1. Ahlers business case: BRIC & globalization
September 2010, Bart Gruyaert

2. Content Short introduction Ahlers
BRIC – Globalisation  Why to take part in it?
Tips & tricks from Ahlers experience

3. Belgium, France, Congo, Angola, Gabon
1 Company, 4 Activities
Crewing
Training
Projects
20 staff
300 seamen
Belgium, France, Congo, Angola, Gabon
Liner agencies
Port agencies
580
15 countries in Asia,
Break bulk
Containers
staff
CIS and Europe
Warehousing
Added services
220 staff
Belgium, Russia,
Ukraine

4. Facts & Figures 1,120 employees worldwide presence in 20 countries
in Africa, Asia, CIS, Europe
turnover 270 million €
headquartered in Antwerp, Belgium
101 years - privately owned by founders family

5. 100 Years of Ahlers History
1909 shipping in the port of Antwerp
60s expansion into liner services and ship management
70s-80s expansion into international forwarding and warehousing
90s expansion and internationalisation of all 4 activities
2009 a global logistic and maritime service provider, creating opportunities around the world for and with customers and partners
more on

6. BRIC – Globalisation  Why to take part in it?
BRIC: Brasil, Russia, India & China, but don’t forget about Indonesia, West-Africa, ...
Why?
Follow your customers:
F.e. P&G, PM to CIS
New markets/opportunities:
F.e. Projects from China to Belarus
Less competition/bigger margin
F.e. China now vs China 15 year ago
Spread of risks
F.e. Currency impact / economical crisis

7. Tip1. Don’t overplan, consult, just do it
Experience is that if you don’t start within 1 year between plan & execute, you plan doesn’t take off or is not good enough Example Ahlers: Turkmenistan (many visitis, studies, documents read, but still no start)

8. Tip 2. Try to start abroad with min. one client
Better for motivation, easier to find staff and easier to convince clients Example Ahlers: Aktau  started without any clients and was very difficult for 6 months to find staff and clients

9. Tip 3. Expat vs. Locals
Good mix between locals and expats. Expats will leave and will they leave a solid organisation behind? Example Ahlers: St Pete with Expat, China & India not

10. Tip 4. Culture adaptation; new identity of company
Don’t try to slave your method of working, but create new methods of working Example Ahlers: new values, new strategy, new management structure

11. Tip 5: Financial control
How will you control that money is not stolen and no parallel business is done? Example Ahlers: besides local audit (by KPMG or others) also internal audits (own staff, different office, not needed to send corporate office)

12. Tip 6. Own people/office or representatives
Risk with reps is that they become competitors Example Ahlers: 6 reps in KZ, but all commercial relations not with reps, but in main office

13. Tip 7. Going international is also for small companies
It is not complex, difficult to work international, it is more a mind set Example Ahlers: 1990: 80% BeNeLux  20% BeNeLux in 2010

14. Tip 8. Don’t conquer the world
It takes more time than needed to start abroad; only start a new place is the last one is break even Example Ahlers: in CIS, you can only start new office, once previous is break even

15. Thank you for your attention & success
Bart Gruyaert – General Director Ahlers Central Asia & Baltics