In the cement and concrete admixtures industry, it’s not just the formulation that makes the difference: it’s the method. In this interview, Süleyman Küçük, Production Manager at Ekan Kimya, talks about how a production model designed to adapt to customers’ real processes is born, integrating Research & Development, quality assurance controls, traceability and a concrete path towards sustainable production.
Questions and answers
1) How would you define the production philosophy of Ekan Kimya? What is the approach that distinguishes you?
Answer: At Ekan Kimya, production follows a “tailor-made” model, built on the customer’s needs and specific operating conditions. Each company has different aggregates, production lines and construction site contexts: this is why we do not chase a “standard product”, but we analyze the technical requirements and develop, with the support of the R&D team, project-specific solutions. The formulations are validated in the laboratory, tested on ready-made concrete and verified in the field before production start-up. The strength is the ability to bring real value to the application, not just to “provide an additive”.
2) What process do you follow for the products developed at customers’ request?
Answer: Partner requests are read as a set of technical requirements, not as simple commercial data. We evaluate the structure of the line, the purpose of use, the strengths and the expected performance parameters. From here, Research & Development creates dedicated formulations that pass workability checks and field tests on ready-made concrete. The goal is to deliver a solution-oriented additive system that is compatible with the customer’s process.
3) How is the integration between R&D and production departments managed?
Answer: R&D and production work in an integrated way, with continuous data sharing. Before being transferred to production, the new formulations pass laboratory tests, rheological checks and performance checks, followed by field and ready-to-use concrete trials. Even after start-up, monitoring continues with structured feedback: this ensures continuity of quality and reliability in the application.
4) What principles is Ekan Kimya’s “responsible producer” approach based on?
Answer: Being a responsible manufacturer means going beyond the quality of the individual batch. It includes employee safety, supply chain responsibility, focus on environmental impact, and long-term vision. Continuous improvement, traceable production, process efficiency and waste reduction are pillars of this approach. The goal is to support customer success with a solid and sustainable production model.
5) What initiatives do you highlight for sustainable and environmentally friendly production?
Answer: Sustainability is an integral part of our production philosophy: we work on efficiency in the use of energy and resources, we progressively increase the use of clean energy and we regularly monitor our carbon footprint. The path is determined towards the goal of net zero emissions.
6) Can you describe your quality assurance and traceability processes?
Answer: At every stage of production, we carry out checks on raw materials, monitoring of intermediate samples and performance tests on a batch basis. We evaluate formulation safety, process stability and performance in the field. In this way, we offer concrete admixtures that are not only technically sound, but also traceable and guaranteed.
7) What are the priorities in your future vision for production and product development?
Answer: We want to further strengthen the “tailor-made” model, integrating sustainability, clean energy and low-emission formulations. The priority is to disseminate high-performance additive solutions, compatible with complex processes, consolidating the role of technical partner as well as supplier, both in national and international markets.
8) What can you tell us about the production capacity and operational scale of Ekan Kimya?
Answer: Ekan Kimya operates three plants in Turkey, Italy and Saudi Arabia, with an annual production capacity of 150,000 tons. Thanks to planned and sustainable production, we are able to respond continuously to customer needs.
From product to solution: the value of a technical partner
From process analysis to field validation, the approach told by Süleyman Küçük highlights a clear direction: to develop admixtures for cement and concrete that really work in the specific context of the customer, with high standards of quality, traceability and environmental care.
Want to learn more? Discover Ekan concrete solutions or contact us to evaluate together the most suitable solution for your plant and your application needs.
