“If I do something, I must be the best”

M.Kemal Coşkunöz, who was born in Bursa on 25.08.1921, started working as an apprentice whilst still in primary school and he dedicated his life to learning and teaching. He graduated from the Tophane School of Arts & Craft in 1941 and completed the Yıldız Military Transporation School in 1942. During his time as an artillery mechanic in the Çanakkale 101st Artillery Regiment, he was sent to be trained as a tank specialist at the Tank Assembly Factory belonging to the English in Egypt. On his return from Egypt in 1946 he started working as a teacher at the Tophane School of Arts & Craft.

In 1949 he started a venture to make a mould for the production of knives, forks and spoons. At this time he also produced the first branding machine for the textile sector. In 1950, together with 2 partners, he formed the SKT company where small electrical tools were manufactured. In 1950 he resigned from his civil teaching post and took over the head position at SKT. In 1956 he was the first person to produce oil seals in Turkey. In 1960 he set up his own atelier and in the same year produced his own stamping machine. In 1963 he produced Turkey’s first steel bus bodywork, these were previously wooden, and he trained many bodywork craftsmen for the sector. In 1966, as one of the founder members of Karsan, he became one of the founders of the vehicle body industry in Turkey.

In 1968 he moved his atelier to the Bursa Industrial Estate, to the building which today is still used as the main centre of the company. Kemal Coşkunöz, who started out with dreams to grow together with his country’s economy, became a leading entrenpreneur who, through his production of sheet metal parts, press’, welding machines, specialist machinery and tools for the Turkish automotive, white goods and defense industries and his investments in tool and machinery production, contributed greatly to the automotive industry getting to where it is.

Our dear elder, who is still remembered by those in Bursa as ‘Mentor’ was a teacher whose principle was to learn, particularly through day to day living and experiences, and to teach accordingly and this was reflected in many ways in his industrialism. With his “if I do something, I must be the best” approach to everything, from the foundation of the Turkish industry through till today, he was an innovator and contributed immensely to the country’s economy. With the same approach, all through his life he emphasised the necessity for education for progression of the country and he felt that the lack of vocational education was one of modern Turkey’s biggest problems. Mentor Kemal believed that solving society’s problems was the responsibility of each and everyone of us and, in order to contribute to vocational education, provide trained technical employees for the industry and, most importantly, to enable youngsters to gain a profession, in 1988 he established the Coşkunöz Educational Foundation and in 1997 he founded the Coşkunöz Anatolian Technical High School. Today the Foundation, that has graduated hundreds of youngsters, organised vocational training projects and awarded scholarships, continues to grow and provide service for the education of youngsters.

Our valued founder, M.Kemal Coşkunöz passed away on 12th October 2000.

Today, the Coşkunöz Holding group with its 8 participating companies covers a 50.000 m2 production area and provides work for more than 2000 people.