General Manager Serra Saatcioglu Yildiz of Efi Reggiani Turkiye; “Our aim is to build on tradition and to create something innovative.”

“BDR Company, established in 2016,is the producer of dyes and chemicals in industrial textile printing and also the leading manufacturer in digital textile market.“ We had an interview with Efi Reggiani BDR Turkiye General Manager Serra Saatçioğlu Yıldız on behalf of our Tekstil News Magazine, who said, “BDR company, which has achieved significant growth since the day it entered the market, has been integrated into EFI Reggiani following the acquisition process in 2019.”

Tekstil News: Most recently, Serra Saatcioglu Yıldız has been General Manager at Efi Reggiani Turkiye and the Global Director of Sales Dyes & Chemicals, congratulations on your new role. Would you please give us information about EFI Corporation?

Serra Saatcioglu Yldız: EFI™ is a global technology company, leading the worldwide transformation from analogue to digital imaging.We are the leading provider of digital font ends and workflow solutions for the industrial and graphic arts print industries. We work with our customers to increase profits, cut costs, improve productivity, and optimize efficiency – job after job, year after year. We are devoted to our customers. And we definitely believe we have the right people, technology and experience to help them achieve their business goals. Electronics for Imaging, Inc. (EFI) was incorporated in 1988 and was acquired by an affiliate of private equity firm Siris Capital in 2019. EFI has more than 2,000 employees globally and has significant operations in 10 countries, including eight primary facilities located in the United States, Israel, Italy, Spain, Turkiye, and the United Kingdom. I am leading Turkiye operations in EFI Reggiani BDR facility located in Bursa free trade zone.

Tekstil News: Which industries EFI is involved in and where is EFI Reggiani BDR Dyes & Chemicals standing?

Serra Saatcioglu Yıldız: EFI develops breakthrough technologies for the manufacturing of signage, packaging, textiles, ceramic tiles, building materials, commercial print, and personalised documents, with a wide range of printers, inks, digital front ends, and a comprehensive business and production workflow suite that transforms and streamlines the entire production process.Founded in 2016, BDR has experienced remarkable growth since its launch in the market. Located in Bursa free trade zone,our company services many of the world’s top textile and apparel manufacturers, delivering trusted dyes&chemicals that drive greater cost-efficiency and quality in digital printing. Thanks to its strong commercial capabilities, BDR has built a significant presence in Turkiye, Pakistan, Spain, Italy, Poland, France, Germany, Portugal, Argentina, Brasil, South Korea, Indonesia, China, the Middle East and India, majority of our sales are based on export.
BDR has been integrated to EFI Reggiani after an acquistion in 2019 and became EFI Reggiani BDR. The synergies arising with BDR and the world-class portfolio of EFI Reggiani textile printers is a key point of emphasis for us to continue providing high-quality products and innovation.

“EFI Reggiani celebrates 77 years of innovation for the textile world”

Tekstil News: Digital printing in textile segment is becoming more significant in the market so how would you briefly summarize the past year in textile business?

Serra Saatcioglu Yıldız: Last year, we had to navigate a variety of different obstacles. Our company was unable to escape the impact of the geopolitical situation.
We have experienced a financial year that was dominated by the economic repercussions of the war. The inflation and energy prices rise led to a rapid turnaround in monetary policy, interest levels rose at an unprecedented rate and slowed economic development. At the same time, we were troubled by weak demand from our customers as a result of recession. In turn,we find that change is becoming a constant element of doing business.
EFI has a rich and long tradition. This tradition has to be built on and it has to evolve. We have to ensure a solid financial footing and act both strategically and proactively. This is the only way to achieve success.The fact that we were able to bring the year to a successful close is thanks to the enormous commitment of our employees. Currently,the situation has settled down again, and now we are looking ahead with confidence to our future growth path.

Tekstil News: How is it to be a part of an international corporation that has 2100 employees?

Serra Saatcioglu Yıldız: Employees working in EFI, have both an opportunity and a duty to shape the company. The same goes for everyone who’s been with the company for a long time as well. At EFI, new employees will often be exposed to several decades of professional experience. Many of our long-serving employees set an example in terms of conviction and commitment. We also benefit from a synthesis of experience and fresh stimulus in production. You can see the synthesis of tradition and innovation together. Our aim is to continuously innovate to maximize our customers’ digital printing success.

Tekstil News: During 2022 EFI had already announced its Sustainabilty Impact Report and formalized a Sustainability Committee in order to take steps to embed sustainability into its culture and operational processes. How’s that going?

Serra Saatcioglu Yıldız: We recognize that our products and operations have both direct impacts and opportunities to contribute positively to our fragile ecosystems. We know it is our responsibility to grow sustainably.
We have taken asessment, and began forming and executing a strategic action plan to embrace sustainability. We began to collect environmental, social, and governance metrics across our organization so that we can put in a place a foundation for creating meaningful goals and measuring progress.
It is our desire to raise our voice in sustainability conversations within the print industry. To do so effectively, we recognize we must be transparent with our actions and impact on the environment.You may learn more about our journey, progress, goals, and our commitment to a more sustainable future from our 2022 Sustainability Impact Report in efi.com.

Tekstil News: Saatcioglu, what are the key trends in the textile printing market segment?

Serra Saatcioglu Yıldız: Digital textile printing is one of the fastest-growing segments in our industry. The global digital textile printing market size was valued at USD 2,669.9 million in 2022 and is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 14.4% from 2023 to 2030.  The major players operating in the global digital textile printing market are focused on new product launch and partnerships due to shift in trend toward eco-friendly and quality-based products.  We aim to expand our strong position in this high-growth market. We are addressing the main challenges that our customers are facing and we are focusing on to adapt new strategies to satisfy the expectations of our customers.

“Continuous innovation is our guiding principle”

Tekstil News: Looking ahead to the coming financial year, what are the key points that you want to take on?

Serra Saatcioglu Yıldız: A growing world population needs more and more textile fabrics, and at the same time there is a trend away from water consumption and toward sustainable production. We have to leverage these developments. Product innovation has always been central to the EFI business model. We believe that development of new products and enhancement of existing products is essential to our continued success. We employ considerable resources to support our innovation efforts. As the industry continues its transition from analog to digital technology, innovation will remain a key growth driver for our company.
Just recently we presented our new pigment solution, which enables a significant step in less water consumption and energy saving.

The EFI Reggiani ecoTERRA solution is an all-in-one solution for water-based pigment printing that requires no ancillary equipment for pre- and post-treatment. By significantly reducing water, energy and chemicals consumption in the overall process, customers can now obtain a truly sustainable, direct-to-fabric printing solution. All this combined with the most comprehensive pigment line up in the industry: a full ecoTERRA line up of six models, including a 340 printing width, with speeds ranging from 150 to more than 700 sqm/hour, backed up by proven EFI Reggiani technology and service.

Reggiani ecoTERRA water-based pigment inks deliver excellent wet and dry fastness properties, incredible sharpness in detail, and outstanding durability while also ensuring printhead longevity with reduced maintenance costs. Thanks to the enhanced polymerisation and finishing unit, EFI Reggiani ecoTERRA also provides an enhanced textile experience and fabric softness. EFI Reggiani ecoTERRA solution utilizes water-based inks, which reduce both carbon emissions and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Water based inks do not require solvent cleaning, which results in a more sustainable manufacturing process.

Sustainability has made it to the heart of our business and will be a key factor for us.It is shaping our business and opening up new prospects. Thus we are integrating our sustainability goal into our operations and creating value added at multiple levels.