“We are Continuously Expanding our Network for the Export of Systems and Platforms to the International Market.”
Defence Turkey: Why are you coming to this conference?
Bernd KREKELER: This conference is an interesting gathering of Turkish Defence and Aerospace Industry. This is a reason on its own.
But for me it is much more: Throughout the years I have very much experienced the professionalism of this industry and its will and its ability for cooperation not only on the New Type Submarine Project, but far beyond – together we are striving for export projects to many countries including my home country Germany. So, this conference is meeting all the colleagues and friends I made – and showing appreciation to the attitude experienced from the persons and companies.
And of course, there will be new contacts. For the material required for NTSP, everything is in hands. But as I said before, we are continuously expanding our network for the export of systems and platforms to the international market. This conference will of course serve in this regard, too.
What are your expectations for your suppliers for Turkish market and for abroad?
Bernd KREKELER: First, I do not think there is anything extraordinary, thyssenkrupp is expecting. Our expectations meet with the expectations of any other customer or any other industrial partner. We are all on the same page, wherever we are, whatever business we are doing, we need reliable partners.
Second, our partners should have in mind that any successful cooperation must be based on sincerity. This means, it is not only about getting a contract and being paid, but fully comply with every stipulation. Whether it is the schedule, the quality or the proceedings or the “Code of Conduct”.
I know this sounds simple and might be taken as granted. But on the other hand, everyone knows that project business as we are doing is connected to a lot of ambiguities, there are influences from all sides on the schedule. There are influences from all sides on the costs. Often, all the world seems to make a contractor’s life difficult. But isn’t this, why we are there? Isn’t this, what makes our work so interesting? Despite all influences, we have to take all efforts to finally deliver in time, in quality and (mainly interesting for the internal stakeholders) at the foreseen budget. And if we run out of it in one or the other direction, we have to take all efforts to catch up, to mitigate. This attitude finally leads to customer satisfaction.
Do you think this is applicable only on Turkish market? Do you think this is applicable only on foreign markets? Do you think it is valid only in defence business or in aerospace? Of course not. It is the attitude, every customer expects. And even more: according to my understanding this is, what every customer deserves. So, this is how we have to behave serving our customers. And this is how we expect our partners to behave serving us. When everyone does his best, we all can make the best out of it – resulting in good products, resulting in good numbers on our balance sheets. And resulting in high scores by our customers. As a precondition for them to turn back
