IDDMIB/Tecdelioğlu: The Power of Design Will Propel Export Perception Forward
The winners of the 20th İMMİB Industrial Design Competition, organized in cooperation with the İstanbul Ferrous and Non-Ferrous Metals Exporters' Association (İDDMİB) and the İstanbul Chemical Materials and Products Exporters' Association (İKMİB), have been announced. Held under the theme “Disaster and Emergency,” the competition received 191 project submissions in two different categories, with six projects deemed worthy of awards. İMMİB Coordinator President and İDDMİB Board Chairman Çetin Tecdelioğlu emphasized the significance of design, the perception it creates, and the awareness it raises for more value-added products in exports, noting that this competition has been held for 20 years.
The awarded projects from the İMMİB Industrial Design Competitions, now in their 20th year, have been identified. In a design competition held under the theme "Disaster and Emergency" in the 'Metal Products Category' and 'Plastic Products Category', six projects received awards. The top three projects in each category were awarded, totaling 260,000 Turkish lira in prizes. Additionally, winners from each category were granted the opportunity for foreign education scholarships.
During the jury evaluation meeting, Çetin Tecdelioğlu spoke about the competition's 20-year history, highlighting that Turkey and the world have gone through significant changes during this time, particularly due to digitization, sustainability, and the pandemic. He stated that these changes have created new markets for exports, urging that products must be designed to be more value-added, functional, ergonomic, and better meet consumer expectations. He emphasized the need to create awareness among manufacturers, traders, buyers, and everyone in the supply chain regarding this perception, asserting that the key message we convey through these competitions and gatherings is this awareness.
Tecdelioğlu noted that very attractive prototypes have emerged from the design stages and have been transformed into products by industrialists. He expressed pride in the increasing number of tangible and marketable products, stating, "However, there are two sides to the issue. The first is its practical and real role, namely functionality and generating revenue for our country. The other side is perception. Our companies, manufacturers, employees, and designers must identify the areas where they can contribute by adapting to the changing and evolving global dynamics regarding this issue, create value in these areas, and add high added value to our exports. We need to manage this perception."
He mentioned that various supports exist under the name of design, primarily from ministries, but expressed that these supports are not fully satisfactory. He called for stronger support led by the government, stating, "Eventually, design is a perception, and we need to spread it. We are willing to do our part and participate voluntarily in efforts regarding support."
Tecdelioğlu revealed that a total of 89 designers have benefited from international education scholarships over the past 20 years and stated that they recently held a meeting with a significant number of these beneficiaries, coming to appreciate the value of their work once again. He recounted hearing many inspiring development stories and expressed pride in the achievements of the beneficiaries: "Our beneficiaries shared how the scholarships have made a difference in their personal development, how they perceive the world and sectoral dynamics, and the job offers they received during this process, as well as their contributions both individually and on behalf of our country. They also articulated how the awareness and opportunities created by these scholarships have changed their lives. Hearing this has given us great motivation for the competitions we will hold and the scholarships we will provide in the future."