Yokogawa has strengthened its global Industrial Automation (IA) business and is spearheading its growth to become a world leader in IA by 2010.
A key part of its success has been its dramatic increase in business in the highly competitive Middle East IA market. To meet the demands of these fast growing markets in the Gulf and Middle East, Yokogawa Middle East (YME) is strengthening its service and sales systems. In May 2004, YME became a subsidiary of Yokogawa Engineering Asia (YEA). As a result, the scale and range of IA solutions provided in the Middle East have been increased and enhanced considerably.
YME is set to increase its market share in the Middle East substantially and help Yokogawa attain the global number one position in the IA business. Bahrain is a regional centre of excellence in the provision of technology and with its ease of access and pivotal position for the region, Yokogawa moved its Middle East representative office from Kuwait to Bahrain in May 1990.
YME was established to strengthen the company’s sales and service systems in the Middle East, with Bahrain as its headquarters. Besides Bahrain’s advanced legal structure, other infrastructures are well in place, allowing the incorporation of 100 per cent foreign-owned companies that facilitates the support of a Middle East business.
Bahrain is also very close to customers in Saudi Arabia, enabling the rapid provision of services to them without delay as well as through operations in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Bahrain has an excellent qualified workforce, and the number of professionals drawn from the Middle East is increasing.
The oil, gas, petrochemical, and power markets in the Middle East are growing fast and Gulf states are increasing their investments in these markets, leveraging from the revenues resulting from higher oil prices. Although there are strong international companies and competition in these markets, YME has succeeded in gaining the respect and confidence of its customers thanks to the high reliability of Yokogawa products and the professionalism of its employees.
The company believes that there are many advantages for YME and YEA, as well as the Yokogawa Group, in making the organisational change. Importantly, it is possible to consolidate YME’s frontline sales efforts and the Middle East customer knowledge base with YEA’s engineering and sales capabilities. This will lead to greater business opportunities within the Middle East and promises to increase Yokogawa’s market share within the Middle East.
The current number of employees is 161, most of whom work in Bahrain, with others deployed in Jubail, Yanbu and Al Khobar offices in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Iran, Qatar and Oman.
The workforce comprises engineers specialised in various instrumentation fields. Most projects are locally managed and executed by its staff, including engineering, commissioning, startup and training.
Teo Kim Hock, YME’s Managing Director expresses the Yokogawa vision: “We will double the order intake by the year 2010. To improve profitability, we will expand the Maintenance-Replace-Order (RMO) and Services business from the current 20 per cent to the targeted 40 per cent of the total business volume. We will make ours a vibrant organisation whose members feel fulfilled and whose customers feel comfortable and satisfied.”
YME Offices in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and the UAE are covered under the ISO 9001 2000 Quality Management System. The scope of certification covers Sales and Engineering Services embracing Project Management, Supply, Site Services, Training and Maintenance of Integrated Process Automation Systems, Process Control Instruments & Test and Measuring Instruments.
Yokogawa is one of the major manufacturers and suppliers of Process Control Instrumentation and Test and Measuring Instruments since 1901. Its global network of 18 manufacturing facilities, 82 affiliate companies, and over 650 sales and engineering offices spans 28 countries.
