Doğsan’s production and women’s employment approach on Fortune Türkiye

Doğsan Deputy General Manager Çağan Karal says: “In a city like Trabzon, where industrial production is limited, we have been providing employment for many years, and women make up 95 percent of our employees. The meticulousness and careful working style of our female colleagues directly add value to our quality. Our production is entrusted to women.”-Could you tell us about Doğsan’s long-standing story and the founding of the company?Doğsan’s story is a journey that began with the dream of producing what did not exist. At a time marked by serious shortages, the company set out with the desire to produce surgical sutures, an indispensable part of operations, in Türkiye.The Saruhan family’s journey began with Şifa Pharmacy in Trabzon in the 1950s and continued with the establishment of the region’s first pharmaceutical warehouse. In 1970, Türkiye’s, the Middle East’s and the Balkans’ first, and the world’s seventh, suture factory began operations in Trabzon.Creating employment for the people of the region was set as a priority, and today we still continue production in the same location.-In which areas does Doğsan operate? In which medical fields does its product range stand out?We manufacture in two main groups: absorbable and non-absorbable sutures. With our products obtained from different polymers and copolymers and with nearly 2,000 code varieties, we are able to meet the needs of all branches, from microsurgery to cardiovascular surgery, from plastic and reconstructive surgery to general surgery, from obstetrics and gynecology to orthopedics.We have a very broad product range. For example, we can produce 11/0 thread thickness and 4 mm needle length used for super microsurgery sutures. We also have PTFE pledget accessory sutures for heart valve repair. In addition, barbed sutures that reduce operation time and provide safe wound closure are also included in our portfolio.-To how many countries do you export?We export our products to more than 50 countries. We are present in different geographies, including Germany, France, the United Kingdom and the Turkic Republics, as well as Vietnam, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, New Zealand and Moldova.We also continue to expand our export volume through the fairs we attend, especially Medica in Germany, the world’s largest healthcare trade fair, and World Health Expo in Dubai, both of which we participate in every year.-What is the biggest difference you have created in the medical sector?Because the sutures we produce are used in the human body, they are classified in the highest risk class according to the Medical Device Regulation (MDR). When producing each product, we show the same sensitivity as if it were to be used on our own baby, and we never compromise on quality at any stage of production.We have a team that manages these processes in both production and quality, a team that has devoted many years to suture manufacturing. The role of human labor here is undeniable. In a city like Trabzon, where industrial production is limited, we have been providing employment for many years, and women make up 95 percent of our employees. The meticulousness and careful working style of our female colleagues directly add value to our quality. Our production is entrusted to women.What truly makes the difference is that we are constantly in the field. We work closely with surgeons. Our product development process is shaped by their needs. Being the only local company that produces microsurgery sutures is a concrete result of this focus.We know that, in addition to the thread, the needle also improves surgical performance. For this reason, we develop needles specifically designed for different branches. We have products developed together with surgeons in fields such as cardiovascular, pediatric and plastic surgery.-Could you tell us about Doğsan’s social responsibility projects?Contributing to regional development and having women make up 95 percent of our employees are not projects; they are among the most important parts of our production model.We take part in scholarship programs with TEV and actively participate in projects such as “Leyla’dan Sonra” and #minikayaklarüşümesin. Through our sponsorship of Marmara University’s korfball team, we try to support this sport, in which women and men play on the same team.-What kind of added value have you created in the sector through your work on women’s employment?One of the most critical steps in surgical suture production is the attachment of the needle and the thread; this is work performed under a microscope and with micron-level precision. The role of human labor here is undeniable.In a city like Trabzon, where industrial production is limited, we have been providing employment for many years, and women make up 95 percent of our employees. The meticulousness and careful working style of our female colleagues directly add value to our quality. Our production is entrusted to women.-What is on your agenda regarding sustainability?We approach sustainability under two headings: environment and knowledge. Prioritizing environmental sensitivity is an essential condition of our production. We meticulously manage waste management processes and the special treatment of gas released after sterilization.On the knowledge side, we have two video series that we regularly publish on YouTube. In the Doğsan Dikiş Okulu series, we focus on contributing to the transfer of surgical techniques and to the education of residents and specialist surgeons.In the program Çağan Karal ile 15 Dakika, we address diseases and treatment methods in a language everyone can understand, aiming to raise awareness among patients and their relatives through the knowledge and experience of expert surgeons. We also consider this sharing of knowledge as part of sustainability.-Could you tell us about your investment goals and projects for the coming period?Our priority is to expand the variety of surgical needles we produce. Cardiovascular surgery, plastic surgery and microsurgery are at the center of this focus. We also continue our projects to develop our robot and machinery infrastructure in order to increase production capacity.Source: Fortune Türkiye
“Üretimimiz, Kadınlara Emanet”
May 13, 2026https://www.fortuneturkey.com/uretimimiz-kadinlara-emanet