Aegean mining exporters target $2 billion as 89 companies win awards

By Ahmet Taş | Wise News Press

AFYONKARAHISAR, TÜRKİYE — The Aegean Mineral Exporters’ Association has launched its 2026–2030 working period in Afyonkarahisar, setting a new $2 billion export target while honoring 89 mining and natural stone exporters for their contribution to overseas sales.

Known by its Turkish acronym EMİB, the association said members based in Afyonkarahisar, Kütahya and Ankara contributed $265 million to its $1.369 billion in exports in 2025. The organization also reported that its exports over the latest 12-month period rose 13%, from $1.369 billion to $1.519 billion.

EMIB launches 2026–2030 strategy from Türkiye’s marble center

The new working period began under the motto “Shaping the Future of the Sector Together” in Afyonkarahisar, one of Türkiye’s most important marble and natural stone production centers.

Ahead of the Export Stars Awards Ceremony at Korel Thermal Hotel, EMIB held a regional member meeting with exporters from Afyonkarahisar, Kütahya, Ankara and Uşak.

The open-microphone meeting focused on issues affecting mining companies, particularly forestry permits, mining licenses, regulatory procedures and possible solutions to administrative bottlenecks.

The meeting was hosted by İbrahim Alimoğlu, Chairman of the Aegean Mineral Exporters’ Association. Participants included Deputy General Director of Mining and Petroleum Affairs Devran Ünlü, Environmental Impact Assessment Department Head Fatih Selimoğlu, TÜMMER Chairman Hanefi Şimşek, EMIB Vice Chairmen İbrahim Altınpınar and Faik Tokatlıoğlu, as well as association members from the region.

New export target set at $2 billion

Alimoğlu said EMIB increased its exports by 13% during the latest 12-month period, from $1.369 billion to $1.519 billion, and is now aiming to reach $2 billion.

He said rapidly changing global trade conditions, increasing financing and production costs and geopolitical developments affecting export markets require a new approach.

For the 2026–2030 period, the association plans a more selective, data-driven and measurable working model focused on direct benefits for its members.

EMIB identified five strategic priorities after consultations with sector stakeholders. The first is branding and higher-value production.

The association wants Türkiye’s natural stone industry to strengthen its position in global markets not only through the country’s reserves, but also through design, innovation and brand value.

Projects including the AMORF Design Competition and TURQUALITY activities are expected to be reassessed and expanded with broader industry participation.

Strategy shifts from more fairs to the right buyers

Market diversification is another central part of the new strategy.

Alimoğlu said the association intends to move away from simply asking which international fair it should attend and instead focus on a more targeted question: which product should be presented to which buyer in which market?

Trade fairs and commercial delegations are to be planned using more detailed data, while target buyers will be identified before activities begin.

Alimoğlu summarized the approach as seeking more impact rather than more activity.

In the first three months of the new working period, EMIB plans to identify target countries and performance indicators, review AMORF and TURQUALITY projects and prepare solution files covering regulatory and financing problems.

Within six months, the association aims to create target-buyer lists, launch new market studies, strengthen dialogue with public institutions in Ankara and organize additional regional member meetings.

Regulations, licensing and permits will form another priority area. EMIB intends to present government institutions not only with industry problems but also with proposals it considers practically implementable.

Afyonkarahisar relies heavily on natural stone exports

At the awards ceremony, Muhammet Öztürk, Coordinator Chairman of the Aegean Exporters’ Associations, highlighted the importance of natural stone to Afyonkarahisar’s economy.

According to figures cited by Öztürk, the province increased exports by 25% in 2025, from $341 million to $428 million. Natural stone accounted for $284 million of that total.

That means roughly two of every three dollars exported from Afyonkarahisar came from natural stone under those figures.

The pattern continued during January-July 2026. Afyonkarahisar recorded exports of $259 million during the seven-month period, while natural stone accounted for $169 million.

Öztürk also cited the Turkish Ministry of Trade’s activity-province export statistics, which use a different reporting basis. Under those data, Afyonkarahisar recorded $841 million in exports during 2025, with natural stone estimated at about $555 million, or 66% of the total.

He said he expects the province to surpass the $1 billion export threshold in the near future, supported by the mining industry.

Öztürk also noted that exporters from Afyonkarahisar form the largest regional cluster within EMIB. He said EMIB’s exports had exceeded $1.5 billion over the latest 12 months, helping the wider Aegean Exporters’ Associations surpass $19 billion in exports for the first time in its 87-year history.

89 companies honored for mining and natural stone exports

EMIB honored 89 members headquartered in Afyonkarahisar, Kütahya and Ankara at its Export Stars Awards Ceremony.

The recipients were divided into the top three, Platinum, Gold, Silver and Bronze categories. Publishing the full list also reflects the breadth of Türkiye’s marble, travertine, mining and natural stone export base.

Top three

• Şuayp Demirel
• Tureks-GM Mermer Granit
• Bazalto Madencilik

Platinum category

• Aadoğaltaş
• ACK Mermer Madencilik
• Ankamer Enerji Madencilik
• Aymar Doğaltaş Madencilik
• Emek Mermer
• Karamehmet Mermer
• Makomar Mermer
• Martura Stones
• Megamer Proje Mermer
• Rustica Stone
• Şenler Mermer
• Şentaş Marble

Gold category

• Al Amin Mermer
• Alimoğlu Mermer
• Alpmar Mermer
• Dervişoğlu Traverten
• İpek Doğal Taş
• Kaymer Madencilik
• Kopturoğlu Mermer
• Koral Stone
• Lera Doğal
• Mevlüt Çetinkaya
• Modamar Mermer
• PNR Doğal Taş Madencilik
• Sanata Mermer
• Traverten Mermer
• Umbrella Stones

Silver category

• Afyom Marble
• Ahmetpaşa Mermer
• Ayda Stone
• Aygünler Doğal Taş
• Ayyıldız Maden
• Baykara Petrol
• Cakmaklar Mermer
• Dream Stone
• Elle Natural Stone
• Gençler Mermer
• Göltaş Granit
• Gürel Mermer
• İbrahim Uğur Doğal Taş
• Kenan Şahin
• KMK Mermer
• Marmi Di Victorious
• Marmosium Mermer
• Mehmet Aygün Mermer
• Palmira Marble
• Safari Mermer
• Skymar Mermer
• Stone Garden
• Stonetech Mermer
• Taş Zamanı
• Turkmar
• Uğur Mermer
• Win Stones Mermer

Bronze category

• Abdulrahim Enavi
• Aftile Marble
• Aksel Mermer
• Aram Marble Doğal Taş
• Ark Doğaltaş
• Balmahmut Mermer
• City Stone Mermer
• Çıldır Madencilik
• Daymar Stone
• Efal Maden
• Er-Nak Mermer
• Erol Stone
• GM Stone Mermer
• Kaymer Doğal Taş
• Lune Stones
• Mabella Marble
• Maltaş Maden
• Marblest Madencilik
• Mars Mermer
• Masstone
• Ortadoğu Stone
• Reisoğlu Mermer
• SFR Mermer
• SLD Art Maden
• Sonnenflex Schleifmittel
• Stone Source
• Süleyman Demirel Hacı Ahmet Demirel Oğulları İthalat İhracat
• Three Stars
• Tirmar Maden
• Turan Bekişoğlu Mermer
• Venti Marble
• Yurtmar International

The association said the 89 recipients together contributed approximately $265 million to EMIB’s $1.369 billion in exports during 2025.

Natural stone sector seeks higher value and stronger brands

EMIB’s four-year strategy places significant emphasis on increasing the value generated from Türkiye’s natural stone reserves.

Rather than competing mainly through raw material availability and production volumes, the association wants exporters to strengthen design capability, product development, innovation, branding and international market positioning.

This approach is also expected to affect how trade missions and exhibitions are selected. Instead of measuring success primarily by the number of fairs attended, EMIB plans to evaluate whether companies are reaching suitable buyers and generating measurable commercial results.

Closer relations with member companies are another component of the strategy. Regional meetings and company visits are intended to provide more direct information about problems encountered by exporters in production, financing, licensing and international sales.

The association also wants to strengthen regular dialogue with government agencies and organize workshops focused on legislation affecting the mining industry.

Alimoğlu said the objective can be summarized as “not more projects, but measurable results” and a sector that is not merely identifying problems but also taking part in developing solutions.

Afyonkarahisar becomes starting point for next growth phase

Launching the 2026–2030 period in Afyonkarahisar carries particular significance because the province is one of the strongest concentrations of marble and natural stone exporters represented by EMIB.

The industry already accounts for a substantial share of local exports, while dozens of companies from Afyonkarahisar and neighboring provinces appear on the association’s latest award list.

EMIB now intends to translate this production and export base into a broader international strategy built around higher-value products, more recognizable Turkish natural stone brands, carefully selected markets and closer engagement with buyers.

With exports already above $1.5 billion on a latest-12-month basis, the next declared milestone is $2 billion.

For EMIB, the route toward that target will depend not simply on selling more stone, but on increasing the value of exports, improving market selection, addressing regulatory obstacles and strengthening the international visibility of the companies that make up Türkiye’s natural stone industry.

WiseNewsPress.com