ATO CHAIRMAN BARAN: "THE TURKISH CONTRACTING SECTOR HAS BECOME A SYMBOL OF RELIABILITY AND QUALITY WORLDWIDE"

5 November 2025 – Gürsel Baran, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Ankara Chamber of Commerce (ATO), met with representatives of 22 Ankara-based companies among the 45 Turkish firms included in Engineering News Record (ENR) Magazine's annual "World's Top 250 International Contractors" list. The meeting was hosted by ATO.

Congratulating the companies that have contributed to Türkiye ranking second in the world in the contracting sector, Baran stated:

"This picture is not only a success of our Turkish contracting firms, but also a reflection of Turkish engineering, workforce, managerial capability, and global competitiveness. Today, with project experience exceeding 500 billion dollars in more than 100 countries, the Turkish contracting sector has become synonymous with reliability and quality worldwide."

ATO organized a special program to celebrate the achievements of Turkish companies listed in ENR Magazine's "World's Top 250 International Contractors." The evening was attended by Deputy Minister of Trade Özgür Volkan Ağar, Ankara Governor Vasip Şahin, and President of the Turkish Contractors Association Erdal Eren.

In his opening speech, ATO President Baran noted that they had invited the companies featured in the annual list announced by the Turkish Contractors Association in order to fulfill the saying, "Merit deserves recognition," and to congratulate them.

Baran emphasized that the 45 Turkish companies included in the Top 250 list have positioned Türkiye second globally after China. He said:

"This table is not only the success of our Turkish contracting companies, but also a reflection of Turkish engineering, workforce, management skills, and global competitiveness. Of our 45 companies, 22 are headquartered in Ankara. This strong representation demonstrates that our capital is not only a city of bureaucracy but also a center of production, exports, construction, and engineering."

Highlighting that Turkish firms have project experience exceeding 500 billion dollars in more than 100 countries, Baran added:

"Today, our contracting sector, through the projects it has undertaken, has become a global symbol of reliability and quality."

EXPORT FIGURES FOR OCTOBER REACHED RECORD LEVELS

Deputy Minister of Trade Özgür Volkan Ağar began his speech by stating that Türkiye has sustained growth for 20 consecutive quarters and continues to demonstrate strong export performance. He announced that Türkiye renewed its export record as of October, stating:

"As of October, our annual exports have reached 270.2 billion dollars. We estimate our service exports to have reached 121.2 billion dollars. Accordingly, in 2025, we have surpassed our target of 390 billion dollars by reaching a total of 391.4 billion dollars in goods and services exports."

Drawing attention to the development of Ankara's economy and ATO's contribution to this progress, Ağar noted that service sectors such as banking, finance, consultancy, education, healthcare, and tourism hold a significant place in the capital's economy. He added:

"In overseas contracting and technical consultancy services, our city has high potential and strength. Ankara ranks second nationwide after Istanbul, with a 10.3 percent share in construction sector output and a 7.8 percent share in real estate activities."

Ağar underlined the critical role of contracting companies in strengthening Türkiye's global competitiveness, stating:

"Our overseas contracting journey, which began in 1972, has reached a proud milestone today. Over 53 years, the total value of 12,674 projects undertaken in 137 countries has reached 546.8 billion dollars as of the end of October."

He also emphasized that despite political and economic fluctuations in Türkiye's surrounding region, the contracting sector continues its upward trend, adding:

"Successes achieved in large-scale projects such as airports, highways, power plants, and railways have contributed to Türkiye rising to the top ranks in global contracting lists. The results of ENR Magazine's 'World's Top 250 International Contractors' list once again certify the international success of the Turkish contracting sector."

GOVERNOR ŞAHİN

Ankara Governor Vasip Şahin stated in his speech that Türkiye has broken new ground and experienced significant development over the past 20 years. He said that Ankara has also gone beyond being solely a bureaucratic center and has become a main hub for contracting services.

Governor Şahin expressed his belief that Türkiye will reach and surpass its targeted level thanks to successful companies and individuals, stating:

"Ankara, as an important education city, provides a strong human resource base for you. The contribution of our youth and experienced workforce to your success is also a source of pride for us."

"OUR COMPANIES DESERVE TO BE REWARDED DOZENS OF TIMES"

President of the Turkish Contractors Association Erdal Eren stated in his remarks that Turkish contractors are flying the Turkish flag at 12,665 construction sites established in 137 countries.

Recalling that they had organized a program to award 45 companies, Eren said:

"I would also like to thank the Ankara Chamber of Commerce for organizing this ceremony to honor once again the 22 of these 45 companies that are headquartered in Ankara and are members of Ankara Industry and Ankara Chamber of Commerce. Our colleagues deserve to be rewarded not once, not twice, but dozens of times."

Emphasizing that overseas contracting services also affect construction sector exports, Eren added:

"The more projects we undertake in a given year, the more the export volume of the Turkish construction sector increases accordingly. The industrialist and exporter members of the Ankara Chamber of Commerce can also track how much business we have secured that year through the flow of materials supplied for our colleagues' overseas projects."

PLAQUES PRESENTED TO COMPANIES

At the event, plaques were presented to the companies included in ENR Magazine's "World's Top 250 Contractors" list.

The program was also attended by ATO Vice Chairmen Temel Aktay and Halil İbrahim Yılmaz; ATO Board Members Adem Ali Yılmaz, Ali Yıldız, Ahmet Akça, Halil İlik, Ali İhsan Güçlü, and Yasin Özyolu; ATO Assembly Clerk Ayşe Nilay Çelik; as well as ATO Assembly and Committee members.