Altınbaş opens new branches, sees worldwide growth
Today’s Zaman, Turkey
Altınbaş Jewelry is aiming to increase the number of branches in Turkey to 100 and to 50 abroad by the end of this year, said Chairman Nusret Altınbaş; they currently have 80 branches in Turkey and 40 branches abroad.
He said their next target was to continue growth by opening new branches and to reach 200 jewelry branches in 2008, the Anatolia news agency reported. He said the jewelry sector, which has a heritage of 5,000 years in Anatolia, has soared in recent years with worldwide brands and creative designs. Turkey was second in jewelry exports in the world after Italy and may dethrone the Italians in a few years, he added.
Altınbaş noted that women in former Soviet Union countries had rushed to buy jewelry since such adornment was forbidden during the Soviet era. The country most interested in their jewelry is Ukraine, therefore they are aiming for the greatest increase in branches there, he noted. “We will go into all the former Soviet countries. After Ukraine, our next targets are the Russian Federation, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan,†he said.
Altınbaş emphasized that they, as a sector, receive great support from the government and bureaucrats, but their main problem is the 20 percent excise tax on unprocessed diamonds. “The sector is on the right path, but it still has a great deal to accomplish,†he said, emphasizing that Turkey could become a “global brand†through the jewelry sector. Altınbaş noted that there is a common global belief in the jewelry industry that “Turks make quality jewelry.†“We are determined to benefit from this image and further promote the images of Turkish brands,†he said.
17.09.2007
Today’s Zaman with wires İstanbul
