Mr. Vahap Munyar, a columnist in the daily newspaper Hurriyet paid us a visit. They warmed Fener and Kayserispor, Toshiba who sold them bulbs asked for heaters Bekir Çallı, a partner in ÇALLI Gıda recently asked me: Have you seen Ömer Cihad Vardan’s factory in Gebze? I knew Ömer Cihad Vardan from his Chairmanship of the Independent Industrialists and Businessmen’s Association (MÜSİAD), but I knew little of his sector. Çallı and I met with Ömer Cihad Vardan; Harun Ünlü who is his business partner and Member of the Company’s Board of Directors; Kerem Ünlü, Marketing and Sales Directo; and Osman Ünlü, Sales Director at the Gebze facilities of Çukurova Isı Sistemleri Sanayi ve Ticaret. Ömer Cihad Vardan told us that the company’s founding dated back to 1985: – We started the business of industrial heating in 1991. That is, we changed our direction to installation of interior heating systems of large industrial facilities. We installed systems in giant facilities as those of Vestel City, Tofaş, Renault, and Aygaz. Vardan stressed that the use of natural gas had not been widespread in Turkey when they had begun this line of business: – In time, we developed natural gas based systems. When he told me they purchased units from countries such as the US, and Japan, I asked him: – Your business is based on import. So, I suppose you don’t have a lot to do with manufacturing? – It is normal for us to purchase technological parts from the US and Japan. However, we develop new heating systems here by using devices we have imported. He reminded us of the days when the smoking ban had started: – We were the company that was the best prepared for outdoor heating. Indeed, we were able to quickly offer our products to cafés, restaurants, etc. Vardan said they used the radiant method in natural gas, and halogen bulbs in electrical systems: – In the radiant method, we use units which convert natural gas to heat with the minimum loss. And the halogen bulb converts 99 percent of the electrical energy it uses to heat. A temperature of 2000 (°C) can be reached in 2 seconds. He stressed that one of their most significant outdoor heating projects was the Fenerbahçe Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium: – The system we installed in Şükrü Saracoğlu has been operating without any problems for 7 years. We later installed the heating system for the Layseri Kadir Has Stadium from scratch, during the stadium’s construction phase. – Did you also propose to install a heating system for Galatasaray’s Türk Telekom Arena Stadium? – We had talks, but we did not get the job. One company claimed they could provide heating with less fuel and power than we. In that race, we did our calculations, tried to reduce our figures a little. We realized that dropping to their level would not provide adequate heating. We said as much to the management of Galatasaray. He then shared with us the request they had received from Toshiba, from whom they had been purchasing halogen bulbs: – Toshiba were very interested in the heating systems we developed using halogen bulbs. They said they wanted to buy these systems from us to be used in Japan. Çukurova Isı’s annual turnover is around USD 10-11 million. The fact that Toshiba, who had been providing halogen bulbs would offer to “Open Japan’s doors to your heating system” shows that the system, if not very great added value, had been successfully developed in Turkey. 35 thousand people can be heated for TRY 3 thousand per game Ömer Cihad Vardan, General Director of ÇUKUROVA Isı Sistemleri gave the Fenerbahçe Şükrü Saraçoğlu and Kayseri Kadir Has Stadiums as examples: – In both stadiums, the cost of natural gas needed to provide heating for over 35 thousand spectators at heights of up to 34 meter does not exceed TRY 3 thousand per game. When it’s possible to warm people up for TRY 3 thousand per game, what would be the point of having spectators shiver with cold in stadiums? Çukurova Isı sold burners for Renault’s factory in France Ömer Cihad Vardan cited Yıldız Holding’s biscuit factory in Topkapı, Istanbul as an example: – We renovated the burners of biscuit ovens. This helped save TRY 2 million a year. Vardan also emphasized that their experience in this field had won recognition in the world as well: – We also provided burners of one of Renault’s factories in France. We also carry out work for Bulgaria, Romania, Georgia, and Azerbaijan in industrial heating systems.
