Nyheder

First Commercial Order Secured in Bangladesh for JS Ventilation A/S

Søren Duval, Kim Kronby, managing owners, and Brian Olander Hjort, Director Cool Ceiling, are all in a very good mood. Yearlong focus on a challenging market now pays off.

In 2014, JS Ventilation A/S decided to engage into the previously well functioning Danida Private Sector programme and opted for a joint venture with a local partner. Almost three years into the partnership, it was decided to end the cooperation. Another partner was soon discovered, ABG Interlinks Ltd, and a more harmonious and balanced partnership emerged. Søren Duval comments: “We saw from the first visit to Bangladesh that we had possibilities here. We are an entrepreneurial and development oriented ventilation and cooling company, and the possibility to get involved in an internationalisation process with Danida and supported by Andersen Consult, made it real”.

The company spent considerable resources to develop and implement their project activities and it was soon clear that a straight forward line from idea to invoice, would not be the case. Kim Kronby comments: “We had some experience from export possibilities in Turkey and other markets, but nothing could prepare us for Bangladesh. This is truly a unique place – a combination of the most kind people, gigantic business opportunities and a public system which has no idea of how to support its own country. But, there you go, we made it and we are damn happy about it”.

Brian Olander Hjort sums up the experiences made: “We had to demonstrate our commitment to the market by returning as often as possible and also to provide demo units of our equipment. But, just the difficulties of getting those things into Bangladesh shows the backwardness of the country”. Brian continues on the prospect of the future: “We have now together with ABG Interlinks secured our very first order at a textile company. Operating the world’s second largest garment and textile industry, and with international pressure to upgrade working conditions here, we expect much of the market. This is a first start on a fantastically exciting future”.

JS Ventilation A/S secured support from the former visionary Danida Business Partnership programme and the company is extremely grateful to having obtained this possibility. “We could not have managed the market without the programme. Bangladesh could not attract us without the programme. And, Bangladesh would have been forced to continue to import all knowledge and components if not Danida had supported us to transfer our knowledge and competences to the local market. It is a pity that we in Denmark no longer see fit to support this kind of support to weaker countries”, says Søren Duval and states “the Danish Embassy did a fantastic job to help us in all the processes and the achievements is a team effort made possible by all”.

As a result, the company is now looking to new markets in Asia and especially their patented Cool Ceiling technology is currently being promoted in the Philippines with support by Andersen Consult.