markets in EU and Middle East
- Denim fabric production in Turkey was 250 million meters in 2022, holding 30% global market share
- Home textile exports hit $3.2 billion in 2022, led by towels and bedding from Denizli region
- Turkey's apparel sector utilized 1.2 million tons of cotton in 2022, 60% imported from US and Brazil
- Ready-made clothing production employed 550,000 in Istanbul alone in 2022
- Turkey exported 1.1 billion pieces of knitted garments in 2022 worth $10.5 billion
- Synthetic fiber production reached 900,000 tons in 2022, with polyester dominating at 70%
- Technical textiles output grew to $2.8 billion in 2022, used in automotive and medical sectors
- Turkey ranked 5th globally in towel exports with 450 million units shipped in 2022
- Leather apparel and goods exports were $1.1 billion in 2022 from Istanbul cluster
- Carpet production totaled 120 million sqm in 2022, 80% machine-made for export
- Turkey's textile machinery imports fell 15% to $1.2 billion in 2022 amid supply chain issues
- Organic cotton apparel exports reached $450 million in 2022, certified under GOTS standards
- Gaziantep produced 40% of Turkey's upholstery fabrics, 500 million meters in 2022
- Turkey's share in global apparel trade was 4.2% in 2022, focusing on mid-range fashion
- Recycling rate in textile waste was 25% in 2022, processing 350,000 tons annually
- Kahramanmaras led in sock production with 1.2 billion pairs exported in 2022
- Turkey invested $500 million in smart textile tech in 2022 for Industry 4.0 upgrades
- Man-made fiber yarn output was 650,000 tons in 2022, up 8% YoY
- EU accounted for 55% of Turkey's textile exports worth $15.7 billion in 2022
- Bursa textile cluster produced 300 million meters of woven fabrics in 2022
- Turkey's apparel FDI was $300 million in 2022 from Italian and German firms
- Energy use in textiles was 12 TWh in 2022, 30% from natural gas
Textiles and Apparel Interpretation
Turkey’s textile industry stands as a sprawling, high-stakes engine of thread and trade, dressing the world while stitching together the livelihoods of millions, navigating global markets and supply chains with the relentless precision of a well-oiled loom.
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