Switzerland-based SGS that performs inspection, verification, testing and certification services demanded by many sectors and industrial branches has a 143-year long-standing history. Being a leading company in its sector, the firm SGS since 1878 has been rendering its services for “quality”, with its offices and laboratories and more than 70,000 experts, in more than 1.350 different points in 140 countries all over the world. With a global structure, SGS has been carrying out works in accordance with the ‘More Qualified Turkish Products!’ perspective in Turkey since 1933. The corporation is in close cooperation with Turkish industrialists on quality control, inspection and verification. We obtained information on the works of the company from SGS Turkey Department of Consumers Sales Manager of Non-Food Unit Özge Ergun. Ergun explained their solutions for textile and apparel sector in detail.
Underlying that SGS is a world-famous brand, Özge Ergun emphasized that, as SGS Turkey, they both experience the advantages of this situation and undertake related responsibilities. Ergun said that the market has high expectations from them, thus they bear the leadership in Turkish market precisely. Ergun stated SGS Turkey Department of Consumer Products Non-Food Unit covers sectors addressing consumers such as, particularly textile, white goods, electrics & electronics, toys, stationary, automotive, and food. Ergun reminded that they started to render service in a 400-square meter area 8 years ago and Non-Food Unit provides services in a 6.600-square meter area today. She emphasised that, of SGS Turkey’s all service units, Non-Food Unit is one of the biggest units with its laboratory area, number of employees and variety of services as well.
Ergun reported that they provide services for testing, inspection of production, verification of production systems and social compliance verification in favour of employees’ social rights applicable in different markets and regions, to different sectors. She said that they render services from product development to manufacturing and establish a strong piece of the value chain. Ergun said; “We accelerate international trade and facilitate the process by providing “single-resource” services and to enable the compliance contractual or legal requirements to be encountered by companies in all manufacturing and procurement phases”. Stating that all conditions that may endanger human and environmental health and safety, and obstruct trade can be detected thanks to the analysis and testing services rendered, Ergun said they serve for a ‘safe and sustainable life’, through reporting afterwards.
The Sector Prefers SGS
Özge Ergun stated that the market of SGS is a market where expertise and “experts’ force” is very important and said; “Our customers choose our laboratory precisely instead of having analysis made in any laboratory. They prefer SGS’s name, accreditation and global vision. Companies who wish to prove their products are reliable and perform their works precisely prefer us. Because SGS is a right tool”.
Ergun explained that SGS Turkey Department of Consumer Products Non-Food Unit performs many chemical tests for product safety such as azo colorant, phthalate, heavy metal analysis, as well as physical tests of product safety, durability and stability such as corrosion, non-shrinking, non-combustibility, and colour fastness tests for textile and apparel sector. Reporting that they render inspection services to many Turkish brands for performing qualitative and quantitative assessment of the products purchased during exportation, Ergun emphasised that they minimize the commercial risks of these brands is this way. Ergun said; “Through inspection services, we detect the compliance of products to technical specifications specified under the agreements conducted between buyers and sellers. We also conduct brand technical verifications and corporate social compliance verifications for manufacturers in apparel and textile sector in Turkey”.
Özge Ergun explained the advantages offered to sector representatives, by the services rendered for manufacturers in textile and apparel segment, as follows; “Working with SGS minimizes commercial risks, prevents unfair complaints, ensures to be sure that the product is controlled objectively by a professional team through professional methods, enables the compliance of the production process to legal regulations and demand, increases brand value and productivity in production”.
