‘Arçelik will make Bangladesh a regional export hub’

Arçelik Global Chief Commercial Officer Can Dincer

Singer Bangladesh's new holding company Arçelik plans to make Bangladesh its regional export hub, said Can Dincer, the chief commercial officer of Arçelik Global, also a director of Singer Bangladesh.

The Turkish company, one of the global leaders in home appliances, air-conditioners and diversified electrical goods, acquired Singer Bangladesh's 57% shares for $75million in March 2019.

Now, it is introducing all its global values, expertise, and advanced technologies to exploit the best out of Singer – a popular brand present in the country for 117 years. 

"As Arçelik Global, we are already investing in Singer and we have further investment plans in facilities, production, product range, marketing and communication," he said in an interview with The Business Standard at Singer's refrigerator factory in Savar recently.

With 12 different brands, marketing offices in 48 countries, 28 production facilities in nine countries, and a huge R&D resources, Arçelik is the second largest player in Europe while its brands are leading the markets of the UK, France, Poland, Romania, Turkey, South Africa, and Pakistan.

Three factors – being a team of good people, extensive R&D putting consumers first, and reinvesting profits in the same countries eying the future, helped the emerging market company to become a global player, said Can Dincer, who has been with the company since the beginning of his three-decade career.

Arçelik has intensively grown in Asia-Pacific in the last decade with investments in China, Thailand, Pakistan and India in a bid to establish a trade corridor along the historical Silk Road and the acquisition of Singer Bangladesh was another significant step in its Silk Road strategy, Dincer said.

"The growth in our industry will come from Asia-Pacific in the next decade, and Singer Bangladesh is a strategic investment choice for Arçelik. We want to start exporting industrial goods from Bangladesh," he added.

Arçelik appears in different markets with products specially designed for the very consumers, in addition to offering the same global technologies.

"You will see how we are adding value to the quality and R&D aspects of products, very modern technology, and production process in Bangladesh. This is our promise to consumers of Bangladesh: we are ready to bring our best resources to Bangladesh."

Following the post-acquisition with $9.4m in technology investment and more in the pipeline, Singer has already begun launching modern technology refrigerators for the Bangladesh market.

Responding to a question regarding the market dominance of local brands, Dincer said, "We are putting more emphasis on adding global values instead of looking at the number first.

"At the end of the day, the brand offering good services and products will win the game," he said, citing the rule Arçelik believes in.

Amid the pandemic, Arçelik finalised the acquisition of the famous Japanese Brand Hitachi, reflecting its stance on the global expansion highway.

"Given our medium and long term goals in the Bangladesh market, we need to invest more into different aspects of the business. It is a continuous process.

"We are undergoing a number of new projects which obviously need more investment. However, we will be sharing the specifics of these investment plans at the right time."   

Globally, Arçelik has been the first "Zero Carbon" company in its industry and its Bangladesh policy would remain focused on sustainability, said Dincer.

As a big company, Arçelik also wants to contribute more to the relationship between Bangladesh and Turkey.