Akcoat’s Continuous Improvement Journey: First Kaizen Day Held with Great Enthusiasm
Akcoat crowned its continuous improvement culture—shaped by its lean manufacturing and digital transformation vision—with its first Kaizen Day event. During the event, the most successful projects completed throughout the year were recognized, while teams shared innovative solutions that inspired their colleagues.
Held at the conference hall of Akcoat’s R&D Center in Sakarya, the event was attended by Akkök Holding CFO Veysi Küçük, Akcoat Acting General Manager Ömer Semiz, Production Director Çağrı Büyükdüvenci and Akcoat senior management. Organized with contributions from employees across the company, the event placed motivation, teamwork and a culture of development at the forefront.
As part of Kaizen Day, successful projects completed during 2024 were presented. Projects spanning resource efficiency, production capacity, environmental sustainability and operational improvement reflected Akcoat’s determination to extend its lean manufacturing approach across the entire organization.
Emphasizing that next-generation thinking and research are indispensable for the company, Akcoat Acting General Manager Ömer Semiz said: “Continuous improvement is no longer an option; it is a fundamental requirement for remaining resilient in a changing world. At Akcoat, we embrace this approach not only as a process, but also as a way of thinking. We see the Kaizen philosophy not merely as a means of increasing efficiency, but as part of our strategy for preparing for the future. We believe that small but effective improvements made in the field, in the office, in the laboratory—in short, at every point of our company—can create major differences. Beyond the financial contributions of these projects, gains such as reducing natural gas consumption, lowering environmental impact and improving process efficiency are also extremely valuable. The purpose of gathering here today is to celebrate our colleagues who embrace this culture and to share your inspiring projects across the company.”
Akcoat Production Director Çağrı Büyükdüvenci said in his opening remarks: “We started this journey in November 2023. Today, our internal audit system operates regularly. The Kaizen projects implemented in 2024 were important steps in increasing our efficiency. Through the Kaizen Committee we established, we aim to spread this culture throughout the company.”
At the end of the event, teams behind standout projects completed during the year were recognized as “Kaizen Stars.” Their names were added to the Kaizen Champions Board, giving the teams an opportunity to celebrate and share their achievements.
In line with its 2025 targets, Akcoat aims to hold Kaizen Day every quarter and embed a culture of continuous development into its corporate memory. Investments in new products and environmentally responsible production technologies are also gaining momentum in parallel with this objective.
