Enka Hijyen is looking to make its mark on the baby diaper market. The new diaper manufacturer in Turkey started up following a €27 million investment by Imam Kayali Holding, a privately owned family company that’s been active in different fields of trade and industry since 1928.

Producing three brands of baby diapers at its Gaziantep-based manufacturing facility—Paddlers, Cushy Baby and Lulla Baby—Enka Hijyen’s production process follows GMP regulations and complies with all EU standards.

Paddlers were created to provide premium comfort and dryness. The diaper is specially designed to give maximum protection and fit for babies and features elastics ears, high absorption and retention capacity, cream lotion and a wetness indicator. Cushy Baby diapers were made for consumers who look for an affordable diaper without sacrificing quality. This line offers a comfortable, dry solution for a good value. Meanwhile, Lulla Baby is Enka Hijyen’s economical baby diaper brand. Offered with elastic ears, Lulla Baby products are ideal for parents who desire good comfort at decent performance that fits within their budget. A limited portion of Enka Hijyen’s manufacturing capability is available for private label manufacturing services.

Enka Hijyen’s state-of-the-art high speed manufacturing lines give the advantage of offering the most up-to-date and high quality products at a competitive edge, according to Fatos Gunsel, Enka Hijyen plant manager. “Enka offers consistent quality on each and every product made by a reliable and well managed company,” she says.

Presently, a very small portion of the company’s diaper output is available locally and over 95% of its production is exported. “The penetration rate of using disposable diapers is over 85% [in Turkey], however the average daily consumption of diapers are yet lower then what we see in developed countries,” says Gunsel. “When looking at the penetration rate of countries falling within Turkey’s marketing range, we observe that it shows dramatic increases per year.”

Most diaper manufacturers in Turkey are exporting to neighboring countries and countries outside the region that are easily accessible by road or sea transport, she adds. “Turkey has become a hub in this market because it has a very good infrastructure, it is very easy to reach skilled personnel and all raw materials with the exception of SAP and pulp is produced and widely available in Turkey.”

These are some of the factors that attracted Imam Kayali Holding to the hygiene market. The company, which is currently managed by family members representing the fourth generation, runs a diversified range of independently-operated businesses including automotive, trucks, spares sales and insurance, as well as businesses that manufacture engine valves, furniture, yarns and nonwovens (spunbond, SMS, ADL and ATB).

As Enka Hijyen plans for the future, it will not just expand in diapers, but also hopes to add other products to complete its portfolio. “The disposable hygienic articles market is an evolving market. The needs and expectations are changing each passing day,” says Alican Yilankirkan, board member of Enka Hijyen. “Enka Hijyen has a good team supported by an innovative R&D department that makes company well prepared for the upcoming trends in the industry.”