Çelikyay increases capacity for Africa and US markets

Çelikyay Otomotiv AŞ, one of Turkey’s leading leaf spring manufacturers, has raised its annual production capacity to 35,000 tons with a €10 million investment. Sales and Marketing Director Murat Yıldız said: “With our heavy-duty, long-lasting products, we are opening up to new markets such as North Africa and the US and moving forward on our path to becoming a global brand.”

With more than 60 years of experience in the sector, the company has accelerated its goal of becoming a global brand with its new technological facilities and higher production capacity. The company was founded in Istanbul and moved to Düzce in 1991. Its modern facilities there cover a total area of 30,000 m², including 20,000 m² of covered space. With a new €10 million investment aimed at growing its activity in domestic and foreign markets, it has raised its annual capacity to 35,000 tons.

Speaking about the production technology, Murat Yıldız said: “We have advanced not only our capacity but also our production assurance and digital transformation. Our facility was designed as a ‘dark factory’. Our production lines were planned to back each other up automatically, so in the event of a fault or stoppage we experience no disruption to delivery times. Our manual lines are also ready to start at any moment. This structure gives our customers a sustainable and uninterrupted supply guarantee.”

Economical and environmentally friendly for heavy vehicles

Yıldız said that Çelikyay offers leading solutions to the sector with its years of experience, and that its products are designed to deliver high durability and performance even under the toughest conditions. Noting that leaf springs offer a wide range of uses, from commercial vehicles to industrial applications, thanks to their heavy load-carrying capacity and long service life, he said they specialise in parabolic leaf spring production and added:

“Parabolic springs offer lighter, more flexible and more comfortable solutions. Compared with traditional springs, they reduce both friction and weight while improving ride comfort. This makes them an economical and environmentally friendly choice for heavy vehicles.”

Half of production is export-oriented

Stating that they aim to be a reliable partner for sustainable production and uninterrupted supply in the European market, Yıldız said: “While strengthening our cooperation in Turkey, we aim to establish direct partnerships with Europe’s leading truck manufacturers. Çelikyay AŞ is no longer just a parts manufacturer; it is a long-term solution partner for its customers.”

Yıldız said that with around 250 employees they produce leaf springs used as axle suspension parts for trucks, light commercial vehicles and trailers, and that they market their products through dealers across Turkey. “As Çelikyay, we have been supplying leaf springs to original vehicle manufacturers such as Ford, Otokar, BMC and Suzuki for many years. Ford Otosan, for example, has been a customer with continuous supply since 1993. We also have a broad portfolio of aftermarket customers. Half of our production is exported. We export to nearly 50 countries, mainly in continental Europe, and Germany, France and the UK are among our largest markets. We also have strong brand recognition in the Middle East and Eastern Europe.”

Targeting North African and US markets

Yıldız reported that they exported around €15 million in 2025 and aim to increase exports in 2026 by entering new markets such as North Africa and the US with their higher capacity. “Çelikyay is a customer-focused company. We have more than 5,000 leaf spring variants. As a company that has specialised in this sector for 60 years, we have completed our major investment and doubled our capacity. We are currently running a comprehensive study for new customers and markets.”

Competing with 100% domestic production

Emphasising that the main problem in the sector is rising leaf spring imports, Yıldız continued:

“Imports from countries such as China and India, where labour and energy costs are very low, challenge us. In our line of business there is a tax on raw material imports, but there is no tax on leaf spring imports. As Çelikyay, we produce nationally and domestically, but duty-free imports from abroad make things very difficult for us and for companies like us. In our facilities, built with very large investments, we source our raw material from the domestic market rather than abroad, and we compete in the international market with 100% domestic production. While doing this, we rightly want to receive support from decisions taken for our sector.”