Dedication | Avery Dennison

Our teams - Avery Dennison — Cengiz Turk has been with the Avery Dennison Istanbul team since the very beginning and has seen the company transform into Turkey’s largest label business. He greatly values his relationships with colleagues and appreciates how they help him succeed on the job and inspire him to pursue his passion for music.

To start, what do you do for Avery Dennison?

I'm the distribution center manager in Istanbul, Turkey. I lead the site and oversee the manufacturing processes. I started in 2002, so I’ve been here for close to 20 years now.

Wow - that’s a long time! And how did you find your job originally?

Well, in Turkey at that time, there was no Avery Dennison. But I was working for a distributor and was responsible for Avery Dennison products and logistics operations. Then Avery Dennison decided to create a new branch in Turkey and sell their materials themselves. So, I took a job here and helped create the Istanbul business from the beginning.

And what made you decide to stay with the company for so long?

Avery Dennison is a great place to work. I really like what I do here, so I would never think about going to another company. The leadership is very good and I really started from zero here, so Avery Dennison Turkey is like my family.

What's your favorite thing about working for Avery Dennison?

It’s a challenging company to work for, and every day you're learning new things. And it’s also a multinational company, which makes it strong. Leadership is very important here, and if you have an idea, Avery Dennison is willing to listen and work on it. You can also improve your management skills here, and there are many opportunities to develop yourself as well.

Leadership is very important here, and if you have an idea, Avery Dennison is willing to listen and work on it.

And in your role, what's the biggest challenge that you face?

In my role, which focuses on manufacturing and finishing operations, there is a new challenge every day. But currently, COVID-19 is the biggest one. We have to organize the shifts so that we have enough people if someone gets sick, but manufacturing is always challenging no matter what. You need to finalize your operations so that you’re meeting deadlines and delivering things to customers on time.

I know that you starred in your own music video. Can you tell me about your passion for music?

I have been making music from a very young age. Between 1988 and 1994, I was playing professionally as well. And then I became busy with university and work, but my colleagues at Avery Dennison knew what I used to do and heard my songs.

They said I had to do something, because I’m close to 50 years old and I should create a nice memory for my family and my friends. So, I made a record with my band and a video clip for the internet. It really did start with my colleagues, though – they pushed me to do it.

During production, they even came with me to the studio, listened to the music and shared their opinions. They always gave me motivation. Before this, I never thought that I would play and record music again, but they inspired me a lot and were very happy to see the results.

That’s wonderful. It seems like you have a very close team there.

Yes, we do. The main team here has been working together for 15 years, so we are really like a big family.

The main team here has been working together for 15 years, so we are really like a big family.

Do you see any similarities between having a successful Avery Dennison career and a successful music career?

Yes. Working for Avery Dennison, you have different disciplines and you have to work hard. That helped me to start making music again, because music is a discipline as well, and you also need to work hard to get the result you want. So, being part of Avery Dennison really did help me to make this video.

Working for Avery Dennison, you have different disciplines and you have to work hard. That helped me to start making music again, because music is a discipline as well, and you also need to work hard to get the result you want.

How have you seen things change and grow at Avery Dennison over the years?

Over 20 years, production, technology and engagement have all really improved, which has led me to stay here for a long time and never look for another job.

The company has also grown globally, but especially here in Turkey. We really started working from the ground up, and I can see that the customers are really happy now, and that’s because the Istanbul team is very strong. We work closely together, and now we are the biggest label company in the Turkish market and it's growing every day.