“Egypt is critical for our business growth” – ABC Chemical takes part at MECS Cairo

PPCJ spoke to Abhijit Devdhar, CEO of India’s ABC Chemical about why they chose to exhibit at Middle East Coatings Show 2023.

How is the show going for you?

So far so good. So far, we have been having increased footfall around our stall since 12 noon. We are happy to participate in this exhibition after a long break in Egypt.

Is Egypt an important market for you?

Yes. Egypt is a country that has a large manufacturing industry and with us being a key supplier for that industry, it is a very key market for us. 25% of our group revenues come out of Egypt, so Egypt is critical for our business growth.

Has it been difficult being away from Egypt since 2019?

Yes, it has been – of course, we have been participating in the Middle East Coatings Shows in Dubai as well as in Saudi so some of our customers could meet us there, but Egypt was also going through its own difficulty. This still continues, with the foreign exchange situation, so we had to find a way to sell to customers in this region by different financing methods and still ensure that the business remains. So, the challenges are not finished but we are geared up to handle it.

What are you promoting at the show?

We are primarily promoting our Consolidation Concept because with cash flows and FOREX being limited, for everybody who wants to buy products in less than container-loads, we are trying to give them a concept will consolidate it at our different warehouses in India, in the UAE, in Egypt, in Turkey, so that they don’t have to buy every product in large quantities and we can supply them ‘Just in Time’. Multiple products consolidated in one single container, so that their cash flows can improve and FOREX limitations can be taken care of.

Was that spurred on by the shipping issues post-COVID?

Yes. It all started about a year and a half back after COVID was partially over and the shipping freights became very, very expensive and that was also the time the devaluation of the currency started, against the US dollar. Of course, that also triggered with the FOREX crisis starting, which has helped us to maintain the growth of the business.

How important are face-to-face meetings for you?

Seeing is believing, and especially in this market with being a B2B business supplier it’s important for discussions, dialogues and understanding each other’s requirements – a personal meeting always helps, because emails can’t explain things. Of course, we have used the different web methodologies to make calls with the customers but the connection is not very great in many countries on the African continent, so it always helps if the customer is with you, in front of you; you can explain the product, the quality and the service level that we can offer.

For more information, visit: www.middleeastcoatingsshow.com