Cement Industries Sabah team to visit Palawan to close business deal
KOTA KINABALU: A 4-member team comprising top officials from Cement Industries (Sabah) Sdn Bhd (CIS) will be visiting Puerto Princessa City, Palawan to further explore and discuss business opportunities with their counterparts.
The intended business visit is being arranged by Kudat BEBC vice-chairman, Datuk James Ibrahim, and the the CIS delegation will be headed by its chairman, Datuk Yahya Samsudin, and accompanied by CEO, Bahrul Razha Chuprat, and officers, Melvyn Yong and Sumardi Mohd Yusof.
Melvyn, who is the CIS's sales & logistics manager, said, the group will have a formal follow-up discussion with WTEI Enterprise proprietor cum president, William Tan, to pave way for an affirmative business transaction between CIS and WTEI Enterprise in the near future.
During a recent visit to Kota Kinabalu, Melvyn said, Tan had expressed WTEI's intention and eagerness to purchase cement from CIS.
“We briefed Tan on our operational aspects and at the same time gave him a tour of our factory here last month, and he appeared eager to close a deal with CIS after the factory visit,” Melvyn said, adding that Tan, who is the exclusive distributor of Caltex fuel in Palawan had also extended a warm invitation to CIS to visit WTEI outlets and factories in the province.
During his visit here last month, Tan had said that sourcing cement from Sabah to help speed up government/ private development projects would not only help cut costs but would also create a win-win situation to all the parties concerned.
Tan, who is also a respectable and successful Filipino businessman, said that cost, proximity, faster delivery, sufficient supply and accessibility are some of the advantages Sabah can offer to WTEI and to the local populace in the province.
“I am looking forward to seal a business agreement with CIS as soon as possible. My company is also seriously targeting to build our own cement terminal in Palawan with the help of CIS,” he told a local newspaper here when interviewed last month.
Meanwhile, Bahrul, in reply to a question from a local newspaper recently confirmed that CIS has more than enough cement to supply to WTEI.
“WTEI's initial order of 16,000 to 40,000 tons per month will not be a problem provided the buyer is willing to pay cash for the goods,” Bahrul said.
According to Melvyn, CIS officials are scheduled to visit Puerto Princessa on August 9 and will return home on August 11.
“While in Puerto Princessa, we will be paying courtesy call on Palawan Governor, Jose C. Alvarez, meet with William Tan and at the same time visit places of interest apart from acquaintances and other local businessmen,” he said.