CANiK to Increase Global Market Share with Investments in the USA and Europe

CANiK to Increase Global Market Share with Investments in the USA and Europe

 

CANiK continues its investment surge to increase its global market share. The company is set to bring its factory in Florida online in 2024 and will further boost its operations with its France-based company, CANiK Europe, aimed at the European market. CANiK plans to sell 35,000 units in Europe in the initial phase, while its investment in the United States will qualify the company to supply to the United States Armed Forces and security forces. Didem Aral, a Member of the Board responsible for Foreign Trade at CANiK, shared the company’s roadmap and strategies ort he European and American markets with CANiK News readers.

 

CANiK News: You attended the back-to-back Enforce Tac and IWA OutdoorClassic fairs in Nuremberg, Germany. Could you evaluate this 7-day fair marathon for CANiK and SYS Group companies?

Didem ARAL: This year, we observed much higher participation at both fairs compared to previous years. The strong attendance was encouraging for us as industry representatives. The fairs provided an opportunity to connect with the exact audience we target, including distributors and representatives. We made the European debut of the CANiK TTI Combat, developed in collaboration with Taran Tactical Innovations (TTI), founded by Hollywood's leading firearms expert Taran Butler, at the IWA OutdoorClassics. Both the launch and the CANiK TTI Combat received high praise from participants, and we experienced intense interest from end-users on social media. We also launched our France-based company, CANiK Europe, at these fairs, which will handle our European operations. At both events, we showcased over 50 products to European stakeholders.

 

Expanding CANiK Europe

CANiK News: Can you describe CANiK's growth goals in the European market and your strategy to achieve them?

Didem ARAL: Europe is a key market where 300,000-350,000 units of 9 mm pistols are sold annually. Given the recent major conflicts, security concerns have surged, driving the entire European population toward procuring armaments. Additionally, countries are renewing and modernizing their inventories, leading to significant budget increases. Therefore, there's a serious demand in Europe, not just for military and law enforcement, but also in the civilian market. Our efforts at the fairs in Germany allowed us to refine our roadmap. Moving forward, we aim to increase our market share in the European firearms market.

 

Initial Target of 35,000 Units Sold Annually to the European Market

CANiK News: What strategy will CANiK follow to achieve its goals in the European market?

 

Didem ARAL: Our initial target is to sell 35,000 units annually in Europe. We need to align with the right distributors and partners to reach this goal. We have set up a phased strategy for the European market, categorized into primary, secondary, and tertiary targets. This approach ensures that while focusing on primary targets, we will not overlook secondary and tertiary ones. We will channel all our energy, resources, and budget towards countries in our primary target list that offer the most advantages in terms of population, economy, and regulations.

 

Environmental and Quality Standards

CANiK News: Europe follows stringent environmental and quality policies. Can you discuss how CANiK and other Turkish manufacturers are adapting?

 

Didem ARAL: CANiK and all SYS Group companies have made necessary investments to reduce and monitor our carbon footprint. We also ensure that our suppliers comply with these standards. In Europe, we face challenges such as heavy bureaucracy, high costs, and labor regulations, which contribute to higher environmental costs. It's observed that environmental and quality standards are often emphasized to balance competition with producers from regions like Turkey. Regardless, it's undeniable that all Turkish manufacturers need to urgently reduce and monitor their carbon footprint.

 

Strengthening CANiK’s Presence in the United States

CANiK News: Could you update us on the current status of CANiK’s activities in the American market?

Didem ARAL: Our manufacturing facility in West Palm Beach, Florida, is set to begin operations this year. We will also mark our presence in the American market with CANiK brand pistols that bear the "Made in USA" label. Looking ahead, we plan to expand into heavy machine gun manufacturing at this facility. Manufacturing in the United States will enable us to bid and supply products to the United States military and law enforcement agencies. Our 2024 export items will predominantly consist of heavy machine guns, 30x113 mm medium caliber cannons, and associated remote-controlled weapon systems and turrets. As one of the top three global exporters to the United States, a key market in the world firearms sector, we aim to enter current tenders regarding handguns, thereby strengthening our presence, along with intensifying marketing efforts to boost sales in civilian markets.

 

We thank Didem Aral, Member of the Board at CANiK, for taking the time to answer our questions and providing such valuable insights.