SPOTLIGHT 42 | JNA Mar/Apr 2022 Major markets also recovered at different paces, revealed Fahri Saygi, sales manager of wedding band manufacturer Tarz Alyans. Post-lockdown business was mainly focused on local buyers, but the European market eventually resumed activity earlier than the rest, followed by Asia. Cemal Bulunmaz, export manager of jewellery tools and machinery specialist Bulunmaz, shared that his company received orders from US jewellery manufacturers amid the pandemic, demonstrating rapid recovery in 2021. Bulunmaz also supplied materials to buyers from Mexico, Colombia, Russia, Kazakhstan and Spain. Customers were particularly interested in its Banglemaster 12-axis CNC machine. Business was up 20 per cent last year compared to 2019 before Covid-19 hit, Cemal added. Like its counterparts, the company engaged in a great deal of social media and digital marketing, which included promotional photos and videos. Production-wise, Bulunmaz beefed up its product inventory to prevent delays in deliveries and supply constraints, which it experienced in 2020 and 2021. Jewellers were clearly keen on replenishing their stocks and restarting their businesses. This was evident during the first two days of the Istanbul fair in October 2021, which Saygi described as “very crowded.” “Buyers were eager to view new products and make a purchase. We made good business and met new customers as well,” he noted. “We mainly produce lighter products for the local market since these are more affordable. These products however are also moving fast among international clients." Tougher times also required persistence and consistency. Saygi explained that during lockdowns, Tarz Alyans amplified efforts to communicate with clients through phone calls and video conferences. While online channels proved extremely useful during the pandemic and are turning out to be an indispensable part of modern business strategies, traders and buyers still prefer face-to-face transactions during physical events, noted Saygi. Bushi of Annda Fine Jewelry agreed, adding, “In-person meetings provide a quality of interaction that no technology as of yet can replicate.” Revival and success Jewellery demand has recovered from the initial onslaught of Covid-19 and is on the road to normalcy and even strong growth, according to Bushi. “We are optimistic. Orders for the third and fourth quarters of the year are already coming in,” he noted. “We had to innovate faster because of the pandemic. As such, most companies are boosting their online presence. Buying online still presents a challenge, but it is also an opportunity to move forward and attract a different genre of clients.” JTR’s Kamar is optimistic about prospects in the jewellery exports sector in 2022, which he said could perform better than last year. JTR is eyeing US$11 billion in Turkish jewellery exports annually. The association also hopes to further raise the profile of Turkish jewellers in the global arena by expanding their export footprint and participating in international fairs. Gold jewellery is likely to lead the growth in production and exports moving forward. Saygi of Tarz Alyans, for his part, underscored the need to conduct regular in-person international trade shows throughout 2022 to support post-lockdown gains in the jewellery sector. Citing steady appetite for gold jewellery, he said the Asian market is expected to drive growth in 2022. US$11B 110亿美元 Jewellery exports target set by JTR JTR的珠宝出口额目标 Gold jewellery by Annda Fine Jewelry Annda Fine Jewelry的黄金首饰
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