Changing a culture in the workplace can be a challenging task. Changing a culture that is embedded in the fabric of nation is even trickier.
But at the Vietnam operation of food processing and manufacturing giant Bühler Group, its local Managing Director has succeeded in doing just that.
Asif Abbas is two years into his second stint at Bühler Vietnam, after spending a total of 11 years with the company. The first spell spanned three years from 2017 before, in 2020, relocating with the company to Singapore ahead of taking another role in Dubai.
Now back in South-East Asia, Abbas has set the Vietnam operation on course for growth, with projects to step up its service levels to customers and business partners central to its future strategy.
In part, this is being accomplished through what Abbas regards as a rare practice in Vietnam business – empowerment.
“Empowering staff is something that goes against the culture in Vietnam. Here, there is what I would call a kind of bossy culture,” he tells The CEO Magazine. “But that does not exist at Bühler, and it’s something I work on closely.
“When people are given the power to make decisions, they feel trusted, they feel passionate about the job. That’s what we have here.”
And it’s not only employees who benefit. The positive effect flows through to customers and, ultimately, Bühler’s bottom line, he says.
Diverse product portfolio
Vietnam is home to one of Bühler Group’s 30 global manufacturing sites, yet, perhaps surprisingly, the only one in South-East Asia. Animal nutrition and grains are among the largest sectors in the local market.
The automobile industry is also booming in Vietnam for Bühler, Abbas says, driven by its die-casting partnership with local car manufacturers and many original equipment manufacturers who make die-casting parts for brands like Mercedes, BMW, Toyota and Hyundai.
It also brings up opportunities for Bühler Advanced Materials solutions not only in megacasting but also grinding and dispersing, Leybold Optics for batteries, premium paints, glass coatings, semiconductors and capacitor coating.
“Developing the competencies to service our customers in such a diverse portfolio is a challenge not only for us, but for any company.”
Looking ahead, he names customer service as one of its priorities over the next 18 months, which in itself is a sizeable challenge. Operating in 30 diverse sectors, ranging from fish food to die-casting, requires a diverse set of skills among the workforce.
“Developing the competencies to service our customers in such a diverse portfolio is a challenge not only for us, but for any company,” Abbas observes.
Given that extensive portfolio, it’s hardly surprising the Bühler places great significance on its partners, which includes food silo business SCE Asia.
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While Bühler has five locations across the country, including a sales and service office in Ho Chi Minh City and a factory and manufacturing site in Long An, Abbas recognizes that Bühler can’t be everywhere. To that end, it has forged partnerships in provinces where it does not have a presence of its own.
Sustainability goals
Bühler takes responsibility for training and educating its partners to ensure their service levels are at a comparative level to those of its in-house teams. Additionally, they assist with their partners’ marketing activity and set the same sustainability targets that are expected of its centrally run operations.
Abbas explains that the business has a goal to reduce greenhouse emissions in its factory by 60 percent by 2025, and is committed to reducing energy, waste and water by 50 percent in what he calls the “value chain of our customers.”
“That’s our biggest goal,” he says. “How are we achieving it? By investing five percent of our turnover into learning and development. And we’re not very far from achieving that goal.”
“How a family-owned company based in a small town in Switzerland has expanded to 140 countries and is operating with such a large business portfolio, I find fascinating.”
As for Abbas, working for more than a decade at Bühler has, he says, provided an opportunity to grow and develop, both professionally and personally.
Not only has the diverse nature of the business proved rewarding, but the roots of the company have been inspiring for Abbas. After more than 160 years, the company remains in the hands of the original founding family.
“How a family-owned company based in a small town in Switzerland has expanded to 140 countries and is operating with such a large business portfolio, I find fascinating,” he says.
