Mengi Meadow As we approached the shipyard, the familiar metallic scent of Tuzla's morning hung in the air. Sounds, welding flames dancing in the wind, massive hangar doors... Everything was ready for the day.
Walking through a thin veil of mist between the sea and the sky, I was heading toward one of Turkey's most established shipyards to listen to a story that has been told for generations.
I arrived at Mengi Yay's office by the sea, observing my surroundings in the warm neighborhood atmosphere of Nuh Industrial Site.
The assistant who greeted me accompanied me to Hüseyin Mengi's office. When we opened the door, he rose from his desk with calm elegance and extended his hand with a warm smile. I sat down in the chair opposite him and, knowing his time was limited, wanted to start the conversation right away. At that moment, my eyes fell on the portrait of his beloved father, Ramazan Mengi, standing in the display case behind Mr. Hüseyin. Who knows how many moments that frame had witnessed, standing in the corner...
With great impatience, I let Hüseyin Bey speak. As soon as the conversation began, the most beautiful scenes of a documentary began to play in my mind. Listening intently, Hüseyin Bey's first sentence echoed in the room:
“Mengi Yay is more than just a brand to me; it's a family legacy.”
While chatting, one could sense the pride of a master in his tone of voice. It was the voice of a manager who knew his job very well, a person who had succeeded in building a bridge between the past and the future.
1980s Ayvansaray: Between Sounds, Sawdust, and Salt
Every story has a setting. Hüseyin Mengi's story also begins in Ramazan Mengi's workshop.
“My father, Ramazan Mengi, was the one who laid the foundation for this business.” he says. “Back then, sole proprietorships were the norm. My father's business wasn't a company; it was a labor of love.”
Behind the things he recounted with a smile on his face lay a philosophy of mastery worthy of respect—just as that generation, raised amid sawdust, learned to become masters not of carpentry but of ethics.
In the Footsteps of the Masters: The Foundations of Nuh Industry
After Ramazan Mengi, Muzaffer Yay joins this story.
As Mr. Hüseyin spoke about his current partner, Muzaffer Yay, the smile on his face seemed to be a reminder of those old, difficult but equally exciting days.
“Victorious brother He was one of the masters who expanded and consolidated the business. I was more in the field, while he was at the center of the organization. That's how the foundations of Mengi Yay were laid.” says Mr. Hüseyin. He then adds:
“Victorious brother His practical intelligence and the natural dialogue he established with the masters never disrupted the rhythm of production. While I was opening up to the outside world, he was the guarantor of the inner world, of that labor.”
These words described two friends fighting on opposite sides of the same dream, like the helmsman and the compass of a ship; without one, the other would be incomplete.
1983A New Port – From Ayvansaray to Tuzla
1983... Turkey is entering a new economic era. With a decision made by the government, Tuzla begins to become the heart of yacht production. For the Mengi family, this situation means a journey to the final destination of a success beyond their wildest dreams.
“The move to Tuzla was a very important step for both us and the industry,” says Hüseyin Mengi, describing the turning point in Turkish yachting.
Meanwhile, the people of Ayvansaray are slowly gathering in their new homes in Tuzla. With every hammer blow, every spark of welding, the labor of the past continues to be sealed into the future here.
The 2000s: So Everything Was About Telling a Story
Those years were a time when it was realized that expanding abroad was as much about “telling” as it was about production...
Mr. Hüseyin begins meeting with his first customers. Each new acquaintance shapes his vision for the future. Young Hüseyin Mengi describes how his horizons broadened with these words:
“When I met with my first customers, I realized this: If we want to do a good job, it shouldn't just be about building a boat; it should be about telling a story. Customers don't find you; you have to find the customer.”
With this awareness, Mengi Yay becomes one of the first Turkish shipyards to combine professional communication with masterful production.
Marketing, promotion, visibility... All of these become new items on Mengi's agenda during that period.
When I was thinking about the most critical steps in transforming a craft into a global brand, a living proof of this philosophy unfolded before our eyes. At that moment, the doorbell rang and a foreign guest entered. Mr. Hüseyin got up from his desk and extended his hand to his guest with a warm smile.
There was no distance in their conversation; the foreign guest was as comfortable as if he were in his own home. At that moment, I realized that everyone who entered Mengi Yay's door was welcomed here as if they were a friend. Mr. Hüseyin saw his guest off to the door, agreeing to meet again after our conversation. And the story continued from where it left off.
2006: From Wood to Steel, Time to Show Courage
Just as 1989 was a turning point for Turkish yachting, 2006 also marked a new crossroads in Mengi Yay's destiny. In those years, wood was like a relic that was being respectfully put away on a shelf, slowly giving way to the shiny silhouette of steel.
“At that time, one of our customers said, ‘This boat should be steel,’ despite our agreement on wood. We had never touched steel before that day. It would be a big test for us, so we decided to try it,” says Mr. Hüseyin. This courage was a clear example to me of what the brand's current genetic code is based on.
The decision to switch to steel was both a technical change and a sign of vision. Because the risk taken that day would mark the beginning of a process that would position Mengi Yay among global manufacturers years later.
2008: Hard Times… Days of Crisis and Lessons Learned
“If we had taken a step back that day, we wouldn't be here today.”
The real test for Mengi Yay began with the global crisis that followed shortly thereafter in 2008. As the world economy ground to a halt, yachts rose to the top of the luxury spending list, but the red alert was sounding: demand was nearly zero!
“It was hard,” says Mr. Hüseyin. “When we were facing stormy seas ahead and wondering how to weather the storm... We had to adapt to reality immediately, meaning the situation wasn't rosy, but we were careful in our customer selection. We moved forward with those who kept their word. Even after some customers passed away, the team ensured payments were made in full. This sense of trust kept us going.”
Those years were the years when Mengi Yay built character, not just a career...
“You build trust in the international market not with projects, but with your stance.” He says, and one day he recounts a conversation he had with an experienced broker in America, Mr. Hüseyin:
Broker, ‘Your boat is very nice. I could sell it here for 30% more, but I can't bring my customer to Turkey.’ he said.
These words echo in Hüseyin Bey's mind:
“So it was time for us to leave. It's not the boats that will show the world our stance, but our faces!”
The decision made that day marks the first step toward Mengi Yay becoming visible in the global market.
The 2020s: A Star Rises from Tuzla to the World
Following the 2008 crisis, Mengi Yay stands out as one of the few shipyards that continued on its path without faltering. As the years progressed, its production line stabilized, the importance of the global market became clearer, and the company continued to grow, solidifying each step along the way.
Then the world faces an unexpected test: the pandemic…
Closed cities, closed borders, lives put on hold... But it is precisely during this time that the dream of setting sail grows larger than ever in people's minds. Orders are increasing, demand is rising rapidly; yet production capacity remains the same.
“Our capacity was 10, but we took on 20 jobs,’ says Mr. Hüseyin. ”Young people aren't going into this line of work anymore. There's not enough manpower, and the workload is heavy.“
At this point, Mengi Yay's rise is shaped not by the increase in the number of jobs it has taken on, but by the decisions it has made. The company is entering into partnerships with Barbaros Hayrettin Paşa High School and Piri Reis University.
They are launching a new model by inviting young people into the very heart of production: four days in the shipyard, one day at school...
They are learning the practical aspects of the job and preparing for the future.
Mr. Hüseyin's face lights up with obvious pride at this point:
“Without engaging young people, there is no future for this endeavor.”
At that moment, as I listened to Mr. Hüseyin's belief in young people, I thought to myself:
Perhaps what makes Mengi Yay one of the most reliable brands in global waters today is not just the skillfully built boats; it is this quiet but determined preparation for the future?
Every step on the field, every new young player, every bold decision... When they all came together, the picture emerged on its own:
And Mengi Yay Shipyard is now among the stars of the global market, not just Turkey's.
As we conclude the interview, I thank Mr. Hüseyin. With his usual dignity, he stands up and shakes my hand. Then he politely asks:
“Did you have lunch? The ladies working in our kitchen make amazing food, so I think you shouldn't miss it.‘
Courtesy that is unpretentious, sincere... A hospitality worthy of respect.
As I thanked him and left his room, his words stayed with me, and I was happy with what I had learned. While Mr. Hüseyin was preparing to host his foreign guest, I headed to the guest room for the lunch that awaited me. Soon my meal arrives, just as Mr. Hüseyin said it would. After the incredibly delicious meal, I tell the sisters how lucky the staff here are to have such tasty food, and the sisters sum up the day with these words:
‘This place is great for us. We feel that the work we do is valuable. We are the lucky ones.’
After lunch, Mr. Hüseyin's assistant greets me. As we walk through the shipyard, another scene unfolds at the open door of each hangar:
Masters, paint fumes, sounds, the hull skeletons of boats rising up in the middle like giant sculptures...
We occasionally come across young interns. The curiosity and excitement in their eyes is immediately noticeable.
And so, we've reached the end of the day...
As I leave Nuh Industrial Site, every scene I leave behind plays like a film reel in my mind:
Mr. Hüseyin's story,
Hangar sliding door,
Calm employees,
The excitement of young interns who carry the future in their eyes
Final words: This story is just a small part of Mengi Yay's long journey. The rest of the pages are still being written; in the footsteps of the masters, in the future of the young, and in every new morning at the shipyard...
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