July 5, 2023

Simav, Synaus Cosmetics

By Eda Uzuncakara

Simav Thermal Water and Chestnuts Leads to Employment for Women and People with Disabilities

After passing through the city center following the Simav signs, I arrived at Eynal Thermal Baths. I was impressed by the dense forests of the mountains on the way. Walking into the sunlit reception area, I saw the Simav-branded beauty and personal care products neatly arranged. I saw a similar display that same day at the cultural center later and noticed the product packages had “Synaus” written under the Simav name, indicating they were made with the region’s thermal water and chestnuts.

When I asked about the story behind this brand, the person attending the display, Veysel Yeldemez, told me that the products were produced in Simav by women and people with disabilities. Just as he finished his sentence, I had a new question, and he gave me the phone number of Kamil Çertik, the production manager. The next day, after having a bath in the healing water of Eynal Thermal, I applied Simav’s shampoo, conditioner, shower gel and body lotion, while inhaling the delightful chestnut aroma. I liked the softness the products brought to my hair and skin. I immediately called Kamil Çertik. By the end of the day, he had arranged a meeting for me with Simav’s founder, Adil Biçer, also a recently elected member of Parliament and former Simav mayor, as well as Fatih Kalay, Simav’s new mayor.

Simav is a charming district of Kütahya, located in the productive soil of the Aegean region, adorned with lush vegetation, healing thermal springs and a crater lake. Since ancient times, Simav has hosted various civilizations. From the Phrygians to the Lydians and Persians, the city known as “Simavus” during the Hellenistic period was initially part of the Bergama Kingdom, later falling under Roman and Byzantine rule. In the 11th century, the city was under the control of the Seljuks and later the Ottomans in the 14th century. Its ancient name, Synaus, means “silver water” in Latin. The name for the Eynal thermal springs was derived from the Arabic word for “mirror,” which quite accurately describes the clear water. When Evliya Çelebi (1611-1682), an Ottoman explorer who traveled through the territory of the Ottoman Empire and neighboring lands for over a period of forty years, recording his commentary in a travelog called the Seyahatnâme (“Book of Travel”), visited Simav in 1671, he noted in his travelog, “I have traveled the whole world, but I have never seen anything like Eynal thermal springs.”

As I approached the location of the meeting Kamil Çertik had arranged for Monday at 10:30 a.m., I could feel the coolness still lingering from the previous evening. The summer heat had not yet warmed up Simav, and the morning breeze gently caressed the tree leaves, while the city was just waking up. Do you know the attractive color that dark pink roses take when they fade? I found myself in front of a three-story building in that color, adorned with a large Simav Municipality Cosmetics Factory sign. Kamil Çertik welcomed me and introduced me to Fatih Kalay. Adil Biçer joined our conversation in the gazebo, almost hidden amidst the greenery next to the main building.

After introductions and brief small talk, Adil Biçer very enthusiastically started telling the story behind the brand. It dated back before he had become mayor. Indeed, the story began in 1996.

Adil Biçer’s interest in the cosmetics industry started with a dishwashing detergent manufacturing project. After losing his 48-year-old father in 1996, his desire to distribute dishwashing detergent with his brother turned into a manufacturing project to support his family while he was still studying at Dokuz Eylül University’s Law Faculty at the age of 22. However, the project came to a halt when his brother returned to civil service.

The project resurfaced years later, upon returning to Simav. Adil Biçer practiced law and became a member of the municipal council in 2009. He had a desire to focus on the area’s social and economic development. He thought a lot about what to do for Simav, how to promote the city and how to contribute to its economy. After he became mayor in 2019, Adil Biçer led the effort, with the technical support and consultancy of Kütahya Health Sciences University, to combine the healing Simav thermal water and delicious chestnuts to produce high-quality products within the borders of the municipality, providing employment opportunities for women and people with disabilities.

The project was titled “Simav leads to the employment for women and disabled by using its chestnuts and therapeutic thermal water” in 2020 under the Social Development Support Program (SOGEP) and with the support of the Zafer Development Agency, which provided a generous grant of 1 million out of a total investment of 1.25 million Turkish liras at that time.

In January 2022, in the city’s old beet factory, a staff of 11, including eight disabled people, started producing nine types of products. From the beginning, the Simav cosmetics factory was created in a way that is accessible for the staff and suitable for disabled individuals. While Adil Biçer was narrating the story, he emphasized the importance of collaborating with people who remember, understand and value the city’s history and its people.

The factory started production quietly during the pandemic. Just when production reached a certain level and was ready for large-scale distribution, the focus shifted with the earthquakes on February 6, 2023. Immediately, Simav sent three trucks of liquid soap and similar products to earthquake-stricken areas. Over the next few months, a total of 80 trucks visited affected regions to provide supplies and relief. This was yet another example of the project executing big ideas for the benefit of many in need.

Simav Cosmetics can be purchased through online shopping channels and local sales centers. The product range of Simav Cosmetics continues to expand with the ongoing product development efforts. Newly produced baby products, anti-dandruff shampoo and SPF 50+ sunscreen have already found their place on shelves. The lavender grown in the Gölcük crater lake and its valley has reached our homes in cologne bottles, refreshing us as well.

We continued our conversation with Adil Biçer, Fatih Kalay and the workers in the single-story factory, which used to be a sugar beet warehouse painted mustard yellow. As an industrial engineer, I had visited various factories in different sectors such as iron and steel, automotive and electronics, but Simav became my first experience in the cosmetics field. Mehmet, who had lost one arm and was working tirelessly, was in charge of the sparkling bottling and packaging machines while the boilers were running at full speed in the production area. The daily production of the factory was 17,000 bottles.

When we arrived at the sales center to conclude our conversation, a gift package with Simav Cosmetics products was waiting for me. I hope these natural and healthy products, carrying the essence of Simav’s soil, water and air, and providing employment opportunities for women and individuals with disabilities, will also reach you.