BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 12. Over the next three to five years, a significant growth in the potential for cooperation between Azerbaijan and Belgium is expected, particularly in the logistics sector, as many Belgian companies are showing active interest in the Middle Corridor, Stef Goris, Chairman of the Belgian-Azerbaijani Chamber of Commerce, said in an exclusive interview with Trend.
“Among the participants of the mission was Luc Driesen, CEO of MOVE Intermodal—a major Belgian intermodal company and international freight forwarder. He is looking for business partners to jointly expand operations in Baku and along the further sections of the route—all the way to China and the Far East. This is exactly what Belgian companies are exploring right now,” Goris noted.
The Chamber’s Chairman added that MOVE Intermodal is likely to reach a successful agreement with Helman Worldwide Logistics and Kamran Habib.
“This could become a very large deal. The company visited Baku for the first time and had never worked in Azerbaijan before. We organized their visit, conducted working meetings over three to four days, and achieved concrete results, which is a significant accomplishment,” he emphasized.
Belgian companies also show particular interest in the metallurgical sector.
“By metallurgy, we mean not only galvanization but also the production of non-ferrous metals, their processing, and recycling. During the mission, a meeting was held with Azer Aluminium and its director, Maksim Poladov, which was highly productive,” Goris explained.
The visit also included meetings at the headquarters of SOCAR and SOCAR Azerikimya with the participation of companies ZINGAMETALL (ZINGA), MOVE Intermodal, John Cockerill Hamon, and Sarens Group.
An important outcome of the mission was an agreement with the Azerbaijani company Polad Texno, which specializes in the supply and implementation of industrial materials and equipment. It is preparing to become the future distributor of the Belgian company ZINGAMETALL, a producer of protective coatings and metallic materials. Polad Texno will ensure product availability in the local market and provide expert support for its application.
“We hope to organize the next trade mission in the spring. The last time we were here was in February; now it’s September, and we plan to return again in February or March,” he concluded.