NEWS

 How is your company positioned in Türkiye and in the world?

In Türkiye, Ropix company manufactures suits under our own brand in the Free Zone. We also specialize in subcontract manufacturing of products for many companies in Türkiye. 

In the world, countries like Bulgaria and Hungary manufacture for us. Our products are sold in 44 countries and 1,151 stores. 

 

Can you give an overview of the development of your company since its inception?

Our company was established in 1922. Our company is where it is today after years of continuous development and self-innovation. The decision to invest in Türkiye was made in 2008 and our first products were manufactured in October 2008. We started out with 200 suits a day and increased our capacity to 1,200 suits after opening our second factory. 

 

Can you review the production, employment and investment data of your company?

As I’ve mentioned before, our daily production capacity is 1,200 suits, with a worker capacity of 650. We are currently considering opening an outlet store as an investment in the future. 

 

What are the advantages of operating in the Aegean Free Zone?

• The Aegean Free Zone offers the opportunity to benefit from tax advantages for manufacturers. In other words, all Free Zone users with a manufacturing license are exempt from the income tax on profits from the sale of the manufactured goods. Users exporting a minimum 85% of the FOB costs of the products manufactured in the Zone are also exempt from the income tax collected from employee salaries. These rates can be reduced to 50% by the Cabinet. 

 

Manufacturers in the Free Zone are also exempt from stamp duties and fees that are imposed on the procedures and documentation related to their operations in the Free Zone. 

 

• It gives companies the opportunity to make medium and long term plans because the manufacturing licenses are valid for 45 years. 

 

• As Free Zones are considered as part of the “Türkiye-EU Customs Union Agreement”; Turkish or EU products as well as the products that are in free circulation in Türkiye can easily be shipped to the EU via a document called “A.TR”. Third country products, on the other hand, can be shipped to the EU countries via the “A.TR” document after payment of a customs tax to the Free Zones Customs Directorate based on the rates specified on the Common Customs Tariff. 

 

• All profits and income acquired through the operations in the Free Zone can   be freely transferred abroad or to Türkiye with no need for a permit. 

 

How do the foreign investors view free zones?

Foreign investors have positive impressions of the free zones because of the advantages that I just mentioned. In addition, workmanship in Türkiye may be somewhat more than other countries, but it is definitely of a higher quality. Therefore, executives of the companies that I meet on my trips abroad express that they may move their manufacturing activities into Türkiye in the future. 

 

How is your company affected by the recent economic developments that have been unfolding since the beginning of 2014? In what way does this affect the investments?

Of course this economic crisis that unfolded around the world led us to postpone some of our investments and draw a more cautious road map.