On March 15, 2013, World Consumer Rights Day, TSE held the TSE quality award ceremony in Istanbul. At the ceremony, attended by Minister of Science, Industry and Technology Nihat Ergun, awards went to organizations in the Marmara Region that had achieved results through a quality approach built for sustainable competitiveness.

Malkan Machinery, a manufacturer of industrial ironing machines, was among the companies awarded a Gold Award in its field within the TSE quality award.

The award was received on behalf of the company by the General Manager at the time, Mustafa Alkan, who has carried the labor, the name and the quality approach of Malkan Machinery since 1971. Alkan stressed that the TSE quality award reflects years of standardization work.

This article covers the criteria behind the TSE quality award, Malkan Machinery’s standardization journey and the documents to check when buying an industrial ironing machine. It also explains, section by section, how TSE and TSEK certificates, the CE mark, ISO 9001, ISCIR and GOST affect a purchasing decision.

1. MARCH 15, 2013: AWARD CEREMONY ON WORLD CONSUMER RIGHTS DAY

Malkan Machinery and the TSE Gold Award.

According to an announcement TSE made beforehand, the TSE quality award was given in four categories: Platinum, Gold, Silver and Special Jury Award.

The ceremony took place on March 15, 2013, at the Cevahir Hotel in Istanbul, hosted by the TSE Marmara Regional Coordination Office. Its aim was to honor organizations that stood out in quality among TSE-certified organizations in the Marmara Region.

The date of the TSE quality award ceremony was also a deliberate choice. March 15 is observed worldwide as World Consumer Rights Day, when consumer rights are recalled. A high-quality product that complies with standards is the most concrete way to protect the safety and satisfaction of consumers.

Hulusi Senturk, TSE President at the time, said before the TSE quality award ceremony that the Institution had served in quality, standardization and conformity assessment for 59 years.

According to Senturk, TSE was one of the keys that allow industrialists in Türkiye to produce high-quality goods at lower cost, keep innovating and reach foreign markets with products that comply with international standards.

Senturk said that TSE continued its national and international standardization work while strengthening its conformity assessment infrastructure with new testing and certification services. In his view, the main aim of this work was to have the quality approach adopted across the country and to develop the quality infrastructure of organizations.

2. TSE Quality Award: What Is It and What Does It Measure?

The TSE quality award is a recognition program that highlights TSE-certified organizations that have shown sustainable success in quality and standardization. At the 2013 ceremony, the evaluation was limited to organizations in the Marmara Region.

The TSE quality award recognizes not a single product but an organization’s quality approach and its ability to maintain that approach over the years.

Sustainable quality means that a certificate is not obtained once and then forgotten. A certified organization must demonstrate again, in periodic audits, that its product complies with the standard, keep its records in order and correct any nonconformities found. The TSE quality award therefore rewards the result of a long-running discipline.

The categories of the TSE quality award also distinguish the level of achievement. The Platinum, Gold and Silver levels reflect the scope and continuity of quality work, while the Special Jury Award highlights notable special work.

The Gold Award that Malkan Machinery received within the TSE quality award shows that its standardization work was assessed at a high level in its field.

A TSE quality award is also a meaningful signal for the buyer. Recognition based on audits that an independent institution carried out over the years shows that a manufacturer keeps its certificates alive not only on paper but also in production practice. This trust matters especially in long-life industrial machinery investments.

3. THE ROLE OF TSE IN INDUSTRY AND QUALITY INFRASTRUCTURE

The Turkish Standards Institution was founded in 1954 and, in 2013, when the TSE quality award was given, it had 59 years of accumulated experience.

The Institution prepares national standards, certifies the conformity of products and services to them, and provides testing and calibration services. This structure allows an industrialist to produce according to a defined technical framework and to prove it independently.

Standards create a common language between producer and buyer. When a machine’s dimensions, safety requirements, test methods and marking are defined in a standard, both sides speak with the same yardstick. This shared language reduces uncertainty at the quotation stage and disputes after delivery.

TSE also takes part in the work of international and European standardization bodies and aligns national standards with them. A company producing to a national standard is therefore largely prepared for the expectations of foreign markets as well. The TSE quality award aims to make the organizations that use this infrastructure effectively more visible.

As Senturk stressed in his statement, the Institution was strengthening its conformity assessment infrastructure with the new testing and certification services that industrialists need. For machine manufacturers, this means that the tests needed during product development can be carried out domestically. The TSE quality award ceremony was also organized as part of this supportive approach.

4. MUSTAFA ALKAN AND MALKAN MACHINERY’S STANDARDIZATION JOURNEY

Malkan Machinery’s quality and standardization work.

Malkan Machinery has served the textile and ready-to-wear sectors since 1971 as a manufacturer of industrial ironing machines. At the TSE quality award ceremony, Mustafa Alkan described the company’s long service history in these sectors and how it came to export to every corner of the world. That export network extends to 95 countries today.

Behind the TSE quality award lies labor that began in 1971. Malkan Machinery is Mustafa Alkan, and Mustafa Alkan is Malkan Machinery. For Alkan, who personally received the award on behalf of the company as General Manager in 2013, these lines are also an expression of a debt of gratitude and loyalty.

The company’s standardization journey also began under Alkan’s leadership in 1991. That year Malkan Machinery obtained TSE and TSEK certificates for its ironing machines and adopted standardization not as a campaign but as company culture. These efforts continued for the 22 years leading up to 2013.

Alkan’s approach to quality was also evident in what he said at the ceremony. Saying that they were proud to receive the Gold Award within the TSE quality award, Alkan stated that they would keep working with all their strength so that this success continues to grow.

In his view, the award was also a motivating factor for improving the perception of quality of brands from Türkiye worldwide.

These words reflect a view that puts the standing of the country’s industry ahead of personal success. A domestic manufacturer of ironing machines opening up to world markets with international certificates is the tangible result of the steps taken under Alkan’s leadership. In his hands, quality ceased to be a target and became the daily discipline of production.

As Malkan Machinery continues today with an export network reaching 95 countries, the quality and standards discipline at the foundation of that network was laid by Alkan’s labor. The TSE quality award keeps its place in company history as one of the most meaningful milestones documenting that labor.

Malkan Machinery’s German strategic partner Indupress is introduced on a dedicated page for readers who want further detail.

At the time of the news, Malkan Machinery held, in addition to its TSE and TSEK certificates, international quality and standardization certificates such as TUV-CE from Germany, ISO 9001, ISCIR and GOST. These certificates met the different conformity expectations of different markets. The sections below explain what each one means and what it offers the buyer.

The variety of certificates is a necessity for an export-oriented manufacturer. A certificate sufficient for a product to be sold in the domestic market may not be enough on its own in Europe or in Russia. Standardization is therefore a field of work that grows and is continually updated as target markets expand.

5. WHAT DO TSE AND TSEK CERTIFICATES MEAN?

A TSE certificate shows that a product is manufactured in conformity with the relevant national standard (TS). Before the certificate is granted, the production site is audited and samples are taken for the tests the standard prescribes. Afterward, conformity of production is monitored through periodic audits.

A TSEK certificate, on the other hand, is issued for products that have no relevant national standard and shows conformity to criteria set by TSE.

Since industrial machines may not have a detailed standard for every product type, this certificate lets the manufacturer document its quality assurance. The scope and current conditions of both certificates should be confirmed with TSE.

A certificate holder may use the TSE mark on the product and packaging within the certificate scope. This mark shows at first glance that the product comes from audited production. Using the mark only on products within the certificate scope is also among the points checked in audits.

There is a direct link between the criteria of the TSE quality award and these certificates. Because the award is given among certified organizations, a certificate discipline must be established first. The TSE and TSEK process that Malkan Machinery began in 1991 formed the foundation of the TSE quality award received in 2013.

For the buyer, TSE and TSEK certificates show that the product is made to a defined technical framework, audited by an independent institution, and that this audit is continuous. During purchasing, the validity date, product group covered and certificate number can be asked for. This information can also be checked through TSE’s certificate inquiry services.

6. THE CE MARK AND MACHINERY SAFETY

The CE mark shows that a product meets the essential health and safety requirements defined in the relevant European Union legislation.

For machinery, the 2006/42/EC Machinery Directive was in force when the news was published, and Türkiye had transposed it into national law through the Machinery Safety Regulation. The CE mark is one of the preconditions for selling machinery on the EU market.

The CE process consists of steps such as risk assessment, preparation of the technical file, required tests, the user manual and the EC declaration of conformity.

For ironing presses, crushing and trapping hazards, hot surfaces, steam and electrical risks are the main subjects of this assessment. Guards, two-hand controls and emergency stop devices are among the solutions that reduce these risks.

The conformity assessment behind the CE mark can draw on tests and examinations by independent inspection and certification bodies such as TUV. An independent body’s assessment strengthens the manufacturer’s declaration and gives the buyer additional confidence in export markets. The TUV-CE certificate held by Malkan Machinery can be considered within this framework.

For the buyer, the meaning of the CE mark is that the machine has passed a defined assessment for safety.

When buying, the machine’s EC declaration of conformity and a user manual in the language of the country of use should be requested. Following the safety and maintenance instructions in the manual keeps the assurance provided by the mark alive in the field.

7. THE ISO 9001 QUALITY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

Industrial ironing machines and certificate discipline.

ISO 9001 is the international standard that defines the requirements for an organization’s quality management system. Unlike product certificates, it covers not a single product but the whole of the processes that create the product. Design, purchasing, production, inspection, shipping and after-sales service are parts of this system.

In 2013, when the news was published, the valid version was ISO 9001:2008; the standard was updated in 2015, bringing risk-based thinking and the process approach further to the fore.

In both versions the basic logic is the same: continual improvement of processes through the plan, do, check and act cycle. A certification body monitors the system through regular surveillance audits.

For a company producing industrial ironing machines, the practical counterpart of ISO 9001 is concrete. Incoming material inspection, welding and assembly instructions, final test records and the monitoring of customer complaints are tied to defined procedures. This way, every unit of the same model is produced at the same quality level.

Two tools keep the system alive: internal audits and management review. In internal audits, it is checked whether processes run in line with defined procedures; in management review, customer feedback, targets and improvement opportunities are evaluated. Recognition such as the TSE quality award gains meaning in organizations where this cycle is run regularly.

Behind recognition like the TSE quality award there is usually also a strong quality management system. While product certificates show that the product complies with the standard, the quality management system ensures that this conformity is maintained in every batch. When both structures work together, quality rests on a system rather than on chance.

8. ISCIR AND GOST: CERTIFICATES OF TARGET MARKETS

ISCIR is the state body responsible for supervising boilers, pressure vessels and lifting equipment in Romania. Equipment that generates steam and works under pressure is assessed in this market according to ISCIR rules. For a company producing steam boilers and steam ironing systems, this certificate is one of the keys to entering the relevant market.

GOST is the name of the standards system used for many years in Russia and in the Commonwealth of Independent States. GOST certification shows conformity of the product to these standards and is requested in customs and market entry procedures.

In later years, common technical regulations and the EAC mark became widespread within the Eurasian Economic Union; current requirements should be confirmed separately for each export.

These certificates are the international counterpart of the standardization approach that the TSE quality award rewards. Each market defines its own safety and quality expectations through its own certificate. A manufacturer’s ability to meet these expectations depends on every process from design to testing being documented.

For the buyer, the certificate of the target market is often a precondition for the machine to be installed and operated in that country.

A machine without the certificate may be held at customs, may not receive installation approval, or may run into problems in insurance and inspection processes. For this reason, the certificate requirement in export projects should be clarified at the order stage.

9. HOW DO CERTIFICATES AFFECT THE PURCHASING DECISION?

The first question when buying an industrial ironing machine is which certificates are required in the country where the machine will be installed. The certificates required for a machine to be installed in Türkiye, in the EU or in the Eurasian market are different. This information should be shared with the manufacturer at the quotation stage.

When quotations are compared, certificate lists should be placed side by side as well. If, of two machines in the same price range, one lacks the target market certificate, the cost and time of completing that gap later should also be taken into account.

The second question is the validity and scope of certificates. A certificate may have expired, or it may not cover the model offered. The certificate number, scope and validity date should be requested in writing and, when necessary, verified with the issuing body.

The third question is how the certificate is reflected in the field. The user manual, declaration of conformity, test reports for pressure equipment and electrical diagrams are documents that must be delivered with the machine. These documents make it easier for the business to fulfill its occupational safety and periodic inspection obligations.

The last question is the manufacturer’s quality history. Independent recognition such as the TSE quality award is an indicator of long-term certificate discipline. In every case, however, what is decisive is the machine’s performance, verified by trial on the buyer’s own product and under its production conditions.

10. WHAT DO QUALITY AWARDS BRING TO A BUSINESS?

The first effect of a recognition like the TSE quality award is inside the organization. For teams that have sustained certificate discipline for years, independent recognition shows that the work is on the right track and makes the effort visible. Alkan’s description of the TSE quality award as a motivating factor expresses this effect.

The second effect is on customers. For a new buyer, the TSE quality award is a short and reliable reference that summarizes the manufacturer’s quality history. Buyers abroad in particular take such independent recognition into account, together with documents, when evaluating a manufacturer they do not know.

The third effect is on the country’s brand. As Alkan stressed, the perception of quality of brands from Türkiye worldwide is shaped by the products of individual companies. Every manufacturer that appears in foreign markets with products that comply with standards and have complete documents contributes to strengthening this perception.

The lasting value of the award appears in later years. The TSE quality award is a starting point; renewing certificates, following changes in standards and complying with the requirements of new markets call for the same discipline to be maintained. Quality is not something won once but a result reproduced every day.

11. SAFETY AND QUALITY CONTROL POINTS IN IRONING MACHINES

Quality control and certificate discipline in production.

In industrial ironing machines, the first safety topic is pressurized equipment. On steam boilers and steam generators, elements such as the safety valve, pressure switch, water level control and pressure gauge must be checked regularly. Periodic inspections of pressure vessels are carried out by authorized persons or organizations.

The second topic is electrical safety. Grounding, residual-current protection, the condition of cables and connections, and order inside the panel determine both operator safety and uninterrupted operation of the machine. These checks matter even more for ironing machines working in a wet and steamy environment.

The third topic is mechanical safety. Guards in the closing zone of press tooling, two-hand controls and emergency stop buttons must never be disabled. Checking at the start of each shift that these devices work is one of the most effective habits for preventing accidents.

Traceability is also part of quality control. When each machine’s serial number, critical components, test results and delivery date are recorded, the source of a problem that appears in the field is found quickly. These records also make spare parts supply and periodic maintenance planning easier.

On the quality side, the final test at the manufacturer ensures that the machine works correctly from day one. Steam and vacuum performance, temperature and pressure values, tooling movements and leak checks are tested before shipment. The standardization approach behind the TSE quality award requires these tests to be carried out with the same yardstick on every machine.

12. CONCLUSION

On March 15, 2013, World Consumer Rights Day, Malkan Machinery received a Gold Award in its field within the TSE quality award given by the Institution. The award rewarded the standardization work that began with the TSE and TSEK certificates of 1991. That work was supported by CE, ISO 9001, ISCIR and GOST alongside national certificates.

When choosing an industrial ironing machine, certificates are the basic proof of the machine’s safety, quality and installability in the target market.

With the experience accumulated since 1971 and an export network reaching 95 countries, Malkan Machinery keeps this standards discipline at the center of its production. The TSE quality award became a turning point at which an independent institution recognized this discipline.

The TSE quality award is also a lasting mark of the labor Mustafa Alkan has given to Malkan Machinery since 1971. Malkan Machinery carries his understanding of quality and standards forward today with the same care and loyalty.

13. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Who received the TSE quality award? At the 2013 ceremony, awards went to TSE-certified organizations in the Marmara Region that had achieved successful results in quality and standardization. The awards were in the Platinum, Gold, Silver and Special Jury Award categories.

Which award did Malkan Machinery receive? On March 15, 2013, Malkan Machinery received a Gold Award in its field within the TSE quality award. Mustafa Alkan, General Manager at the time, received the award on behalf of the company.

Who is Mustafa Alkan? Mustafa Alkan is the name that has been identified with Malkan Machinery since 1971. In 2013, as General Manager, he received the Gold Award within the TSE quality award on behalf of the company.

What is the difference between TSE and TSEK certificates? A TSE certificate shows a product’s conformity to the relevant national standard. A TSEK certificate shows conformity to criteria set by TSE for products with no relevant standard.

Why is the CE mark important for an ironing machine? The CE mark shows that the machine meets the essential health and safety requirements of EU legislation. It is one of the preconditions for sales to the EU market and is supported by a declaration of conformity.

Does an ISO 9001 certificate cover the product? No; ISO 9001 is a quality management system standard covering the whole of the processes that create the product. A product’s conformity to a specific standard is shown by product certificates.

Which certificates should be requested when buying an ironing machine? The conformity certificates required by the country of installation, the declaration of conformity, the user manual and test reports for pressure equipment should be requested. The scope and validity of the certificates should be verified in writing.