Ahlers business case: BRIC & globalization

September 2010, Bart Gruyaert

Content

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

1 Company, 4 Activities

CrewingTrainingProjects

20 staff300 seamen

Belgium, France, Congo, Angola,

Gabon

Liner agenciesPort agencies

580

15 countries in Asia,

Break bulkContainers

staff

CIS and Europe

WarehousingAdded services

220 staff

Belgium, Russia,Ukraine

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

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 www.ahlers.com

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

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)

Tip 2. Try to start abroad with min. one clientBetter 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

Tip 3. Expat vs. LocalsGood 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

Tip 4. Culture adaptation; new identity of companyDon’t try to slave your method of working, but create new

methods of working

Example Ahlers: new values, new strategy, new management structure

Tip 5: Financial controlHow 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)

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

Tip 7. Going international is also for small companiesIt is not complex, difficult to work international, it is more a

mind set

Example Ahlers: 1990: 80% BeNeLux 20% BeNeLux in 2010

Tip 8. Don’t conquer the worldIt 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

Thank you for your attention & success

Bart Gruyaert – General Director Ahlers Central Asia & BalticsBart.Gruyaert@ahlers.com