Purchasing initiative South East Asia successfully launched

The 1st Southeast Asia Purchasing Initiative got off to a successful start on 9 March. Over the next three weeks, more than 40 buyers from German companies will take part in the event, which was organised on behalf of the Federal Ministry of Economics and Climate Protection (BMWK) and Germany Trade and Invest (GTAI). "This will result in well over 250 B2B meetings with selected suppliers from Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand and Laos and Cambodia. The German Chambers of Commerce Abroad are an integral part and partner of the B2B project," said Olaf Holzgrefe , Head of International Affairs at the German Association for Supply Chain Management, Procurement and Logistics (BME), which is responsible for overall coordination, in Eschborn. "With the purchasing initiative, the Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology is providing targeted support to small and medium-sized enterprises to broaden their supply chains. This is currently more important than ever," explained Ministerial Councillor Dr Christian Storost , Head of the Foreign Trade Promotion Division at the BMWK. "The high response to this targeted offer of the market development programme, which is strictly geared to the needs of the German economy, reflects the relevance of Southeast Asia for the German economy," said Dr Jürgen Friedrich , Managing Director of Germany Trade and Invest (GTAI). "Following the successful initiatives in the Western Balkans and the Maghreb, we are now offering an efficient and transparent business bridge to one of the world's most dynamic regions together with the AHKs in Vietnam, Malaysia and Thailand, as well as Myanmar for Laos and Cambodia," Holzgrefe added. 2021 posed major challenges for German companies, he said. Global supply chains have come under pressure due to Corona, and prices and availability have been difficult to plan since then. Nevertheless, German industry is on a consolidation course despite all the crises. This is also shown by the IHS Markit/BME Purchasing Managers Index (EMI). "But all that was before Putin's war in Ukraine. What just seemed to be somewhat overcome after the Covid 19 pandemic subsided is now being subjected to a new stress test," Holzgrefe stressed. In view of the current crises, German companies are re-sorting their supply chains. This is happening not only in Europe, but also in countries like Malaysia, Thailand or Vietnam. According to the joint assessment of BMWK and BME, the South East Asia Purchasing Initiative shows that the economies of this region are growing and becoming more attractive for both buyers and investors. The B2B talks will focus on a wide range of production materials such as metal, castings, plastics and electronic components. "Together we offer not only a market overview or market access, but very specifically a personal exchange between German demand and the potential in the countries" Holzgrefe continues. So far, significantly more than the 40 participating German companies have taken part in the search for potential suppliers within the framework of the South East Asia Purchasing Initiative. This interest impressively demonstrates the interest of German industry in the region. The AHK Vietnam was responsible for coordinating the search for suppliers on site. Within three months, partners were selected in the five Southeast Asian countries and, together with the AHKs and the BME, prepared in seminars for the B2B talks that are now taking place. Björn Koslowski , Deputy Managing Director of AHK Vietnam, emphasised: "It is not only German companies that are diversifying their business relations. Suppliers from Southeast Asia are also currently looking for new customer groups outside East Asia and the USA. The purchasing initiative is therefore coming to Southeast Asia at the right time." Background: The Southeast Asia Purchasing Initiative is a project of the Federal Ministry of Economics and Climate Protection (BMWK) within the framework of the SME Market Development Programme organised by the federal company Germany Trade and Invest (GTAI). The commissioned implementers are BME and several foreign chambers of commerce in the Southeast Asia region. For further information:
Olaf Holzgrefe , BME International, E-Mail: olaf.holzgrefe@bme.de