Connoisseur of Industry
From Bulgaristan to Inegol… President of Bursa Chamber of Commerce and Industry for 25 years… Consecutive tax champion… First polyester thread factory… Employment for thousands of people… A life dedicated to education… Years in the Grand Assembly… And ETERNITY… Sonmez Holding Inc. CEO Ali Osman Sonmez who held the office as the president of Bursa Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BTSO) for 25 years, was the member of the parliament from Bursa in Dogruyol Party between 1995-1999.
He liked championship
Ali Osman Sonmez, who empowered the economy of Bursa and country through his industrial plants, is also the owner of several awards due to the breakthroughs in his business life. Sonmez, who was granted awards by various professional organizations is also the holder of compelling records.
The first one to be remembered among these records is the individual income tax paid by Ali Osman Sonmez continiously between 1977-1993. His title of “tax champion” among the income tax contributors in Bursa.
Chambers of Commerce and Industry
He was elected as President of Management Board of Chamber of Commerce and Industry for 6 years in Inegol. Sonmez, who won the elections for the Presidency of Management Board of Bursa Chamber of Commerce and Industry until November 1996 also broke the record for presidency as the longest-term “President of Chamber of Commerce” in Turkey.
Sonmez, who was Member of Management Board for Turkish Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges between 1982-1984 and the Council Chairman of Chamber and Industry Chambers in Turkish Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges between 1986-1988 was reelected as the council chairman in 1992.
Ali Osman Sonmez was elected as Bursa Member of Parliament from DYN in the general elections held for membership to parliament in 1995.
Ali Osman Sonmez, who paid his first income tax as 2500 TL in 1952, held the record for “Bursa Tax Championship” from 1977 to 1994. Sonmez, who reclaimed the championship in 1995, was given “Gold Medal” and “Certificate of Appreciation” with a ceremony held by Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Ali Osman Sonmez, who was elected to the delegation of general board of TOBB for over 25 years, was also granted a plague by the then-Prime Minister Yildirim Akbulut.
From importation to manufacturing
Ali Osman Sonmez, who was the founder and principal partner of Sonmez Holding, was engaged in commerce (particularly importing thread) until 1972. Upon estimating the great advantage to be yielded from manufacturing miscellaneous types of thread in Turkey due to the customs restrictions of the time, Ali Osman Sonmez established Sonmez Filament factory with 20 partners in 1972 so as to manufacture polyester thread which was not yet manufactured in Turkey.
Hence, Ali Osman Sonmez took his first step into industry. He continued manufacturing thread by continuously increasing the capacity in return for great benefits in respect to replacement of imported thread. In the meantime, polyester jibs and polyester fiber were included in the manufactured goods of the company. Sonmez Filament is still one of the facilities with the highest manufacturing capacity in respect to polyester textile thread.
Ali Osman Sonmez, who also noticed the advantage to proceed to weaving, which yielded a product with higher added value, established the most modern weaving plants of Bursa at that time under Sonmez ASF Thread Weaving and Dye Inc. in 1975. He included dye and finishing facilities and ready-made garment units into the company so as to ensure better evaluation of weaved products.
Integration was completed
Ali Osman Sonmez, who started the business with synthetic thread, established Sonmez Cotton Industry Inv. in 1982 so as to have natural fiber, which has major importance for health reasons and the potential of Turkey as an alternative to synthetic products, utilized. The objective was manufacturing cotton yarn and towels, which constitute a special product in Bursa. Due to poor development of competitive conditions, towel production was increasingly abandoned and replaced with cotton and synthetic yarn manufacturing. As the facilities in question are also appropriate for synthetic (viscose) and polyester fiber based yarn manufacturing, viscose and polyester threads are also manufactured there.
Sonmez Holding Subsidiaries
Ali Osman Sonmez Vocational Training Foundation
Sonmez Tourism Real Estate Investment Industry Commerce Inc.
Sonmez Filament Synthetic Thread and Fiber Industry Inc.
Sonmez Cotton Industry Inc.
ASF Thread Dyeing and Dye Industry Inc.
Sonmez Textile Commerce and Industry Inc.
Sonmez Clothing Industry Inc.
Sonmez Bustas Cold Storage Export and Transport Inc.
Sonmez Food Tourism and Trade Inc.
Bursa Journalism and Publishing Inc.
Sonmez Industry Holding Inc.
Sonmez Foreign Trade Industry and Trade Inc.
Sonmez Publishing and Radio Television Industry and Trade Inc.
Sonmez Construction Inc.
Sonmez Koc Automotive Trade Inc.
As Merkez Tourism and Entertainment Industry and Trade Ltd.
Sonmez Petrol Industry and Trade Ltd.
Sonmez ASF Textile Marketing Inc.
Sonmez Filament Marketing Inc.
Sonmez Packaging Industry Inc.
Celal Sonmez Import Export Domestic Trade Inc.
Sonmez Cotton Marketing Inc.
Sonmez Cemul-Cem Tourism Construction Industry and Trade Inc.
Ali Osman Sonmez Firm
Sonmez Insurance Agency Services Ltd.
