Sümerbank: Atatürk’s Visionary Textile Revolution That Shaped Turkey’s Industry
Sümerbank was founded by Atatürk in 1933 as a state bank to fund the construction of textile factories and to support the development of the textile industry in Turkey. It was a part of the First Five-Year Industrial Plan (1934-1938) within the scope of Izmir Economy Congress held in 1923, and was the cornerstone of Atatürk’s industrial revolution.
The story of Sümerbank begins in 1932, when Atatürk and İsmet İnönü allocated a loan of 8.5 million Turkish Liras, which was financed by Soviet Union with the lowest interest rate of that period, for the factory to be constructed in Kayseri.
Meanwhile, a team of Soviet, American, Turkish economists and engineers were preparing Turkey’s First Five-Year Industrial Plan to ensure the most efficient use of resources. The purpose of the plan was establishing a new industry to supply raw materials locally and to meet Turkey’s needs with its production capacity. The scope of the plan included establishing twenty factories such as Sümerbank Textile Factories in various cities in order to distribute the economic development in a balanced way through the country.
As a result of all these efforts, the first Sümerbank Textile Factory was established in Kayseri in 1935. Its fertile soil and climate for cotton harvesting and its trade history were the reasons for Kayseri to be preferred. The Kayseri Cloth Factory, which was opened with a magnificent ceremony on September 16th, 1935, became the first and largest integrated yarn and weaving factory of the country.
The second factory was established in Nazilli in 1936. On October 9th, 1937, Nazilli hosted Atatürk and the accompanying delegates with a magnificent opening. When 480 machines in the factory all started to operate, Atatürk’s first words were “This must be music”. It was planned to employ 2.400 people in the Nazilli printing factory. The first problem that emerged immediately was the lack of experienced personnel despite the large number of employees. 120 Soviet mentors and engineers were employed to increase the number and quality of workforce in both Kayseri and Nazilli factories. Additional workforce was hired from some close cities.
Although the Turkish economy grew rapidly from 1923 onwards, it was severely affected by the global Great Depression, which began in 1929 and lasted until the end of the Second World War. Most Turkish citizens were unemployed and had a low income. There was not a solid private sector in Turkey in those years. Initiating industrialization efforts required large-scale investments by the state.
Sümerbank, the cornerstone of the industrial revolution in Turkey, produced the best quality textile products at affordable prices enabling low-income citizens to buy decent clothes, as well as preventing unemployment and providing income equality throughout its 69-years history.
By transforming its factories into schools and opening language and other skill improving courses at the end of working hours for its employees, Sümerbank became the pioneer of the modernization move over the years. Young generation from different parts of Turkey were sent to colleges abroad with Sümerbank scholarships forming the human capital of the country.
Today, Kayseri and the surrounding cities such as Malatya and Kahramanmaraş constitute the most important yarn and fabric production in Turkey. Çukurova, on the other hand, continues to produce cotton in small volumes. In recent years Diyarbakır and Şanlıurfa became the local resource of cotton harvesting. The Aegean region is also the main location for quality and sustainable cotton production which has also become one of the centers of garment exports.
Although Sümerbank has an unforgettable place in Turkey’s industrial past, it continues to be part of the success story of the modern Turkish textile industry. We would like to thank Atatürk and his delegates who have gifted us Sümerbank as one of the valuable initiatives of our country.
This must be music.
Mustafa Kemal Atatürk
Eşref Koçak // 30.08.2021
