CBI, the Dutch Centre for Promotion of Imports from developing nations, a department of the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs, has initiated a new 'Export Coaching Program' for Pakistan's Engineering Sector, which is open to all businesses engaged in auto parts, gears and transmission, pipe and process equipment, castings and forgings and subcontracting.
Details of the programs and application forms can be seen at the CBI website. Engineering Development Board (EDB) sources sold Business Recorder that CBI has been instrumental in training the Pakistani engineering sector companies to make them active players in the export market.
As a result of its inputs, several Pakistan's engineering sector companies, mostly vendors from the auto parts manufacturing sector, have grown in the export market and now Pakistan-made auto parts are being exported to several parts of the world. They said that tractor components--axle parts, steering wheels, radiators and a host of rubber and metal parts made in Pakistan--have started finding way into European, US, Middle East and African markets. CBI is also participating in the current Pakistan Auto Parts Show P(APS) 2011,
CBI External Expert,Imtiaz Rastgar told the participants of PAPS 2011 that there is a huge export potential for Pakistan's vendors to export parts made by them for the domestic market. The world population of tractor and car models assembled in Pakistan is very large and, with a little effort, the Pakistani vendors can diversify their customer base and reduce their dependence on the local assemblers. This will modernise the vendor base and also stabilise their financial position, making them an even more reliable source of supply by the local OEMs.
Nabeel Hashmi, Chairman of PAAPAM, has appreciated the assistance being provided by the Dutch government through its Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the shape of Export Coaching Programs and capacity building of Business Support Organisations for sustaining the export initiatives.