Stating that they also provide information to their customers when there are markets specifically targeted abroad, Semih Kart said that; “Until now, we have supported our customers specifically for markets such as GCC Gulf countries, Israel and China alongside European Union countries. During our recent visits, we saw our customers opening to overseas markets with the documents and guidance we provided. In this context, we are particularly pleased with the support we give to the companies.”

“Homologation is Our Main Service Area”

Would you please tell us about your company’s short history since its establishment?

Optival started to serve in 2016. We operate in the automotive sector in the field of testing and certification. We set out with an experienced team during the establishment phase and completed our accreditation and authorization processes in a short time.

Type approval procedures or briefly, homologation is our main service area. Currently, we certify through the Irish approval agency NSAI and the Dutch approval agency RDW, as well as the Ministry of Industry and Technology of Republic of Turkey. We have a very experienced and competent team in the field. We have the competence and authority to serve in many fields from all kinds of sub components to complete motor vehicles, from superstructure vehicles to “O” category trailers.

“We Carry Out Homologation Processes of Manufacturers and Ensure Type Approval Certificate”

What is homologation? How do the processes proceed and where do you stand in this process?

In short, homologation is the assessment of your product’s conformity according to certain standards and the certification of it. The method of this may be different for different markets. For Turkey, the European Union and / or United Nations member countries, there is an official agency appointed by each country. You must certify your product through one of these. In doing so, the first step is to start the process with the technical service assigned by the relevant official institution. This is where we come in. As an appointed technical service, we carry out the homologation processes of the manufacturers and ensure that they receive a type approval certificate.

“We Serve All Companies Who Want to Sell Products to EU and UN Member States”

Who is your target group?

I can say that companies that need testing and certification of all kinds of products in the automotive sector. Our target group within the scope of type approval consists of motor vehicle manufacturers, superstructure manufacturers, trailer manufacturers, modification companies and their suppliers. We certify suppliers for all types of parts that require type approval, such as seats, seat belts, audible warning devices, mirrors, windows, batteries, electrical and electronic products. We are able to provide services to all companies who want to sell products to Turkey, the European Union or the United Nations member countries.

What are your services especially in terms of heavy vehicles and related sectors?

Again, if we talk about our type approval services, we are working for the certification of motor vehicles and “O” category trailers. We provide services for second stage type approval and modification projects for companies and superstructure manufacturers who make changes in the vehicles of motor vehicle manufacturers. We are able to provide service as a complete package for many renovations applied in Turkey within the scope of our authorization taken from the Ministry of Industry and Technology in Republic of Turkey.

Modification Projects and Second Stage Type Approvals

Could you provide details about the services you provide for the certification needs of onboard equipment manufacturers?

In our country, the superstructure manufacturers register their vehicles with modification projects or second stage type approvals. We are active in these two areas. From time to time, we encounter information deficiencies and the first step is to inform our customers about the processes and explain how they can follow the path. We determine the most suitable solution according to the production numbers of the customer, the base vehicles on which he works intensively and the superstructure versions. In the second phase we support customers’ needs according to the type-approval certificate for taking the documents through Turkey or abroad.

These Documents have Key Importance for New Markets

Would you please give details about the services you provide for the certification needs of trailer manufacturers?

We offer trailer manufacturers vehicle type approval under 2007/46 / EC. In this context, we provide the type-approval documents that are valid in EU countries and Turkey and also adopted by many other countries. These documents have key importance for new markets.

“With the Certificates we Provided, the Vehicle Manufacturers Can Sell Their Vehicles to Turkey and all EU Member Countries Abroad”

Do your services only cover domestic areas or do you have similar services abroad?

Vehicle can be registered in Turkey with the type approval certificates received from European Union member states. Therefore, it will not be correct to make foreign - domestic distinction for type approval services. With the certificates we provide, the vehicle manufacturers can sell their vehicles to Turkey and all EU Member countries abroad. Additionally, the certificates received from EU member states are also accepted by many other countries.

“We Saw Our Customers Opening to Overseas Markets With Our Certificates And Guidance We Provided”

We are able to provide information on these markets when our customers have markets specifically targeted abroad. Until now, we have supported our customers specifically for markets such as GCC Gulf countries, Israel and China alongside European Union countries. During our recent visits, we saw our customers opening to overseas markets with the documents and guidance we provided. In this context, we are particularly pleased with our support to the companies.

“One of the Biggest Problems We Encounter is Lack of Testing Areas on Some Subjects”

What are the difficulties and problems in the type approval process of domestic production? What benefits do you provide to your customers at this point?

Compared to the situation when I entered this sector in 2007, I can say that we have overcome the biggest difficulties. The biggest challenge of that time was to bring technical experts from abroad, even for the smallest design controls. This was a great burden on both time and cost. Then, local offices of foreign companies were established in our country. Now we can give a complete support for the projects in Turkey as a local technical service, and we provide services even abroad. Optival has served many customers from China and Germany. We also focus on increasing the regions we serve. Now I can say that our country has accumulated a serious competence in this field.

Of course there are still problems. The biggest problem we encounter at the moment is the lack of testing areas on some issues. Investment plans in this area continue. We try to get ahead of the lack of test laboratories both with the investments we make ourselves and with collaborations we make with laboratories in Turkey.

“We Are in Contact With The Ministry of Industry and Technology of Republic of Turkey”

In terms of continuity of your services and healthy functioning of the sector; Do you work in partnership with government, sector and NGOs? If you have such works, would you elaborate?

As a technical service assigned by the Ministry of Industry and Technology of Republic of Turkey, we are constantly in contact with the Ministry and pay attention to actively participate in all subcommittee meetings. In these sub-committee meetings, we have the opportunity to address the problems in the sector. In the drafting process before the publication of the legislation, we also give importance to actively commenting on the problems in the sector.

We try to be in close communication with the associations such as OSD, TAYSAD, TREDER and ARÜSDER. The information and feedback we receive from these associations are very valuable for us. Of course we have many manufacturers who are not members of these associations. We do our best to reach them one by one.

“We Organize Trainings According to The Needs of Companies”

What kind of services do you provide to the sector other than type approval activity?

Homologation is the first step of product design. First of all, you need to know the technical conditions of your target market so that you can make a healthy start. Therefore, we provide services such as training and design review in the initial stages of the projects. We organize trainings according to the needs of the companies. We organize the training content by looking at the characteristics of the vehicle and / or subcomponent, which market it is designed for, and so on.

In addition, we support supplier companies for verification tests performed according to manufacturer specifications. We offer a one stop solution for the tests requested according to the main manufacturer specifications. We also provide training and consultancy services under ISO 26262, a standard for the reliability of complex electronic systems in vehicles.

“We Are The Technical Service Directly Appointed From Europe”

What are the advantages of receiving service from you when you consider the main topics of your service?

We are a local technical service but also we are the technical services directly appointed from Europe. This has many important advantages. Most importantly, we are not foreign – dependent and we do not need to get the approval of a second authority for the initiatives we take as technical staff in Turkey. As a technical service directly appointed from Turkey and from Europe, we can give support to the needs of customers for local and foreign markets from a single point.

Another important issue is the solution-oriented approach of our team. We offer solutions as a package to our customers. An important part of our team consists of experts from motor vehicle manufacturers and superstructure manufacturers. This enables us to look at processes from the customer’s window.

Which areas do you operate in Turkey? How can your potential customers contact you?

We have no limitations on this. We are able to serve quickly within a short time to all parts of Turkey. They can contact me via e-mail at info@optival.com.tr or semih.kart@optival.com.tr or call me directly on +90 546 770 4130.