Held between 15–17 October 2025 at the Middle East Fair Center in Gaziantep and organized by International Fuar Yapım ve Organizasyon Ltd. Şti., the Gaziantep Textile Machinery Fair (GTMF 2025) successfully showcased the industrial strength of the region. Exhibitors included textile machinery manufacturers from Germany, Switzerland, Italy, and Belgium, as well as China and India, with a total of 228 companies from 15 countries represented.
In addition to domestic machine manufacturers, the fair also featured technology launches, innovative solutions, and R&D-driven advancements. Despite being held for the first time, GTMF 2025 attracted 13,480 visitors, including 1,642 international visitors, far exceeding expectations. The event brought together participants and visitors from Algeria, Syria, Iran, Egypt, Belgium, China, Iraq, India, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Yemen, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, and other EU countries, receiving full marks from attendees.
Official accreditation data further highlighted the fair’s international scale: visitors from 23 countries, including Turkey, were accredited to attend. Turkey led participation with 11,838 accredited visitors, followed by Egypt, Syria, Uzbekistan, and Iraq.
Opening Ceremony and Protocol Speeches
The opening ceremony of GTMF 2025 took place with a grand turnout at the Middle East Fair Center. The ribbon-cutting ceremony was attended by Deputy Minister of Trade Mahmut Gürcan, Governor of Gaziantep Kemal Çeber, Mayor of Gaziantep Fatma Şahin, Gaziantep Chamber of Commerce (GTO) President Mehmet Tuncay Yıldırım, representatives of the Gaziantep Chamber of Industry (GSO), Gaziantep Organized Industrial Zone (OSB) President Cengiz Şimşek, and TEMSAD President Adil Nalbant.
“The Fair Is Significant for Our Country’s Production Vision”
In his opening remarks, Deputy Minister of Trade Mahmut Gürcan emphasized that Türkiye has become a key player in global trade thanks to its geopolitical advantages and robust industrial infrastructure. Gürcan noted that in 2024, global textile machinery exports totaled 26.5 billion USD, led by China with 7.7 billion USD, followed by Germany and Japan, while Türkiye ranked seventh. Highlighting the continued strengthening of Türkiye’s industrial role, Gürcan underlined that holding such a fair in Gaziantep is crucial for advancing the country’s production vision.
Governor Kemal Çeber expressed the province’s continued support for fairs organized in Gaziantep and pointed out the city’s strong position in the textile field. He stated that they aim to further increase export figures through both fairs and government support. Mayor Fatma Şahin similarly emphasized the city’s commitment to supporting such industrial initiatives.
Strong Support from Industry Representatives
Industry representatives also showed strong support for GTMF 2025. The fair was not merely a trade gathering but a strategic platform reflecting both Gaziantep’s industrial strength and Türkiye’s production vision. The opportunities the event provided to the region and the sector were met with enthusiasm by institutional leaders.
Mehmet Tuncay Yıldırım, President of the Gaziantep Chamber of Commerce, highlighted the fair’s importance for both the city and the sector:
“Gaziantep has been a center of trade throughout history. With our growing industrial capacity and evolving production infrastructure, we are the shining star of Türkiye.
We firmly believe GTMF 2025 will add great value to the textile industry, and we take pride in supporting this significant event.
Fairs are vital for companies to establish new business connections, access global markets, and closely follow sectoral trends.
Moreover, they contribute greatly to the local economy in both social and commercial terms.
I wish GTMF great success for all our members and the entire industry.”
Adnan Ünver, President of the Gaziantep Chamber of Industry, drew attention to Gaziantep’s global role in textile production:
“Gaziantep is a leading production hub in many fields including carpet yarn, polypropylene sacks, nonwoven fabrics, textile dyeing, knitwear, apparel, and fabric manufacturing.
As the city with the highest carpet export volume in Türkiye, we find GTMF 2025 highly valuable in our efforts to produce carpets with locally manufactured machines.
This fair will contribute greatly to our industry in terms of both technological transformation and international collaboration.”
Cengiz Şimşek, Chairman of the Gaziantep Organized Industrial Zone (OSB) Board, emphasized the importance of supporting industrialists:
“Gaziantep OSB, covering an area of 43 million square meters, is Türkiye’s largest organized industrial zone.
With the completion of the 6th OSB, we aim to reach an employment level of 350,000 people.
Investing in today’s economic climate is not easy, but we must continue to support producers and pave the way for industrial growth.
GTMF 2025 will connect investors with technology manufacturers, opening new avenues for cooperation.
It will be a fair worthy of Gaziantep, and we are ready to provide every kind of support for its success.”
Fikret Kileci, Coordinator President of GAİB (Southeastern Anatolia Exporters’ Associations), underlined the regional and international impact of the fair:
“We believe GTMF 2025 will create new investment opportunities for companies operating in the textile sector.
Fairs are not only commercial gatherings but also platforms for social and cultural interaction.
The connections established with national and international participants will further strengthen Gaziantep’s industrial identity.
We are pleased to support the Gaziantep Textile Machinery Fair.”
A Strategic Platform Strengthening Industrial Identity
GTMF 2025 has thus proven itself as a strategic platform that promotes technological transformation and international cooperation, reinforcing Gaziantep’s industrial identity. With its contribution to regional development, the fair has further solidified the city’s role in Türkiye’s industrial landscape, opening doors to new collaboration opportunities in the textile machinery sector and providing long-term economic benefits for both the region and the nation.
