Sivas's digital trade potential
Sivas is one of the long-established centres of heavy industry and mining. The iron ore deposits at Divriği are among Türkiye's most important resources; some of the country's few pellet (ore enrichment) plants operate in the region, and that ore feeds the base of the iron and steel chain.
Alongside iron and steel, cement and building materials are strong; as a historic railway hub where the main lines meet, the city holds a serious logistics advantage. That position makes shipping heavy industrial products and regional distribution easier.
In recent years Sivas has been taking on a new identity: the Demirağ organised industrial zone (OSB) is being turned into a specialised zone for the defence industry and advanced technology. That adds a high-value production line to the city, one that calls for international visibility.
There is an interesting item in the city's exports alongside iron, steel and cement: household chemicals made in Sivas, such as dishwasher capsules and rinse aid, are shipped to dozens of countries, from the EU to the United States and the Middle East. That shows branded consumer-product exports are possible too.
Health tourism is Sivas's unknown strength: the Kangal Fish Spa, with its garra rufa fish, is a centre with few equals anywhere in the world for treating psoriasis. With the right multilingual digital promotion, that facility could take a far larger share of the international health tourism market.
Agriculture and livestock are strong as well: the Kangal Akkaraman sheep and meat and dairy production suit branding, while kilims and handicrafts suit story-led e-commerce. Sivas's problem is not production but that this industrial and tourism strength is not visible enough online, especially to international buyers and guests.