With investment worth $100 Million and a current turnover of around $150 Million, the company eyes exponential growth
As one of the leading companies in the Middle East’s chemical manufacturing and distribution sector, AquaChemie has adopted a unique strategy of localising its industrial capabilities and operations to expand business operations and enhance its market position. Subrato Saha, Director and Co-founder of AquaChemie talks about the company’s operations and expansion plans in the region.
Can you introduce your company?
Since our establishment in 2008 in the UAE, AquaChemie has operations primarily in GCC countries and is now expanding to Africa and parts of Asia. Growing at a CAGR of over 35 per cent, with a current turnover of around US $150 million, we are well poised to become one of the top leaders in the region, for chemicals and services.
What added value do you achieve through your presence in Jafza within the UAE and the GCC market?
Our industrial and operational model depends on supply chain steps, that is why we chose Jafza, for its proximity to Jebel Ali Port, and its location in the heart of Dubai’s Golden Logistics Triangle that includes land, sea and air transportation. It is considered the trade gateway to the GCC region, which is a key global hub for the chemical industry.
In 2020, AquaChemie Middle East, part of the UAE-based AquaChemie Group, broke ground on its strategic, world-class petrochemical terminal in DP World’s flagship, Jebel Ali Port in Dubai. The AED 150 million terminal will serve as a vital gateway, facilitating and boosting petrochemical trade between manufacturers and end-users in the Middle East. On completion, our target is to achieve a revenue of USD 400 million within seven years. So far, we have invested around USD 100 million to build corporate offices, speciality chemical manufacturing facilities and supply chain infrastructure (including a bulk petrochemical terminal) in Jafza and the GCC region.
How do you plan to capitalise on these huge investments?
The company has demonstrated a high level of localisation (a key to acquiring local business) through several country-specific programs like Aramco’s In-Kingdom Total Value Add (IKTVA) program & Local Content for downstream companies in KSA, the In-Country Value (ICV) program in Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) & OQ Oman.
Does this mean that your operations are limited to the GCC region?
We have an active business association with over 250 major companies in the region. For speciality chemicals (water and process), we have a JV partnership with a Japanese Multinational, Kurita. Kurita is a prominent global player in the field of speciality chemicals for water and process treatment. We also work closely with several multinationals such as Dow, BASF, Shell, ExxonMobil, Sabic, etc. on the supply side, mainly for their petrochemical product range.
“We work with several global manufacturers and differentiate ourselves through Integrity & Compliance, commitment to ESG, on-site technical support, supply chain capabilities and early response to the customer.”
Sunrato Saha, Director and Co-owner, Aquachemie
Can you elaborate on the company’s petrochemical products and industry-related services?
AquaChemie deals in speciality and bulk industrial chemicals, for upstream oil and gas, refinery and petrochemicals, mining and minerals, power and desalination, and the paper and metal industry. Besides, we serve several other niche sectors, with a range of select speciality products. Our products and services include, Kurita specialty chemicals, catalysts, cleaning & decontamination services, catalyst sulfiding services, molecular sieves & adsorbents, fertiliser additives, ion exchange resins, etc.
What operational model did you adopt to achieve expansion?
The management team consists of experienced industry professionals with prior stints in global corporations, including GE, Shell, ExxonMobil, and Sabic. Overall, we are a growing team of around 180 skilled professionals in the region with well-experienced chemical engineers and chemists for pre-sales, sales, and technical support. Our processes are ISO 9001, 14001, 45001 & GMP certified, all integrated over SAP.