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TOMTAS Aviation, Türkiye’s first aircraft factory, has resumed operations nearly a century after its foundation, sparking the formation of a growing aerospace ecosystem in the central Anatolian city of Kayseri.
The company, originally established in 1926 as the Turkish Aircraft and Engine Company (TOMTAS), has been reestablished through a partnership involving ASFAT, Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI), Erciyes Technopark, and TOMTAS Investment.
The revived firm is taking part in major national defense and aerospace programs, including the HURJET jet trainer project.
TOMTAS is also positioned to support international aerospace initiatives, backed by planned investments in modern hangars and research and development facilities spanning 800,000 square meters (approximately 8.6 million square feet).
The relaunch of TOMTAS has triggered increased interest in aviation-related industries across Kayseri. In recent months, 11 new aerospace firms have been established in the region, operating in specialized areas such as aircraft maintenance, component production, and advanced aerospace systems.
These companies are expected to significantly contribute to the local economy and expand employment opportunities.
The initial phase of investment, coordinated by the Kayseri Metropolitan Municipality, includes a combined capital input of 63.5 million dollars for the establishment of 98 production benches across the 11 firms.
Officials anticipate that the number of machines and the associated workforce will continue to rise as more companies join the investment plan.
Ali Eksi, General Manager and Board Member of TOMTAS, stated that Kayseri is on track to become Türkiye’s new aerospace center.
He emphasized that the aerospace projects led by TOMTAS are already bearing fruit with the rapid establishment of new companies in the region.
Eksi noted that the initiative supports the development of indigenous technologies and aims to establish Kayseri as a strategic base in the global aviation industry.
“We were fully aware of this potential when we began,” he said, adding that current developments confirm the city’s emergence as a rising industrial and technological star in Türkiye.
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