Build a verified long list
Use clusters, fairs, associations and directories to list candidates, then remove those without the right process, export experience or documents.
Buyer's guide
How to Find, Vet and Work with Turkish Manufacturers
To work safely with Turkish manufacturers, find them through industry clusters, verify the company in the trade registry, audit the factory, approve samples and inspect before shipment. This guide sets out each step as we apply it on furniture, lighting and building material projects for buyers in Europe and the USA.
Where do you find Turkish manufacturers?
Turkish manufacturing (Turkey is officially Türkiye) is organised in regional clusters, and knowing them saves time. Furniture is concentrated in İnegöl in Bursa province and in Kayseri. Ceramic tiles and sanitaryware come mainly from Bilecik and Bozüyük, Çanakkale and Çan, and Eskişehir. Afyonkarahisar is known for marble, and many lighting producers are in the Istanbul region.
Common starting points are sector trade fairs, exporters' associations, chambers of industry and commerce, and B2B directories. Directories show who claims a capability; they do not prove it. Treat every first list as a long list to be verified.
Some factories sell mainly in the domestic market and have little export experience. For international projects, look for manufacturers that already prepare export documents, work to European or US standards and can show previous export shipments.
How do you check that a Turkish company is real and reliable?
Start with documents. Turkish companies are registered with a trade registry, and events such as incorporation, capital changes, address changes and appointments of authorised signatories are published in the Turkish Trade Registry Gazette (Türkiye Ticaret Sicili Gazetesi). Companies also have a MERSİS number in the central registration system and a tax number.
- Trade registry record and recent gazette announcements
- MERSİS and tax numbers that match the invoice details
- Signature circular (imza sirküleri) showing who can sign for the company
- Capacity report (kapasite raporu) issued by the local chamber
- Quality and product certificates, verified with the issuing body
- Bank account held in the company's own name
What should a factory audit cover?
A visit, in person or by a trusted representative, shows whether the company makes the product itself or subcontracts it. Both can work, but you should know which one you are buying. Certificate numbers can be checked with the certification body, for example through IAF CertSearch for accredited ISO certificates.
- Machinery and processes for the product you need
- Current workload and realistic capacity for your volume
- Raw material sources and incoming material checks
- In-process and final quality control records
- Packing, storage and loading areas
- The people responsible for export orders and documents
How do you agree price, samples and payment terms?
Compare quotations on the same basis: identical specification, quantities, packing, Incoterms 2020 rule and currency. Export quotations from Turkey are commonly in euro or US dollar. A low price that leaves out packing, testing or documents is not the lowest price.
Approve samples before production and keep a signed reference sample at both ends. For large hotel or residential projects, a pre-production sample or mock-up room is worth its cost.
Common payment structures are a bank transfer (T/T) with a deposit and the balance before shipment or against documents, or a letter of credit. A letter of credit gives more control over documents but adds bank costs and paperwork. Whichever you choose, link payments to verifiable milestones such as sample approval, inspection results and shipping documents.
How do you control production, inspection and shipping?
Agree a production schedule with milestones and ask for regular updates with photos. Visits during production find problems while they can still be fixed.
Run a pre-shipment inspection on finished, packed goods against the approved sample and specification, using an agreed sampling plan. Release the final payment only after the inspection report is accepted.
For EU deliveries, ask the supplier to provide an A.TR movement certificate where the goods qualify, and make sure products that need CE marking carry it with the correct declaration. For the USA, align documents and ISF data with your customs broker. We confirm the document set for each project.
This is the process KOG Group runs for clients. Founded in 2020 in Istanbul, building on the work of CO Consulting and Export Ltd. and CO Door to Door Ltd., we use AI tools for specification analysis, supplier matching and price benchmarking, and our procurement specialists carry out the due diligence, negotiation, production follow-up and quality control described above.
Scope
What we source
Hotel furnitureOffice furnitureContract furnitureLED and decorative lightingEmergency lightingCeramic tilesAluminium windows and doorsBathroom fittingsMarbleEpoxy flooring
Check registry and documents
Verify the trade registry record, MERSİS number, signature circular, capacity report and certificates, and confirm the bank account belongs to the company.
Audit, sample and negotiate
Visit the factory, approve samples, compare like-for-like quotes and agree the Incoterms 2020 rule and milestone-based payment terms.
Inspect before you pay
Follow production, inspect packed goods before shipment and release the balance only when the report and shipping documents are in order.
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FAQ
Manufacturers guide: common questions
How do I verify a Turkish supplier?
Check the company in the trade registry and the Turkish Trade Registry Gazette, confirm its MERSİS and tax numbers, review the signature circular and the chamber-issued capacity report, verify certificates with the issuing bodies and make sure the bank account is in the company's own name. Then audit the factory.
Is it safe to pay a deposit to a Turkish manufacturer?
A deposit is normal practice, but it should go only to a verified company account, against a signed contract or proforma invoice with clear specifications and delivery terms. Linking later payments to samples, inspection and shipping documents limits your exposure. A letter of credit is an alternative for larger orders.
Do Turkish manufacturers speak English?
Export-oriented companies usually have English-speaking sales or export staff. Technical and production teams may work mainly in Turkish, so drawings, specifications and approvals should be clear and confirmed in writing. Misunderstood instructions are a common source of defects.
What is an A.TR movement certificate?
An A.TR certificate shows that industrial goods are in free circulation in Turkey and qualify for the EU-Turkey Customs Union, so they can generally enter the EU without customs duty. The exporter obtains it and Turkish customs endorses it at export. Import VAT still applies, and eligibility should be confirmed per product.
Should I use a sourcing partner or go direct?
Going direct works when you have the time, local knowledge and staff to visit factories. A sourcing partner helps when a project needs several suppliers, tight schedules or custom work. Check what the partner is accountable for: KOG Group stays responsible from RFQ to final delivery, and its procurement specialists validate every recommendation.
Tell us what you need to source.
Send your specification, drawings or BOQ. A procurement specialist reviews it and comes back with questions, a supplier approach and next steps.