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2008 was a year in which Doğuş Otomotiv achieved significant developments and shaped its activities with due consideration to the investments made for the future. During the year 2008, we gained the title of “industrial manufacturer”, in addition to our identities as importer and distributor, and sustained our leadership in the automotive sector by focusing on our production-oriented investments, international operations, and new model launches.

Following the official opening of the Meiller Doğuş Tipper Plant in June 2008, set up with an investment of 10 million Euros, in July we succeeded in attracting another “direct” and “greenfield” foreign investment into the country with the Krone Doğuş trailer plant built with an investment of 35 million Euros. Additionally, during the final quarter of 2008, we realized the opening of Doğuş Oto Etimesgut, the second facility of Doğuş Oto located in Ankara, for which we invested 42 million TL. In parallel with our local investments, we also extended our abroad business operations and laid the foundations of our Porsche Authorized Dealer and Service Center in Lausanne, Switzerland. Furthermore, the number of brands gathered under Doğuş Otomotiv umbrella reached 15 with the addition of Thermo King, one of the world’s leading mobile heating systems brand. Thus, our total investments in 2008 reached 72 million Dollars.

As a result of the tender held by the Privatization Administration of the Prime Ministry, we were granted the right to open and operate vehicle inspection stations together with our partners through TÜVTURK established in 2006. TÜVTURK started carrying out its operations in 2008 and currently, it is rendering vehicle inspection services that match EU criteria at 188 service points throughout the whole country. We, as Doğuş Otomotiv, are extremely proud of taking part in this system which significantly contributes to the traffic and vehicle safety.

The dynamic business structure we have set up, which manages to develop itself continuously despite the challenging conditions that prevail, is a natural result of the values adopted by Doğuş Group, its qualified human resources, its long-term planning and productive business strategies. At the present time, while we are confronted with the economic turmoil resulting from the global consumption imbalance, we, as Doğuş Otomotiv, are enjoying the benefits of having acted with a wide vision and a cautious but optimistic approach. During the periods to come, we will continue to invest in our future and always work with the objective of providing our customers the services that are beyond their expectations.

In 2009, which marks the 15th anniversary of Doğuş Otomotiv’s foundation, and during all the years that will follow, we are determined to focus on our future and to maintain our position as the leader in the automotive sector with the support of our shareholders, the confidence of our OEM, the enthusiasm of our employees and the efforts of our authorized dealers.

Yours respectfully,

Aclan Acar
Doğuş Otomotiv
Chairman