News

Awards Night Honors Designers and Exporters in Turkey’s Natural Stone Industry

05/10/2025

The “Natural Stone Gala Night” of the Aegean Minerals Exporters’ Association (EMİB) hosted not just one but two award ceremonies.

The AMORF Natural Stone Project Design Competition, organized by EMİB with the support of the Ministry of Trade to increase the use of Turkish natural stone in prestigious projects, was held in the magical atmosphere of the ancient city of Laodikeia in Denizli. The competition’s first prize was awarded to Name Naz Ölmez.

The “Natural Stone Gala Night” also hosted the “Stars of Export Award Ceremony,” where exporters with the highest export volumes in seven categories of the natural stone industry were recognized.

The EMİB Lifetime Achievement Award for 2025 was presented to businessman Mehmet Cadıl.

Name Naz Ölmez Wins AMORF

In the AMORF Natural Stone Project Design Competition, Name Naz Ölmez took first place with her project Sediment. Second place went to Güçlen Tekeli with Spinstone, while third place was shared by Tolga Gündoğdu and Setenay Kamazoğlu Kızıl with their project Urban Fountain.

This year’s AMORF competition, held for the fifth time by EMİB under the theme “Bring Art to Stone,” received 221 applications. The Jury’s Special Award was presented to Ümit Karaca, Ekim Güney Öztürk, and Oğuzhan Çetinkaya.

EMİB President İbrahim Alimoğlu emphasized their pride in combining the grandeur of the past with the production power of today by hosting gala nights in ancient cities.

Alimoğlu shared that 221 projects had been submitted to AMORF:

“Our jury has selected the top three projects and awarded three Jury’s Special Prizes. We are also awarding our export champions in seven categories. Our exporters represent Turkey’s production power, effort, and dedication on the world stage. Each success is a source of pride for our country.”

He noted that Turkey’s mining sector exports reached $2.9 billion in the first half of 2025, a 1% increase, while EMİB’s exports grew by 10% to $685 million:

“However, the widening gap between exchange rates and inflation, rising energy and labor costs, and stagnant foreign exchange rates remain major challenges to our competitiveness.”

“Ease Conditions Except for Environment & Safety”

Alimoğlu reminded that Turkey’s Mining Law has been amended and related regulations are in progress:

“Our request from bureaucrats is to ease conditions other than environment and occupational safety. Our marble sector, competing to be in the world’s top three, our industrial raw materials that feed factories, aggregates for stronger structures, and our cement industry truly need support.”

He thanked the Ministry of Culture and Tourism for enabling the competition to be held in ancient cities, Silver Sponsor Halkbank, Bronze Sponsors Rıfat Özdilek, Mehmet Hikmet Çelikkol, İlker Kömürcüoğlu, Olcay Arslan, Şuayp Demirel, and Selahattin Çınar, as well as supporting companies Alimoğlu Marble, Alimoğlu Mermer Granit, Çelikkol Marble, and Sezgin Marble.

Kılıçkaya: “We Exported $178 Billion in 8 Months”

Mehmet Ali Kılıçkaya, Director General of Exports at the Ministry of Trade, underlined Turkey’s strong economic growth despite global turbulence. He reported that Turkey’s exports in January–August 2025 rose by 4.3% to $178.1 billion.

“The mining sector accounts for $6.2 billion of our exports, with natural stone alone contributing $2 billion, placing Turkey third worldwide. Denizli ranks as our second-largest natural stone exporter with $267 million. The Ministry of Trade supports exporters from promotion to branding. In 2024, we provided TL 25 billion in support; this year’s budget is TL 33 billion. 25,000 exporters benefit from these programs. We also support the education of designers who succeed in competitions like AMORF, to strengthen our design power and increase value-added exports.”

Narin: “Mining Is Key to Life and Civilization”

Arslan Narin, Director General of Mining and Petroleum Affairs at the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources, highlighted that mining has always contributed to life and civilization, both in antiquity and today, as seen in the ancient city of Laodikeia.

“Opposition to mining equals opposition to life itself. The omnibus law has introduced some positive changes for mining, but more progress is needed. We aim to balance investment security with environmental protection. Our goal is a mining sector that supports production, exports, and value-added products, while ensuring both human and environmental safety.”

Memişoğlu: “Natural Stone Exports Reached $1.325 Billion”

Hüseyin Memişoğlu, Board Member of the Turkish Exporters Assembly (TİM) and President of Denizli Exporters’ Association, recalled Denizli’s role as a trade and export hub since antiquity. He noted a project to restore and make accessible an ancient stone-cutting machine (katra) with Ministry of Trade support.

He stated that Turkey’s natural stone exports grew by 5.5% in the first eight months of 2025, reaching $1.325 billion:

“Denizli accounts for 6% of these exports. The 221 applications to AMORF are very valuable — breathing life into stone is crucial. 35 exporting companies will receive awards tonight, including 4 firms from Denizli with 5 awards in total. We congratulate them.”

The opening speeches were followed by the award presentations. Attendees included Denizli Governor Ömer Faruk Coşkun, Members of Parliament Nilgün Ök and Yasin Öztürk, Mayor of Denizli Metropolitan Municipality Bülent Nuri Çavuşoğlu, TÜMMER President Hanefi Şimşek, TOBB Mining Assembly President İbrahim Halil Kırşan, Aegean Leather Exporters’ Association President Erkan Zandar, Denizli Miners and Marble Producers Association President Mehmet Serter, EIB Secretary General İ. Cumhur İşbırakmaz, AMORF jury members, and representatives of exporting firms.

Aegean Minerals Exporters’ Association

2024 Exporter Firms Award List

TOTAL NATURAL STONE

Aytan Mermer Madencilik İthalat İhracat Sanayi ve Tic. Ltd. Şti.
Metamar Mermer Granit Madencilik Sanayi ve Tic. A.Ş.
Tureks-GM Mermer Granit Sanayi ve Tic. Ltd. Şti.
Şuayp Demirel
Cem-Mer Doğaltaş İthalat İhracat Sanayi ve Tic. Ltd. Şti.

PROCESSED NATURAL STONE

Metamar Mermer Granit Madencilik Sanayi ve Tic. A.Ş.
Tureks-GM Mermer Granit Sanayi ve Tic. Ltd. Şti.
Cem-Mer Doğaltaş İthalat İhracat Sanayi ve Tic. Ltd. Şti.
D-Stil Mermer Dış Ticaret İç Mimarlık Sanayi ve Tic. Ltd. Şti.
Cemar Travertine Mermer Granit Sanayi Tic. A.Ş.

BLOCK NATURAL STONE

Şuayp Demirel
Aytan Mermer Madencilik İthalat İhracat Sanayi ve Tic. Ltd. Şti.
Makomar Mermer ve Maden İnşaat Sanayi ve Tic. Ltd. Şti.
Sezgin Mermer Sanayi ve Tic. A.Ş.
Ravini Madencilik Sanayi ve Tic. A.Ş.

GRANITE

Aktaş Granit Zahire Madencilik Nakliye Petrol İnşaat San. ve Tic. Ltd. Şti.
Granitsan Madencilik İnşaat Sanayi ve Tic. A.Ş.
İz Granit Madencilik Lojistik İnşaat Sanayi ve Tic. Ltd. Şti.
Begrado Madencilik Granit A.Ş.
Medmar Madencilik İnşaat Orman Ürünleri İhracat İthalat Sanayi ve Tic. Ltd. Şti.

VALUE-ADDED EXPORTS (2024, ranked by unit price, min. $1M exports)