The glass industry is one of the most important and highly developed industries in Turkey. Historically, glass production dates back to the Seljuk Period. Furthermore, substantial improvements were achieved in the 17th and 18th Centuries during the Ottoman Empire.

            Today, a group of companies, T. Şişe ve Cam Fab. A.Ş., accounts for approximately 90% of annual production with its twenty manufacturing establishments and two marketing companies. Turkish glass industry has a highly intensive production technology and a vast accumulation of know-how. The high level of production capacity, good quality, wide sales services and other related activities have placed the firm second in Europe and fourth in the world.

            The industry has shown an increasing trend in production in recent years and production was approximately 1 513 thousand tonnes in 1998. The major part of production is taken up with flat glass, including both float and sheet types. The second group of items is glass containers and the third is glass household articles, including approximately 5,000 kinds of products. Apart from these, tinted and untinted glass, sand blasted glass, safety glass, enamelled glass, oven glass, glass tiles and bricks, glass tissue, laboratory equipment and the like are produced by the industry.

            Exports have been increasing continuously in recent years, from $121 million in 1986 to $330.9 million in 1999.

            Glass household articles constitute the main part of exports. Flat glass ranks second and glass containers group ranks third in the total exports of the industry. In 1999, the export figures of the above items were $245 million, $52 million and $38 million, respectively.

            Turkish glass industry products are exported to about 100 countries in the world. The major destination countries are Germany, Italy, Egypt, UK, France and Greece.

Ceramics Industry

           Ceramics are among Turkey's oldest and best-known products. The first notable ceramics from Turkish lands were the tiles and bricks covered with coloured glazes made in Anatolia for architectural purposes in the 13th Century.

            The history of Turkish ceramics can be traced back several thousand years. In the Seljuk and Ottoman Periods, ceramic art acquired new dimensions and pieces of exquisite beauty were produced.

            Commercial production of ceramics started in 1965 with the foundation of the first technological plant in this field.  Today, there are about 30 establishments in the industry. Thirteen of them produce ceramic wall and floor tiles, eight produce sanitaryware. In the ceramic household articles sub-sector, there are 8 major companies as well as 250 small workshops engaged in production.

            There are two major companies in the technical ceramics sub-sector. The total production of the industry was approximately 1.858 thousand tonnes in 1999.

            The major part of production belongs to ceramic wall and floor tiles. The second important group of items in the production is sanitaryware and the third is household articles.

            Turkey ranks 5th in the world and 4th in Europe in the production of ceramic tiles. Turkey ranks 5th in Europe in the production of ceramic sanitaryware. Exports of the ceramic industry have been increasing steadily. In 1998, exports totalled  $270.3 million.

            Ceramic tiles constitute the major part of exports. Sanitaryware articles rank second and household articles and ornaments rank third in the total ceramics industry exports. In 1998 the export figures of the above given articles were $194.6 million, $59.4 million and $22.5 million, respectively.

            Approximately 80% of exports are directed to EU countries. The major export countries are Germany, the United Kingdom, the USA, France and Israel.