During IDMA Russia, we spoke with Imas Regional Sales Manager Yavuz Çetinoluk, who highlights the company’s production capability to deliver turnkey solutions from A to Z and the trust it brings to the sector with its publicly listed structure. Çetinoluk also points out that the company aims to accelerate its global growth with new investments in strategic markets such as Russia, the Middle East, and Africa.

Yavuz Çetinoluk
Imas Regional Sales Manager 

“Today, we have the capability to make a factory fully production-ready under the Imas umbrella, covering everything from steel construction to building, all production, design, engineering, installation, and commissioning stages.” Yavuz Çetinoluk’s statement sums up the company’s position in the sector.

In this interview conducted during the second edition of the increasingly strategic IDMA Russia exhibition, Imas’s operations from flour milling to feed machinery, from sawmills to steel structures are discussed. It is emphasized that Imas does more than manufacture machines; with R&D investments, global export strength, and inclusion in the Turquality program, the company stands out as a brand that builds trust.

Today, Imas establishes turnkey plants in over 110 countries across five continents, and its publicly listed structure raises transparency and corporate governance standards in the sector. Çetinoluk underscores that new investments in strategic markets and the connections made during the fair will accelerate the company’s global growth.

Could you introduce yourself?

I am Ramazan Yavuz Çetinoluk. I am a mechanical engineer and have been working in the flour and feed sector for about 15 years, since 2010. For the past three years, I have been serving as Regional Sales Manager at Imas, responsible for sales in Europe and especially the Russian region. Several Middle Eastern countries are also within my area of responsibility.

Imas’s success in our sector and its global presence are impressive. Can you tell our readers about your company and services?

Imas was established in 1989 under Loras Holding to manufacture high-quality, technologically advanced machinery and equipment. Today, the company operates in grain milling with Milleral, feed milling with Viteral, band saw industry with Cuteral, steel construction with Steral, and after-sales services under Pro Support.

Since its foundation, Imas has established turnkey flour and feed factories in over 110 countries worldwide and produced thousands of sawmill machines. With reference plants across five continents, Imas offers its customers reliability, quality, and fast after-sales service. Moreover, Imas is among the top 10 companies in Turkey investing the most in R&D in the machinery manufacturing sector, adding value to partners with integrated solutions and quality assurance.

What can you tell us about your export figures and growth?

For the past two years, Imas has been the leading exporter in Turkey’s milling sector, according to Turkey Exporters Assembly (TİM) data, which confirms the claim with official figures. The successes we achieved in both flour and feed sectors in 2023 continued into 2024, and our top sector ranking in TİM’s ‘Top 1,000 Exporters of Turkey’ list published last June is the sole proof. Moving forward, we aim to maintain this momentum without slowing down.

‘WE ARE THE ONLY PUBLICLY LISTED COMPANY IN OUR SECTOR’

There are not many publicly listed companies in our sector. What advantages does this give you and the industry?

As you mentioned, Imas is the only publicly listed company in our sector. Being listed allows us to provide transparency and trust to our customers. We have a structure that is open and auditable in terms of both management and financial data.

In addition, the corporate structure and public listing reinforce our credibility in the market. When our customers invest in a feed factory, feed mill, or flour mill, they are entering a long-term partnership. Such investments cannot be compared to fast-moving consumer goods, as we are talking about a partnership that lasts approximately 20–25 years, including spare parts, automation services, and potential revisions. Managing this process transparently and instilling trust in the customer is crucial.

Being publicly listed gives Imas a significant advantage here and helps us stay several steps ahead in many areas of the sector.

When did you decide to go public and implement it? Considering the advantages you mentioned, why hasn’t the number of such companies grown rapidly?

Although I am not a finance expert, it is clear that being listed provides our company with financial strength and credibility. After all, being listed directly means taking investment from the public. However, in our country, certain financial criteria must be met to be listed, and not every company can easily meet these requirements.

IMAS PRIORITIZES INVESTMENT

It is common for companies to expand their operations into related sectors. What drove Imas to enter the feed sector?

As many of us know, flour and feed milling are interconnected industries. We decided to apply our organizational model from flour milling to feed machinery and launched the Viteral brand in 2017. Although Viteral was later established within Imas, it has become a source of great pride with its success in the feed sector over the past 10 years. The foundation of this success is the trust Imas has built in the sector, strong machine designs, and an innovative approach.

Furthermore, Imas, with the strong support of Loras Holding and an investment-focused vision, aims to grow in its own fields while standing out with investments outside the sector. Last year, under Norm Yeşil Enerji, we made a significant investment in energy storage systems. This facility, located next to our headquarters, will produce energy storage batteries by year-end as part of our green energy vision. Additionally, Loras Holding is implementing ongoing investments in green energy, including a 65 MW solar power plant in Siirt.

TURNKEY SOLUTIONS FROM A TO Z

What sets Imas apart from its competitors? What comes to mind for your customers when they think of Imas?

With 36–37 years of experience, Imas stands out in the sector in terms of production capacity, engineering capabilities, and quality standards. The production facility in Konya is one of the largest in Turkey for flour and feed milling.

Today, we have the capability, experience, and equipment to make a factory production-ready under the Imas umbrella from A to Z, including steel construction, building, engineering, and commissioning. The only requirement from our customers is to lay the foundation as we specify. We then step onto the site, set up a turnkey plant, and even deliver the full process including laboratory tests of the produced goods.

BRINGING R&D FRUITS REQUIRES TIME AND EFFORT

Could you share your approach to R&D?

R&D has always been a priority for Imas. For the past 5–6 years, our R&D spending has placed us among the top 10 not only among machinery manufacturers but across all sectors in Turkey. This is a very high and significant level. In the milling sector, there is virtually no other company allocating such a budget to R&D.

How do the results of your work translate into production?

The commercialization of R&D projects is not immediate. For example, regarding torque motors, we completed our first prototype in Italy in 2021. To bring it to the market commercially, we monitored long-term data, tested it with different motors, and conducted trial productions at selected customer facilities. Our aim was to present a reliable product to our customers.

In parallel, we work intensively on sensor technologies, pneumatic transport systems, and energy efficiency in our machinery. These processes, the result of 4–5 years of detailed engineering, are now being commercialized. Although it takes time to reap the fruits of R&D, the results are more than rewarding when the timing is right.

WE WILL INCREASE OUR MARKET SHARE THROUGH CONNECTIONS FROM IDMA RUSSIA

Why did you participate in IDMA Russia and what were your expectations? What can you say about the Russian market?

The Russian market has become increasingly prominent in recent years. We have had operations and direct sales there before, but Russia’s status as a leading wheat producer makes the market strategically more important. In recent years, their shift toward end products in both flour and feed makes this market even more critical for us.

As of 2024, we have taken significant steps to strengthen our presence in Russia. Our decision to participate in multiple fairs is part of this strategy. IDMA Russia has been an important platform for us, and we believe the connections made here will lead to very positive outcomes in the future.

Finally, is there anything you would like to share with our readers?

Imas is always open to development. In this context, we not only invest in new projects but also strive to enhance our existing companies and brands. As a result of these efforts, we were accepted into the Turquality program this year. With Turquality support, I can confidently say we are entering a new phase that will take the Imas brand much further internationally.