In a written statement released on Friday, Koç Holding CEO Bülent Bulgurlu announced figures related to activities of the group for 2009. The holding’s consolidated turnover was TL 44.8 billion, while operating profits totaled TL 3.5 billion last year. Bulgurlu stressed that the holding’s focus on strategy and taking timely measures played an important role in reaching these figures despite the global financial crisis that shook 2009 to the core. The group also continued its investments last year, with TL 1.7 billion, Bulgurlu said, adding that they aim to raise this figure to TL 2.2 billion by the end of this year. “Koç Holding has been on the European Commission’s list of the 500 top companies that allocate the largest amount of money for research and development for the last four years,” he said, stressing that their target is to expand the group’s research and development capacity and develop energy-saving models by making use of design and technology in the best way possible.
Bulgurlu cited the holding’s targets for this year as adding more than 2,200 new employees to staff, increasing the number of total employees from the current 68,514 to 70,725, while also increasing total assets of the holding by 12 percent, to TL 74.5 billion, and raising total sales by 18 percent, to TL 52.7 billion. Koç also aims to reach $11.8 billion in international sales with an expected rise of 28 percent and increase operating profits by 34 percent to TL 4.7 billion.
In an assessment of the group’s companies, the Koç Holding CEO stated that the oil refining company Turkish Petroleum Refineries Corporation (TÜPRAŞ) made the largest profit in the last three quarters of 2009 compared to other refineries in the world. “Aygaz, our liquefied petroleum gas [LPG] supplier, with a 30 percent market share continues to lead the market. [Koç Holding and Fiat’s joint venture] Tofaş, one of leading manufacturers in the Turkish automotive sector, also completed 2009 as a market leader. By increasing its net profit by 105 percent, it also posted the greatest rise in profits last year among other companies in the Fiat family. Yapı Kredi Bank was also named ‘bank of the year in Turkey’ by The Banker magazine,” he said.
