In an industrial breakthrough Turkey's Demmak Demireller Makine Sanayi Ticaret A.Åž. has produced a machine that cuts through marble as easily as wood.

Company officials say the machine is 50 times more powerful than similar tools that have been imported from Italy. Demmak CEO Şuayp Demirel held a press conference to introduce the new machine to journalists and sector representatives in Kaklık, Denizli province. Demirel, a member of the executive board of the Aegean Marble Exporters Union, said that with the most recent innovation, Turkey, a long-time importer of most of its industrial marble cutters, had begun exporting marble-cutting technology to many countries around the world.

"We have produced various kinds of marble-processing machinery since 1978. We believe that by using new technology, we will be able to overcome the financial crisis currently battering the economy, and these machines are the best of their kind. Using them is easier, and they are 50 times stronger than old machines. … This is very important in terms of producing finished products inexpensively," Demirel said.

The new marble cutter is a third-generation model, Demirel said, describing its features. "It has one of the longest arm spans of machines of its kind in the world -- seven meters. It is much more efficient and economical than diamond-tipped machines. This machine uses half as much energy as its peers to produce the same results. It also makes it possible to cut without using water. It works automatically and does not require human supervision," he said.

Demirel said imported marble cutting machines cost around 180,000 euros each and used to be the only option for Turkish manufacturers. "But this machine is 100 percent domestically made, created and developed by Turkish engineers and Turkish workers. From now on, there's no need to lose money due to the exchange rate. We will provide spare and replacement parts, the entire package," he said.

Turkey exports nearly $1.6 billion worth of marble annually, and Demirel said his firm expected their advanced, domestically made marble cutter to boost this figure. "We export 30 percent of the machines we build. Right now, businessmen from China, South Korea and Pakistan are evaluating opportunities provided by the marble business in Denizli and the surrounding areas," he said.

Mehmet Cadıl, owner of Portsan Marble and president of the Bucak Marble Workers' Association, was also present at the press conference and praised the new machine, saying that it was possible to cut marble in the morning and pack and ship it in the afternoon. "Before, we cut marble with [diamond-tipped] wires. When a wire snapped, it was extremely dangerous; this has now been prevented," he added.

Burdur Marble Workers' Association President Ali Gür said the machines were the product of Turkish innovation and development on existing imported models. MuÄŸla Marble Workers' Association President Ulvi Yaman noted the significance of the progress that had been made from the days when Turkey imported marble cutters that Turkish workers didn't even know how to use to the present, when Turkey has produced its own a state-of-the-art model.