DowAksa will continue its operations under the name Aksa Carbon

Aksa Carbon’s campus entrance

 Aksa Akrilik, a subsidiary of Akkök Holding and the world’s leading acrylic fibre producer, has taken another major step towards its vision of expanding in advanced materials and delivering innovative solutions. The company has completed the acquisition of Dow Europe Holding B.V.’s 50% stake in DowAksa with a cash payment of US$125 million (€106.8 million), becoming the sole owner of the business. This transaction places DowAksa’s total valuation at approximately US$450 million (€384.6 million).

Operating under its new name, Aksa Carbon, the company will be led by Gürcan Koman, vice president of Akkök Chemicals and Advanced Materials Group, who has been appointed as general manager. Aksa Akrilik entered the carbon fibre market in 2009 and, in 2012, formed the 50-50 joint venture DowAksa with Dow Europe Holdings B.V. With full ownership now secured, Aksa Akrilik is positioned as one of the strongest contenders for global leadership in carbon fibre production.

 

A leading global player from Türkiye

Emphasising that gaining full ownership of DowAksa is a key milestone in Aksa’s transformation into a global player, not only in acrylic fibre production but also in carbon-based advanced material solutions, Cengiz Taş, board member of Akkök Holding and president of the group’s chemicals and advanced materials division, stated: “Bringing DowAksa entirely under the Aksa Akrilik umbrella is more than an acquisition; it represents the restructuring of knowledge, expertise and technology in advanced materials. In this new era, Aksa Carbon will stand among Türkiye’s most influential companies on the global stage, particularly in high-performance materials such as carbon fibre.”

“This strategic move reflects our long-term vision for chemicals and advanced materials. Our goals are to create greater added value for Türkiye’s defence industry, deliver strong solutions to international industrial players and end foreign dependency in carbon fibre. Leading this transformation, Gürcan Koman will play a vital role in achieving Aksa Carbon’s global ambitions, backed by his extensive experience and technical expertise within Aksa Akrilik,” he added.

A new general manager

With the ongoing transformation at Aksa Carbon, the company’s leadership has also been renewed. Gürcan Koman, vice president of Akkök Holding’s Chemicals and Advanced Materials Group and an expert in chemistry and advanced materials technologies, has been appointed as general manager.

Koman graduated from Middle East Technical University (METU) in chemical engineering in 2005 and began his career at Aksa Akrilik in 2006. He has held leadership positions in critical areas such as production, R&D and product development. Since 2019, he served as factory director at Aksa. As of January 1, 2025, he has been appointed vice president of Akkök’s Chemicals and Advanced Materials Group. Drawing on his extensive experience in both domestic and international markets, Koman will lead Aksa Carbon’s growth ambitions in this new chapter.

Aiming for global leadership in carbon fibre

Under its new name, Aksa Carbon is more than just a carbon fibre producer; it is a solutions provider shaping the transformation of strategic sectors. Utilising pultrusion technology developed at its Yalova facilities, the company manufactures carbon fibre-reinforced laminated plates used in the load-bearing beams of wind turbines. These advanced products deliver both cost and performance benefits while increasing the local content in Turkey’s wind energy projects. In this way, Aksa Carbon is becoming a strategic driver of sustainable growth in fields such as energy, defence and infrastructure. Carbon fibre – produced by only a select few countries worldwide – is prized for its high strength and light weight, making it an essential material across diverse industries including defence, aerospace, automotive and construction.