Conference Program 2026
Tuesday, November 24, 2026
09:00
Welcome Remarks
Kurt Fischer, TCM
Nurten Ergün, BTC
Haluk Yildiz, Yomsad
Speaker's Bio: Nurten Ergün
She graduated from Hacettepe University, Department of Economics in 1987. Between 1988 and 1992, she worked in the sales and marketing of high-tech products in international corporate companies. She founded her first company in 1993. With the belief that innovative and new technologies will gain great value, she received training in design and digital technologies in Italy and Germany. She represented many European companies in the textile sector from design to production and color management in digital printing. Nurten Ergün, who is the founding partner of 5 different companies, has gathered all her activities under the roof of BTC Information Technologies, which represents a total of 11 European companies in Turkey. She closely follows the developments in the world by participating in over 200 fairs, both national and international.
She acts as a locomotive in introducing new technologies to the Turkish industry and bringing them into the sector with the Seminars, Workshops and Conferences she organizes regularly. In 2019, the Ministry of Environment and Urbanization organized the “1st Water Intelligence” Conference with the support of İTKİB, İHKİB, TTTSD and invited very valuable European companies that are running for leadership in their fields to this conference where the smart management of WATER was discussed and provided information on sustainable production technologies to over 150 Turkish manufacturers and brands.
Thinking that its long-standing knowledge and experience would also benefit the decorative surfaces, paper and packaging sectors, it made new initiatives and added the distributorship of 5 different European companies to its service area.
In 2024, it will organize the “Surfaces Eurasia” conference in cooperation with TCM Conference in order to lead the industry to get to know new techniques and technologies closely in the field of decorative surfaces. An event that will be organized for the first time in Turkey is celebrating its 25th anniversary in the world.
In this conference, the use of new techniques and technologies in decorative surfaces, the benefits of artificial intelligence will be discussed. As well as energy saving, efficient production, reducing stock costs, responding to customer requests faster and providing unlimited service in colors and quantities with flexible production provided by digital technologies will be also the topics. This event, which will feature very valuable speakers, will be the first event organized in the decorative surfaces sector.
Speaker's Bio: Haluk Yildiz
Born in Samsun in 1959, Haluk Yıldız graduated from Boğaziçi University, Department of Mechanical Engineering in 1981.
Haluk Yıldız began his professional career at Karadeniz Copper Enterprises, and then assumed management roles in engineering and investment at Aksa Acrylic Chemical Industry for 7 years.
Haluk Yıldız, who has been working at Kastamonu Entegre Ağaç A.Ş. since 1992, has held management positions as Investment Manager, Factory Manager, and Deputy General Manager, respectively.
Haluk Yıldız has been serving as Kastamonu Entegre Ağaç Industry CEO and Hayat Holding Ağaç Group President since 2000.
During Haluk Yıldız’s term as General Manager, Kastamonu Entegre launched an investment offensive at home and abroad, grew nearly 20-fold in 20 years, and reached a turnover of 1.9 billion dollars.
Haluk Yıldız leads Kastamonu Entegre’s operations in Turkey as well as its subsidiaries in Italy, Russia, Romania, Bulgaria and Bosnia-Herzegovina. He also serves as the President of the MDF and Particleboard Industrialists’ Association and the President of the TOBB Forest Products Assembly.
09:20
Opening Presentaion
Ahmet Güleç, Mobilya Dernekleri Federasyonu (MOSFED)
Speaker's Bio: Ahmet Güleç
Ahmet Güleç was born in Mardin/Türkiye in 1970, he graduated from Ankara University, Faculty of Political Sciences, Department of Public Administration in 1990.
Known for his work on the development of the Turkish Furniture Industry, Mr.Güleç served in prominent positions in many non-governmental organizations. Güleç, who was the President of Independent Industrialists and Businessmen Association’s (MUSIAD) İnegöl Branch between 2007 and 2012, was also a member of the MUSIAD High Advisory Board until 2023.
Güleç carried out many studies to strengthen the unity of the sector in İnegöl, one of the furniture production centers of Turkey, and pioneered the establishment of İMOS with the İnegöl Furniture Promotion Group, which he was chairman of for two years. Güleç, who joined the board of directors of the Turkish Furniture Manufacturers Association (MOSDER) in 2010, was elected as the president of the association in 2012. Güleç, who is also the founding president of the Federation of Furniture Associations (MOSFED), which collects furniture associations of Turkıye under one roof, continues his duty as the president of MOSFED. Güleç is a board member of European Furniture Industries Confederation (EFIC).
Güleç, who is a member of the Board of Directors of Istanbul World Trade Center , served as president of the Istanbul Exporters’ Association, Furniture, Paper and Forest Products Exporters’ Association for two terms in 2014 and 2018. Güleç has been serving as the Deputy Chairman of the Turkiye Exporters Assembly (TİM) since 2022.
Güleç, who is married and a father of four children, speaks English.
09:40
Speaker's Bio: Hüseyin Yildiz
I am a fourth-generation member of the Yıldız Family, which has been involved in the forest products sector for over 130 years.
From a young age, I participated in the family business, taking on various roles after school and during summer vacations, and I started working full-time early in my career.
After graduating from Bilkent University with a degree in Economics in 1998, I joined the company on a full-time basis.
Throughout the years, I have gained valuable experience by taking on different responsibilities at various levels within the organization. For the last 10 years, I have served as the Chairman of the Board of Starwood.
My primary goal is to transform our company into a sustainable, innovative, and value-generating organization. To achieve this, I focus on making strategic investments and leading digital transformation initiatives.
I am married and have two children.
10:00
Keynote Presentation
Prof. Dr. Davut Kavranoğlu, Kastamonu Entegre
Speaker's Bio: Prof. Dr. Davut Kavranoğlu
As of September 15, 2025, Prof. Dr. Davut Kavranoğlu has assumed his role as CEO of Kastamonu Entegre.
Prof. Dr. Kavranoğlu completed his undergraduate studies at Istanbul Technical University, Faculty of Electrical and Electronics, Department of Electronics and Communications Engineering, and subsequently earned his master’s (1986) and PhD (1989) degrees from the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), Pasadena, USA.
Following his academic career, he took on significant roles in public administration, the private sector, and entrepreneurship. He served as Deputy Minister at the Ministry of Science, Industry and Technology of the Republic of Türkiye, and later as Chief Advisor to the President of the Republic of Türkiye on science, technology, education, and industry.
Most recently, in addition to chairing the Knowledge Economy Association, he served as Chairman of the Board of San Francisco-based Geoxon.
10:30
Coffee Break, Exhibitions
11:00
Speaker's Bio: Thomas Walther
Speaker's Bio: Ilya Bezuglov
12:00
Naci Güngör, Alim Group
Speaker's Bio: Naci Güngör
Mr. Naci Güngör holds a mechanical engineering degree from Middle East Technical University and an M.B.A. degree from Bilkent University. He has an experience of over 30 years in the wood based panel industry and worked for 12 years as marketing and corporate communications manager at Kastamonu Entegre, which is among the top 5 producers globally. He then joined in 2018 Boyut Edgeband company, a member of Alim Group, as director of marketing and corporate communications.
He acted between 2015-2021 as a member of the Forestry Products Consultative Committee in FAO of United Nations, between 2012-2014 as Board Member of Wood Products Exporters Association in Istanbul and still a member of Foreign Economic Relations Board (DEIK) Business Council Executive Committee.
12:30
Networking Lunch
13:30
Robert Bierfreund, Metiqon
Kai Bär, Adphos
Guido Lebbing, Lebbing Automation and Drives
Harald Jordan, IPAC
Speaker's Bio:Robert Bierfreund
January 2026 – today: Founder and Managig Director of MetiQon.
March 2011 – December 2025: Managing Director Operations Interprint GmbH / COO Interprint Group responsible for manufacturing and engineering at all Interprint locations worldwide.
July 2010 – Feb. 2011: Establishment and management of the service and consulting business unit at Prinovis.
July 2008 – June 2010: CEO / Managing Director of a printing plant with 600 employees in Barcelona, Spain.
Jan. 2007 – June 2008: COO / Director Operations for Mohn Media Apr. 2004 – Dec. 2006: COO / Director Operations at rotogravure printer Broschek in Hamburg.
1992 – 2004: Different management position at Eurohueco/Spain – Bertelsmann Printing Group.
Degree in Electrical Engineering, Rudolf-Diesel-Fachschule für Techniker, Nürnberg.
Speaker's Bio:Kai Bär
Dr. Kai Bär graduated and completed his PhD in 1989 from the University of Aachen.
From 1989 – 1994 he was involved in the European space shuttle program and served as the leader responsible for the HERMES heat structure tests within the business segment “High Temperature Technology and Installations” at IABG GmbH, Ottobrunn.
Since 1994 he is the co-founder and Managing Director of IndustrieSerVis GmbH in Bruckmühl, which later evolved into adphos.
In 1998 Dr. Bär was honored with the title of “Entrepreneur of the Year”.
Since 2009 Dr. Bär is Managing Director/President of the adphos group, which includes adphos Innovative Technologies GmbH, adphos Digital Printing GmbH, adphos Thermal Processng GmbH.
Speaker's Bio:Guido Lebbing
Speaker's Bio: Harald Jordan
2003 –
Co-partner Ipac GmbH since the company was founded, managing partner since 2005.
1996 – 2003Independent management consultant with international project management experience in the areas of innovation, organization, and SAP.
1981 – 1993
Employed by the global market leader in the refractory industry, Veitsch Radex (now RHI Radex Heraklith International), in various management positions in Austria and abroad, including commercial management of the sales company in Italy and project management for innovation, organization, and SAP projects worldwide in the headquarter Vienna, Austria.
Education:
Commercial Academy Feldkirchen, Carinthia/Austria and Controller Academy, München, Germany
15:30
Coffee Break, Exhibitions
16:00
Robert Bierfreund, Metiqon
Kai Bär, Adphos
Guido Lebbing, Lebbing Automation and Drives
Harald Jordan, IPAC
17:00
End of Day 1
19:00
Conference Dinner
Join us for our traditional conference dinner on November 24 at 7pm.
Wednesday, November 25, 2026
09:00
Speaker's Bio: Bettina Meyer
09:30
Speaker's Bio: Royce Dodds
Royce Dodds is an established specialist in decorative inkjet printing with both practical and documented technical credentials in the German-based décor industry. Over more than two decades he has worked with major players such as EGGER Holzwerkstoffe Brilon and Wilsonart, focusing on digital print workflows, surface structures, and design development for decorative boards and laminates. In recent years, Dodds has become a key figure in the application of AI generative imaging—over the last two years, he has developed original designs with AI tools, several of which have found commercial use in the décor market.
His skill set is evidenced by named inventorship on patents such as US9782797B2 “Method and device for producing a structured varnish surface,” assigned to Fritz Egger, which describes digitally controlled creation of 3D varnish textures matched to décor images on board substrates. In parallel, symposium and workshop programs list him as a speaker on topics including inline colour control, AI-based décor design, and digital surface treatment at events like the DIPA Symposium, the Decorative Surfaces Conference, Fogra Colour Management Symposium, and FuturePrint webinars and podcasts.
10:00
Speaker's Bio: Berd Dinkelborg
Bernd started his journey at KNEHO-LACKE in 2011 and he is now responsible for marketing and sales. As a wood engineer with a solid background of production technologies he became specialized in the UV-coating sector, focusing primarily on product development and the application of industrial coating processes.
Speaker's Bio: Göran Ziegler
Göran Ziegler holds a M. Sc. In Chemical Engineering and Licentiate in Polymer Technology both from Lund University and have a background in material technology for building products from different industries. He currently serves as the Director of R&D Surface Technology at Välinge Innovation. Göran has been with Välinge for 17 years and have been responsible for the development of several new flooring and surface technologies. Göran is also head of the Swedish flooring standardisation group and active on both CEN and ISO level. Outside his work Göran enjoys mountain biking, golf and spending time with family and friends.
10:30
Speaker's Bio: Moritz Schränkler
11:00
Coffee Break, Exhibitions
11:30
Speaker's Bio: Berd Dinkelborg
Bernd started his journey at KNEHO-LACKE in 2011 and he is now responsible for marketing and sales. As a wood engineer with a solid background of production technologies he became specialized in the UV-coating sector, focusing primarily on product development and the application of industrial coating processes.
12:00
Speaker's Bio: Norbert Busch
Speaker's Bio: Marie-Lene Andrews
12:30
Speaker's Bio: Udo Steinhauer
Udo Steinhauer is Director of Business Development, Marketing & Sustainability at Profol, a manufacturer of innovative polymer films.
Udo Steinhauer holds a degree in chemical engineering from the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) and has over 30 years of experience in various positions in the chemical, coating, and polymer industries. His experience includes polymer films and additives, coatings, and composites, as well as their technical application in various markets such as flooring, furniture, and automotive.
Speaker's Bio: Peter Weidenschlager
13:00
Speaker's Bio: Steven Eschig
13:30
Networking Lunch
15:00
End of Conference
