Interview: Cemalettin Kanaş
How are shortcomings in data management impacting the feed industry? Sırrı Kayhan, President of YemSis Software Systems, delves into this pivotal concern, shedding light on the existing gaps in the sector and offering potential solutions.
The feed sector stands as a foundational pillar in food production. Innovations in this arena directly influence productivity and sustainability, notably within livestock and fisheries domains. However, when assessing advancements in the sector, certain critical facets sometimes go unnoticed. This month, our interview features Sırrı Kayhan, the President of YemSis Feed Software Systems, shedding light on these pivotal subjects often overshadowed in the industry. Particularly in data management, Kayhan insights and observations may prompt many enterprises within the sector to reassess their internal methodologies.
Sırrı Kayhan
Data’s paramountcy is undebatable in our contemporary era. Yet, harnessing its potency aptly remains an unresolved quandary for our industry. Kayhan delves deep into the rationale behind the utmost significance of data management in the feed sector, elucidating potential strategies to bridge existing voids and outlining the directional course the industry ought to adopt in this respect.
Kayhan’s discourse with our magazine, Feed Planet, serves as a catalyst to scrutinize the sector’s present stance, expand our perspectives, and fortify our preparedness for the forthcoming challenges.
Could you share the founding journey and core goals of Yemsis with us?
I’m an alumnus of Ankara University’s Faculty of Agriculture, where I specialized in Aquaculture. Post-graduation, I immersed myself in the feed industry for roughly six years, collaborating with various firms and honing skills in factory administration, quality assurance, and formulation. During this phase, I discerned a palpable gap in the software tools available, especially concerning feed formulation, production, procurement, and holistic enterprise management. It was evident that, despite some firms having access to software, its full potential remained untapped. This software lapse meant many companies were flying blind, unable to accurately gauge their production endeavors, which consequently hampered efficient business management. Notably, there were glaring voids in the integration of formulation, procurement, and feeding operations. Recognizing this, I felt compelled to bridge this gap, believing that by sharing best practices, I could make a tangible difference in the sector. Collaborations with global entities reaffirmed my conviction about the pivotal role of these operational facets in feed business management. Guided by the principle, “If you can’t measure it, you can’t improve it”, my ambition was to create a system allowing firms to measure their operations effectively and subsequently establish mechanisms to optimize their profitability.
What has been the key to Yemsis’ sustained success in the industry over the years?
Our enduring success can largely be attributed to a commitment to integrity and fair business practices, a deep understanding of our partner companies and the ability to address their challenges, passionately delivering services on-site, and consistently staying a step ahead in the industry to foster its growth and evolution.
Could you elucidate on the significance of your collaboration with Cargill and the benefits of your association with Format Solutions for Yemsis?
Certainly, Cargill stands as a colossal entity and a frontrunner in the feed sector. Their extensive expertise in this domain is something I’ve always held in high regard. When our collaborative journey began, they were venturing into the realm of feed additives. To disseminate their vast reservoir of knowledge and experience to the broader feed sector, they began by acquiring companies like Brill and Format. This was primarily because they recognized the potential of leveraging software tools to share their expansive data and insights. Our first joint endeavor in this domain was executed in both Turkey and Saudi Arabia. Notably, Yemsis played a pivotal role in facilitating Cargill’s foray into the bovine sector in Turkey. This collaboration led to multiple ventures of a similar nature. These experiences have enriched Yemsis, allowing us to assimilate the ethos of a multinational conglomerate, seamlessly blending it with our intrinsic values to enhance the offerings for our clientele.
BLIND SPOTS IN DATA MANAGEMENT
How would you assess the role of software in the feed production and livestock industry?
The significance of software in our feed sector cannot be understated. As I’ve previously emphasized, if you can’t measure it, you can’t improve it. It’s indisputable that software has been and remains invaluable to our sector. Yet, the role of software alone isn’t enough. Alongside it, there’s a paramount need for skilled personnel to operate it and subsequently, for the best practices to be relayed to business management. Without this holistic approach, even if you invest in the world’s top-tier software, it won’t deliver as expected. Therefore, it’s crucial to employ industry-tailored software and collaborate with entities adept at transmitting sector-specific best practices.
How are you enhancing the ability of your products and services to address challenges in the feed sector?
Customer satisfaction remains at the forefront of our priorities. Achieving this necessitates a comprehensive understanding of every facet of the feed business, allowing us to tailor our services effectively. Beyond this, it’s imperative for us to be in constant pursuit of innovation and improvement. YemSis collaborates with numerous companies to ensure our products and services aptly tackle the industry’s challenges, always fostering these partnerships with a ‘win-win’ approach.
Furthermore, to optimize the efficacy of our offerings, we collaborate closely with firms, initially seeking to grasp the nuances of their operations. We then pinpoint their challenges and subsequently propose the most fitting solutions. Essentially, we tailor our products to address our clients’ specific issues, crafting targeted solutions for them.
Could you elaborate on the innovations introduced by Yemsis products to the industry and the ripple effects of these advancements within the sector?
When we embarked on this journey, only a handful, about 2-3 companies in Turkey, had access to professional software focused on feed formulation, procurement planning, and quality control. And even those few weren’t maximizing these tools to their full potential. Introducing products from the American-based company, Brill, we didn’t merely sell software. We also educated businesses on optimizing these tools to enhance profitability. As a result, we began serving approximately 80% of the entire feed sector, both in Turkey and in Middle Eastern countries, particularly in the realm of formulation. By forging collaborations with numerous international enterprises, both regionally and customer-specifically, we further elevated our efficiency levels. Through our comprehensive Feed Formulation training sessions across the region, we’ve played a pivotal role in reshaping the industry’s approach to formulation.
Furthermore, as we influenced our customers’ perspectives on formulation, we simultaneously guided our software development partner to adjust its outlook towards clients, aiding in tailoring software innovations to meet specific client requirements.
WE DON’T HOLD BACK OUR KNOWLEDGE
What sets you apart from other software firms in the industry?
Our primary focus has always been on the sector’s advancement. Whenever there’s an opportunity or a company that can add value to the industry, we never hesitate to collaborate and present their offerings to our clientele. We champion competition, believing that it invariably enhances quality. This drive propels us to continuously innovate, ensuring our customers always receive the latest solutions. We’re firm in our conviction that growth and evolution can’t happen in isolation; it thrives on collaboration and shared knowledge. Consequently, we never guard our insights or expertise. Instead, we aim to share our accumulated knowledge and experience generously with our clientele. This transparent approach, we believe, is what makes us a benchmark for our competitors.
What are Yemsis’ aspirations and objectives moving forward?
YemSis aspires to be the one-stop solution for all software requirements within this sector. In striving towards this ambition, the company builds upon its historical successes, ensuring its progress is grounded and stable.
How do you perceive Turkey’s standing in the global feed industry and the role of software in shaping this position?
Turkey’s feed industry is distinctly advanced on the global stage, outpacing numerous other countries. I believe our nation’s economic landscape and its unique diversities have significantly influenced our feed sector’s prominent position. Looking at Europe, the Middle East, and America, it’s evident that Turkey is notably progressive in tailoring feed formulation software to its operations. However, our engagement with software, particularly concerning measurability and sustainability, leaves room for enhancement. It’s imperative we bolster our capacities in this realm.
Do you have a specific innovation or approach you’d suggest to the industry and Yemsis’ clientele?
While our sector excels at data collection, it lags behind in retrospectively analyzing this data statistically and tailoring it to present needs. Moreover, evaluating suppliers is crucial for feed businesses, but regrettably, our industry is sorely lacking in this aspect. We typically access data post-completion, but there’s an evident need to view it in real-time and make immediate adjustments.
In essence, there’s a gap in data management across all stages of feed production. I believe it’s imperative to perceive data management through a fresh lens. This approach would not only enable businesses to gauge their processes but also facilitate immediate interventions. At YemSis, we stand ready to provide systems that can assist in these endeavors.
A FRESH TAKE ON DATA MANAGEMENT
Lastly, is there a message you’d like to share with the readers of Feed Planet magazine?
Embracing and implementing technological advancements is crucial in our industry. Studies show that software technologies undergo a paradigm shift roughly every decade, and this timeframe has been contracting in recent years. To stay relevant, it’s imperative to evolve our systems in tandem with these shifts. Maintenance and update contracts shouldn’t be viewed as superfluous expenses. They are essential investments, ensuring that firms remain up-to-date, channel the latest technological innovations to us, and guarantee uninterrupted access to their services when needed. It’s pivotal to remember that unity and mutual support are the cornerstones for growth and progress in our sector.