Eren Holding
Corporate brand
UnclaimedEren Holding is a Turkish diversified holding company with businesses in energy, paper, packaging, cement, retail, textiles, ports and tourism.
Last updated October 14, 2026
AI crawler reads
No AI crawler has read this profile yet.
Overview
Eren Holding is a privately controlled Turkish conglomerate headquartered in Istanbul. The group operates across a broad portfolio that includes electricity generation, paper and packaging, cement, retail, textiles, ports and tourism. Although the holding company itself was established in 1997, the group traces its origins to 1969, when the founding family established Er-os Çamaşırları A.Ş., an underwear manufacturer and trademark. This industrial beginning developed into a multi-sector group with significant exposure to infrastructure, manufacturing, consumer retail and energy. Energy became a major pillar of the group in the late 1990s. In 1998, Modern Enerji Elektrik Üretim Otoprodüktör Grubu A.Ş. marked Eren's entry into electricity generation. Eren later expanded through Eren Enerji, whose ZETES coal-fired power stations in Zonguldak became one of Turkey's largest private-sector electricity-generation complexes. Construction began in 2007 and the plant was completed in 2010, with total capacity reported at 1,360 MW. In 2022, Eren Enerji was reported to have generated approximately 5% of Turkey's electricity, placing it among the country's most significant private-sector power producers. The group also developed substantial industrial operations in paper, recycling, packaging and cement. Eren Kağıt and Modern Karton collect waste paper and process recovered material into paper and corrugated-fiber products. Modern Karton completed a new paper factory in 2015. Medcem Çimento, based in Mersin, is described as Turkey's largest cement factory and has increasingly focused on exports when domestic demand weakened. Eren's industrial presence also includes ports in Zonguldak and Mersin, supporting logistics and export activity. Modern Enerji broadened the group's energy portfolio beyond coal. Its activities include natural-gas and biomass generation as well as a solid-waste incineration facility. A 6 MW biomass plant began operating in 2014, and in 2015 Modern Enerji established what was described as Turkey's first solid-waste incineration facility. These investments diversified Eren's generation assets but did not displace the group's substantial reliance on coal and other carbon-intensive industrial operations. Retail and consumer-facing businesses form another important part of the group. Eren Perakende operates and represents international fashion and lifestyle brands in Turkey, including Lacoste, Burberry, GANT, Nautica and Converse. Its retail network includes multi-brand concepts such as SuperStep, focused on footwear and sportswear, and SuperKids, aimed at children's products. The group also sells through digital channels including Occasion, Sanal Çadır, SuperStep and FashFed. Eren Tekstil manufactures cotton textiles, while the group's earlier apparel activities provide a historical link between its original manufacturing business and its current retail portfolio. Eren entered tourism with the opening of the Rixos Hotel in Bodrum in 2003. The group's portfolio has consequently combined heavy industry and infrastructure with branded retail, hospitality and textile manufacturing. Emir Eren is identified as chairman. The group has been reported to employ approximately 14,000 people, although workforce figures may vary by year and reporting scope. Eren Holding's scale in coal-fired power generation and cement has attracted scrutiny from environmental organizations. The group has been identified in coal-exit research because of its large private-sector coal generation capacity, and estimates published by climate-monitoring organizations have attributed a substantial share of Turkey's industrial greenhouse-gas emissions to its coal plants and cement operations. In 2019, Eren Enerji received a Green World Awards silver award in the industry and energy category; environmental groups criticized the recognition as potential greenwashing in light of the company's coal exposure. Eren therefore combines significant industrial and energy capabilities with an ongoing environmental reputation challenge.
History
Eren Holding's history combines a family apparel business with later expansion into industrial infrastructure, energy and consumer-facing sectors. The group's roots date to 1969, when four brothers from Bitlis established Er-os Çamaşırları A.Ş., an underwear manufacturer and trademark. The business eventually developed beyond apparel, and Eren Holding was formally established in 1997 as the group-level structure for its growing activities. The first major diversification came in 1998, when Modern Enerji Elektrik Üretim Otoprodüktör Grubu A.Ş. took the group into electricity generation. Eren subsequently pursued a wider energy strategy that included coal, natural gas, biomass and waste-to-energy operations. In 2007, Eren Enerji began construction of a 1,360 MW coal-fired power plant in Zonguldak. Completed in 2010, the facility became known as part of the ZETES complex and gave Eren a substantial position in Turkey's private electricity market. In the late 2010s, the group's plants were reported to generate around 7.5% of Turkey's electricity; a later figure reported for 2022 attributed approximately 5% of national generation to Eren Enerji. Eren entered tourism in 2003 with the opening of a Rixos hotel in Bodrum. It also expanded its industrial base through paper, recycling, packaging and cement. Eren Kağıt and Modern Karton collect waste paper and recycle it into paper and corrugated-fiber products. Modern Karton completed a new paper factory in 2015. In cement, Medcem Çimento in Mersin became a major asset and was described as Turkey's largest cement factory. When Turkish domestic demand declined in 2019, the operation emphasized exports. The group also owns or controls port assets in Zonguldak and Mersin, linking manufacturing and energy operations to maritime logistics. Modern Enerji developed additional generation and waste-management capacity. A 6 MW biomass plant began operating in 2014. In 2015, the company established a solid-waste incineration facility described as the first of its kind in Turkey. Modern Enerji also operates natural-gas generation and other energy assets in Çorlu. These projects broadened Eren's technical portfolio, but the group continued to derive major importance from coal-fired electricity and carbon-intensive cement production. Retail became another important growth area. Eren Perakende represents international brands including Lacoste, Burberry, GANT, Nautica and Converse in Turkey. It developed SuperStep as a multi-brand footwear and sportswear format and SuperKids as a children's retail concept. The group also operates online channels such as Occasion, Sanal Çadır, SuperStep and FashFed. Eren Tekstil manufactures cotton textiles, preserving a connection to the group's original clothing and textile heritage. The scale of Eren's coal and cement operations has produced significant environmental scrutiny. Research organizations have identified Eren as one of Turkey's largest private-sector coal power owners and a major greenhouse-gas emitter. Climate Trace estimated that Eren Energy's coal plants emitted about 16 million tonnes of greenhouse gases in 2023, while Medcem Cement Group was estimated to have emitted more than one million tonnes in the same year. These are external estimates rather than company-reported financial or emissions disclosures. In 2019, Eren Enerji received a silver Green World Awards recognition, but environmental organizations criticized the award as greenwashing because of the company's continued coal exposure. The group remains active across energy, industrial manufacturing, retail, logistics, textiles and tourism.
- 2019
Green World Awards controversy
[1]Eren Enerji received a silver award, prompting environmental criticism focused on the group's coal operations.
- 2015
Waste incineration and paper capacity expanded
[1]Modern Enerji established a solid-waste incineration facility, while Modern Karton completed a new paper factory.
- 2014
Biomass generation begins
[1]A 6 MW biomass power plant began operating under Modern Enerji.
- 2012
SuperStep and SuperKids created
[1]Eren Perakende launched its multi-brand footwear and children's retail concepts.
- 2010
Zonguldak power plant completed
[1]Completion of the plant created a major privately owned coal-generation complex.
- 2007
Zonguldak coal plant construction begins
[1]Eren Enerji began construction of a reported 1,360 MW coal-fired power plant.
- 2003
Entry into tourism
[1]A Rixos hotel opened in Bodrum, adding hospitality to the group's portfolio.
- 1998
Entry into energy
[1]Modern Enerji marked Eren's move into electricity generation.
- 1997
Eren Holding established
[1]The holding company was formed to organize the group's expanding business interests.
- 1969
Founding family's apparel business established
[1]Er-os Çamaşırları A.Ş., an underwear manufacturer and trademark founded by four brothers from Bitlis, established the group's historical roots.
Products and positioning
A diversified Turkish industrial and investment group combining large-scale energy and manufacturing assets with consumer retail, logistics, textiles and hospitality. Its market profile is defined by operational breadth and infrastructure scale, while its coal and cement exposure creates material environmental and transition-related reputational risks.
Coal-fired electricity generation · 2010
ZETES power stations
Eren Enerji's ZETES complex in Zonguldak is the group's signature energy asset. Construction began in 2007 and the reported 1,360 MW plant was completed in 2010. It made Eren one of Turkey's largest private-sector coal-power operators and a significant participant in the national electricity market.
Paper and packaging · 2015
Modern Karton paper products
Modern Karton produces paper and packaging-related materials, using recovered paper collected through Eren's recycling operations. Its product base supports corrugated-fiber and industrial packaging applications. A new paper factory completed in 2015 expanded the group's manufacturing capacity.
Cement
Medcem Çimento cement
Medcem Çimento operates a major cement manufacturing facility in Mersin and is described as Turkey's largest cement factory. The business serves domestic construction demand and export markets; following a decline in Turkish demand in 2019, exports became a stronger focus.
Multi-brand footwear and sportswear retail · 2012
SuperStep
SuperStep is Eren Perakende's multi-brand footwear and sportswear retail concept. It operates physical stores and an online channel, offering products from international fashion, athletic and lifestyle labels represented by the group in Turkey.
Children's retail · 2012
SuperKids
SuperKids is a multi-brand children's retail concept created by Eren Perakende. It extends the group's consumer offering beyond adult fashion and footwear into children's apparel and related products.
Cotton textiles
Eren textile manufacturing
Eren Tekstil manufactures cotton textiles and represents the group's continuing involvement in textile production. The business connects the present conglomerate with the founding family's original apparel manufacturing activity.
Controversies
2019
Greenwashing criticism following Green World Awards recognition
Eren Enerji received a silver Green World Awards recognition in the industry and energy category. Environmental organizations criticized the recognition as possible greenwashing because Eren's major electricity assets rely on coal-fired generation.
Brand decisions
2019
Greater export focus in cementStrategyBackground
Domestic Turkish cement demand weakened.
Action taken
Medcem Çimento placed greater emphasis on export markets.
Aftermath
The shift connected the Mersin cement operation more closely to international markets, while the business remained exposed to emissions scrutiny.
2012
Launch of SuperStep and SuperKids retail conceptsProduct launchBackground
Eren Perakende sought to expand its consumer-facing retail platform through multi-brand formats.
Action taken
The company created SuperStep for footwear and related products and SuperKids for children's retail.
Aftermath
The concepts became part of Eren's physical and digital retail network in Turkey.
2007
Investment in large-scale coal generationStrategyBackground
Eren pursued a substantial increase in private-sector electricity-generation capacity.
Action taken
Eren Enerji began construction of a reported 1,360 MW coal-fired power plant in Zonguldak.
Aftermath
The completed ZETES complex gave Eren a major position in Turkey's electricity market but also became the central source of later climate and greenwashing criticism.
1998
Diversification into electricity generationStrategyBackground
The group expanded beyond its apparel and manufacturing origins into the energy sector.
Action taken
Eren established its energy presence through Modern Enerji Elektrik Üretim Otoprodüktör Grubu A.Ş.
Aftermath
Energy became one of the group's principal businesses and later included coal, natural gas, biomass and waste-to-energy assets.
Sources2 sources
Cite this profile: Cite the canonical profile. /brand-wiki/eren-holding · Editorial policy · How profiles are compiled