MANAMA: Made in Bahrain laptops could soon be a reality if a French PC brand has its way.
Talking exclusively to the GDN, Thomson Computing president and owner Stephan Français said the company plans to set up a production centre in Bahrain that will manufacture computers, tablets and computer accessories.
The Bahrain-made devices will be sold across the GCC and the US, he said.
The company plans to launch a distribution network in the US this May working in partnership with two major American retailers and its Bahrain operation would look to take advantage of the Bahrain-US Free Trade Agreement.
He expects work on the Bahrain facility to begin before the end of the year.
Mr Français, who was on a visit to Bahrain this week with executives and agents, said the company had a meeting with top officials from the country’s sovereign wealth fund including Mumtalakat’s chief executive Mahmood Al Kooheji.
“We came to meet the investment fund in order to discuss and hopefully sign an agreement allowing worldwide development of our product range,” he said.
“Our idea is to create an axis of production combining French technology with local capital and ideas in a way that will allow us to distribute products not only throughout the GCC but also Turkey, Russia and Eastern Europe.”
Key to the choice of Bahrain as the location for the French firm are the Bahrain-based husband and wife team of Alexandre Katrangi and Irina Duismbekova who run an international advisory for businesses wanting to set up shop in the GCC.
Mr Français said the duo, which has a 15-year track record of forging Franco-Arab partnerships, has been officially mandated by Thomson Computing to raise capital, find development opportunities and organise the distribution and representation of the company within the GCC.
“We realise that Bahrain has a strategic position in the Gulf, and that a partnership between a French company and a Bahrain investment fund could give us the opportunity to expand far and wide including Africa and the US on locally produced products.”
Factors that swung the deal in Bahrain’s favour include: A low tax regime, qualified local human resources, low cost of operation and a pleasant working environment, he added.
Talking about his advisory role, Mr Katrangi said when Thomson was shown how easy it is to access Bahrain and use it as gateway to the $1.5 trillion GCC market, it decided that the kingdom must be a manufacturing and a distribution hub for Thomson.
“There’s an extensive and efficient air, sea and road transport system and Bahrain’s government has good relations with everyone. Their national policy is to facilitate free global trade,” he added.
“We know that Bahrain is particularly keen on high-value manufacturing and industrial services and that’s why we see Thomson as a good fit for the country.”
Explaining how Thomson sought to compete with the likes of Dell, Asus, Apple, HP and Lenovo and even give them a run for their money, Mr Français said of late the world had seen many legacy giants in various sectors fall by the wayside as innovative and more nimble companies took the lead.
“Nowadays, it is no longer the biggest who eats the smaller, but the fastest who eats the slowest.
“I have devised a time-to-market strategy for the customer with cutting-edge products one year ahead of the latest developments worldwide, a controlled cost structure and distribution model.”
He said with Bahrain and Mumtakalat, Thomson’s goal is to create a company with fast and successfully global growth means, driven by innovation, common development perspectives, and the vision of Bahrain and France to create powerful economic synergies. “Our company interests investors because it presents a very fast growth project in a sector dominated by American and Chinese companies, for the time being.
“Our French innovations, associated with the influence of Bahrain in this zone, and the benefits of Bahraini production and export to the US, make the project very promising.”
Citing the recent focus of Bahrain and other GCC countries towards industrial and manufacturing led economic growth, Mr Français said the company had received a lot of support and assistance from the new French Ambassador to BahrainCécile Longé and Economic Development Board.
Thomson Computing sold 314,000 PCs last year and is targeting a turnover of 100 million euros this year, nearly double of 55m euros last year.
Mr Français’s vision is to grow the turnover to one billion euros by 2023.
avinash@gdn.com.bh
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