Ankara, June 11 – The foundation stone for the Turkish Red Crescent Protürk Plasma Drug Facility, a collaborative project between the Turkish Red Crescent and South Korean SK Plasma, was laid in the Çubuk district of Ankara. The ceremony, attended by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan via live video link, highlighted the facility’s importance for Turkey’s biotechnology sector.
A Milestone for Turkish Biotechnology
Speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony in Melikşah Mahallesi, Deputy Minister of Industry and Technology Zekeriya Coştu stated that Turkey is undergoing a significant transformation in the fields of industry and technology. He emphasized that the facility would pave the way for new investments in biotechnology.
Coştu underscored that the newly laid foundation for the facility would be a milestone in Turkey’s development in biotechnology and health technologies. “We aim to transform this place into a biotechnology campus with new investments in the future. I wish this investment, which will bring a significant vision to our country, to be auspicious,” he said.
Economic Impact and Job Creation
AK Party Ankara Deputy Osman Gökçek also noted the great importance of the investment for Ankara and Çubuk. “It is a source of pride for all of us to bring such a large investment of 500 million Euros. I hope we will have the opportunity to see its opening together,” he stated.
Çubuk Mayor Baki Demirbaş added that the investment holds historical significance for both the district and Turkey.
Mustafa Günhan Nasuhbeyoğlu, from the Turkish Red Crescent Investment Management, provided details on the project timeline. “Within the first 18 months, construction, machinery, and equipment installations will be completed. In the subsequent period, validation and production preparations will be carried out. When the facility becomes operational, we will domestically produce critical plasma products that our country currently imports. This will prevent approximately 450 million Euros of annual imports. We anticipate creating around 300 jobs at the facility,” Nasuhbeyoğlu explained.
International Collaboration and Historical Ties
Seungjoo Kim, CEO of SK Plasma, highlighted the historical friendship between Turkey and South Korea. “We have never forgotten the sacrifices made by Turkey during the Korean War. The Turkish people have made significant contributions to South Korea’s current position. Therefore, we are honored to be here today,” Kim remarked.
The program, which also included a speech by Çubuk District Governor Vehbi Bakır, was attended by AK Party Ankara Deputy Kurtcan Çelebi, AK Party Çubuk District Chairman Ahmet Kılıç, MHP Çubuk District Chairman Satılmış Ezandemir, SK Plasma Turkey General Manager Young-Jun (Leo) Choi, and other guests.
This major investment is expected to bolster Turkey’s self-sufficiency in critical medical supplies and strengthen its position in the global biotechnology market, while also fostering economic growth and creating new employment opportunities in the region.
Source: https://www.ensondakika.com.tr/ankara-da-kurulacak-turk-kizilay-proturk-plazma-ilac-tesisi-nin-temeli-atildi/656634/
