San Deco is beyond the colors and sea

“Beyond the colors” is not only brand motto of San Deco. The brand shines at more than 40 countries in 4 continents.

Offering many different projects in interior design or in the construction industry in general, San Deco focuses mainly on textured effect paints and coatings. The company addresses to high-end architectural paint projects. We made an exclusive interview with San Deco that recently took its part in Istanbul Airport project with its decorative effect paint products. Full text of the exclusive interview with Gülperi Odabas, Chairwoman of the Board of San Deco, follows:

Could you summarize the story of your successful brand? San Deco was established in 1965 in Istanbul, Turkey. During the first years of establishment, the company was on the local business market, manufacturing and selling several products only. Through the years, thanks to the intuition and creativity of the management, and to the careful selection of the product range with especially value added product and its developments, San Deco expanded and offered different products and solutions to the market by also starting the export operation where the success story begins. The success of our company is the result of an outstanding quality products and services coupled with a reliable basis for partnerships. We achieved it with strong values and commitments. The expert, passionate and dynamic team of San Deco also contributes significantly to the sustainable progress of the company.

Could you mention about your product range and production capacity? As San Deco, we offer products to our customers in 7+ product segments by having main activity in effect paint and coatings. However, interior paints, exterior paint and coatings, high performance paints, acrylic isolation paints, primers and putties, and hobby paint products are the other ranges within our product segments. While we are serving variety of products through our customers, we produce with the production capacity of 28,000 tons per year in our factory.

You are the first and the only painting producer that has A+ certificate in Turkey. What are the features that make San Deco different?

Having principle of producing by never compromising of quality, we always invest for producing value added products and their unique features differentiating us from the others. A+ certificate is one of them and allowing us to prove our products features with having the right awareness to human health and environmental responsibilities. As San Deco, we are the only effect paint and coating products

or decorative product producer having this certification and proud to offer it to our customers with minding our responsibilities to them in highly manner. Nonetheless, A+ is not the only factor differentiates our product to the others; we also have the widest range in high-end effect paint and coatings blended with the right know-how by offering unique products in very high quality, consistent performance, variety in effects and usage purposes by also having in affordable prices. Moreover with all segments we produce, we make a point of outstanding quality, in consistency and reliability all in different geographies all over the world with always supporting with our innovative R&D works.

What are 3 main principles of San Deco? ‘Beyond the colors’, yes it really is. Like in our brand motto, we set ourselves for something beyond the colors, and we do everything to make things more than paint, more than colors. In order to this, as our principles I can count many of them which we certainly follow no matter what but can summarize them in 3 as working always with passion for what we do, never compromising of quality and committed for our customers’ satisfaction.

You mentioned that you are specialized in “decorative paint”. What is decorative paint? What are the reasons of preferability of it? Decorative paint with also some saying as effect paint is a paint leads you to have textures and effects on surfaces applied in order to achieve desired decorative look with its specific features according to type of product selected. With having cutting edge, innovative, artistic and also many other impact features allows end user to select decorative paint and coatings in their interior and exteriors. Sometimes a designer,

Gülperi Odabas

sometimes an architect or a project owner or evermore a final end user, there is always a reason for them to select decorative paint. Whoever wants to enhance their vision with some paint, decorative paint will be the selection and it will be San Deco!

What kinds of solutions do you offer to the contract industry? What are the most preferred painting varieties in this sector? Since operating more than 40 countries in 4 continents, I can count and order many projects and tenders San Deco involve within these countries we are in. With all the approach and reasons I mentioned above San Deco adopts, we are ambitious for any projects fits for San Deco. With the all

segments we manufacture, we offer many different projects in interior design or generally construction market. Solutions we make are simple, we offer our products for the ones differentiate themselves from others and with also giving the right support after sales. Through our segments, since we focus mainly for textured effect paints and coatings, addresses seek for high-end architectural paint projects are the target and they mostly select from our range according to their desired effects such as a premium hotel chain project where they use our natural stone effect paint until a government project use special textures such as silky metallic coating for all over their interiors. Apart from decorative paints, in contracting projects we also take part in emulsion paint projects where we offer mainly interior paint or exterior paint with their

supporting products such as primer or putties. However, I would like to stress out our contracting projects in Europe especially France where we offer high performance roof and facade paints where we achieve many housing projects where country government endorse for renovation.

Do you explain 2019 trends that overlook at the contract projects? It is relatively hard for me to tell a specific color or product of San Deco since we involve with many different cultures and so many different tastes all over the World for the countries our product exist. For instance, European country tastes for soft colors and light texture products where another country taste for colorful and high glossy textures or etc. But many contracting projects we involve recently is mainly selecting loft theme or earthy colors where current trends follows all over the world in common.

Could you mention about contract projects you provided solutions for? Like I mentioned earlier, with the operation in more than 40 countries, we are delighted to involve many different contracting projects in different locations all over the world. This could be a well-known hotel chain decorative texture effect project in Balkan countries or a landscape paint project in Qatar supported by government or a well-known coffee shop chain project using loft theme decorative texture paint in Mexico. Apart from that as a local contracting projects, involving many different government endorsed housing projects using decorative effect paints or emulsion paint as well as supporting products from our range. As an example of local business contracting projects, we recently took part in Istanbul Airport project serving our special expertise decorative effect paint products for more than 15,000 m2 or a tender for presidential project where a museum is being built in Ankara for loft theme texture paint more than 10,000 m2.

Can you touch on activities of San Deco in abroad? What are the countries you export and you target?

San Deco remain its activities in more than 40 countries with also promoting its expertise together with strategic partners. These countries are Albania, Algeria, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Cayman Islands, Ethiopia, France, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Iraq, Ivory Coast, Kazakhstan,

Kenya, Kosovo, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Macedonia, Malta, Mauritania, Mexico, Montenegro, Netherlands, Nigeria, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Tanzania, UAE, UK, and Vietnam. With the ideology of expanding as much as countries all over the world, San Deco sets the expansion target to 6 continents and as much as country to serve in.

Which fairs does San Deco attend? For more than 25 year, San Deco take part in Istanbul Turkey Build fair in the same hall and stand and again you can find us in the same spot this year. Moreover in local market, you can also see San Deco in some prestigious architect fairs where we exhibit for cutting edge architect world. Furthermore, in abroad you can see San Deco also in many prestigious Construction exhibitions such as Big 5 Dubai, Qatar, Batımat France Paris or recently Farbe Germany fair where you can experience the championship of the paint manufacturer World. We are proud to perform there for our country and present our brand & products. Moreover, again in many exhibitions specialized for architectural events and organizations all over the world.

Are there any investments you have realized or you will do soon? As San Deco, for our export business all over the world, our investments can be listed as direct and indirect. Together with our partners, we support our efforts in achieving success with innovative investments and providing relevant development into the business. With our market-oriented product development investments, marketing models, activities and according endorsements, we carry out all investments that will affect the end-user purchasing decision in a sustainable format based on the relevant countries and their dynamics. In our local business actions, we also continue to provide the most accurate message to the end-user by trying to pass the highest level of product awareness. The marketing activities we carry out to promote the product range, product promotion investments and many side activities and all of other related investments related to sales and marketing will continue as an investment by us. For instance, recently we joined one of the leading Construction and building materials chain store and we continue our sales and activities in successful manner in there. In addition, we will compose a new era with San Deco Bodrum investment very soon with our solution partners which will keep the show in the Aegean region in order to create accessibility to our products in every way possible.

Domestic and foreign buyers prefer Loda Furniture for their contract projects

One of the leading producers of furniture in Turkey, Loda Furniture made its presence felt in international markets with its collections in design furniture field. With its line that reflects Scandinavian and loft styles Loda is preferred for several projects in international contract projects.

The innovative line of Loda that follows trends in the world closely having more than 20 years of experience in the business attracts interest not only in domestic market but also worldwide. We talked with Davut Karacak, Chairman of the Board, about the prevailing trends in the market and latest projects that they have been engaged with.

Would you mention about the brief history of Loda brand? As Loda furniture, a partner of Tech Design who has been active in the furniture industry since 2000, we opened our first branch in Modoko Istanbul in 2013. At this point, we have other showrooms in Modoko, Masko and Bostanci in Istanbul, in Bursa, the capital of furniture, in Antalya, the pearl of Mediterranean, the cosmopolitan city of Izmir and in Izmit, the rising star of Koceali. We also have showrooms abroad in Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Palestine, Belarus, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Georgia, Lithuania and Qatar. With our furniture produced by combining technology with human craft, product portfolio, design line, quality understanding and after sales services we are counted among the qualified furniture producers in Turkey.

What are your product categories? What do say about your line of design? Dining room, bedroom, berger, sofa, TV unit, lighting and complementary models are among Loda’s product

groups. Loda’s design line reflects Scandinavian and loft style, while the product range includes furniture for all parts of the living spaces. In our collections, we usually use vintage, retro fabrics and leather upholstery products. You can also see solid wood and walnut frequently in our furniture. We use natural varnishes and natural colors to generate a rustic effect in the living spaces.

What are your export markets, do you seek the opportunities to reach new markets? We export to 16 countries in the Middle East such as Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Dubai, Iraq, Jordan and Israel, and in Europe to Germany and Poland. Apart from these countries, we export to Georgia and Azerbaijan where we have stores. We continue our search for new markets. Our warm contacts are especially with Russia and America continuing.

What do you owe to the success of your brand, which has a wide network of stores both in Turkey and abroad? The most important strength of the sector in recent years was design. According to the latest data, the furniture sector, the majority of which is composed of SMEs, has managed to become one of the top 5 countries in Europe in terms of design and patent applications. The sector has managed to sell furniture to Italy, which makes the highest number of applications in this field. Design is our priority and the biggest point is to differentiate. For this reason, we are conducting our studies for the country market to which we will go. We are trying to determine the trends by developing new designs and tones reflecting the Loda's own concept. There is a certain standard in the overseas market. You need to maintain these standards in your products and develop a clever perspective and be different. The

Davut Karacak

situation is progressing in the same way in our country. This means that we deliver innovative furniture sector in Turkey and very assertive about our different design concept. We offer unique and pioneering design products in the modern furniture line. We have production power which makes our delivery faster than others. We produce 100% of our products in our own facilities and we also provide project design services to our customers. We can produce special products according to customer's demands. We always stand by our customers with our after sales services. In short, we respond to the changing expectations of the developing world with a multidisciplinary service approach and always maintain our standards.

Can you give us information about the contract projects where your furniture is used? Lately, we have just completed a villa project in Kazakhstan and a restaurant project in Saudi Arabia. We are currently designing and producing interior furniture of a hotel in Qatar and the furniture of a cafe in Dubai. We are able to scale the collections we have made by customizing them for individuals and companies.

What do you think is necessary to achieve and sustain success in the sector? What can you say about the role of R&D and design in your business?

Innovation, which is a requirement of the modern era, affects all the parameters of the sectors and opens up a new trajectory. In today's technology rich era, when smart systems become compulsory, the furniture industry needs to develop innovative solutions to achieve global vision and to keep up with global competition. The most important feature that makes Loda Furniture's success sustainable is the R & D activities it continues to run without slowing down. We, as Loda, believe that innovation will advance both our brand and the sector in general. We believe that a furniture sector focused on R & D, design and innovation will constitute a very important force for the future of the country's economy and therefore we have significant investments in R & D. We care that Loda has a “language” that consumers from all walks of life want to use to express themselves. This not only makes us a high quality and accessible brand in the sense of the target, but also a pioneer of a style. The most important aspect of our concept, which draws attention among the leading brands of its own lane with its minimalist and modern style, stems from its authenticity. Therefore, we develop the “Loda design concept” in all our stores and present this concept to the appreciation of our users.

Could you tell us about your investments and new projects for the future? The basis of our investment plans is to expand the store network, to increase production capacity and raise the share of exports. In this context, we moved to our new factory last year in order to built a production-oriented ecosystem with high added value. We aim to increase our production capacity by 300% with our new factory which has turned into an important production center with its modernized infrastructure. As Loda Furniture, we know that technological breakthroughs that add intelligence to production processes will affect and will pave the way for further changes not only our brand but also the sector. Another issue we are sensitive to is the opening of new stores. Lastly, we opened our store in Izmir and Izmit and in Ramallah. We also continue our growth with getting more dealers for our products.

Would you tell us about your innovative products that you have recently developed? As a result of our R & D activities, as Loda Furniture, we have achieved a significant innovation in the field of furniture. We integrated charging technologies with furniture by integrating the technologies

that shape the future into the new generation furniture. With its wireless charging capability, the Powerboard can be incorporated into many furniture groups from the nightstand to the seat. This wireless technology, enables people to charge their phones on wooden panels without the need for a plug.

What are the trends you observe in your sector? Loft apartments with simple, modern and convenient living spaces have recently become a trend in luxury apartments in our country. These apartments, which generally arise from the transformation of industrial areas, garages or hangars into living space, have started to be included in luxury projects as demand increases. These areas, which are usually located in the lofts, come to the fore with minimum wall usage, longer periods for daylight and mezzanine floors. Loft apartments have a large area and wooden furniture comes to the fore in the decoration. New York, London, Paris and Stockholm are prominent cities in loft architecture. Especially in historically old and crowded cities, the loft is at the forefront of architecture in Europe. The decoration of these apartments is dominated by a liberal view. Don't forget that the furniture

chosen for Loft home decoration can be industrial furniture mixed with wood. It will add a pleasant atmosphere to your place. One of the most important elements in Loft decoration is lighting. In a good loft style, large and pleasing lighting is required. In order to achieve a masculine structure in this style, it is necessary to include vintage retro fabrics and leather upholstery. The Chester effects that were applied to the arm portions of the seats will add a very characteristic look to the decoration.

What are the fairs you have participated at home and abroad? Do you have an upcoming fair to attend? Because of the increasing competition in the 21st century, producing only quality goods and services is not an adequate way to achieve success. In this case, it becomes an important marketing strategy for brands to connect directly with their target audience and to promote their goods and services at close contact points. The fairs, which are centered on the needs of the consumers and producers has become the most important meeting points of modern times, bringing together both sides and by offering an advantageous platform for more business. As Loda Furniture, we find fairs to be very valuable both for the development of the furniture sector and to provide suitable conditions to generate a high level of business volume. Within this scope, we recently took part in the Furniture Istanbul Fair in Turkey and brought our new collection together for the first time. We are also planning to attend the Isaloni Fair soon.

Finally, what do you want to add? Steady demand and sales are the sine qua non of a company's ability to survive or maintain its profitability at the desired level. In this case, doing business in the current countries are not enough. There is an obligation to make the business international. This situation also reduces the heavy burden on our state and our businesses. We have taken the power of our state behind us in the world, we have not to left any door of opportunity un-knocked everywhere in the world and to empower the image of Turkish furniture, we give great importance to promote our quality products. In this context, both the Ministry of Economy, the Istanbul Exporters Union and the sector representatives are striving to perform their duties in the best and most efficient manner. The purpose of the sector; is to bring both quality raw material and quality work force together and to combine these two indispensable factor in our designs. With this discipline and perspective, the sector continues to grow by maintaining its profitability day by day. The share and contribution of exports in making this growth lasting is enormous.