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Ciner Group
Ciner Group
from Wikipedia

Ciner Group (known as Park Holding until December 1994)[1] is a Turkish family-owned conglomerate that operates in four main sectors: energy and mining, natural soda ash, container glass, and shipping. Ciner Group was formed in 1978 and is majority-owned by Turgay Ciner.[3]

Key Information

Operations

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WE Soda

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WE Soda is a soda ash producer.[4][5] The company was founded in 2009 at the Eti Soda plant and is located in the Beypazarı district of Ankara.[6] It operates two large facilities in Turkey, producing over five million tons of natural soda ash annually, which is sold in almost eighty countries around the world.[7] Following the acquisition of Trona reserves from Rio Tinto in 2010, the neighboring Kazan Soda Elektrik plant was officially opened in 2018.[8] In 2015, Ciner acquired a majority stake in OCI Chemical Corporation, which was later renamed Ciner Resources Corporation. This company operates a soda ash facility in the Green River Basin in Wyoming, US.[9] In November 2021, Ciner Group announced it had sold 60% of its US soda ash business to the American company Sisecam Chemicals.[10]

Ciner Glass

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Ciner acquired land in the Bozüyük Industrial Zone in 2011 to produce glass packaging products. Park Glass opened its first production line in 2013 and completed its second line in 2015. A third furnace is under construction at its Park Cam facility.[citation needed] The company produces 1,000 tons of glass per day.[11] In Europe, the UK-based Ciner Glass announced expansion plans in 2021 and 2022 for new manufacturing sites to be based in Belgium and South Wales.[12][13] In May 2020, Ciner Glass announced it would establish a glass container bottle manufacturing plant in Ebbw Vale, Wales. The plant is expected to create 600 jobs. The company received planning permission to begin work on the site in June 2022.[14] In February 2023, Ciner Glass acquired a site at Lommel in Belgium to build a glass container facility.[15][16]

Energy and mining

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In 2000, Turgay Ciner refocused one of his textile businesses on the energy sector and formed Park Electric. In 2003, the firm established the Şırnak Silopi power station. The first 135 MW unit was commissioned in 2009, with two additional 135 MW units developed in 2015 to bring installation capacity up to 405 MW. Park Electric sold its copper mine assets in March 2017, and the company redirected its business towards energy and bought the Konya Ilgin thermal power plant.[17][18] Turgay Ciner set up the thermal power company Park Thermic and bought the Çayırhan power station, which became the first privatized thermal power plant in Turkey.[19][20]

Ciner Shipping

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Ciner Shipping Holding is a Malta-based holding company that initially had a fleet of 29 vessels comprising bulk cargo, tankers, and container ships. Ciner Shipping currently has 22 bulk carriers.[21] Park Shipping has been operating Hopa Port at the eastern edge of the Black Sea since its privatization in 1997. It provides docking facilities for around 250 ships a year.[22]

Ciner Media

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Ciner Media previously operated three TV channels in Turkey, alongside other media interests. Turgay Ciner's entry into the sector started with a partnership with Sabah Group in 1998. After this venture ended, Ciner Group purchased Kanal 1 and the Habertürk channel.[23] The Habertürk newspaper discontinued their print publication in July 2018 and became an online-only platform. In 2010, Ciner launched Bloomberg HT, a 24-hour financial news channel in a partnership with the global news and business information service Bloomberg Media.[24] These assets were sold to Can Group in 2025, a deal announced in December 2024.[25]

Greenhouse gas emissions

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Climate TRACE estimates the company's two coal-fired power stations emitted over five million tons of the country's total 730 million tons of greenhouse gas in 2022,[26][27] and it has been placed on the Urgewald Global Coal Exit List.[28]

See also

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References

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Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia
from Grokipedia
Ciner Group is a family-owned Turkish conglomerate established in 1978, with primary operations in , production, natural soda ash extraction, , chemicals, and maritime shipping. Under the ownership of businessman , the group has developed into one of Turkey's largest industrial entities, achieving global scale through subsidiaries like Eti Soda, the world's leading producer of natural soda ash from deposits, and extensive operations yielding approximately 6 million tonnes annually. Its and activities have elevated Turkey's efficiency standards to international levels, while via Ciner Glass supplies to international beverage and sectors, and maritime assets support logistics for raw material transport. The conglomerate briefly expanded into media ownership, acquiring outlets such as and , but divested these assets to Can Holding in December 2024 for an estimated $800 million. In September 2025, Turkish prosecutors issued a detention order for —then abroad—and initiated asset seizures across group companies amid a money-laundering probe tied to the media sale, resulting in arrests of executives and trusteeships over select entities.

History

Founding and Early Growth

The Ciner Group was established on March 7, 1978, as Park Grubu, a family-owned enterprise founded by in , , initially concentrating on basic commercial operations in manufacturing and sales of industrial materials. Operating under the Park Grubu name until its rebranding to Ciner Grubu on December 25, 2004, the company began as a modest venture reflecting Ciner's entrepreneurial roots, which traced back to his early career as an apprentice in local tea shops. In the 1980s, the group achieved initial growth through diversification into the automotive sector, partnering with his brother to import Mercedes vehicles and spare parts, capitalizing on Turkey's expanding market for foreign goods amid . This period marked a shift from small-scale trade to more structured industrial activities, laying the groundwork for broader domestic investments. By the early , further expansion occurred into textiles, with the establishment of mills in , and energy, including the founding of Park Elektrik Üretim Madencilik Sanayi ve Ticaret A.Ş. in 1994 to explore power generation opportunities. The group's early emphasis on and sectors began to take shape in the late 1990s, leveraging Turkey's abundant natural resources such as deposits—key precursors for soda ash production—through the formation of Eti Soda A.Ş. in 1998 in the Beypazarı region of , which holds one of the world's largest reserves. These foundational steps in resource extraction and positioned the company for sustained domestic growth, establishing core operations in industrial materials by the close of the decade.

Major Acquisitions and International Expansion

In July 2015, Ciner Group announced the acquisition of a majority stake in OCI Resources LP, a leading U.S. producer of natural soda ash derived from mining in . The deal closed on October 27, 2015, with Ciner Enterprises Inc., a U.S. of the group, purchasing OCI's general partner interests and approximately 73% of limited partner units for an undisclosed amount, followed by a name change to Ciner Resources LP effective November 5, 2015. This transaction integrated OCI's operations—producing about 2.5 million metric tons of soda ash annually—into Ciner's portfolio, combining them with existing Turkish facilities under WE Soda to establish the group as the world's largest producer of natural soda ash at the time. The U.S. foothold via Ciner enhanced Ciner's global scale by securing access to the world's richest reserves, enabling cost-efficient expansion of and capacity beyond Turkey's Eti Soda operations. Post-acquisition, Ciner invested in operational upgrades at the Wyoming site, including techniques, to boost output and support markets in , detergents, and chemicals. This move diversified Ciner's away from domestic reliance, mitigating risks from regional demand fluctuations in and . In the glass sector, Ciner pursued European expansion starting in 2018 by establishing Ciner Glass's international headquarters in London to coordinate container glass production and sales across the continent. Between 2021 and 2022, the company announced plans for new manufacturing sites in the UK and Belgium, targeting recycled glass production to serve regional beverage and packaging markets with capacities aimed at 1-2 billion bottles annually per facility. These initiatives positioned Ciner Glass as a key player in sustainable glass supply, leveraging proximity to European customers while integrating soda ash from group mines.

Ownership and Leadership

Turgay Ciner and Family Control

, born in 1956 in , , serves as the founder, chairman, and majority owner of the Ciner Group, a conglomerate he established in 1978 after beginning his career as an apprentice in local tea shops. Starting with modest ventures such as importing automobiles alongside his brother, Ciner leveraged entrepreneurial acumen to expand from regional operations into a global enterprise spanning , , and chemicals. The group's structure remains privately held by the Ciner family, with no issuance of public shares, which supports direct control and sustained investment in core industrial assets without external shareholder pressures. Family members, including Didem Ciner—who holds leadership roles in subsidiaries like Ciner Glass and WE Soda—contribute to operational continuity and strategic oversight, embedding familial principles of long-term development and community reinvestment. Ciner's direction has driven diversification across synergistic sectors, such as integrating media holdings to bolster group influence during periods of industrial expansion, while maintaining emphasis on soda ash production as the foundational revenue driver. This family-centric model has enabled agile pivots, exemplified by acquisitions like the 2015 controlling stake in a soda ash facility, solidifying the group's position in global supply chains.

Corporate Governance

Ciner Group operates as a privately held conglomerate structured through Ciner Group A.Ş., which exercises centralized strategic oversight while allowing subsidiaries such as WE Soda and Ciner Glass to maintain semi-autonomous operations tailored to their respective sectors. This framework enables localized decision-making on day-to-day management, with holding-level directives focusing on alignment with group-wide objectives like resource optimization and market expansion. Governance emphasizes operational synergies across holdings, particularly through integrated supply chains that link activities to production, manufacturing, and shipping via entities like Ciner Shipping. For instance, extraction feeds directly into soda ash at WE Soda facilities, reducing external dependencies and enhancing efficiencies without rigid from the parent entity. The board and executive leadership, headed by Chairman at the group level, prioritize long-term efficiency and capital investments in growth over short-term profitability metrics, reflecting the advantages of private ownership free from public market scrutiny. Subsidiaries' boards incorporate a mix of family representatives, such as Didem Ciner in vice chair roles, and independent professionals to balance familial control with specialized expertise in international operations. This approach supports decisive, entrepreneurially driven decisions, as evidenced by the group's expansion into global markets without diluting ownership through public listings.

Core Operations

Soda Ash Production (WE Soda)

WE Soda, the primary soda ash operation under Ciner Group, stands as the world's largest producer of natural soda ash, derived from ore deposits accessed through underground in , , and solution extraction in . The production process begins with trona extraction—employing long-wall conventional underground mining at U.S. facilities like Westvaco—followed by crushing, calcining to remove impurities, dissolving in water, and purifying via filtration, evaporation, and crystallization to yield high-purity soda ash. This natural method provides a structural cost advantage over synthetic production routes, enabling efficient operations with lower energy inputs and contributing to robust financial performance. U.S. mines, concentrated in the Green River Basin, output millions of metric tons annually, leveraging vast reserves estimated at over 100 billion tons in alone, which underpin WE Soda's capacity to meet global demand. In 2024, the company achieved combined sales volumes of 5.1 million metric tons for soda ash and , marking a 3% year-over-year increase driven by optimized mining and processing efficiencies. Adjusted EBITDA for the year reflected strong margins, with per-metric-ton figures around $99–$104, bolstered by the low-cost profile of -based extraction compared to ammonia-soda solvay processes used elsewhere. Soda ash from WE Soda's operations is indispensable for key industrial uses, including in , builders in detergents for , and raw material in such as and bicarbonate derivatives. These applications span sectors reliant on its and properties, with the company's output supporting chains in over 80 countries and emphasizing the material's role in everyday and industrial products.

Container Glass Manufacturing (Ciner Glass)

Ciner Glass Ltd., a subsidiary of the Ciner Group, specializes in the production of for , with its primary manufacturing operations centered in through the Park Cam facility in Bozüyük. The plant commenced operations on September 1, 2013, initially focusing on bottles for the beverage sector, and has since expanded its infrastructure to include multiple production lines. By 2025, prior to recent furnace additions, the facility achieved a daily production capacity of 1,000 tonnes of , enabling the output of billions of bottles cumulatively by the end of 2018 alone. The company's manufacturing process emphasizes efficiency and environmental considerations, positioning it as a key player in solutions. Ciner Glass produces with a notably low , leveraging optimized energy use and to serve the and beverage industries globally. This includes supplying high-quality, recyclable bottles that meet international standards for and clarity, with applications in carbonated soft drinks, alcoholic beverages, and other liquid . In the Turkish market, Ciner Glass holds a significant position, capturing approximately 22% of the beverage container glass segment through its Bozüyük operations, which produce around 330,000 tonnes annually. The facility's strategic location near facilitates distribution across , including the , while maintaining a focus on cost-effective production with unit energy costs reported as 12% below the industry average. This reflects the company's integration of advanced forming technologies, such as multi-gob machines, to deliver consistent quality amid growing demand for lightweight, eco-friendly containers.

Energy and Mining Activities

Ciner Group's mining operations in the United States centered on ore extraction through its subsidiary Ciner Resources Corporation in the Green River Basin of , utilizing the room-and-pillar method to access deposits in the Big Island Mine. This activity supported domestic industrial requirements by providing raw , a key essential for various manufacturing processes, from one of the world's largest reserves estimated at 40 billion mineable tons. The operations contributed to local economic stability in Sweetwater County by generating employment in and related support roles, including specialized teams for and ventilation. However, in December 2024, Ciner Group divested its shares in the Wyoming facility to Şişecam, ending direct involvement in U.S. trona mining. In , Ciner Group's and efforts emphasize domestic resource extraction to enhance national energy self-sufficiency amid reliance on imported fuels. The company operates mines through subsidiaries like Park Teknik, conducting both open-cast and underground extraction with enrichment processes to improve efficiency, achieving international standards in per-ton productivity. Notable sites include the Ilgın underground mine in , with a capacity of 0.3 million tonnes per annum, supplying adjacent power generation facilities. These activities bolster local economies by creating jobs in rural mining regions such as and Çöllolar, where operations involve advanced groundwater monitoring and safety protocols. Asphaltite mining forms a core component, particularly at the Silopi Asphaltite Mine in , initiated in August 2008 via open-pit methods to yield bituminous hydrocarbons used as . Production from this site fuels the adjacent Silopi power station, a 405 MW asphaltite-fired facility with three units, the third commissioned in 2015, generating approximately 2.7 billion kilowatt-hours annually and serving southeastern Turkey's energy needs. By leveraging indigenous asphaltite reserves—estimated at significant volumes within Turkey's broader 1.5 million tonnes annual output—this integrated -to-power model reduces import vulnerabilities and supports regional , with the facility historically employing around 1,000 workers. Recent developments include negotiations to sell the Silopi assets, potentially shifting focus amid ongoing legal probes into group entities.

Shipping and Logistics (Ciner Shipping)

Ciner Shipping handles the maritime transportation needs of the Ciner Group, primarily facilitating the bulk of soda ash and related commodities derived from the group's mining and chemical operations. The division operates a fleet optimized for dry bulk cargoes, enabling that reduces reliance on third-party carriers and supports cost-efficient delivery to international markets, particularly for trona-derived soda ash from facilities like Eti Soda. This integration aligns shipping capacity with production outputs, allowing direct vessel loading at terminals such as the Denmar facility in Derince Port, , which provides specialized transhipment and storage for soda ash prior to ocean transport. The fleet comprises approximately 25 bulk carriers as of September 2025, focused on worldwide voyages for soda ash and other group products, with vessels registered under the flag for operational efficiency. Earlier configurations included 20 dry bulk carriers alongside four tankers for crude oil, reflecting some diversification beyond core but maintaining emphasis on bulk dry to serve the group's natural soda ash and sectors. These vessels handle specialized bulk loads, contributing to the group's global by minimizing transit costs and ensuring timely delivery to end-users in industries like . Ongoing fleet expansions, supported by over $1 billion in Chinese financing as of May 2024, aim to increase capacity to 50 vessels, enhancing the ability to scale logistics in tandem with rising soda ash production demands. This growth strategy prioritizes acquisitions to sustain competitive advantages in transporting outputs, with management oversight ensuring compliance with international maritime standards for integrity and efficiency.

Media Involvement and Divestiture

Establishment of Ciner Media

Ciner Group entered the media sector in the mid-2000s as part of a diversification strategy extending beyond its primary operations in , , and . In November 2007, the group acquired TV, along with its associated newspaper and radio station, from previous owner Ufuk Güldemir, establishing a foothold in . This move positioned Ciner as a key player in Turkish , with focusing on domestic and international news coverage. Expanding its media portfolio, Ciner Media launched Bloomberg HT in 2010 through a partnership with Bloomberg L.P., introducing a dedicated 24-hour business and financial news channel tailored to Turkish audiences. The channel provided real-time market data, economic analysis, and coverage of sectors like energy and commodities, aligning with the group's industrial interests in soda ash and mining. Bloomberg HT's operations included studios modeled after Bloomberg's global standards, enhancing credibility in financial reporting. In June 2013, Ciner Group further diversified by purchasing Show TV from Turkey's Savings Deposit Insurance Fund (TMSF) for 402 million Turkish liras, incorporating entertainment programming into its holdings. This acquisition complemented the news-oriented outlets, creating vertical synergies that allowed cross-promotion of content and broader audience reach. Under Turgay Ciner's oversight, the media assets operated for over a decade, influencing Turkey's information ecosystem through a mix of journalistic, economic, and entertainment offerings.

Sale to Can Holding

In December 2024, Ciner Group completed the sale of its entire media portfolio, including TV, , and Bloomberg HT, to Can Holding, marking a full divestiture from the media sector. The transaction, formalized via a share purchase agreement on December 22, 2024, was approved by relevant Turkish authorities, enabling Ciner to execute a structured exit without ongoing operational ties. The divestiture aligned with Ciner's strategic shift toward concentrating resources on its primary industrial operations, such as soda ash production and glass manufacturing, which form the conglomerate's core revenue drivers. This move facilitated a clean separation of non-core media assets, preserving enterprise value by avoiding potential dilution from diversified holdings amid Turkey's stringent media regulations and market dynamics. Turkish media faces oversight from bodies like the Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK), which imposes licensing and content compliance requirements that can constrain conglomerates balancing multiple sectors. Post-sale, Ciner Group's media involvement ceased entirely, allowing undivided focus on industrial expansions and efficiencies, while Can Holding assumed control of the outlets, integrating them into its portfolio without reported disruptions to operations at the time of transfer. The transaction underscored a broader trend among Turkish conglomerates to streamline portfolios, prioritizing high-margin sectors over media's volatility and regulatory scrutiny.

Recent Developments

Expansions and Investments

In March 2025, WE Soda, the Ciner Group's soda ash production arm, acquired Genesis Alkali, the largest U.S.-based producer of natural soda ash, for $1.425 billion. This transaction positioned WE Soda as the world's leading natural soda ash producer, with a combined annual capacity of 9.5 million metric tons, primarily from trona-based operations in Wyoming and Turkey, enhancing vertical integration and market dominance in low-cost natural soda ash. The deal followed the December 2024 divestiture of Ciner's remaining stakes in certain U.S. soda ash joint ventures to Sisecam, which provided $210 million in net proceeds to fund further growth. In June 2025, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) approved up to $200 million in senior secured financing for the expansion of soda and production at Soda, a Ciner Group subsidiary in . The aims to increase capacity at the facility, which already operates as one of the largest natural heavy soda producers globally, by optimizing existing processing and adding production lines to meet rising demand for industrial-grade soda . Ciner Glass advanced its European container glass manufacturing footprint in August 2025 by securing €504 million in financing for a new production facility in , . The plant, featuring two high-capacity furnaces with a total output of 1,300 metric tons per day, is designed to supply sustainable glass packaging to regional markets and create approximately 500 jobs upon completion. The financing package includes €252 million in export credit agency-backed loans, with support from equivalent to about £100 million for the supply and installation of glass furnaces, facilitating scaled operations across . In September 2025, Turkish prosecutors expanded a investigation originally targeting Can Holding—stemming from its December 2024 acquisition of Ciner Group's media assets, including TV, , and Bloomberg HT—to encompass Ciner Group itself, alleging financial irregularities totaling approximately $350 million linked to the sale. On September 28, 2025, authorities issued an arrest warrant for Ciner Group owner on charges including , , , and forming a criminal organization, prompting the placement of subsidiaries such as Park Holding and the football club Kasımpaşa under the control of Turkey's Savings Deposit Insurance Fund (TMSF). The probe intensified in October 2025, with courts ordering the arrest of 11 individuals connected to Can Holding on , including figures tied to the expanded inquiry into Ciner-related transactions; additionally, Turgay Ciner's son Atilla Ciner was detained on , and Ciner Glass CEO Gökhan Şen faced detention in a related and case. Ciner Group subsidiaries, including WE Soda, have maintained that the investigations do not impact day-to-day operations or global activities, with the extending £100 million in support to Ciner on October 23, 2025, shortly after the CEO's detention. While prosecutors cite evidence of illicit fund flows and in the media divestiture, some analysts question whether the actions reflect genuine financial enforcement or selective targeting amid Turkey's history of state interventions in conglomerates with media influence, as the TMSF has assumed control of over 1,000 businesses since , often post-judicial probes.

Environmental Impact and Sustainability

Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Resource Use

In February 2019, elevated levels at the Ciner Wyoming mine in Green River prompted an evacuation of workers, with operations resuming after stabilization measures ensured safe conditions, and no risks were reported. solution mining, as employed by Ciner Wyoming, can release during ore dissolution and processing, contributing to site-specific (GHG) emissions alongside from energy-intensive and refining steps. Natural soda ash production from trona ore, central to Ciner Group's operations, generates 0.3 to 0.7 metric tons of CO₂ equivalent per metric ton of soda ash, primarily from and power usage in . This footprint is inherently lower than synthetic soda ash manufacturing via the , which emits approximately 1.5 to 2 metric tons of CO₂ per metric ton due to higher energy demands and limestone without natural mineral offsets. Compared to global competitors relying on synthetic methods—particularly in regions like , where such production dominates—Ciner's trona-based approach yields a 36% to 37% reduction in GHG emissions per ton when accounting for full production cycles, excluding . Container glass production using this soda ash inherits process emissions from melting (around 0.6-0.8 tons CO₂ per ton of , driven by fuel ), but the lower upstream soda ash intensity mitigates overall sector impacts relative to synthetic feedstock alternatives.

Sustainability Initiatives and Compliance

Ciner Group's sustainability initiatives emphasize resource efficiency and process optimization in its core operations, including soda ash production and glass manufacturing. In glass production, the company has prioritized lightweighting techniques, reducing the average weight of container glass bottles by 10% to minimize raw material use and transportation emissions while maintaining structural integrity. Ciner Glass positions itself as a leader in developing low-carbon container glass through innovations in melting and forming processes aimed at lowering overall environmental footprints. In mining and chemical operations, particularly trona and soda ash extraction, Ciner Group sets internal targets for reducing water consumption, minimizing generation, and enhancing rates to limit impacts on surrounding ecosystems. These measures support economical production compliant with applicable air, water, and land standards, with quarterly and safety (EHS) reviews ensuring ongoing adherence. U.S.-based facilities, such as those under former Ciner Resources affiliates, operated under federal permitting requirements, focusing on safe extraction with minimal disturbance to local and air quality. Turkish operations align with international efficiency benchmarks, incorporating projects that safeguard , integrity, air quality, and while preserving natural and . Ciner maintains a dedicated compliance function across entities like Ciner , enforcing ethical standards and regulatory obligations to mitigate operational risks without compromising . These efforts promote resource stewardship that sustains employment in extractive industries, as evidenced by elevated per-ton efficiency gains in Turkish relative to global peers.

References

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