New season begins with arrival of first green tobacco to OTP warehouses.

Thanks to advanced information technology systems, each farmer box is labelled during tobacco receiving.

The geographical region where the tobacco is grown, the leaf position and the quality combinations define the total grade of tobacco.

Thanks to two-way integration with our customers' information systems, 100% traceability is provided from buying up to finished goods shipment.

The combination of geographic region, leaf position and quality where the tobacco is placed allows us to determine the grade of tobacco.

We use computer aided systems to create a homogeneous tobacco blend. We can do the blending process according to the factory acceptance degree or the detection degree.

In order to provide minimum labor during production, we can make blend groups during factory acceptance.

In case of minor inconsistencies in the blend during production, we can make the necessary adjustments.

Professional warehousing services are provided through a total storage capacity of 122,700 m², consisting of 23,500 m² of central warehouse space and 99,200 m² of leased warehouse space, supported by 41 forklifts and 19 pallet trucks.

In-house storage capacity is 50,000 tons of green tobacco and 81,000 tons of processed tobacco. Capacity can be extended by renting external warehouses where necessary.

Efficient storage capacity, pest management, proper warehouse conditioning and advanced health and safety concerns are the key factors for OTP warehouse management operations.

OTP Infestation management program identifies the procedures to prevent pest infestation through cleaning, monitoring beetle and moth activities and effective fumigation.

Specific elements of the program include:

• • Adherence to CORESTA standards
• • Pre-seasonal K-othrine warehouse cleaning
• • Green tobacco infestation leads to fumigation before processing
• • Infestation monitoring of warehouses using Serrico and Gachos traps
• • Coresta level processing prior to shipment
•  ° Net coverage before fumigation
•  ° Plastic coverage during fumigation
•  ° Net coverage remains in place post fumigation
•  ° Re-fumigation if required
• • Daily cleaning during processing
• • Weekly detailed cleaning
• • Post processing extreme clean

In addition the conventional pest treatment, OTP also has low-oxygen controlled atmosphere treatment rooms where no toxic substances are used and all pests are totally eliminated.

• • The ZerOx® controlled atmosphere system creating an atmosphere in which no insects (larvae, egg, pupae or adult etc.) can survive
• • 500 C48 FG capacity
• • 9 days treatment duration

OPT production facility includes two mirror-symmetrical identical lines. Each line has nominal capacity of 8 tons per hour and maximum capacity of 10 tons for Izmir tobacco that makes 20 tons/hour flow rate maximum.

Production line is designed based on high technology and simplicity principle that is suitable not only for mixed grades (such as ABC) but also for discrete grades (such as A, B, KP, KK).

Each line consists of feeding tables, flow control device, DCC, separator, laser NTRM sorter, silo and press equipment.

With a total of 8 Tomra laser NTRM sorter, we can instantly extract foreign materials for 100% of processed tobacco.

Tobacco metrics are captured on-line by advanced SCADA system and necessary precautions are taken as necessary.

With the total of 4 presses and 8 magazine capacities, we are able to maintain proper density in packed product. It also helps us to keep high throughput rate for small package sizes such as C96.

Thanks to conventional and chemical parameters laboratories, OTP can meet customers' full testing and measurement requirements during the season.

Results are being checked instantly and any potential non-conformities are addressed urgently.

Chemical tests: Ammonia, Nitrate, Nitrite, Total Sugars, Nicotine

Conventional tests: Degradation, Moisture, Temperature, Sand, NTRM, By-product tests

Inspection of manufactured tobacco is performed under the proper lighting and environmental conditions defined by customer specifications.

Shipping to cigarette manufacturer is the final element of the full traceability chain.

Proper product shipment and full traceability is ensured by scanning of all final product barcodes one by one with mobile handheld terminals.

Opereation efficiency is managed and monitored thanks to mobile work order management system that ensures on-time shipment for customers.