The UNICERA Ceramic and Bathroom Trade Fair held in Istanbul in April of each year since 1988, was held at TÜYAP Beylikdüzü Trade Fair and Convention Center this year April 9-13, 2008.

Turkish Ceramics Federation President Adnan Polat, TÜYAP Chairman of Board of Directors Bülent Ünal, TIMDER and TIMFED President Kemal Yıldırım, TÜYAP Chairman of Executive Board Serdar Yalçın and Chairman of Istanbul Chamber of Industry Tanıl Küçük were present at the opening ceremony of the 20th UNICERA Trade Fair held with the collaboration of Turkish Ceramics Federation, TIMDER Building and Construction Suppliers Association and TÜYAP Tüm Fuarcılık Yapım A.Ş.

The opening ceremony of the 20th UNICERA Trade Fair started with the opening speeches of TÜYAP Chairman of Board of Directors Bülent Ünal and TÜYAP Chairman of Executive Board Serdar Yalçın which were followed by a speech by Kemal Yıldırım, President of TIMDER Building and Construction Suppliers Association and TIMFED. At the opening ceremony, which continued with the speech by Turkish Ceramics Federation President Adnan Polat; evaluating the ceramic industry he has been part of since 1972, Polat said; "In 1972, total output was not even 1 million square meters. Now, we produce 360 million square meters of floor tiles and 23 million pieces of sanitary ware. The trade fair grounds were 100 square meters and there was nothing to display; now, there is an exhibition space over 40,000 square meters, firms exhibiting their products in 500-square meter stands, compared to 20 square meters then. Thanks to investors, industrialists and employees, a serious development has taken place in the ceramics sector". Polat, stating that he talked as the President of the Turkish Ceramics Federation for the last time, added; "There were many things I wanted to do when I took this post and when I look back, I see that there is still a lot I want to do. I have been serving at this post for a long time. Now, I'm handing over this flag to another colleague whom I believe will be successful. As someone who always underscores the significance of unity and togetherness, I believe that the Incentives Act will create problems in the ceramics industry, leading to unfair competition". Polat ended his words thanking everyone who contributed to the foundation of the Federation and the preparation of the trade fair. Chairman of Istanbul Chairman of Chamber of Industry Tanıl Küçük, who took the floor after Adnan Polat, said; "We are proud of the achievements of the ceramics industry".

The opening ceremony ended with the cutting of the opening ribbon of UNICERA 2007. Those attending the opening ceremony toured the stands accompanied by Adnan Polat, Ceramics Federation President.

From 8,500 people to 60,000 people...
In total, 42 firms of which 28 local and 14 foreign had attended the UNICERA Trade Fair held on grounds of 3,500 square meters at Istanbul Exhibition Palace under the title of "Bathroom, Ceramics, Kitchen Trade Fair" 20 years ago in 1987 for the first time with 8,500 visitors. Yet, in 2008, more than 60,000 local and foreign guests visited the UNICERA Trade Fair where more than 170 firms installed stands at, where tile, ceramic tile, vitreous ware, bathtubs, taps, bathroom furniture and accessories, granite, natural stone, glass, mosaic, marble, Jacuzzi and ceramics side industry products were exhibited in 2008. Visitors from 50 different countries lead by Bulgaria, Israel, Italy, Greece, England, Rumania, Germany, Spain, Russia, U.S.A., Australia, Holland and Ukraine attended the trade fair.

Events
The first one of the events held on the occasion of UNICERA took place on Thursday, April 10th. At the event organized as Architects Day, 'Lunch with Ceramic Engineering Students', "Valade Amland Conference' and "Ceramic Symposium' were held. Valade Amland, Member of Board of Directors of Denmark Designers Institution, gave an informative speech on the topic of 'Design'. Senior students of Universities studying ceramic art and ceramics science listened to this speech translated simultaneously into Turkish with interest. Turkish Ceramics Federation Secretary General Germiyan Saatçioğlu, Ceramic Research Center Director Ferhat Kara, TOBB Ceramics and Refractories Assembly Consultant Prof. Dr. Burhanettin Inem, Eczacıbaşı Building Group R&D Director Hidayet Özdemir, Chairman of Undersecretariat of Foreign Trade General Directorate of Exports, Chamber of Industry Bilgehan Şaşmaz participated in the ceramic symposium as speakers on the topic "Turkish Ceramic Industry and Sustainable Development". Germiyan Saatçioğlu made a presentation describing the journey of the Turkish ceramics industry to the present and its current state. Explaining the weak and strong aspects of the sector, he stressed the required needs. Prof. Dr. Ferhat Kara, describing the functioning the Industry-University collaboration in the ceramics industry, talked about the facilities and contributions to the industry of Eskişehir Anadolu University Ceramics Research Center (SAM). Hidayet Özdemir explained the harmony with European Union legislation of the Turkish Ceramics Industry, providing information on the technical regulations, environmental and commercial regulations and the Directives on these subjects in EU. The symposium moderated by Prof. Dr. Burhanettin Inem was viewed with interest by participants and they showed that they were closely interested in the subject by the questions they asked at the end of speeches. On the Master Craftsmen Day held on Friday April 11, gifts and lunch packs were distributed to craftsmen; meetings and trade fair visits were made.

Through the trade fair CNN Turk aired a live program. Sector representatives provided significant information on the fair and the industry in five minute interviews. Turkish Ceramics Federation Secretary General Germiyan Saatçioğlu gave two interviews where he told about the problems and the position of the sector andt he trade fair and the Ceramics Honorary Awards.

The Ceramics Promotion Group was at UNICERA
The Ceramics Promotion Group (STG) continued its efforts promote Turkish Seramics in the global market. While communication activities and trade fair preparations were conducted on the one hand, on the other hand a collaboration project with Accor was carried out for the UNICERA 2008 trade fair where Turkish ceramics were displayed. As part of this project 650 Ticket Cards were prepared for the foreign purchasing customers of firms operating in the industry and trade fair invitation letters were sent with them to the addresses of customers in accordance with the lists received from the firms. 300 Euro worth was loaded on the Ticket Cards of the 150 foreign visitors who came to the turkishceramics stand at the trade fair, which had been sent to their addresses by cargo service to be used in various restaurants and hotels in Istanbul.

'Ceramic Honorary Awards'
Ceramic Honorary Awards handed out with the award ceremony organized by Turkish Ceramics Federation on the occasion of UNICERA Ceramic and Bathroom Trade Fair since 2003 were presented in 5 different categories this year with awards going to distinguished persons who have contributed to the art, education and industry of ceramics. Awardees were determined by Turkish Ceramics Association, TIMDER Construction and Building Suppliers Association, SERKAP Ceramic Tile Manufacturers Association, SERSA Ceramic Sanitary Ware Manufacturers Association and SERHAM Ceramic, Glass and Cement Raw Material Manufacturers Association. The honor trophies were designed by Prof. Hamiye Çolakoğlu this year just as last year.

At the ceremony which took place with wide participation from the ceramic industry;

"Sales and Marketing Discipline Ceramics Honorary Award" handed out by TIMDER went to Ferhan Özkalp.

Prof. Dr. Bekir Karasu was awarded the "Science, Art and Technology Discipline Ceramics Honorary Award" handed out by TSD.

The "Ceramic, Glass and Cement Raw Materials Discipline Ceramics Honorary Award" offered by SERHAM went to Ilhami Tezcan

Adnan Hilmi Torgul received the "Ceramics Sanitary Ware Ceramic Honorary Award" handed out by SERSA.

Hasan Sazcı received the "Ceramic Tile Ceramic Honorary Award" handed out by SERKAP.