On April 19th, Ambassador Bass visited three cutting-edge R&D centers in Istanbul and Kocaeli that showcased U.S.-Turkey cooperation. GE’s Aviation Center and Applied Materials lab showed us what the future of engine manufacturing might look like. Ford Otosan showed off their EcoTorq fuel-efficient line of diesel engines that they’ve developed in-house for Ford’s entire global market. Ford Otosan’s three plants in Turkey continue to lead the way in exports in small, midsize and heavy-duty commercial vans and trucks. A third visit to the SANLAB Simulation Research Center showed us an example of Turkish innovation that is achieving success in the U.S. market via the SelectUSA program for foreign investors. SANLAB’s “construction equipment operator training simulators” were state-of-the-art, and the young company’s ability to apply their design methodology to other industries points to a very bright future.
