Thirty companies from all over Turkey will visit Atlanta this month in search of business and investment partners.

The Atlanta-based Turkish-American Chamber of Commerce of the Southeast is joining with local organizations to host a two-day matchmaking event for the companies, which have revenues ranging from $1 million to $3.2 billion, said Mevlut Tascan, the chamber's executive director.

A variety of industry sectors, including food, textiles, construction, cosmetics, medical, electronics and others, will be represented by companies eager to break into the U.S. market, Mr. Tascan said.

“We selected these companies based on how much they want to come and do business here. These companies are not selected arbitrarily,” he said.

The Turkish chamber and Atlanta's Istanbul Center collaborated with TUSKON, a Turkish business association with more than 3,000 members, to hand-pick the participants.

Graniser, a marble company with $3.2 billion in annual sales, is the largest company expected to attend. Boydaklar, a furniture maker with $1 billion in sales, is also on the list, Mr. Tascan said.

The matchmaking event will consist of two full days of 30-minute sessions, hosted at the Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce on Feb. 22 and at the World Trade Center Atlanta the next day. The Turkish chamber hopes to fill all 200 appointment slots.

Gwinnett has only filled 15 of its slots so far, but that number should “skyrocket” as the event draws closer, said Lisa Sherman, a Gwinnett chamber spokeswoman. She said the chamber anticipates drawing at least 30 local companies to match the number of Turkish firms.

Mr. Tascan said economic uncertainty has made some Turkish companies hesitant to do business U.S. in the past, but they're now looking outward. Turkey's government has said that it's targeting Georgia as one of the main states from which to boost trade and investment in the country.

To participate in the matchmaking event, e-mail info@taccsoutheast.com or call Sarabrynn Hudgins at (678) 500-1664.

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