Gulf region petchem producers 'must put customers first'

25 October 2010 15:57  [Source: ICIS news]

BAHRAIN (ICIS)--Petrochemical producers in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region should become more customer focused instead of simply trying to push finished goods, chemical major LyondellBasell's Theo Zwygers said on Monday.

The LyondellBasell supply chain executive vice president was addressing delegates at the Second Gulf Petrochemical and Chemical Association (GPCA) Supply Chain Conference in Manama, Bahrain.

Zwygers said: "GCC producers must be perceived as local, quality suppliers that are reliable, on time, competitive and customer focused."

Although growth potential in terms of per capita usage in Asia was more promising than that in western Europe and the US, total exports of polypropylene (PP) and high density polyethylene (HDPE) from the Middle East region in 2025 were projected to outstrip demand from Asia-Pacific by 5.48m tonnes annually, according to Zwygers.

"Given the top-notch technology and world-class capacity plants presented in the region, the challenge will be on how to take the material to customers worldwide in a more cost-effective way," Zwygers added.

He said customers' expectations in different regions varied, and added: "Most producers cannot afford to sell in only one region and will have to compete, focusing on large-volume customers."

Zwygers said: "Quality and consistency are only pre-requisites for business."

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By: Yu Guo
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