The Mechanical and Chemical Industry Corporation (Turkish: Makina ve Kimya Endüstrisi Kurumu or MKEK or shortly Makina Kimya), established in 1950, is a reorganization of government-controlled group of factories in Turkey that supplied the Turkish Army with supplies, munitions and equipment.
Its roots lie in the "Tophane-i Amire" ("Royal Arsenal") built in the latter part of the 15th Century to supply the Ottoman Empire's artillery corps with cannon, powder, and shot. This was reorganized in 1832 as the "Tophane Müşavirliği" ("Arsenal of Ordnance and Artillery Marshalship") and was later formed in a department of "Harbiye Nezareti" (Ministry of War) in 1908. After World War I and the following "Young Turks" revolt, it was reorganized as the "General Directorate of Military Factories" in 1923. Today, the MKE is made up of 12 facilities that employ 7,430 personnel.
The corporation mainly produces equipment for the Turkish Armed Forces, such as the ammunition for small arms and heavy weapons, heavy weapons and artillery systems, aerial bombs, mines, explosives, and rockets. They also manufacture civil-purpose products such as steel, brass, and electrical parts and equipment. Its large range of defense industry products are not only consumed in Turkey, but are exported to more than 40 countries worldwide.
Production groups:
Company and factories:
There are 11 factories and 1 company affiliated with MKE centered in three major manufacturing hubs: