HP to Build Printer & Cartridge Manufacturing Plant in Turkey

Hewlett-Packard (HP) is planning to build a printer and cartridge manufacturing plant in Turkey, reports Balkans.com. HP currently caters to its desktop markets in Eastern Europe, the Middle East and North Africa (EMEA) from Taiwanese electronics manufacturer Foxconn’s factory in Corlu, Tekirdag in northwestern Turkey.

Filiz Akdede, HP Turkey’s Personal Systems and Printing Group Country Manager, said the Foxconn plant in Turkey exports 80% of its products to regional markets and a capacity increase for the Corlu plant is in process.

Regarding the growth, Akdede observed, “The success of the Corlu plant has led to production shifts from other plants. Impressed by the Turkish plant’s performance as a regional production and export base, HP is looking into establishing a printer and cartridge factory in the country.”

According to Akdede, in the Turkish government’s nationwide high-tech education project, millions of tablet PCs are supplied to pupils in public schools. This was taken as a significant indicator of the country’s potential. Therefore, HP Turkey is lobbying for the plant, although to reach an agreement may be a lengthy process.

As was revealed by Balkans.com, HP has been the leading PC and printer brand in Turkey for the past 12 years. Foxconn began the production of HP desktop PCs in its Corlu plant in 2011.