Operating globally in the field of specialty chemicals, CHT Group has maintained a strong presence in the industry for over 72 years. With its quality-driven product portfolio and customer-focused service approach, the company stands out through its expertise in industrial solutions.
In this interview, we spoke with Canan Doğan, General Manager of CHT Türkiye, who successfully leads the company’s operations in the region, about CHT’s industry vision as well as its strategic approach spanning sustainability and innovation.
“First of all, I would like to wish Coatings Türkiye a successful publishing journey. I am confident that the platform will bring a new voice and perspective to the industry. It is also a great pleasure for me to be featured in one of your first interviews.”
Coatings Türkiye'nin CHT Röportajı
Could you briefly introduce yourself and share your professional background in the industry?
I was born in 1978 in Devrek, Zonguldak. I completed my primary, secondary, and high school education in Devrek. I obtained my undergraduate and graduate degrees from the Chemistry Department and Polymer Technologies programs at Middle East Technical University. In 2017, I also completed an Executive MBA at Istanbul University.
In 2002, while continuing my postgraduate studies, I began working at the Reference Laboratory of the Ministry of Environment. In 2004, I was introduced to CHT through a friend. My journey at the company—then known as CHT Textile Chemicals—started in the Instrumental Analysis Laboratory, and I have since held various roles across different departments and levels.
Before assuming my current role as General Manager, I served as Deputy General Manager responsible for Technologies and Business Development, a position I continue to oversee. As of 2025, I took over the role of General Manager from Mr. Eyüp Kaya, the founder of CHT Türkiye. I also serve as an Executive Board Member of CHT Türkiye.
As CHT Türkiye, what positioning strategy are you pursuing in the paint and coatings sector as of 2025? What are your targets in both the Turkish and global markets?
For many years, CHT Group has placed particular emphasis on the paint and coatings industry, developing value-added, environmentally and human-friendly innovative products tailored to the sector.
Within the framework of our global strategy, we have successfully transformed from a company focused solely on textile chemicals into a broader chemical solutions provider. By producing specialty chemicals for a wide range of industrial applications, we continue to create added value.
In line with this vision, we invest in technology and pursue strategic acquisitions. Rather than acting solely as a supplier, we are committed to being a solution partner to the industries and companies we serve.
With our strong R&D and technical service infrastructure both globally and in Türkiye, our core strategy is to develop breakthrough technologies together with our business partners.
In the paint and coatings sector, we collaborate with leading companies on project partnerships, focusing on sustainable raw materials, low-VOC products, energy-saving solutions, and high-performance, durable, and sustainable formulations.
Beyond technical solutions, CHT Group also contributes to the industry through a social innovation approach. Through environmentally friendly production methods, efficient use of resources, safe working environments, and projects that benefit society, we fulfill our responsibilities toward both our stakeholders and the wider community.
Among your recent innovative products, which ones have stood out in the industry? Which sectors do they particularly address?
With its technology-driven business model, CHT Group offers sustainable and innovative products to the paint and coatings industry. Over the years, the Group has strengthened its technological infrastructure by integrating various companies into its structure.
As the Group’s polymerization technology center, CHT Türkiye plays a key role in developing breakthrough technologies for the paint and coatings sector.
Among the standout innovations developed by our R&D team are “Self-Healing Polymers” and “UV-Curing Polymers,” both of which represent significant advancements in sustainable solutions.
These products are not only environmentally friendly and safe in composition, but also extend the lifespan and durability of end products, resulting in more user-friendly coatings. In particular, UV-curing polymers offer rapid curing within seconds, delivering both energy and time savings while reducing process costs.
In addition to specialty polymers such as acrylic, polyurethane, and acrylic-polyurethane hybrid systems, we offer tailored solutions for the coatings industry through our product range, including silicones, waxes, thickeners and rheology modifiers, wetting agents, dispersants, and defoamers.
CHT Genel Müdürü Canan Doğan
Could you elaborate on your R&D investments in water-based and low-VOC products? How do regulations in Türkiye shape your approach in this area?
Our primary focus in R&D is to develop products that are safe for both human health and the environment. At CHT, we aim to be a pioneer, not only by complying with regulations, but by proactively exceeding them.
Before initiating the design of any new product, all raw materials are thoroughly evaluated in collaboration with experts from our Product Safety Department. This ensures that all applicable regulations and standards are fully considered, guaranteeing safe product use.
As part of our proactive approach, we also remove or completely prohibit the use of potentially risky chemicals in our formulations well before they are restricted by official regulations.
In our emulsion polymerization processes, we utilize EPMS (Emulsion Polymerization Management System), a technology developed by our own R&D teams, which enhances reaction efficiency and reduces free monomer levels to below 100 ppm. This not only minimizes environmental impact but also maximizes product safety.
Both national and international regulations guide us toward a more sensitive and proactive approach. VOC regulations, REACH, and chemical safety frameworks serve as key references in the development of every new product. However, our goal is not merely compliance, we aim to lead the industry.
To this end, we allocate a significant portion of our budget each year to R&D and technology investments, continuously bringing the environmentally friendly solutions of the future into reality today.
