 
Author: Can Yücel, CEO, Şişecam
What exactly allows a company to endure for nearly a century? Not just to survive, but to stay relevant, loyal and able to renew yourself from generation to generation? At Şişecam, we believe the answer goes deeper than balance sheets or scales alone. Our real strength comes from the trust we earn, the community we strengthen and above all, the lasting value we create with all our stakeholders. The foundations of Şişecam were laid with a much broader purpose than that of a typical business. We were founded to create something that didn't exist: a glass factory in Türkiye. At a time when there was no domestic production, no one knew how, and there was no industrial culture in glass, Şişecam was entrusted to build the entire industry from the ground up. This pioneering responsibility shaped our corporate identity long before we became a global company.
We were established as the industrial heart of İş Bank Group. This close connection with one of Türkiye's most respected and long-standing financial institutions has instilled a strong sense of discipline, accountability and long-term thinking into our DNA from day one. In many ways, Şişecam today represents the Group's vibrant industrial ecosystem. This unique structure provides us with a strong financial backbone and a culture of governance based on wisdom. It allows us to pursue ambitious, long-term investments with confidence. It means that while we operate with the expertise of a global industry leader, we are guided by the stability and foresight of a major financial institution.
Over time, this foundation enabled us to grow beyond borders. Today, Şişecam operates in 13 countries on four continents. However, the reach of what we do is very broad. With our products, we touch everyday life in more than 150 countries, often quietly, but always in a meaningful way. From homes and cities to cars, factories and tables around the world, our products become part of everyday life. We don't just make glass; we create a better quality of life.
High performance architectural glass
Our global presence is not built on a single product or market. Şişecam is the only global company that operates in all important areas of glass. Through flat glass, our solutions shape modern architecture, bringing daylight into the spaces where we live, work and connect. Our high performance architectural glass does more than define skylines; creates energy-efficient buildings that reduce our carbon footprint, improves thermal insulation to improve indoor comfort and reduce energy demand, improves security in public spaces, and provides superior acoustic insulation for a quieter, more productive environment.
With auto glass, we accompany millions of journeys every day, contributing to visibility, safety and comfort. From custom windshields to HUDs, we are a key partner to the world's leading automotive brands, enabling the future of mobility.
In glass packaging, we are there for times when people enjoy a bottle during meals or when food is kept fresh and safe until it reaches the table. Our glass protects taste, quality and reliability. As a material that is 100 percent and infinitely recyclable, and with improved light efforts it is also a powerful answer to the global challenge of packaging waste, offering brands a sustainable choice.
In glassware, our products are placed on tables, raised in celebration, and used in social gatherings. Combining timeless beauty with lasting durability, our glassware elevates both everyday rituals and life's important events, turning simple moments into lasting memories.
In chemicals and raw materials, we work behind the scenes, supplying essential materials that support our glass production and a wide range of other industries. Our expertise in products such as soda ash and chromium chemicals gives us a strategic advantage, ensuring supply chain security and providing a platform for innovation in many sectors.
This range did not just happen. It shows a deliberate choice to build expertise across the full glass value chain, allowing us to manage complexity, strengthen resilience and respond to diverse customer needs with consistency and depth. That's what enables us to scale with expertise and stability and flexibility. This integrated model creates a virtuous circle: developments in our chemical business can lead to glass design, while insights from our packaging customers can inform new designs in our glassware division. It is a source of synergistic power that is difficult to replicate.
Transparency and accountability
The same philosophy shapes our way of governing. For us, transparency and accountability are not company slogans; they are the foundation of trust in every relationship. We believe that lasting value can only be created when the rights and interests of all stakeholders are respected: customers, employees, partners and shareholders. Working in accordance with international standards is not an aspiration for the future; that's how we work today. Our focus is clear: to deliver profitability, efficiency, and real added value while acting responsibly and responsibly in every interaction.
With our products, we touch everyday life in more than 150 countries
To make this possible, we have established a strong and flexible management structure. For more than ten years, we have pioneered the use of digital platforms for our General Meetings, ensuring that every shareholder has an equal and transparent voice. This removes geographic barriers and reinforces our commitment to equity and inclusion. Our board of directors also uses secure electronic systems, which allow effective oversight of all our global operations and ensure that decision-making remains prompt and well-informed. These are not just tools; they are a tangible expression of our commitment to modern, accountable governance.
Behind all this stands the real engine of Şişecam's success: our people. Şişecam is a collective effort. We derive our strength from the talent, dedication and sense of identity of our teams across different geographies and cultures. Our desire is to remain a lean and dynamic organization, where responsibility is shared, collaboration is natural and people feel personally invested in what they are building. Because strategies only work when people truly believe in them and are empowered to bring them to life. Our internal idea development forums and community engagement programs are designed to give every employee a voice, foster a sense of belonging and shared purpose. We know that the best ideas often come from those closest to the work and we strive to create an environment where those ideas can flourish.
This belief directly defines our relationship with customers, our most important partners. With every investment decision, every performance improvement, and every innovation, we ask a simple question: 'How does this best serve our customers?' Their success is a clear reflection of ours. By keeping customer needs at the centre, we ensure that efficiency is effective, efficient and sustainable. This means co-creating solutions, anticipating market trends, and being a reliable partner they can count on, day in and day out. A relationship built on tasks, but on a shared journey towards mutual growth.
Attention to the future
Today, Şişecam navigates a time that needs to be focused instead of expanded for its own sake. While we are proud of our 90-year history, our attention is focused on the future. In an environment that requires efficiency, financial discipline, and innovation, we prioritize strong profitability and high value-added production. This requires a proactive mindset, which respects institutional discipline while embracing the agility required to succeed in a competitive global market. This involves optimizing our manufacturing processes, balancing our portfolio to focus on high-margin products, and investing sensibly in areas with the greatest potential for growth and innovation. It's about being smart, not just being big.
In a world shaped by sustainability and technology, glass has a distinct advantage. It is infinitely recyclable, chemically inert and valuable in fields ranging from renewable energy to medicine. At Şişecam, we develop this capability through human-driven and digital-supported processes, combining knowledge and data, creativity and technology. Our CareforNext sustainability strategy is a key part of this vision. It is governed with the same rigor as our financial performance, with clear, science-based objectives overseen by our Board's Sustainability Committee. From increasing our use of recycled glass to investing in renewable energy and improving water management, we embed sustainability into every aspect of our capital allocation and performance metrics.
At the same time, our digital transformation plan, IT X.0, is reshaping the landscape of our industry. At the production sites, the digital twins of our glass furnaces have evolved into self-improvement systems. These cutting-edge applications of machine learning and AI are driving unprecedented gains in efficiency and sustainability. These are not tests of the future; they are effective, value-driven strategies that strengthen our competitive edge today.
We may be 90 years away, but for us, the most important chapter is yet to come. We invite our partners, customers, and stakeholders to look beyond our values and focus on the journey we are shaping today. Our foundations are strong, our presence is global, our people are dedicated, and our purpose is clear: to create lasting value that connects industries, communities, and generations.
