Expat Manager Plans to Grow in Logistic Sector in Turkey and MENA

Andrew Smith came from Britain to Turkey as a manager assigned to a company called Türk Henkel eight years ago. Unable one day to receive insurance for a TV set he wanted to send from Istanbul to İzmir, Smith came to realize that there was a vacuum in the Turkish logistic sector; as a result, he founded PSC International together with both national and French, Tunisian, Arab, Swiss, British and French partners in August 2010.

Smith has found a niche in the logistic sector offering packaging, delivery and insurance all in one. He plans to grow in Turkey and then open up to Central Asia, the Middle East and North Africa.

The headquarters are located in Turkey because the country “has the highest growth potential in the region and qualified personnel are key factors. We also realized a potential in the logistic sector development,” Smith said.

Smith has worked in different positions, from a general manager to a vice president in the Mars Group, Rothmans International, British Petroleum, Henkel Arabia, Türk Henkel, and the Olayan Group, before finally settling in Istanbul. He also decided to introduce a “special packaging” technique already applied in Australia and Germany into Turkey.

“We are providing services for a wide spectrum of materials from valuable, fragile and difficult to pack, to industrial instruments, samples and fun-fair equipment. As far as I know, we are the only cargo company offering three-in-one service, that is, the combination of packaging, delivery and insurance,” Smith said.

Carrying envelopes and documents is not the only job of the company. “We transport valuables. We don’t move homes, but we deliver any kind of household goods,” he said.

Elevator door shipped

After starting the business, small- and middle-sized enterprises, or SMEs, began showing an interest in PSC International.

“We deliver so many different materials from automotive spare parts to textile moulds. We even shipped an elevator door for a customer. Rummikub boards, soaps, ceramics, and nargiles are shipped safe and sound; international firms, SMEs, tourist cargo, excess baggage are our area of profession. We will pack anything between one gram and one ton,” Smith said.

81 branches in 4 years

PSC International first opened a branch in Istanbul’s Ataşehir district before opening other locations in İzmir and Bursa; at present, they have eight branches.

Smith said the company’s objective was to increase the number of branches to 81 by 2015.

April 21, 2011
SOURCE: HURRIYET DAILY NEWS