Women touch to HUĞLU firearms

In shotgun factories in Huğlu neighbourhood of Beyşehir district in Konya, which has an important place in the production of shotguns in Turkey, women are employed as CNC machine operator and in different areas such as preassembly and trigger safety. 

Huğlu Hunting Firearms Cooperative exports most of the shotguns produced to particularly the USA and other countries and employs women in different production departments.

The production coordinator of Huğlu Hunting Firearms Cooperative, Ülker Yılmazöz told that when she started to work in the cooperative there were a few women only in the sections such as packaging, tea house and cleaning in the cooperative. In time the number of women employees in the cooperative increased to 30 and there are still plans to employ more women.

"There are women in every department in the factory"

While expressing that now women are employed as CNC machine operator and in different areas such as preassembly, trigger safety and quality control, Yılmazöz said that “women are also working as engineers in R&D department and managers in some departments. There are women in every department in the factory. Women have a more connective role in the society. For this reason, it looks like producing shotguns is not suitable for them but it is. I think it will be a problem if we do not have any women employees. It is a sector that should include women because it needs to be detailed, elaborate, control and continuity. Women are more careful. They are careful in this business as they are careful at home.”    

Semra Dönmez, 26, working as a CNC machine operator in the factory, told that she graduated from the department of medical secretary ship, but she couldn’t find a job in that sector. So she decided to find a job in this sector. While stating that she started to work here about one and a half months ago, Dönmez said that “It is a strange sector for women. At first screwdrivers and hex keys were different for us but in time we realized that we can do it. We asked ourselves why not? We tried and worked hard. With the help of our chiefs and learnt the job. And now, we are able to do it.”

Fatmanur Tural, 22, states that his father also works in the factory. As a young woman who was born and raised in Huğlu, she is really excited about and proud of working in the production process of the factory in her hometown.