Turbocharger service and maintenance in the maritime and energy sectors constitute one of the most critical elements of machine performance and operational safety. TurboTürk Engineering has quickly become one of the leading companies in the industry, distinguished by its reliability, solution-oriented approach, and engineering capabilities. Describing TurboTürk's founding story, vision, service portfolio, and future goals, TurboTürk Engineering Founder Durmuş Eryıldız said, “It is essential for us that the turbocharger delivers maximum results in terms of both safety and performance.”

TurboTürk aims to keep engines performing at their best by maintaining turbochargers in top condition. We would like to start our interview by talking about TurboTürk. Could you briefly tell us about TurboTürk's founding story, vision, and mission?

Over the years, I gained significant experience in the industry by working for leading companies in turbocharger production, both domestically and internationally. I decided to start my own business, driven by my desire to take the knowledge I had acquired beyond the limitations of manufacturing companies, as well as my personal reasons and financial needs. During this process, the expectations of the market, my customers, and my immediate circle also provided strong motivation for me to take this step. Thus, in 2021, I founded my company and began my independent journey in the industry. In the initial phase, I invited a friend I had previously worked with to join me as a partner, and with his support in sales, we laid the foundations of our company. After approximately 4.5 years of partnership, we decided to part ways before the new year. Today, with my valued team, I continue to manage the company on my own and serve the industry.

As TurboTürk, our vision is to be Turkey's number one service company in the field of turbocharger services. Furthermore, we aim to ensure continuity by being our customers' first choice both in Turkey and worldwide through our service and product quality, and to represent our country. Our mission is to always act in a customer- and solution-oriented manner in our sectors, working with respect for individuals and society, adhering to legal, economic, and ethical principles, and with an understanding that is sensitive to health, safety, and the environment; to best meet the expectations of all our customers and the employees we work with.

You mentioned that people around you said it was time to establish this company. We also understand that your engineering achievements have been effective. So, when these recommendations were made, was it specifically suggested that your company be established in Turkey?

Yes. Today, we mainly work with shipyards. Our customers include maritime companies, shipyards that service foreign ships, and power plants. 

I gained significant professional experience working for two major manufacturers in the turbocharger sector, one German and one Swiss. However, the corporate structures of manufacturing companies imposed certain limitations. I believed that by taking a more in-depth approach to engineering, I could implement a transparent and solution-oriented approach in my own company. My clients recognized this aspect of me and supported me in establishing the company.

'Turbochargers, referred to as the “lungs” of the engine, increase engine performance and extend its lifespan.'

TurboTürk's product portfolio for various industrial and marine applications is a testament to its engineering capabilities. What services and solutions does TurboTürk offer to the industry? Which segments does TurboTürk's turbo machine product portfolio cover? How are the technical capacity and performance criteria of the products determined?

As I mentioned earlier, the turbocharger is the most critical component that directly affects the machine and determines its efficiency. Even when calculating the power of a diesel engine, the air ratio is taken as a basis, and it is the turbocharger that directly provides this air. Therefore, the more efficiently the turbocharger operates, the higher the overall condition and performance of the engine will be. Efficiency means achieving the desired power with less fuel consumption.

For every turbocharger we service, we aim not only for the parts to function properly but also to deliver maximum efficiency. Thanks to our machine and operational knowledge, we can identify performance issues based on data from our customers before the turbocharger even comes in for service. When necessary, we also advise our customers to check other parts of the machine before intervening with the turbocharger. This approach makes a significant difference in terms of both reliability and customer benefit.

During maintenance, we focus particularly on the turbine blades, compressor blades, nozzle rings, and static components surrounding the turbine, which directly affect the thermodynamic efficiency of the turbocharger. In addition, we meticulously examine safety-critical points such as the condition of the bearings and oil seal components. While most service stations only guarantee the safe operation of the turbocharger, we use our expertise to perform maintenance and delivery in a way that ensures peak performance.

“As a result of all our processes, we put the turbocharger through performance tests and deliver it to our customer as if it were a new product, guaranteeing its performance.”

The lifespan and maintenance processes of turbo machinery directly impact operational safety and costs. What technical methods are used in TurboTürk's maintenance and repair services? How are lifespan extension, overhaul, and fault detection processes managed?

Each turbocharger component is thoroughly inspected and evaluated, taking into account the manufacturer's specifications. Consumables such as gaskets and seals are always replaced with new ones. Bearings and sealing elements are replaced depending on their condition. Thermodynamic components that are worn or damaged are replaced with new ones when necessary or undergo a repair process called ‘reconditioning’. In this context, filling is performed using TIG, MIG, laser or casting welding, metal spraying or coating methods, depending on the area of wear and damage and the type of material. The parts are then reworked on lathes, CNC or milling machines to bring them up to design specifications. Final inspection methods such as crack testing and hardness testing are applied to the repaired parts.

The process may vary depending on the application area. In power plants, the turbocharger is usually disassembled and sent to our workshop for maintenance. In marine applications, our team performs the disassembly on site, takes the turbocharger to our workshop, completes the necessary cleaning, measurement, balancing, and assembly processes, and then reinstalls it on the ship. The process begins with performance and operational condition analysis right from the initial disassembly stage. Feedback received from the customer is evaluated by our technical team and included in the measurement results.

All measurements are performed according to manufacturer specifications, while also utilizing additional methods we have developed based on our field experience. We analyze the causes of wear on components using measurement techniques not found in standard manuals, establishing specific limits and databases to prevent recurrence. This approach not only addresses existing damage but also provides longer-lasting solutions.

Turbochargers are exposed to exhaust gas temperatures above 500 °C, speeds of thousands of revolutions per minute, and high mechanical loads. Therefore, the repair of expensive and imported thermodynamic parts such as rotors and compressors is carried out with precision within an engineering framework. Our goal is not only to repair the part, but also to extend its life so that it can operate reliably until the next maintenance interval and beyond. As a result of all these processes, we test the turbocharger's performance and deliver it to our customer as if it were a brand new product, guaranteeing its performance.

“Our customer focus and commitment to delivering the highest quality bring sustainable growth.”

Emissions and energy efficiency criteria are increasingly coming to the fore in new generation drive systems. What technical solutions does TurboTürk implement in its products to reduce carbon emissions and increase energy efficiency? Could you tell us about your sustainability and quality policies?

Over time, due to the wear and tear of thermodynamic components, the turbocharger can provide less air pressure and flow, resulting in lower-quality combustion in the engine cylinders. This situation leads to carbon emissions in the exhaust gas content that are harmful to the atmosphere. After the refurbishment process, the parts are restored to manufacturer specifications, preventing efficiency losses due to wear and tear and the associated increase in emissions. This ensures that the customer receives a product that meets manufacturer standards at a lower cost, while also improving the machine's efficiency and reducing its negative impact on the environment.

First and foremost, it is essential for us that the turbocharger delivers maximum results in terms of both safety and performance. In this process, we provide our customers with the most transparent flow of information and data at every stage, from initial contact to reporting. This approach gives them confidence while also maintaining the overall efficiency of the turbocharger and, consequently, the efficiency of the machine at the highest level.

Thanks to the transparent communication we maintain in shipyards or industrial areas, we reduce the workload of the other party and contribute to their work efficiency. One of the pieces of feedback we receive from our customers is that we are “one of the business partners who make our work easiest.” This is because we take special care to consider how we can lighten the load on shipyard engineers and planning and operations departments.

This transparency, combined with our reporting, our employees' command of foreign languages, our strong communication channels, and our contribution to the entire process rather than just the technical aspects, significantly contributes to overall business efficiency. Our priority is always to be customer-focused and deliver the highest quality. This approach ensures that customers turn into sustainable partnerships after experiencing us once or twice.

The maritime and energy sector is a field that operates on a global scale. Just as negativity spreads quickly, good work is also heard just as fast. The quality work we do reaches and is appreciated and recommended by others, from another service station in America to a shipowner in China. Our goal has always been to be solution-oriented. As long as we do our job based on this principle, we ensure both customer satisfaction and long-term trust.

“With the widespread adoption of eco-friendly fuels in the maritime and energy sectors, we can also perform maintenance on variable vane turbochargers in our workshop.”

We have entered the last quarter of 2025. How is 2025 going for TurboTürk? The future of turbo machine technology is being shaped by digitalization, hybrid systems, and advanced materials. What technological investments and product development projects does TurboTürk aim to undertake to be a pioneer in the sector in the coming period?

Despite the stagnant economic conditions, we completed the first three quarters of 2025 above our targets and plan to close the year in the same manner. One of our most important steps during this process was renting a new workshop due to space constraints. By moving our existing refurbishment equipment here, we planned to invest in new manufacturing and processing machines thanks to the additional space. We also aim to make our frequent refurbishment processes more efficient by expanding our team in the machining department.

Another important agenda item for 2025 was to closely follow the transformations in turbocharger technologies. As fuel types in the maritime and energy sectors become increasingly environmentally friendly, we have also mastered the variable blade technologies that have come to the fore in turbochargers in recent years. We can perform maintenance on these types of turbochargers in our workshop. In addition, with the diversification of ship engines, gas turbines and steam turbines will become increasingly important in the future. We plan to focus on this area in the 2026–2027 period with the necessary training and experience. Since there are very few companies providing this service in Turkey, this presents us with an opportunity for both renewal and creating alternatives.

We plan to focus more strongly on this area by commissioning the machines we have not yet invested in by 2026. In addition, we continue to invest in our human resources. Initially, only one of our employees had turbocharger experience; today, we have expanded our team with our own...

Is there anything else you would like to add?

Especially in the maritime industry, your work becomes your own advertisement. While high-quality and transparent work spreads very quickly, poor-quality work can also quickly lead to a loss of trust. Since we started, we have taken confident steps by doing our job in the most reliable way, from the constructive communication we have established with our customers to the maintenance work we do and the alternative and quick solutions we provide. We have received positive results from almost every customer we have come into contact with and expanded our portfolio. We are infinitely grateful to all our connections who have trusted us and given us their support.

With the growing experience of our young team, all of whom we have trained ourselves, we aim to reach customers we have not yet been able to reach and further increase our business volume both domestically and internationally. In this context, in addition to visiting new customers, we plan to reach them through visual and written media. We thank the Sea Business World family for their contribution in this regard.