Dursun Gece, Chairman of the Board of Alp Özler International Transport, ''We Have Invested for About 100 Vehicles In 2021''

“WE ARE WORKING IN THE BALKANS WITH APPROXIMATELY 55 VEHICLES”

“OUR BIGGEST FEAR IS MIGRANT SMUGGLING”

Dursun Gece, Chairman of the Board of Alp Özler International Transport, states that he started to work in transportation sector in 1982, and tells that they started to work as Alp Özler International Transport after purchasing Alper Nakliyat and Özler Nakliyat from Istanbul in 1994 and merging them. Gece said that; “At first, I worked as primary school teacher for 11 years. I had to leave and after I left, my job in the logistics industry started and we have come to these days. I have four sons, each of my sons is responsible for certain units of the company and everyone is subject to a certain domestic law. In other words, we have a “family constitution”, and everyone performs their own duties depending on that constitution. Our overseas unit is a separate unit. There is a Coca Cola unit in the country, it works separately. Apart from this, we have a unit serving other companies such as Trendyol and Pepsi, and we also have Alp Özler Fleet company within Alp Özler.”

“We Provide Service with Our 200 Vehicles and 416 Employees”

Stating that their vehicle parks currently consisted predominantly of MAN and Mercedes, Gece indicated that the number of vehicles varies between 150 and 200, and that there are occasional vehicle purchases and sales. Gece said that; “We have 416 employees. We continue to work as Alp Özler family in our offices in Ankara, on the airport road and Istanbul Road, in Elazig, Mersin and Istanbul. We get better efficiency from Mercedes and MAN. There are no bad vehicles anymore, all of the vehicle brands are really good. However, we prefer Mercedes because of its easy accessibility, our previous collective purchases and our relationships. We are also satisfied with the yield we have achieved. Besides Mercedes, we also benefit from MAN from time to time. We bought new vehicles from MAN especially for the Yılnak group. Green logistics is also included in our future plans. It is not possible to stay out of it. We are in our plans and following the developments. We wish we could buy electric vehicles if they come out.”

“Our Business and Turnover Increased Compared to Last Year”

Stating that the pandemic period has affected everyone, but their own business has been positively affected, Gece states that they have difficulties in purchasing new vehicles and trailers. Gece said that; “There has been a decrease in production due to the pandemic. We could not obtain as many vehicles and trailers as we wanted. Economic conditions also brought us to a certain point. Especially the rapid change in the last quarter of 2021 put us in a bit of trouble. With companies that work with certain commitments, you do not have the opportunity to change your prices as you wish. But during this period, we had some good work. We made an investment of approximately 100 vehicles in 2021. We have received most of them, and we will receive some of them in the next few months. Our business and turnover have increased compared to last year.”

“We Have Carried Coca Cola Domestically for 25 Years”

Mentioning that they separate the freights they carry as domestic and international, Gece said the following about the transportations they carry out: "We have been carrying Coca Cola domestically for 25 years. We distribute the products that come out of Coca Cola's Ankara factory to all parts of the Black Sea and Central Anatolia. We distribute all products from the Elazig Coca Cola factory to dealers in Eastern Anatolia and Southeastern Anatolia. You see our vehicles working non-stop every day in Eastern and Southeastern Anatolia. Apart from this, we also have new companies. Trendyol, which we started last year, has a big place in us. We work with Trendyol in almost every part of Turkey. We also work by renting a car in the places where they are structured.”

“We Are Working In The Balkans With Approximately 55 Vehicles”

Mentioning that the domestic units of the companies exporting in Ankara do their domestic work, Gece states that they have a very crowded team and vehicle park in these units. Stating that they only work for the Balkans abroad, Gece said that; “We mainly serve the regions of Greece, Albania, Macedonia, Kosovo, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia. We work in these regions with approximately 55 vehicles. The increase in exports in 2021 also affected us positively. Our vehicles work like bees without being empty.”

“Our Biggest Fear is Migrant Smuggling”

Mentioning that they usually use the Ipsala Border Gate for their international transport, Gece draws attention to the fact that they often have to wait because of the crowd and they also experience difficulties due to the expiry of the transit documents called “dozvola”. Talking about other troubles they experienced, Gece said that; “Besides all these, our biggest fear is migrant smuggling. With the instructions we give, our vehicles do not stop anywhere until the customs office in Ipsala when they leave Istanbul. Because the immigrants get into the vehicles by cutting the tent or get inside somehow. If you are caught in such a situation in Greece, the result will be disastrous. There are huge penalties. In fact, some companies pass through Bulgaria by making too many roads and expenses, since Bulgaria does not have very big sanctions. UND has started immigration checks, but still our vehicles cannot stop there. The moment it stops, something happens. Our only fear is that someone enters Greece in the vehicle. That's why our drivers are in trouble. Waiting in line at the door, delays in our loads, and failing to fulfill our commitments on time harm us. There are moral losses as well as financial losses. Although it is not as busy as Kapikule, we are experiencing the same problems in Ipsala. Weather conditions, occasional clutter at the gates and “dozvola” problems may affect us negatively.”

“Our Profession Is Really Exciting”

Noting that this profession and the work they do is an exciting one, Gece said that this profession requires wants dedication and enthusiasm. Mentioning that the industry has great opportunities for young people, Gece said that; “Developing yourself and your business makes people happy. I think that young people should work for themselves, their families and their country and act accordingly by thinking about how I can go forward, how I can improve my business and how I can be more useful while doing their job. The third generation has started with us, and they are at work now. I also intern all my other young grandchildren here during the summer months. Regardless of whether they continue this business or not, I want them to experience this excitement as well. We give the same goals to our other working youth. I hope the results will be even better. Logistics is a sector that will never shrink in the future, and I wish all members of this sector to continue on their way with confidence.”