Machinery and Chemical Industry (MKE) is transforming end-of-life scrap materials collected from all over Türkiye into "high-quality steel," a critical need of the defense industry, using advanced technology. This massive recycling operation, carried out in facilities in Kırıkkale, İzmit, and İzmir, is turning discarded metal piles into a strategic force, ranging from 5.56 mm bullets to 155 mm howitzer barrels.
The Machinery and Chemical Industry Corporation (MKE), the backbone of the Turkish defense industry, stands out not only for its production of weapons and ammunition but also for its strategy of independence in raw material supply. Recent data and images shared by the institution reveal that the "MKE Recycling Operations Directorate" operates not just as a scrap yard, but as a strategic raw material production center. A bus that once carried passengers or a train wagon that once transported passengers on the tracks is melted down in MKE's crucible, transformed into an infantry rifle in the hands of Turkish soldiers or the body of a Fırtına howitzer.
"National Steel" Shaped in 3,000 Ton Presses“
The process carried out by MKE involves a much more complex metallurgical engineering approach than a typical recycling operation. The process begins with the meticulous separation of scrap metal collected in Kırıkkale, İzmit (Seymen), and İzmir (Aliağa) regions, based on its chemical and physical properties, by expert teams. This separation is considered the most critical stage in determining the quality of the resulting steel.
The separated, high-quality waste is melted in electric arc furnaces at the MKE Steel and Brass Factory, transforming it into liquid pig steel. However, the real “technological magic” begins after casting.
- High Heat and Pressure: Steel poured into ingot molds, 1,250 degrees It is annealed at high temperature.
- Immense Power: Heated blocks, 3,000 tons By being compressed in giant presses, the molecular structure of the steel is strengthened and it regains its original form.
- Wide Product Range: The "specialty steel" that emerges as a result of this process; From 5.56 mm to 155 mm It is used in all weapon systems in the inventory of the Turkish Armed Forces, in light and heavy weapon barrels and ammunition bodies.
Strategy for "Complete Independence" in Raw Materials
In the defense industry, possessing the raw materials to build a platform is as critical a matter of survival as producing that platform itself. MKE's "circular economy" model reduces Türkiye's dependence on imported steel while guaranteeing uninterrupted production in the event of potential embargoes or supply crises.
Transforming the chassis of a scrapped vehicle into the body of an armored vehicle or the casing of an ammunition round offers significant advantages in terms of cost effectiveness. With the labor of thousands of employees and centuries of experience, MKE transforms materials considered "waste" into "strategic value," meeting the need for "high-quality metals," the invisible heroes of the Turkish defense industry, using domestic resources.
The Strike Force Derived from Waste
This process, summarized by MKE's motto "Waste > Value > Power," is the most concrete evidence of Türkiye's integrated production capability in the defense industry. Being able to produce not only the final product but also the most basic material that makes up that product positions Türkiye in a much more competitive and independent position in the global defense market. Every recycled piece of metal represents a new brick added to the deterrent power of the Turkish army.
