Founded in Eminönü in 1985 and reaching its peak in 2007 with the title of "The World's Largest Umbrella Factory," the Celal Birsen brand embodies one of the most dramatic rise and fall stories in Turkish industry. The event that truly changed the company's fate was the traffic accident suffered by its visionary leader, Celal Birsen, in 2009.
In 2007, Celal Birsen, who was exporting to 42 countries and competing at the top of Europe with an annual production capacity of 3 million units, today presents a case study that serves as a lesson on "corporate memory" and "leadership." We examined the processes that led the company from its position as an "Export Giant" to its current financial crisis, and the brand's present situation.
Here is a technical and strategic analysis of the Celal Birsen legend from a 2026 perspective:
Loneliness at the Summit: The Golden Table of 2007
The year 2007, which is the starting point of this news story, was a period of "investment and growth" for Celal Birsen.
- Massive Investment: The new 40,000 square meter integrated facility built on the Çorlu-Çerkezköy line was being promoted in the sector as "the world's largest umbrella factory.".
- Integrated Power: The company was one of the few in the world that could not only assemble the umbrella but also produce its metal frame, plastic components, and fabric in-house.
The Real Turning Point: February 14, 2009
The company’s fate changed completely with the tragic traffic accident on the TEM Highway involving the vehicle in which its founder, Celal Birsen (48), and his driver were traveling. This event meant not only the loss of a life, but also the loss of the company’s “mind” and “financial credibility”.
- Leadership Gap: His son, Recep Birsen, who was only 27 years old at the time, took over the management. However, the enormous factory investment brought... heavy debt burden And lack of experience made crisis management difficult.
- Strategic Mistake: Sektör kulislerine göre, yeni yönetim “karlı görmediği” promosyon şemsiyesi pazarını (ki pazarın %90’ıydı) terk edip, tamamen lüks otel ve perakende şemsiyelerine yöneldi. Bu strateji, nakit akışını bozarak çöküşü hızlandıran faktörlerden biri oldu.
Chinese Pressure and Financial Crisis
External factors, coupled with a leadership crisis, brought the giant factory to an end.
- Far Eastern Competition: In the 2010s, the dominance of cheap umbrellas from China in the market caused the facility, which focused on "quality" production, to lose its cost competitiveness.
- Production Halt: By 2012, the debt burden had become unmanageable, and production at the factory ceased. With enforcement and seizure processes underway, the company's legal entity ended its commercial operations.
Current Situation (2026): “Brand Legacy Lives On”
Even though the company went through bankruptcy proceedings, the name "Celal Birsen" has not been erased from the minds of Turkish consumers.
- Brand Equity: Today, it is still possible to find products under the "Celal Birsen" brand on e-commerce sites and in DIY stores. This shows that the brand has preserved the commercial value of its "name rights" through the transfer of licensing rights or contract manufacturing models.
- Consumer Perception: Despite the years that have passed, “Celal Birsen” remains a generic trademark synonymous with robustness and quality.
