EKAN Kimya, with its mission as a “responsible manufacturer” in the construction chemicals industry, operates with a strong sense of sustainability and continuous improvement, both for long-term business success and for the future of the planet. EKAN Kimya’s founding partner, Eyüp Ensar Ekşi, talked to us about EKAN Kimya’s innovative products, R efforts, and domestic and global market goals. “We operate with transparency, trust, responsibility towards people and the environment, and with continuous development and change to ensure the satisfaction of customers and employees,” he said.
This is our first interview with EKAN Kimya. Therefore, we would like to discuss EKAN Kimya’s policy of innovative and high-quality products, its production plant and its positioning in the industry. As a local company that prioritizes quality, could you explain to our readers EKAN Kimya’s positioning in the industry, its vision and mission?At EKAN Kimya, we have been carrying out research and development, production and sales of all chemical products for the ready-mix concrete and cement sectors for years, using our experienced team. Our R center, consisting of high-tech chemical, polymer, ready-mix concrete, and cement laboratories, enables us to provide high-level services to the ready-mix concrete, precast concrete, and cement industries. This allows us to stay on top of current trends and develop products tailored to each of our customers. I attribute our position in the industry and our ability to differentiate ourselves from the competition to our competitive advantage and improved quality of service through this personalized approach. Furthermore, in doing all this, we consider it our duty not to stray from the following fundamental values: Environmental Awareness – Responsible Production – Continuous Improvement. We set ourselves the mission of being a “responsible manufacturer” and operate with transparency, trust, responsibility towards people and the environment, and with an approach of continuous improvement and change to ensure the satisfaction of customers and employees. We consider all these elements as part of a holistic approach.
“We consider EKAN Kimya to be our customers’ in-house R team and offer customized solutions according to their needs.”
At EKAN Kimya, you have consolidated all your production units at your factory in the Tuzla Kimya Organized Industrial Zone. What solutions do you offer your business partners in your new production facility and what kind of activities do you carry out in your chemical laboratory?With the unification of all our units under one roof at KOSB in Tuzla, the EKAN R center has become even stronger. This has given us a whole new dimension to the tailoring approach that we have focused on since day one. We see ourselves as our customers’ in-house R department, with whom we work hand in hand. In EKAN’s R laboratories, we purchase all concrete components used or that could be used by our customers, perform all necessary physical tests and carry out concrete design and testing activities that meet the needs of our customers or ensure sustainability in concrete production.
“We view our quality assurance processes as a whole, encompassing all of our business processes.”
EKAN Kimya combines its expertise in the production and management of ready-mix concrete and cement chemicals with its R strength and environmental focus to offer customers innovative products and high-quality service. Could you tell us about your quality control system in all business processes? Our approach to quality control is holistic, encompassing all of our business processes. To give an example, let’s start from the first step: in addition to inspecting the raw materials entering and leaving our factory in accordance with ISO and CE standards, we also implement some control parameters set by EKAN Kimya that exceed these standards. For example, every raw material arriving at our factory undergoes physical testing and concrete testing for acceptance. During the production phase, in addition to standard checks, every product approved for shipment is recorded, from the mixer used to the tanker loading process, to the compartment in which it is loaded. Samples of the shipped product are kept in our archives for one year. All stages of the process, from controlling the entry of raw materials to shipping the product, are fully recorded.
EKAN Kimya has started offering services in Italy as EKAN SRL. Which of your products are available in Italy? What are your future goals in the national and international market?As EKAN Kimya, we will put our plant in Italy into operation in the second half of 2023. As EKAN Türkiye, we will also start the production of all concrete and cement chemicals under the brand name EKAN SRL. Although our product range consists exclusively of technical products, we maintain contact with shipping points in many regions where we consider them suitable, as shipping is relatively simple. By the end of 2024, we aim to become a national company with factories in two countries and exports to around 10 countries.
As highlighted during the Kahramanmaraş earthquakes, attention must be paid to the water-cement ratio in concrete for earthquake-resistant structures. In particular, plasticizers and superplasticizers can be used instead of adding excess water to ensure easy and void-free concrete installation. What solutions does EKAN Kimya offer for earthquake-resistant structures, especially those aimed at preventing corrosion? How does the use of waterproofing additives in addition to plasticizers affect corrosion?Concrete design is a holistic process and we cannot consider a single component as a guarantee of quality. However, it is clear that any intervention to protect the concrete and extend its life will add an extra layer of strength to the concrete and, consequently, to the structure. Therefore, the importance of systems that protect both the concrete itself and the reinforcement within it becomes critical.
Waterproofing additives (such as DRYKOS / Drymix Ultra) added to concrete during its production provide added value to seismic safety in terms of materials, as they protect the concrete in terms of mass and protect the rust margin. The working principle of waterproofing additives can be explained in a simple way: the active ingredients of the product react with moisture/water and hydration by-products of the cement to form needle-like, water-insoluble and highly durable crystalline complexes, which fill the pores and capillary spaces formed during the hydration phase of the concrete. In this way, the concrete, in its entirety, is permanently protected from water ingress from all directions and from the effects of chemicals. The formation of crystals is repeated every time the concrete encounters water or moisture, ensuring impermeability to water throughout its lifetime. Our brand, DRYKOS Türkiye, dedicated to this niche, operates on this principle with its range of crystalline-based products.
Sustainability and environmentally friendly products are among the most important topics in the concrete and additives industry. Could you explain the sustainability and eco-friendly product priorities at EKAN Kimya, as well as your sustainability and quality policies?Our company, with a mission to be a “responsible manufacturer” in the construction chemicals industry, is committed to operating with a strong sense of sustainability and continuous improvement, both for long-term business success and for the future of our planet. For example, we attach great importance to the production of clean energy. As a Zero Waste certified company, we are committed to integrating environmental awareness into our business processes. As part of our “Net Zero Emissions” initiative, we are neutralizing all phases of our business processes. I would also like to talk about our invisible but equally important values. At EKAN, we see every step, big or small, as an opportunity to build a more sustainable future: from offering a healthy working environment to our employees to promoting a strong business ethic based on dialogue with internal and external stakeholders, from selecting materials that are completely harmless to human health to making effective purchasing decisions.
“Our EKAN cement products offer an opportunity for manufacturers looking to reduce carbon emissions in cement and make their production more sustainable through efficient use of resources.”
The European Union’s Directive 2003/53/EC is officially in force, prohibiting the sale of cement with a post-hydration Chromium 6 (Cr VI) content of more than 2 ppm. This resulted in a further restriction for cement producers. What measures must be taken to comply with regulatory limitations? What contribution does EKAN Kimya’s experience in reducing Cr VI offer to cement producers?All of these are beneficial constraints aimed at reducing the carbon footprint of the cement industry. After all, as long as humanity exists, so will the construction industry, and we, like all stakeholders in the industry, must strive to make this industry, which meets one of our most basic needs, as sustainable as possible. Cement producers can use products developed for the most efficient production and use of cement. For example, with our EKAN REDUCE CR+6 gearbox series, our customers can ensure that the chromium ion in concrete complies with the standards. In addition, they can gain significant benefits with our other cement products. For example, our EKAN GRIND grinding aid product line facilitates the grinding of clinker and minerals, the raw materials of cement, resulting in energy savings and increased grinding capacity. Our strength-boosting product series, EKAN POWER, improves the strength of cement while optimizing the amount of clinker, helping to reduce the overall carbon footprint. Our EKAN cement products represent a significant opportunity for cement manufacturers looking to reduce carbon emissions and make their production more sustainable through efficient use of resources.
Macrofibers represent one of the innovative solutions to ensure ductility in high-strength concrete. How do macrofibers offer solutions to surface shrinkage and structural cracks that form under load? Could you tell us about the macrofibers that EKAN Kimya offers to the sector and their properties?Structural reinforcements made of synthetic macro fibers, which have gained considerable momentum since 2010 compared to conventional systems such as steel reinforcement, steel meshes or reinforcing bars and are used in many industrial infrastructure/superstructure projects, offer an important alternative to the risk of corrosion, to which these conventional systems are more exposed and which directly reduces the strength of concrete. Macrofibers are used by adding them to concrete in dosages determined by the project based on criteria such as the load that will be applied to the concrete, the class of the concrete, the thickness of the concrete, and the solidity of the application soil. Surface shrinkage cracks occur due to the rapid drying of the concrete surface after pouring. Because macrofiber reinforcement is distributed three-dimensionally and homogeneously throughout the concrete, it prevents shrinkage by filling even the smallest capillary cracks that can occur anywhere in the concrete. It significantly reduces the risk of structural cracking in concrete under load and, if they occur, limits cracking. Due to its extensive knowledge of concrete and related technologies, EKAN FIBER stands out from other fiber products in Turkey and globally due to its unique structure. Unlike competitor fiber products, which are shaped like rectangular cylinders, cubes, or prisms, EKAN FIBER’s completely flat, film-like strips remain on the concrete surface after application.
We have ensured the quality of the macrofiber concrete finish by developing EKAN FIBER products, which we call “ribbon fiber”, which are thinner and lighter than a hair. In addition, the average number of fibers per kilogram of concrete for competing products is typically between 30,000 and 50,000. EKAN FIBER, however, contains between 160,000 and 210,000 film strips per kilogram, increasing the number of fibers per cubic meter of concrete, improving its durability and crack resistance.
We have left the first half of 2023 behind. How was the first half of 2023 for EKAN Kimya? Do you have any new investment plans for the second half of 2023 and 2024?The serious earthquake that hit our country has deeply shaken us all. While we know that these wounds will not heal easily, we will continue to focus on our work with the awareness of the continuity of life and do our part to ensure that our people live in safer buildings. In this regard, I can say that we are progressing towards our overall targets for 2023, compared to the stagnant second quarter of 2023. With the entry into operation of our plant in Italy, we will have completed our investment targets for 2023-2024.
