Alpullu Sugar Factory

Alpullu Sugar Factory is the first sugar production facility established in Türkiye during the Republican era. Located in Alpullu, a village in the Babaeski district of Kırklareli province in Thrace, the factory began operations in 1926 and has played a significant role in the economic, social, and architectural development of the region. Established through a partnership between the state and private sector in the early years of the Republic, the factory was instrumental in establishing beet cultivation in the region, diversifying agricultural production, and shaping the model of modern industrial settlements.

The construction of the Alpullu Sugar Factory was completed in approximately 11 months, and production commenced on 26 November 1926. Ensuring domestic production of sugar—a staple consumer good—in the early years of the Republic, promoting widespread beet cultivation, and achieving regional economic development goals defined the factory’s establishment process. As Türkiye’s first sugar production facility, the factory holds a prominent place in the nation’s industrial history.

Alpullu Sugar Factory (Binbir Gıda)

History

Various attempts at sugar production were made in the Ottoman Empire during the 19th century. Efforts to establish factories continued at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century but were not implemented due to insufficient water resources, lack of capital, and capitulations. This situation prevented the establishment of a modern sugar factory in Türkiye until 1926.

Founding of the Republic and the Foundation of Sugar Industry Policy

In the early years of the Republic of Türkiye, sugar industry was strategically regarded as a key sector in line with the goal of “economic independence.” Objectives regarding sugar were defined at the 1923 İzmir Economic Congress, and the promotion of domestic production was decided upon.

During this period, the state’s priorities were:

• reducing dependence on imports,
• encouraging domestic production and industry,
• expanding beet cultivation nationwide.

Path to Establishment (1923–1926)

Efforts to achieve domestic sugar production in Türkiye were revived after the proclamation of the Republic, and the establishment of the sugar industry received state support. In this context, regional deputies and entrepreneurs founded “Istanbul and Thrace Sugar Factories A.Ş.” with the aim of establishing a sugar factory in Thrace after Uşak.

Among the founding members were:

• Faik Kaltakkıran, deputy from Edirne,
• Hüseyin Rıfkı Arduman,
• Faik Öztrak, deputy from Tekirdağ,
• Şakir Kesebir, deputy from Çatalca,
• İbrahim Çolak, deputy from Bilecik,
• merchants and local businesspeople.

The majority of the company’s shares were held by İş Bankası, with Ziraat Bankası and the Thrace Regional Administration as partners. The distribution of the founding capital was as follows:

• 68% İş Bankası,
• 10% Ziraat Bankası,
• 10% Thrace peasants,
• the remaining 12% private enterprise.

This structure transformed the factory into both a regional initiative and a model of the Republic’s state-supported development strategy.

Site Selection

Three key factors influenced the decision to locate the factory in Alpullu:

• Railway connection: The proximity of the Alpullu Railway Station, built by the French in 1908, facilitated the transport of machinery, beet shipments, and sugar distribution to markets.
• Highway proximity: Its location on the Istanbul-Edirne highway provided logistical advantages.
• Water source: The Ergene River flowing immediately beside the site was decisive in securing the water required for sugar production.

These conditions made Alpullu a suitable industrial settlement both for production processes and transportation logistics.

Alpullu Sugar Factory (Binbir Gıda)

Establishment and Production Process

When the factory began operations in 1926, beet cultivation was a newly introduced activity for Thrace farmers. With the factory’s activation, beet planting rapidly spread throughout villages in the region and became one of the foundational elements of the local economy.

In its early years, the Alpullu Sugar Factory began processing by-products of the sugar industry, including:

• crystal and cube sugar,
• molasses,
• beet pulp.

Molasses and beet pulp supported livestock farming in the region as by-products of beet processing. By 1933, a significant portion of Türkiye’s sugar demand was met by the Alpullu and Uşak factories.

Atatürk’s Visit to the Alpullu Sugar Factory

On 20 December 1930, Atatürk visited the Alpullu Sugar Factory during his tour of Thrace. On the same day, he rested at the Ergene Köşkü within the factory complex. This pavilion was later preserved as a museum in honor of Atatürk, with the room where he stayed maintained in its original state.

Atatürk’s Diary Entry from His Visit to the Alpullu Sugar Factory (Binbir Gıda)

Present Day

After production ceased in 2013, the factory reopened in 2017 following continued beet cultivation by local farmers. According to 2017 data, approximately 175 farmers from 104 villages produced around 130,000 tons of beets, enabling the facility to resume operations.^【1】 

In 2018, the factory was privatized. Today, it is operated by Binbir Gıda Tarım Ürünleri Sanayi ve Ticaret A.Ş.

Alpullu Sugar Factory (Anadolu Ajansı)

Registration Process

According to the registration announcement dated 11 August 2020, the area where the Alpullu Sugar Factory is located has been designated as a protected site under two categories by the Ministry’s decision dated 15 April 2020 and numbered 88130:

1. Natural Site – Qualified Natural Conservation Area
2. Natural Site – Sustainable Conservation and Controlled Use Area

This registration decision was published in the Resmi Gazete in accordance with the regulation published in the Resmi Gazete on 27 October 2017, numbered 30223. The registration was carried out due to the natural characteristics and conservation value of the area where the factory is situated.

Site and Architectural Structure

The Alpullu Sugar Factory complex is one of the spatial manifestations of the Republic’s modernization policies. The complex was not limited to production facilities; it also included housing for workers and managers, as well as social and cultural infrastructure, forming a multifaceted living environment.

The main structures within the complex include:

• worker housing, twin houses
• officer and engineer residences
• primary and secondary schools
• hospital
• dining hall, restaurant
• factory post office
• laundry
• ballroom
• cinema hall
• basketball court
• football field
• swimming pool
• Türkiye’s first mini-golf course
• Big Pavilion
• Ergene Köşkü
• fire station
• production facilities (boiler room, refinery, silos, workshops, etc.)

All of these facilities served both the workers and the local population.

The architectural design of the complex reflects the influence of the Art Deco style. In particular, the interior fittings of the Ergene Köşkü and the architectural elements of the Big Pavilion bear traces of this movement, which was widespread in Europe during the first half of the 20th century.

Social and Cultural Impact

The factory was not merely an economic production facility; it also became a center that transformed social life in the region. The modern social facilities within the complex were made accessible to both factory workers and the local population. Electricity, cinema, sports facilities, and other amenities were experienced by the local community for the first time through this settlement.

The Alpullu Sugar Factory played a significant role in introducing the modern lifestyle envisioned by the Republic to the broader society. The housing and living spaces for factory workers were designed in accordance with the modern nuclear family model of the period.

For the first time in the region, cinema screenings, electric lighting, sports facilities, credit-based provision of modern household items to workers (washing machines, refrigerators), social courses and educational activities, and ballrooms and meeting halls were all provided at this facility.

Economic Significance

With the commencement of production at the factory:

• beet cultivation areas expanded in Thrace villages, diversifying the regional economy.
• Employment increased in local villages; the factory provided continuous employment for workers, artisans, engineers, and civil servants. The comprehensive structure of the complex aimed to support workers’ families in their daily lives.
• Transportation, agriculture, and trade activities diversified; by-products such as molasses and beet pulp supported livestock farming; and beet purchases increased farmers’ incomes.

The processing of beets grown by Thrace farmers contributed to the sustainability of the regional economy.