Kamil Can CAKIR

BCCI is a leading chamber of commerce and industry in Turkey, serving 56,000 member companies, of which approximately 23,000 operate as manufacturers in Bursa. Main industries in Bursa are Automotive, Textile, Machine Manufacturing, Construction, Agri-Food . Small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) constitute 99% of the total enterprises in Bursa Economy. BCCI has played a pivotal role in empowering SMEs by utilizing its own resources and creating awareness about effective state support usage. BCCI’s structure includes 70 sectoral committees and 25 sectoral councils, which regularly convene to discuss sector-specific issues and present their findings and recommendations to relevant stakeholders. Sectoral councils, which have been operating under leadership of BCCI since 2013, determine the road map of Bursa's economy. Projects that add value to Bursa and become a role model for Turkey, such as TEKNOSAB, SME OIZ, BCCI Energy Efficiency Center, Bursa Composite Materials and Technical Textile Prototype Production and Application Center (BUTEXCOMP), are among the most important outcomes of the sectoral councils. Sectoral Councils continue their work for the qualified transformation of Bursa's economy with the EU's 2050 climate neutral vision in the new period. The strategic roadmap developed by the councils, addressing digitalization, resilience, governance, and sustainability, directly contribute to the competitiveness of SMEs in the Single Market. BCCI has played an important role in the development of the cluster culture in Bursa and supports cluster projects in various sectors. BCCI coordinates 15 clusters in diverse sectors, including aerospace & defence, composite, food, furniture, machinery, chemistry, textile, baby & child apparel, coachwork, mould model & casting, health, automotive, elevator manufacturing, advanced rubber, and construction. In these strategic sectors, approximately 1000 member companies has been brought together in clustering groups formed with a cooperation culture. BUTEXCOMP, an important achievement of BCCI, is a strategic initiative aimed at increasing the competitiveness of companies operating in the technical textile and composite materials sector. It is an innovation cluster which based on strong presence of advanced industry and brings together textiles, technical textiles and composite materials manufacturing companies, organizations from supporting industries, academia and research institutions and public bodies. Seating systems for automotive, railway and aviation sectors, technical textile solutions for automotive, railway and aviation, automotive composite materials, wide range of functional textiles for Hometech, Clothech and Protech are among key products of the cluster. BUTEXCOMP cluster provides solutions for its partners, customers and cluster members from material to process and the final product. Supporting open innovation in cluster ecosystem, transformation by productivity and internationalization for growth, constitute three key pillars of our strategy. Since its establishment in 2022, green and digital transition is among top priorities of the cluster. BUTEXCOMP Cluster aims to be one of the top clusters in the EU with its digital transformation and green approach in the technical textile and composite materials industry, as well as its value-added goods and solutions in fields that require high-performance and sustainable materials. The BUTEXCOMP cluster offers a crucial platform for business-to-business cooperation and accessibility, With 21 member companies working in the home textile, technical textile, composite materials, and plastic-rubber industries. Through the cluster, businesses from many industries can collaborate on projects, exchange information, and come up with creative solutions. SMEs can make better use of their resources, keep a close eye on industry advancements,