The political economy and incentive processes behind the Smart Solar Aliağa worker resistance
The worker resistance at the Smart Solar Aliağa factory brings to light the background of working conditions centered around Turkey's industrial transformation, state incentives, and Chinese partnership.
The resistance carried out by Smart Solar Aliağa workers stands out as a strategic development situated at the intersection of Turkey's industrial and technological transformation processes, state incentives, the partnership with the Chinese company SUMEC, and heavy working conditions.
A Leading Example of Industrial and Technological Transformation
Smart Solar represents a pioneering example of the relatively advanced technological new labor areas and deepened class contradictions generated by Turkey's industrial-technological transformation process. The resistance of the Aliağa workers is also one of the most critical processes coming to the fore in this period.
Transition from Assembly Model to Integrated Production
Until two years ago, the company was importing solar panel core cells from China, assembling them at its factory in Gebze, and exporting them to EU countries. With this assembly-based model entering a crisis starting in early 2025, the orientation toward integrated production accelerated.
Billions of Liras in State Incentives
The company became one of Turkey's largest integrated solar panel manufacturers through state incentives and borrowing. Included within the scope of project-based investment incentives by a presidential decree, the company was provided with 7.6 billion liras in incentives for its new facilities in Aliağa.
Financing Sources and Credit Structure
For its investment expenditures, Smart Solar secured financing from the CBRT-sourced investment commitment advance loan, a vendor credit from the Chinese SUMEC Holding, and a Gulf petrodollar investment bank whose name was kept confidential.
The Process Stretching from Debt Burden to Profitability
The company, which incurred losses due to its debt burden and interest payments between the 2022-2025 period, began turning a profit as of 2026. This financial transformation was brought to life accompanied by heavy conditions loaded onto the backs of manufacturing and engineering workers.
Working Conditions and Labor Exploitation
This process, through which the company achieved profitability, was realized over low wages, heavy working conditions, and high work intensities of manufacturing and engineering workers. The resistance in Aliağa developed as a direct consequence of these conditions.