turbulent period that saw a dramatic drop in the price of
oil, one of the most important raw materials in the chemical
industry. Now, he believes Asia–Pacific is the region for him.
The company is seeing growth across all regions and “Asia
plays a key role”. Eastman has used its talent in the area
well, and Gulferaz notes the importance of “having the
right people in the right roles to be able to capitalise on
the market opportunities available in the region”. The firm
remains at the top of its industry thanks to its dedication
to attracting and retaining talent. As Gulferaz notes, in a
“very aggressive market, we invest more than our peers, and
certainly more compared with other industries, in knowledge
and development”.
He is infectiously enthusiastic about Eastman’s business
model. With almost 100 years of experience in producing
chemicals, the company’s technology platforms are “world-
class”. The other side of the model involves “making a
concerted effort to understand customer needs”, he adds.
“This involves determining which segments we want to
be in, which core segments are in line with our strategy.”
Connecting technology, on one side, and customer needs
on the other, is Eastman’s application development process,
a differentiator Gulferaz refers to as its “secret sauce”. “We
have the technology; being able to take that technology
and address the customers’ needs with it is what we call
application development.” This stems from the decision to
take Eastman from a commodity and product-type company
to a specialty one. “Specialty, by its very nature, involves
solving customer needs, and that’s the direction we’ve been
moving in,” says Gulferaz. “Having application development
capability was essential to that journey.”
Eastman’s strengths go beyond its business model, however,
and Gulferaz mentions Focused Good for Good, the
corporate responsibility initiative concentrating on education,
the environment, empowerment and economic development.“WE’VE MADE
SUSTAINABILITY
A CORE PART OF
OUR STRATEGY.”
The Odin Marine Group has been trusted by Eastman Chemical Company to offer
expert advice in marine bulk transportation of chemicals for over 15 years. With
strategically located global offices, we are able to provide them the comprehensive
coverage and regional expertise their business demands.” – Rich Appell,
Managing Director, Odin Marine Group, LLCThe Odin Marine Group
A Trusted Global Partnership
and Eastman Chemical
One Global Network, One trusted Partner
http://www.odingroup.comThe Odin Marine Group has been o ering innovative and superior marine
transportation services for over four decades. Our comprehensive range of services
include expertise in chemical tanker chartering, vessel operations, global intelligence
and analytics. With o ces in The USA, Europe, the Middle East and Asia, Odin covers
all local and global markets. Odin is considered a leader and trendsetter in the bulk
chemical marine transportation world. Odin is proud to have served Eastman’s global
transportation requirements for almost two decades.Odin Marine Group
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