Dear Business Partners,

Even if the name sounds a little bit strange, BALO was appeared by the first letters of Bati Anadolu Lojistik Organizasyonlar A.S. (Western Anatolia Logistics Organizations Inc. Company). The goal of BALO Project was to transport the shipments belonging to industrialists and exporters’ of Western Anatolia to inner parts of Europe by railway. Thus, it would provide a competitive advantage in European markets in terms of our export rate.

It was thought by BALO Project to take the shipments from the exporter’s gate, to consolidate them in domestic loading centers and then to provide the transportation of shipments from Bandirma to Europe by passing Marmara Sea through Tekirdag.  While saving time and transport costs, moreover the shipments coming from Europe to Turkey would also be transported in the same way.

While studying on project we began to think that BALO should not cover only Western Europe but also whole Turkey. The interviews in export-intensive cities as Ankara, Bursa, Denizli, Kayseri, Konya, Eskişehir, and Gaziantep have shown the accuracy of our thinking. Railway transportation has reached a milestone and a new era is beginning in this field in Turkey- A GIANT IS AWAKENING.

As the highest representative of Turkish private sector, The Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB), foremost Mr Rifat Hisarciklioglu owned this project that will provide major contributions to our country's economy. Under the leadership of TOBB, our company has been established by chambers of commerce and industries, commodity exchanges, and organized industrial zones with an organizational model in which they are shareholders. And BALO changed into Buyuk Anadolu Lojistik Organizasyonlar (Great Anatolian Logistics Organizations).

With the belief that this project will contribute to Turkey’s export target of $ 500 billion in 2023; first and foremost I would like to thank to Mr Binali Yıldırım; Ministry of Transport, Maritime Affairs and Communications and to esteemed Hisarciklioglu; the president of TOBB. Besides I would like to thank to TOBB members of the board of directors, and to presidents of chambers of commerce, commodity exchanges and organized industrial zones and to mastermind, who contributed to the project until today.

Best Regards,
Bulent KOSMAZ
Chairman