Interview with Şükrü Uzandaç, MAPA Finance Director
and Member of the Board of Directors
With nearly half a century of experience in the lubricants industry, MAPA continues to build on its well-established heritage through a strong logistics infrastructure, an extensive operational network, and long-standing business partnerships. The journey initiated by Mehmet Uzandaç is now being carried forward by the second generation of leadership, Ahmet Uzandaç and Şükrü Uzandaç, who continue to advance the company with the same vision. Through strategic collaborations with leading brands, particularly Mobil, a broad product portfolio, and a customer-focused service approach, MAPA continues to strengthen its position as a trusted solution partner in the industry.
In this interview with Şükrü Uzandaç, MAPA Finance Director and Member of the Board of Directors, we discuss the company’s evolution within the lubricants industry, the operational advantages it offers its customers, its approach to supply chain management, and its vision for the future. Highlighting how decades of experience are combined with today’s industry dynamics, the interview also provides insight into MAPA’s field operations, growth strategy, and perspective on long-term business partnerships.
How has MAPA’s position in the lubricants industry evolved over its 50-year journey? What has been the foundation of your success, and how does this experience benefit your customers?
Although MAPA was officially established in 1976, our family’s partnership with global brands in the lubricants and fuels industry dates back much further—to 1945. In 1976, our founder and family patriarch, Mehmet Uzandaç, established MAPA as a specialized sales organization focused exclusively on lubricants. Until the early 2000s, the lubricants market was very different from what it is today. Distribution and exclusive-brand business models had not yet become common practice. Instead, the market was largely dominated by traditional dealerships representing multiple brands.
As the market evolved, we made a strategic decision to build our portfolio around technologically advanced, high-performance brands that have consistently led the industry. However, for us, success is not simply about supplying the right product. We complement our product portfolio with comprehensive technical support and a highly experienced engineering team, enabling us to deliver complete lubrication solutions rather than just products.
While combining premium brands with advanced engineering support may seem like a demanding business model, it creates long-term value when backed by skilled professionals and a strong digital infrastructure. At the core of our digital transformation is SAP, which we have customized to fit MAPA’s operational requirements. We also have an in-house team dedicated to continuously improving our CRM, business processes, warehouse management, logistics, and digital capabilities.
Today, nearly five decades of expertise are reflected in the value we deliver through operational excellence, reliable supply, and engineering-driven lubrication solutions.
What is the most valuable legacy MAPA has inherited from its long-established history? How do you plan to carry this legacy into the future?
At MAPA, we believe that the ability to develop and successfully implement long-term strategies is built upon valuing people. The most valuable legacy we have inherited from our predecessors is the principle of trust. This foundation of trust extends far beyond our business partners—it encompasses our customers, employees, and suppliers alike, forming the cornerstone of everything we do. As we look to the future, preserving and strengthening this reputation for reliability will remain our greatest commitment.
As the second generation of leadership, we have built on this strong culture by focusing not on short-term sales, but on sustainable business models, long-term value creation, and lasting partnerships.
Looking ahead, our medium- and long-term vision is to further strengthen the market position of the brands we represent, both in our existing markets and in those where we plan to invest in the future. We aim to achieve this by building long-term partnerships supported by strong technical expertise and engineering services, delivering measurable value and cost advantages to end users while creating sustainable growth for all stakeholders.
One of MAPA’s greatest strengths is its nationwide distribution network and operational capability. Given the recent global crises and supply chain disruptions, what advantages has this extensive network provided? How do you address supply chain challenges?
The markets we serve are among the most dynamic in Türkiye, where manufacturing, construction, and contracting activities are concentrated. As a result, our customers operate production facilities and project sites across different regions of the country. At MAPA, we believe that delivering the right product to the right place at the right time is the foundation of our service. With this philosophy, we established our own logistics fleet and continue to invest in expanding our logistics capabilities. In addition to our company-owned fleet, we maintain strategic partnerships with Türkiye’s leading transportation and courier companies, supported by extensive analytical planning to ensure the fastest and most efficient deliveries.
To turn this capability into a competitive advantage, we have built an efficient nationwide distribution network with eight operational locations and six strategically positioned warehouses. Managing a portfolio of approximately 9,000 products requires balancing product availability with inventory efficiency. Rather than relying on manual decisions, we use data-driven algorithms to optimize stock levels, reduce warehousing costs, and prevent shortages through advanced digital systems.
During periods of global supply chain disruption, our role as an authorized distributor has become even more important. Our robust inventory management system helps protect customers from manufacturing-level supply interruptions while ensuring uninterrupted product availability, greater price stability, and cost advantages through long-term supply agreements.
How did your long-standing partnership with Mobil begin? How has this collaboration contributed to MAPA’s market leadership and reputation for quality?
Looking back at our roots, fuel retailing and distribution have always been an important part of our family’s business history. Although we worked mainly with a different partner at the time, our network also included Mobil service stations. A defining turning point came in the early 2000s, when the lubricants industry shifted from a traditional dealership model to a distributor-based structure. Following a decision led by our Chairman and family patriarch, Mehmet Uzandaç, we strategically chose to continue our journey with Mobil.
Mobil has made a significant contribution to both our corporate culture and our market position. The partnership has strengthened our commitment to ethical business practices, a service-oriented approach, and total cost of ownership optimization. Rather than acting simply as a lubricant supplier, Mobil has enabled us to become a trusted partner that helps customers optimize and continuously improve their lubrication and maintenance processes.
In addition to Mobil, you also collaborate with several other brands such as Henkel, Oest, and 3M. How do your partnerships and broad product range strengthen MAPA’s identity as a “one-stop solution partner”?
In line with our vision and core principles, we are highly selective when expanding into new business lines and partnerships, prioritizing mutual benefit, long-term collaboration, and sustainable value creation. We evaluate potential partners not only by their product portfolios, but also by their market leadership, innovation capabilities, and corporate approach.
Today, we maintain strategic partnerships with Henkel in automotive, industrial maintenance and repair, adhesive technologies, and surface chemicals; with 3M in abrasives, occupational safety equipment, and tape solutions; with Oest in metalworking fluids and lubricants; and with Portwest in occupational safety equipment.
We have deliberately chosen to work with strong, innovative, and market-leading brands. This enables us not only to offer high-quality products, but also to provide our customers with access to the latest technologies and applications.
Our broad product and solution portfolio offers significant advantages. Instead of working with multiple suppliers, customers can source everything from maintenance and repair products to safety equipment, adhesives, and metalworking fluids through a single partner. This improves operational efficiency while simplifying procurement and reducing both time and costs.
At MAPA, our goal is not simply to supply products, but to be a solution partner that understands our customers’ operations, delivers holistic solutions, and supports their long-term success. Our strong brand partnerships and extensive portfolio continue to reinforce our position as a trusted “one-stop solution partner.”
Going forward, we will continue to expand our portfolio with new technologies and value-added solutions in line with our customers’ evolving needs.
Recently, you organized a special meeting dedicated to the mining sector. How did the event go, what kind of feedback did you receive from participants? What do such sectoral events mean for MAPA, and how do they contribute to your field effectiveness?
At MAPA, we place great importance on meeting our customers both in the field and at industry platforms such as fairs and seminars. While we know these short events alone cannot provide in-depth solutions, we see them as valuable opportunities to showcase new technologies, share field success stories, and present practical, benefit-driven solutions. They also bring together our industry partners, encouraging knowledge sharing and stronger business relationships.
Our latest mining seminar demonstrated this perfectly. One of our long-standing customers had the opportunity to closely examine a solution that had been in our portfolio for years but had previously gone unnoticed amid daily operational demands. Focused events like these help reveal opportunities that can easily be overlooked in day-to-day operations.
We see participation in industry seminars and exhibitions as an integral part of our field strategy and will continue to strengthen our presence by actively engaging in these platforms.
