“Just as if we perceive a size, a technical feature that we could not speak of ten years ago, our brand will evolve into a completely different journey along with needs, demands, fashion and design trends,” says Melis Yurtbay, Yurtbay Seramik Marketing Director. Yurtbay also emphasizes change and transformation in ceramic tile is a valuable process in terms of size, color, texture and technical features.
Yurtbay Seramik, is investing in an innovative future with a reference to the past inspired by its founder Zeki Yurtbay. One of the successful female executives of the family plays an important role among the people who design the future of Yurtbay. Yurtbay Seramik Marketing Director Melis Yurtbay stresses that they have made researches conducted to feel the pulse of the target sectors, especially the building sector and added the energy of youth to the sector with the 7th Design Awards. She has shared her evaluation and goals with us in a meaningful period coincides with 8 March International Women’s Day
and during the UNICERA 2020 process.
Could you please evaluate the developments in the building sector for the halfyear we left behind globally, locally and in the context of ceramic tiles?
The building sector has an inclusive feature that involves many sectors. With the acceleration of industrial studies every year, we come across many innovation from siding to interior surface materials. In addition, we notice new systems that are environmentally friendly, more nature friendly, renewable or multi-functional.Yurtbay Seramik conducts research in building sector as well as other sectors in order to follow the innovation more closely and to feel the pulse of the sector. In this process, we continue our investments by cooperating with the experts of the subject, integrating the newest systems to take our development to the next level. We are happy to be in a very valuable sector in which the development process regarding size, color, texture and technical features has not been completed considering the situation in terms of ceramic tiles. In addition, we can say that it is a creative sector shaped by world trends, setting a course not only according to technical features but also with respect to fashion and design trends. We think that ceramic tile will incorporate many different features in the future. Just like the way that we perceive a size and technical feature, we could not speak of ten years ago, as usual today certainly what we will talk about in a decade will not be the same. Our brand will evolve into a completely different journey along with the needs, demands, fashion and design trends. Change and transformation for us is a valuable process that we will carry out by preserving our values and taking reference from the past.
How would you evaluate the 7th Zeki Yurtbay Design Awards which was held last year regarding the participants and the projects that ranked?
Zeki Yurtbay Design Competition, which we organized for the 7th time, was a wonderful process that we discovered qualified projects. We were also happy to see the increasing interest of the students. We had a very enjoyable process, which we completed with 4920 pre-applications, 430 project submissions. Our jury selected the winners meticulously. Developing together and improving others are very valuable for us. All the projects of the participating fellows were respectively exciting for us.
We see an increasing number of attendance and applications each year. What are your thoughts on the institutionalization journey of this organization and the scope of the following years?
It was very important that this meaningful competition, named after our founder, Mr. Zeki Yurtbay, who added excitement and dynamism to our establishment, has been brought to the present in order to enable students to demonstrate their talent and to lead them. In the following years, we might be talking about different things with the valuable ideas of our jury members. We think that our institutionalization process is reserved in the value we attach to our project. We will continue to organize this meaningful competition with the same enthusiasm every year. I would also like to say that we would like to see more of these competitions.
What would you recommend to students who desire to participate in the competition?
They should dare, they should not lose heart! These are features valuable. They should not hesitate to listen to their inner voices in life, to try something that has not been done before. We can only be a tool to lead their way; but they are the ones who will take out and present the real talent. If a business includes originality, subtlety and intelligence, they will sooner or later find that water makes its way. As Yurtbay Seramik, we are always with them.
What are your objectives with the projects you intend to implement as Yurtbay Seramik?
As Yurtbay Seramik, we continue to learn, develop and change. We determine our local and global needs accurately and we make our R&D investments in this direction. We have always kept our objectives big and this will carry on thus and so. We work with great pleasure in line with our goals as a team. We continue to experience the pride of being a leading brand in the industry, with a vision of “only the best” and mission of “being a world brand that embellish living spaces”.
What kind of Yurtbay booth will we see at UNICERA Fair that will take place on 10-14 March?
Our concept is quite different this year. We will have many innovation in our booth. This meaningful year which we celebrate our 25th anniversary will be crowned by elegance of our exhibition booth and unique concept. It will be a booth where we can see the minimal and assertive simplicity of the design that marked this century which the universe has changed and evolved.
