History
Founder: Mesut Yılmaz (1932-2001)
Mesut Yılmaz was born in 1932 in Kastamonu Abana as the third child of the Yılmaz family. He had a hard childhood, marred by World War II and industrialization problems around Turkey. During this period he worked at his father’s café in Abana. After leaving primary school, he travelled to Istanbul on a ship to learn a new profession without seeking his family’s permission. During his first years in Turkey’s capital he encountered many challenges. Living in an attic above a café in Karaköy Perşembe Pazarı, he worked as an apprentice to a Greek craftsman.Always planning to open his own workshop he worked hard and strove to learn from masters. In those challenging years he married Sabahat Yılmaz. She was born in 1933 in Kastamonu Abana as the daughter of Hulusi Hacıyüzbaşı. They had three children together. She supported Mesut Yılmaz throughout his life and did many great things for her children and for Yılmaz Redüktör. Together with a friend, Mesut Yilmaz opened his first workshop in 1958 at Şişhane İstanbul. Initially they had only three machines: a lathe, a drill, and a sawhorse, all of which they built themselves.Mesut Yılmaz’s life consisted of his family and his work. The few occasions that he did take time off he spent hunting and fishing. He died of heart failure on 17 August 2001 while fishing in his boat. After his death his sons and Sabahat Yılmaz continued his work, striving to accomplish Mesut Yılmaz’s dream of establishing Yılmaz Redüktör on the World market.From its humble beginnings as a producer of machine components in 1958 Yılmaz Redüktör has become Turkey’s largest gearbox producer and counts among the world’s most renowned manufacturers.
1958
Yılmaz Redüktör's first workshopopened in İstanbul Şişhane.
1963
In 1963 First Gearbox orders arereceived and decided to focus onGearbox production.
1970
Yılmaz Redüktör buys building forcasting and gearbox production whichwas our old sales headquarters.
1987
Turkey's largest gearbox plant openedin İstanbul - Beylikdüzü with a 23,000 m2floor area.
2002
Mes Foundry was established with fullyautomated production lines. Mes foundrymeets all of Yılmaz Redüktör's cast part needs.
2007
In 2007 First Industrial gearboxes presentedin Turkey. The new units were labeled as "H".
2011
In 2011 Yılmaz Redüktör starts production ofTurkey's first mass-produced planetarygearboxes.
2012
Yılmaz Redüktör releases its V series hoistdrum drive units, which is offering a lot ofadvantages for crane manufacturers.
2013
In 2013 September Yılmaz Redüktör establishes subsidiary company ELK motorplant in Çerkezköy Tekirdağ with second plantfor MES Döküm, which will increaseproduction capacity to 20000 tonnes per year.
2017
While adding speed control devices to gearunit and AC motor couples, Yılmaz Redüktör start to offer complete solutions for customers.
2020
The foundations of Yılmaz Redüktör’s secondgearbox factory, to be builton a 70,000 m² area in Çerkezköy, were laid.
2021
CT Series low-backlash circularsaw gearboxes were developed.
2023
Türkiye’s largest mass-produced heavy-dutygearbox, HT2223.01, was successfullymanufactured and added to the productportfolio.
2024
BY Series gearboxes, designed forunderground mining conveyor systems,were added to the product range.
2025
Production activities started at thesecond gearbox factory in Çerkezköy,whose foundations had previously been laid.
2025
The new generation T Series gearboxes,offering higher torque density per unit volume,were launched to the market.
2026
The development process of the YDK Seriesgear couplings, with a nominal torquecapacity of 315,000 Nm, was completed andmass production has started.
