William Hunt Grand Rapids MI

1. 95 4th Industrial Revolution VOICES FROM THE SECTOR Krishna Rao EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR & BOARD MEMBER, SV PITTIE SOHAR Why did you decide to expand your business abroad and establish manufacturing units in Oman? We chose the Sohar Free Zone for three reasons: the honesty and support from Oman; the cen- tral role it plays from a shipping standpoint, since we purchase cotton from India, Pakistan, China, Australia, and the US; and the cheaper and more reliable power in Oman compared to the UAE and India. With a USD300-million investment, we built the first unit in nine months that became profitable within eight months. Our second unit was recently inaugurated and is now operational. There will be a total of five units onsite in Sohar. We are raising funds for the brownfield expansion of a USD428-million project. We are working on this project with private equity shareholder loans and bank debt. Notably, we are also looking at an IPO in 2021-2022. Ashish P. Kolte DIVISION HEAD, SUHAIL CHEMICAL INDUSTRIES What role does Suhail Chemical Industries play in Oman’s energy and industry sectors? Suhail Chemical Industries is 20-year-old en- tity and owns the only plant producing sulfu- ric acid in Oman. Initially, we were producing 40 tons per day, and now we are expanding to 90 tons a day with an expansion that has al- ready been awarded and is expected to be in operation by the end of 2020. There is a grow- ing demand from the water treatment and sour gas treatment industries. Furthermore, as we are associated with many local indus- tries since last 20 years, we are seeking to establish contracts with upcoming ventures from Sohar and Duqm, which is where we expect 25-30% of our production to move to in the coming two to three years, with smaller offtakes in Salalah. How do you expect technology to impact your business model? The textile industry is capital and labor intensive. Historically, it was the highest labor gener- ating industry. The reason behind the decline of the textile industry in some countries is the increase in labor costs. The textile space has undergone several innovations in the machinery, allowing the business model to work. William Hunt CEO, NATIONAL DETERGENT COMPANY Which industries are worth investing in for your sector? We expect major demand for chemicals to come from the mining, textile, and fertilizer industries. For four or five years, there have been ongoing discussions about some major mining industries coming to Oman for activi- ties directly or indirectly related to the chem- ical industry; they are thinking of installing their own plants to extract copper, magne- sium, or gypsum. These mining companies will require a huge amount of commodity chemicals, so the moment the chemical in- dustry starts growing, the rest of the indus- tries will start growing too. How does your growth strategy reflect the status of the current consumer trends in Oman? Consumer demand is bound to change in a few years, since there is a segment of young 17-18-year-olds that will soon become purchasers. Our priority is to tap into that demograph- ic. We need to tackle them directly from schools and address concepts that are important for them, such as sustainability and value. As such, we are undergoing a true shift in our market strategy. The key is to become relevant to the new generation of customers that have a different relationship with brands than past generations and need to be reached through new techno- logical channels supported by an innovative business model. How can innovation and technology enhance both supply chain and marketing in the detergent man- ufacturing, marketing, and distribution industry? Incorporating a full digital interface within the organization is key to become and remain a market leader in this era. First, it is crucial to understand who our customers are and what they want. Companies need to harness the power of data, as it gives a clear picture of how to market their products and what their customers consider valuable. THE OMANI KHANJAR The Omani Khanjar is the tradi�onal, curved, defensive dagger worn centre belt by Omani men as a badge of office and as head of the family. Omani Khanjars are status symbols also worn by civic dignatories, heads of government, scholars of religion, VIPs and Omani ministers including the leader of the country. The Khanjar is truly an " Iconic " Omani emblem. It forms an anchor role as Oman’s ethnographic weapon, alongside the famous Omani straight Sayf and curved Ka�ara Swords. In fact, at Fort An�ques, Swords and Khanjars are our speciality. (+968) 24949497 info@alherfya.om alherfya w.handicra�s@gmail.com daralherfya