KarBen started its activities in 1989 in order to supply bentonite and chemical materials for drilling, iron steel casting, iron ore pelletization, industrial minerals and civil engineering sectors In 2013, the top management of Karben changed. Umit Yaşar Karakaya, new chairman of the executive board, has recreated the whole organization and structure of the company. The company has determined where it wants to be in the sector in short term and the long term.
KarBen Bentonite meets all of the non-treated sodium bentonite demands in the bentonite sector. As it is known, significant projects and productions in the sector depend on quality standards. Material quality and sustainable material supply are very important. Sustainability of the quality standard in the sector has priority. KARBEN has achieved this in the sector. Therefore, the company has made sales especially in oil drilling, pelletization, construction sector and other sectors. 69% of these sales were exports in 2013. When considered, it seems that all of the exports and domestic sales are supplying products to top line production companies, and significant and permanent projects.
The family started producing bentonite in 1954 with the company Kaya Karakaya had established. The company has minimized Turkey’s import of bentonite to a minimum level in a short time. Due to its geographical advantage KarBen has been able to meet the demand for non-treated sodium bentonite, bentonite ve drilling chemicals in many overseas projects.
The company fully responds to the needs of governmental projects with high quality bentonite. As a result, the company has entered the top of the list of bentonite exporting countries.
KarBen’s chairman Ümit Yaşar Karakaya is the third generation of the family. He is the founder of KarKim, Turkey’s first drilling fluids system and products and engineering services company In his previous business life. In 2011, he opened the company to the public, and signed projects with significant tonnage. He provided gain and stability for his investors and shareholders, and thus gained their trust.
The Karben board of directors, headed by Ümit Yaşar Karakaya, has begun preparations to take the company public in Borsa Istanbul Stock Exhange in short time. The necessary procedure is being pursued in this regard. The energy sector and bentonite sector investors are curiously waiting for this operation.
KarBen has an important place in the production of non-treated sodium bentonite and other bentonite types and drilling chemicals. Its potential is indisputable, and it has become a wanted brand in the world. KarBen’s most important strategic adventage is that the worlds’ non-treated sodium bentoine reverves are running out, especially in the US, Spain, Greece and in the near future this will become a serious problem for the sector.
The company is aware of this problem. Karben will then develop technologies for the production of value-adding materials in bentonite production. Bentonite is used in more than 1000 sectors as you know. We are one of the rare companies that have the raw material stock which can meet the industry’s needs.
But Karben will be one of the most sought-after companies in the industry in the long term with 200 million tons of raw material reserves and production projections.
The company which continues to be leading supplier of bentonite market in Turkey supplies 80% of bentonite used in petroleum and natural gas (oilfield) drilling projects, 70% of bentonite used in geothermal drilling projects, 100% of bentonite used in iron ore pelletization projects. All of the bentonite being used in “Eurasia Tunnel Project” (Istanbul Strait Road Tube Crossing Project) which is one of the most important projects being realized in last 10 years of Turkey and which will connect Europe and Asia to each other with main road with the tunnel dug under Istanbul Strait has been supplied by iys own.
United Kingdom, Italy and Germany from Europe, Egypt from North Africa, and China from Asia are among the countries to which the bentonite is being exported. The bentonite exported to Egypt is used in petroleum and natural gas projects, and the bentonite exported to United Kingdom, Italy, Germany and China is used in production of organoclay. Organoclay, which has various fields of use, is the most important raw material of products such as adhesive, paint, ink, cable coating etc.
Non-treated bentonite which is being extracted from the mine field located in Tokat, Resadiye is exported from Ports of Samsun, Mersin and Fatsa. Bentonite, which is extracted from middle part of Anatolia, is compatible with API specification 13A section 10 non-treated bentonite standards and OCMA standarts. According to the report issued by Mineral Research and Exploration Institute (MTA), the mine site owned by the Company has 200 million tons of bentonite reserve. Annual bentonite production capacity of KarBen is 150.000 tons. The national and international market share of the company has been growing thanks to high production capacity, professional stock and storage team, high speed and credibility provided in product delivery. KarBen has been a credible business partner for worldwide clients with Certificates of TS977 and TS EN ISO 13500 Standards, and “KarBen Quality Assurance Program” which has been developed by KarBen.
High product quality, logistic advantage provided by the geographical location of Turkey and reasonable price strategy determined by the company management help KarBen to reach its objective set by KarBen for its own, which is to be the leading bentonite supplier in the region.
Within the scope of the reorganization process realized in 2013, R&D Department which has been renewed from the scratch continues its activities of finding practical solutions in accordance with the customer demands by doing researches on bentonite and its byproducts. By means of the operations of after sales support department, customer satisfaction is increased and thus total quality management ring has been completed, and the duration of the contracts which have been made with the customers are elongated.
KarBen, which acts with principles of work safety and environmental consciousness, actualizes all scientific and technological improvements by means of the trainings provided for all personnel at regular intervals.
Karben is aware of the needs of the industry, and Works in this direction. Product diversity and uninterrupted quality in service are are among the standing subjects. Our work is not only about the products we produce, but it is also about our uninterrupted relationships with the institutions we communicate, the problems we solve, and the solutions we can produce.
We will be aiming to be one of the best with the ideas of our forward-thinking employees, advices of our clients and partners.