Usak is one of the districts in which first industrial enterprises were founded.
The determinent role was acted by the sector of weaving carpets and rugs in establishing
manufacturing industry in UŞAK. Some of inputs, used in weaving carpet, were manufactured
by traditional methods but during the boom in manufacturing these inputs could not
meet the demand in process. This situation made automation obligatory to sustain
manufacturing. Entrepreneur Uşak commerce community started to construct yarn factory.
First of all, Bıçakcızade Brothers and Mehmet Zeki Company opened their yarn factories
in 1905 and then it was succeeded by Hamzazadeler ve Şürekası Yarn, Şayak Factory
and Yılancızade Brothers and Şürekası Şayak Factory in 1910’s. According to results
of industry census of Turkey in 1913; 3 of enterprises of 13 ones were in UŞAK,
engaged in manufacturing woolen yarn and weaving. Entrepreneurship of Uşak commerce
community can be understood much better when that there were very few factories
in our country in these years is considered.
After establishment of Trade and Industry Chamber in 1923, merchants and industrialists
were rallied under n(on) g(overnmental) o(rganization) roof. The first sugar factory
of Turkey was opened in 1926. The trait of this plant is being the first private
joint venture of Turkey. After some while, this factory was nationalized by Atatürk’s
order due to circulating capital shortage. Uşak, pioneer city in industrilization
rush of Turkey during the initial years of new Republic, has continued to do this
task by time. The main manufacture sectors are textile, leather and tile. At the
moment, % 60 of leather for garment, % 91 of bandage, % 90 of plush blanket, % 65
woolen yarn and % 20 of tile manufacture are made in UŞAK to overall Turkey.