In The News
Teksan Tin House steps up to the challenge with new printing effects
Colorful, embossed tin cans ... Some of them have a modern touch, while others have a vintage feel. Having brought these designs to life, Teksan increases the awareness and elevates the value of many brands with the production of decorative tin boxes.
Teksan’s Managing Coordinator Gokhan Aktas says, "You have only one chance to do the job right, and the only way to succeed is having the right staff, knowledge, equipment, and materials" and adds; "It is very difficult for a company that does not export to in business for long. Even exporting is not enough if you do not have geographical diversity. We put a lot of emphasis on exports." Teksan Tin House, which has succeeded in keeping up with the competition that has been brought by the increase in consumption of packaging in recent years, is one of the successful representatives of the metal packaging business with its decorative tin boxes ...
We would like to hear about how Teksan started the business.
My grandfather, Adem Aktas, who had an accounting business, had a very entrepreneurial personality. He had attempted to go into business in several different industries. In 1968, he and his partner started manufacturing tin cans with the name Amir Teneke Kutu in a small shop in the Eminonu district of Istanbul. Later, in 1976, by establishing a new partnership, Teksan Tin House was launched in the Eyup district of Istanbul.
The packaging industry is involved in many different businesses such as food, cosmetics, and textiles. Which industries do you mainly serve? Which products are among the most preferred in your range?
We manufacture decorative tin boxes. It is possible to see these boxes, which are mainly used as secondary or promotional packaging in many products, in every business. We mainly work with chocolate, confectionery, tea, coffee, and promotion industries. Although many different types of boxes have been produced recently, I can say that the most preferred products are rectangular boxes of different sizes.
Packaging is an essential part of our life
When it comes to branding, visuals of the product and the importance of packaging is an undeniable fact. How do you evaluate the importance of packaging in promoting a product?
Thanks to packaging, you can share a lot of information with the consumer, from the features of the product to the values of your brand. When you look at it from a marketing perspective, you will see that packaging is as important as the product itself. Packaging, which used to protect and transport the product in the past, has now become a part of the brand experience. Think about how you open the box of a newly bought tablet, think of the iconic bottle of a soda brand, imagine the tin can when you hear olive oil, or remember the paper bag used in organic stores. We have to admit that packaging is now an essential part of our lives.
We can see the effects of change and urban living in our consuming habits in the packaging industry. How do you think the packaging industry is changing?
The change in our consuming habits should not be attributed to urbanization only. Consumers want to reach more products, cheaper, safer, and faster. The packaging required when buying cheese from the grocery store on your street must be different than the packaging required for the bicycle parts you order from the UK. Even the two companies that produce the same product have to use different packaging to be different from each other. Although the reasons change, two things do not change: First, the consumption of packaging is increasing and will keep doing so, and the second is that environmentally friendly packaging will be preferred more. Speaking of environmental friendliness, I would like to point out the fact that metal can be recycled infinitely and that makes it the packaging of the future.
You only have one shot in our job!
When we look at your products, we can see that the designs look better due to your print quality. What would you like to say about your printing?
We produce a very difficult product. Due to the nature of our work, we have a lot of one-time orders. Printing on the box is a major contributor to its quality. In a machine that prints 5,000 sheets per hour, you have to print 500 sheets in 5, 6, or 7 colors, get those colors right, keep color consistency the same throughout the whole production, and have a reasonable scrap rate due to costs. After printing is over, you have to use a 60-ton press to form one of the many pieces of a tin can without any scratch or dent. You also have one chance to do the job right, because the chances are you will not repeat this order. The only way to achieve this is with the right staff, the right knowledge, the right equipment, and the right material. You have to be the best at everything. We are trying to do that too. We are constantly improving and renewing ourselves, especially in printing. We have no other choice.
You enhance your products with special effects. Could you tell us about your work on this?
The most desired effect in the last few years is embossing. We have seriously improved ourselves in this and continue to improve. In the last few years, we have also made a new style of embossing with different heights, which we call 3-D. For example, when you emboss the Izmir Clock Tower this way, the design comes alive, it almost draws you in. Apart from this, we can add different textures and finishes to the product which we call matte, glossy, or soft touch. On our trays, we provide functionality with our anti-slip application.
Is there any demand from the foreign market besides the domestic market?
Obviously, it is very difficult for a company that does not export anymore to stay in business. Even exporting is not enough if you do not have geographical diversity. We also put great emphasis on exports. In the past, we were exporting through local domestic agents, but we have been a direct exporter ourselves for the last 10 years. Our exports are at 30 percent and increasing. We have shipped our products to approximately 30 countries, mostly in Europe. This is also a reason for our motivation.
The goal is not to be the biggest but the best
How do you see Turkey’s development in the packaging industry and where do you position yourself in the packaging industry?
Packaging is one of the rare industries with a current account surplus in Turkey. In terms of product variety and quality, there is almost nothing you can’t find. We are also very well positioned geographically. We have very serious potential as an industry. I think we will be the packaging base of the region. We are working with all our strength to get there. But our goal is to be the best, not the biggest.
What are your company policies that you have determined to make a difference and stand out in the business?
We are trying to make boxes that are not made in Turkey and to accomplish difficult projects. To do this, we sit at a table like a partner with our customers. This setup brings a mutual understanding and also flexibility. After a while, we become like a family and we are already a small family company.
You are one of the 11 Turkish companies that received awards in the WorldStar 2017 Competition organized by the World Packaging Organization (WPO). What would you like to say about this success?
We won many awards this year. We were delighted by the Golden Packaging award we received at the Crescents and Stars of Packaging and the President's Special Award at Asiastar and also the WorldStar Packaging Award. Without the trust of our customers, the hard work of our employees, and the support of our suppliers, success would not have been possible. I would like to congratulate other winning companies as well. We were also together at the award ceremony. It was a really proud moment to hear names of many Turkish companies announced one after another on that international platform.
Finally, what are your goals for the future?
3 years ago, we set a goal of being a company that can survive a crisis, can grow continuously, accomplish difficult projects, be innovative, but also do not compromise our family values and can remain intact. We made a plan of how to reach this goal. This plan has worked so far. We want to continue the same way.
