NURDAN BOZKURT

ISTANBUL – Hürriyet Daily News

Süleyman Orakçıoğlu says he believes that Turkish firms will once again be active in North Africa and the Middle East.

The Orka Group, owner of the domestic fashion brands Damat, Tween and ADV, forecasts 33 percent growth in 2011 through the opening of new stores, launching of children’s clothes lines and creating jobs, according to its chairman.

Süleyman Orakçıoğlu told the Hürriyet Daily News & Economic Review during an interview earlier this week that his company plans to take in revenue worth 200 million Turkish Liras by the end of this year.

The group grew by 54 percent in 2010, according to him.

The company has 175 domestic and foreign branches, 20 of which are franchises.

“We aim to increase this number to 210 by the end of this year,” Orakçıoğlu said.

The company has earmarked 5 million liras for new stores and another 5 million liras for to research and development, he said. Orka also plans to open a new production facility that will employ 250 people, the chairman said, adding that another 400 people will be employed at the new stores.

“To fight with competition in textiles, one should create differences. We attach great importance to this and are a designer brand,” he said.

The brand recognition of Damat and Tween is very high in London, Orakçıoğlu said.

We have caught a good performance in some fashion capitals such as London and Barcelona,” he said, adding that their new focus is on Eastern markets.

Orka brands are sold in more than 20 high-profile stores in London, he added.

The company opened seven stores in India and four in Romania in 2010.

“In 2011 we will increase the number of our stores in Moscow and Dubai,” Orakçıoğlu said.

Orka is also in contact with a group in Poland for fresh investment plans, he said.

The recent turmoil in the Middle East and North Africa has negatively affected Turkish businesses, particularly shopping mall investors in Libya, he said. “Still, I believe that Turks will once again be active in these countries.”

On the other hand, the group has only lost some customers in these regions and has even some further investment plans at some shopping malls, though the plans are not concrete yet.

The company, which is working on a t-shirt collection for Father’s Day on June 20 this year, is also preparing a children’s line.

(Source: www.Hurriyetdailynews.com )