More than half a century ago, Turkey’s first passenger vehicles went into mass production—Anadol. Manufactured by Istanbul-based Otosan Otomobil Sanayii (“Otosan Automotive Industry”), Anadol produced seven different models from 1966 to 1991. Behind all of this industriousness was Ankara-born philanthropist and entrepreneur Vehbi Koç (1901–1996), who did an astonishing amount to energize Turkey’s economy in the twentieth century. Koç became the Ankara representative of Standard Oil Company and Ford Motor Company in 1928, resulting in the establishment of a Ford vehicle assembly plant in Istanbul.
The ever-dynamic Koç signed a deal with General Electric in 1948, leading to the founding of a domestic light bulb factory. Another post-war negotiation culminated in Turkish production of Fiat tractors. In the 1950s, Koç expanded into the manufacture of household appliances, electronics and other goods. Koç also sealed a deal with Siemens for a Turkish cable factory.
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