Turkish firms to flock to fair in top market

A large Turkish mission supported by the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce (ITO) is ready to attend the world's leading industry fair in Germany, Turkey's core exports market, challenging the ongoing debt crisis in the eurozone. The local chamber puts a special emphasis on sub-industries, where board member Murat Sungurlu has said great potential for Turkish industries lies. "Germany is Turkey's core exports market. Still, only 1 percent of the sub-industry imports of Germany are from Turkey," Sungurlu told the Hurriyet Daily News after a breakfast hosted by ITO and Hannover Messe, the organizer, yesterday in Istanbul. Hannover Messe, which will be held between April 8 and 12 this year, is clearly a product of post-World War II Germany. The country launched the fair, formerly known as Hannover Exports Messe, as it was reshaping itself in 1947, to give hope to its recovering industries and boost exports. Today, the organizing company employs 1,100 people across the world, undertaking some 100 events every year. At Hannover Messe 2013, some 6,000 companies will exhibit their products, usually the most up-to-date ones. This year's partner country is Russia, a developing country that has been merely affected by the ongoing euro crisis and is playing a key role in Europe's energy supply, said Deutsche Messe Vice President Oliver Frese. Russian President Vladimir Putin is expected join the opening, along with Angela Merkel, the German chancellor. Oliver said the fair is also a political platform and said some 60 percent of the participant companies are from Europe, while another 25 percent are expected to come from Asia. Sungurlu said this also offered opportunities, as Russia was also a leading trade partner of Turkey. Turkey was a partner country in 2007. "Turkey has taken serious steps in the last decade, focusing on production and exports," he said. "Considering the 2023 targets of the country and considering the fact that half of Turkey's exports are generated from Istanbul, we would like to contribute with an input. ... We have developed good relations with Alexander [Kuhnel]. We might be a partner country in the future."In response Kuhnel said, "We will do all we can to achieve this and help Turkey shine."