Makine ve Kimya Endüstrisi (MKE) AŞ, one of Turkey’s leading defense industry organizations, has announced a major investment in the Black Sea region. During a visit to Samsun Governor Orhan Tavlı, MKE General Manager İlhami Keleş and Deputy General Manager İrfan Özsert revealed that the company has begun work on a 2 billion TL defense industry investment at the site of the former sugar factory in the Çarşamba district of Samsun.

The new Çarşamba Production Campus will serve as a modern defense manufacturing hub, focusing on the production of critical systems and ammunition for the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK). Beyond production, the facility will include advanced engineering, testing, and logistics capabilities, aligning with international defense manufacturing standards. By expanding its production footprint beyond Ankara, MKE aims to diversify its supply chain and establish strategic regional production centers to support national defense needs.

Governor Orhan Tavlı emphasized that MKE’s new facility represents a vital step for both the local economy and national independence. “MKE’s Çarşamba Production Campus will strengthen Samsun’s industrial capacity, create new employment opportunities for young engineers, and contribute to Turkey’s vision for the ‘Century of Türkiye.’ This investment will accelerate Samsun’s role as a key defense industry hub,” Tavlı said.

The project is expected to make a significant contribution not only to Samsun’s economy but also to Turkey’s broader defense ecosystem. With its favorable logistics, growing industrial base, and strategic position on the Black Sea, Samsun provides an ideal location for defense manufacturing and export operations. Once operational, the campus will help reduce foreign dependency in critical defense components and support the development of export-oriented indigenous technologies.