Interview
“Our Customers’ Success Is Our Success”
Lars Nordblom talks about Southeast Asia, the rapidly rising demands in the chemical industry, as well as about the measures taken to become more sustainable through new innovations and technologies.
Our company has been active in Southeast Asia for over four decades. 1984 marks the year our Singapore headquarters was established. Over time, we have gained considerable experience and expanded our team. Our approach is tailored to the specific needs of local markets, enabling us to offer a diverse range of services. We provide a comprehensive portfolio of solutions, including polysilicon, polymers, silicones, specialty chemicals and many others, which we tailor to meet the unique requirements of our customers in the region.
Lars Nordblom began his tenure at WACKER in 1997 in our China office, where he was responsible for the Asia-Pacific region. He subsequently relocated to Sweden, where he served as managing director for the Nordic and Baltic states. He then assumed the role of managing director for WACKER Southeast Asia.
Accelerating Growth Through Changing Demographics
With a combined GDP of $3.6 trillion in 2022 and ranked the world's 7th largest economy, Southeast Asia (SEA) is on course for accelerated economic growth with robust domestic demand. Cities in this region are urbanizing at a rapid rate, with an estimated 45% of its 600 million inhabitants expected to be living in urban areas by 2030. Coupled with the region's young demographic, this leads to the need for better housing, healthcare and so on. WACKER offers quality products in various sectors that contribute to the demands of urbanization in a sustainable way. This puts us in a strong position to provide solutions for multiple applications, including automotive, construction, electronics, food, textiles, healthcare and more.
“We recognize Southeast Asia – with its combined market of more than 500 million people – as an important driver of growth.”
Lars Nordblom, Managing Director at WACKER Southeast Asia
New Solutions for Environmental Challenges
We acknowledge our responsibility towards the environment and are actively engaged in sustainable practices. We collaborate with other industry leaders to share new technologies which address environmental challenges and provide solutions that enable sustainable industries and living. The construction industry, for instance, benefits from our continuous innovation, which helps customers improve resource efficiency without compromising quality.
Our approach to addressing the complex and challenging environment in Southeast Asia encompasses the external thermal insulation composite system (ETICS), EV-solutions and numerous other strategies. Furthermore, we adhere to high ethical and environmental standards, which include auditing our suppliers.
Envisioning WACKER’s Future Growth and Development in Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia is home to numerous diverse cultures, several emerging markets and one of the largest and fastest-growing economies in the world. In particular, the tech and healthcare markets are experiencing rapid growth, leading to continuously rising demands. We recognize the immense potential of this region and the necessity for our products. One example is our existing technical center in Indonesia for polymers, which is set to be supplemented by an add-on facility for personal care. This is to fulfill our goal of being close to our customers in the region and supporting them with customized solutions as well as a specialized service offering. In this way, we support the growth and market positions of our customers and partners.
Engaging with Local Communities and Industries
We engage with customers through seminars and workshops at our WACKER ACADEMY to provide additional tailored solutions. Here, seasoned experts that are familiar with the language and local markets provide valuable information and insights in order to further consolidate our partners’ and customers’ knowledge of our products. Additionally, we address key industry issues at various trade shows throughout the region and also explore how our products support individual industries at dedicated conferences.