Some examples of advanced materials made out of these technologies are graphene, aerogels, piezoelectric materials, biodegradable plastics, carbon nanotubes, and much more.

Advanced material technologies are used across various industries such as aerospace, energy, mobility, defence, medical & healthcare, transportation, and many more. Hailed as the materials that can help ideas come to life, they’ve acted as the silent catalysts in our insatiable thirst for a sustainable future. 

Sabancı Holding, one of the largest Turkish conglomerates, finds itself at the epicenter of this revolution, as it tries to excavate and analyze the potential of advanced materials as the building blocks of progress. Their efforts to achieve sustainability across industries with their subsidiaries are a beacon of inspiration for businesses around the globe using advanced material technologies.

Advanced material technologies have emerged as crucial components for building a robust and sustainable ecosystem. They’re fast becoming a global trend in the mobility industry, thanks to their lighter, durable, and robust features. Since they can make the vehicles lighter in weight, composites play a major role in reducing fuel consumption and carbon emissions. 

Cevdet Alemdar, Sabancı Holding Industrials Group President, sheds light on the vision they are building towards, using advanced materials as building blocks.

“Imagine a world where technological innovation is but a concept, an idea, but lacks the tools to turn those into reality. Now, envision that we have developed new materials which let the ideas come to life. Materials are the silent heroes of advancement.

They are the raw canvas upon which we paint our vision of a fully sustainable world. Without proper materials, we will not have efficient, green energy generation or storage; we will not have food safety; or we will not have eco-friendly airplanes, cars, and buses that take us from one place to another. 

At Sabancı Holding, we develop the building blocks of progress; advanced materials.” 

The exploits of Sabancı Holding with advanced material technologies

Source: Interesting Engineering 

Sabanci is serving a wide range of industries with its products using advanced material technologies.

Kordsa, one of Sabancı Holding’s subsidiaries, is taking exemplary strides towards sustainability using advanced material technologies. From automotive to sports to aerospace, this global player company serves a wide spectrum of industries with its products. 

At present, Kordsa reinforces 1 out of every 3 automobile, and 2 out of every 3 aircraft tires in the world. Following in their footsteps and sharing their vision, Cokoon® Solutions has been opened to all interested tire builders with an open patent without any charge. And, that’s a significant step forward considering how resorcinol and formaldehyde had no substitute for textile reinforcing materials to the surrounding rubber matrix.

Kordsa has partnered in the global aerospace industry by providing fabrics for NASA’s next-generation spacecraft, the Orion capsule, that set the record for the farthest distance traveled by a spacecraft designed to carry humans; which has been using fabrics manufactured by Fabric Development Inc. in USA.  

Sabancı Holding expands its global composites operations to Europe through diverse product portfolio for motorsport, luxury electric vehicles categories with Microtex.

The Future of Mobility

Source: Interesting Engineering 

Sabanci is gearing up well for the future with its groundbreaking efforts in the mobility space

Brisa, a subsidiary of Sabancı Holding, deserves a worthy mention for its efforts to create a sustainable model in the mobility space. 

With a combination of multiple cutting-edge technologies, this tire manufacturing company uses lighter and more sustainable advanced materials in its products. Tires made of these materials reduce CO₂emissions without any compromise on performance and safety. 

With Mobility-as-a-service tipped to rise over the course of years, partnerships between car manufacturers and battery producers are bound to spike. Sabancı Holding subsidiary Temsa, with Türkiye’s first electric bus, has made sure to jump on this trend at the earliest. 

Temsa as one of the world’s leading bus and midibus manufacturers, is going to produce intercity hydrogen buses in cooperation with Caetanobus, one of Europe’s most important hydrogen vehicle manufacturers.

How does Sabancı Holding implement these technologies?

Source: Interesting Engineering  

Research plays a crucial role in Sabanci’s attempts to implement these technologies.

Sabancı brings these technologies into action at the industry level, while walking hand to hand with research and academia. Sabancı University’s Composite Technologies Excellence Center and SUNUM Sabancı University Nanotechnology and Application Center are two key lighthouses for Sabancı’s future advanced materials solutions. 

Staying true to Sabancı’s vision, Kordsa has also undertaken the initiative to implement the ‘Open Innovation’ concept and has established the Composite Technologies Center of Excellence in Technopark, Istanbul. Sabancı University’s lecturers, students, and Kordsa employees all work together at this center. 

This center also developed a bio-based resin formula from sugar cane wastes. This next-generation material was designed for aerospace and railway usage and is exported to the US.

Cevdet Alemdar also explains the depth of the spectrum across which composites can benefit various industries.

“Our work in developing composite products is a testament to Sabancı Holding’s commitment to a better life. With each layer we weave and each material we combine, we craft a new product of strength and versatility that defies ordinary products. Thus, our composites pave the way for space travel, hydrogen-burning fuel cells, and lighter durable cars. Upon those foundations, we all can rise, adapt and realize a Net Zero World.”

SUNUM – A wonderworld that fosters innovation

Source: Interesting Engineering 

SUNUM – A wonderworld that fosters innovation

Prof. Dr. Fazilet Vardar Sukan sheds light on the ongoing activities at SUNUM and how it’ll impact future generations in their efforts to lead sustainable lives using a combination of nanoscience and nanotechnology.

“SUNUM is a global collaboration platform that facilitates the integration of nanoscience and nanotechnology to create societal added-value as an exemplary reference center in the field of nanotechnology.

SUNUM emphasizes sustainability by focusing on green production methods while exploiting nanomaterials to enhance efficiency and reduce costs. For instance, in collaboration with Temsa, we are developing a Battery Management System (BMS) for Li-Ion battery packs. Our objective is to establish a highly precise method for predicting battery failures before they occur, ensuring user safety.”

Prof. Dr. Sukan further goes on to explain how they are partnering with Kordsa to develop a method for predicting battery failures.

“With Kordsa, we are actively collaborating in one of the very prestigious pre-competitive research platforms funded by the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Türkiye and coordinated by SUNUM. Our collaborative projects utilize of flexible electronic technologies for health data monitoring.”

Focusing on the spectrum across which SUNUM is helping Sabancı’s subsidiaries achieve their goals, Prof. Dr. Sukan has also revealed their exciting ongoing project in partnership with Brisa. 

“In partnership with Brisa, we are aiming to commercialize a SUNUM Patent involving a photothermal nanomaterial to enhance heat insulation in textiles, as well as developing novel materials with self-cleaning and antimicrobial features.”

Revolutionary materials are reshaping not only industries but also our daily experiences. They enhance the fuel efficiency of our vehicles, elevate the sustainability of our structures, and pave the way for deeper space exploration. 

In the pursuit of a greener future, these materials have transitioned from being optional to indispensable. Key players in the industrial sector, including Sabancı Holding, are redefining their operations to ensure sustainability not just for the present but also for the generations to come.

About Sabancı Group

Sabancı Group has been a pioneer in Türkiye for almost a century. As one of Türkiye’s leading conglomerates, they engage in a wide variety of business activities through their subsidiaries and affiliates, mainly in the banking, energy, industrials, building materials, financial services, and digital sectors.

They’ve formed global partnerships across five continents and reached more than 40 million people worldwide. Sabancı Groupis working tirelessly to unite Türkiye and the world, ensuring a sustainable life by creating leading enterprises.

To achieve this long-term goal, they invest primarily in ‘new economy’ which is energy and climate technologies, advanced material technologies, and digital technologies.

They are making capital and organic investments in advanced material technologies in 13 facilities from America to EMEA and APAC regions with their R&D and technic centers providing over 1000 patents and intellectual property to be an early adopter of state-of-the-art innovations. Using an agile global footprint, they aim to design a sustainable future in their incessant efforts to achieve the goal of net zero by 2050.

Through its innovative and competent approach towards green living, Sabancı Holding has established itself as an experienced leader and a pioneer in sustainability. They have achieved a commendable command over operational processes and compliance with major global ESG indices. In 2023, they have received a rating of “AA” in the MSCI ESG Ratings assessment.

The stakeholders in the advanced materials ecosystem are transforming their operations in the same direction as Sabancı Holding, not just for today but also for tomorrow towards a sustainable future.