Zorlu Targets $1 Billion in Sales
September 20, 2000
What happens when China joins the WTO in 2005 and the quota system in the U.S.A. goes out the window? asked Burak Abdullahoglu, president of Zorlu USA. Zorlu has made an investment in a U.S. branch to further penetrate the textiles market but if the Chinese have no U.S. quota, Zorlu said he will have tougher competition in America along with everyone else. "How can we compete with China or Pakistan in the U.S.A.?" he wondered.
In January, 2000, Zorlu opened a 50,000 square foot plant to make confeccion, a cutting and sewing operation in Georgia with sales offices in New York City. In bedding, Zorlu sells retailers only including catalog houses, mass merchants and specialty stores. "Quota is limited for Turkey in the U.S.A., particularly in bedding. That's why we decided to have an American company," said Abdullahoglu.
Zorlu's lace curtain ranges are distributed in the U.S. by Lichtenberg Curtain.
"The U.S.A. is the largest export market for Zorlu while Germany is equal in size currently," he said. "Turkish companies have been fearful of selling in the U.S.A. because it is so far away but we're in a global economy and we had to try."
Zorlu produces $200 million in sales in Turkey and exports $300 million in bedding, curtains and yarn today, a total of $500 million overall. The company has spent $500 million in new plants and upgrades and hopes to double sales to $1 billion by 2005.
"Europe and America are not making the investment in the textiles industry. That's encouraging us to do more," he said.
In January, 2000, Zorlu opened a 50,000 square foot plant to make confeccion, a cutting and sewing operation in Georgia with sales offices in New York City. In bedding, Zorlu sells retailers only including catalog houses, mass merchants and specialty stores. "Quota is limited for Turkey in the U.S.A., particularly in bedding. That's why we decided to have an American company," said Abdullahoglu.
Zorlu's lace curtain ranges are distributed in the U.S. by Lichtenberg Curtain.
"The U.S.A. is the largest export market for Zorlu while Germany is equal in size currently," he said. "Turkish companies have been fearful of selling in the U.S.A. because it is so far away but we're in a global economy and we had to try."
Zorlu produces $200 million in sales in Turkey and exports $300 million in bedding, curtains and yarn today, a total of $500 million overall. The company has spent $500 million in new plants and upgrades and hopes to double sales to $1 billion by 2005.
"Europe and America are not making the investment in the textiles industry. That's encouraging us to do more," he said.
