EMCS Conference
Surviving the change! Competing successfully in a liberalised environment
by a staff reporter
"Surviving the Change! Competing successfully in a liberalised environment" is the theme of a conference being organised by Economic and Management Consultancy Services (EMCS) Ltd. in collaboration with The Malta Business Weekly.
The conference is being held at the San Gorg Corinthia on Friday 24th March. Alongside the conference hall, an exhibition is going to be held, where a number of institutions and organisations will be informing the delegates of various services they provide in order to enhance competitive participation in the international market.
Here are some of the companies that will be exhibiting their services:
Bank of Valletta
The BOV Group is committed to support trade both on the local and international scenario. In this respect, the Bank has set up various departments whose specialised and experienced staff members provide businessmen with a quality tailor-made service.
The Trade Finance Centre facilitates foreign trade. The services provided include documentary credits, bills for collection, pre and post-shipment finance, letters of credit, letters of assignment, guarantees, letters of introduction, status enquiries, advice on credit insurance and exchange control and currency-hedging services.
On the other hand, the Business Development team has strong ties with the major Maltese and foreign corporations and entities to provide advice and information on markets and trade which enables the Bank to valuable contacts.
BOV group is the founder member of the Mediterranean Bank Network, which currently comprises 10 banks in the Mediterranean region. These banks share close correspondent relationship with the ultimate aim of promoting trade among its member countries.
BOV also recognises the particular needs of SMEs and has led the way by providing them with the necessary financial advice to help them develop their ideas and bring them to fruition. The Bank's SME unit was set up to assist and support SMEs to meet the demands of the market. This is achieved by:
Developing clients' new ideas into plans for implementation;
Seeing solutions to overcome long term problems;
Analysing commercial feasibility and identifying any risks;
Preparing clients' application for bank finance.
FIM Bank
First International Merchant Bank Ltd was established in Malta in 1994 and is a licensed credit institution in Malta. It conducts its business with residents, typically corporate traders, and non-residents in currencies other than the Maltese Lira.
The Bank provides various facilities which include documentary credits, guarantees, collections, international settlements, foreign exchange, import and export financing and related products. FIM Bank also provides private banking facilities with deposit accounts ranging from interest bearing current accounts to time deposits with very attractive interest rates in all major foreign currencies.
Being innovative in the approach to financing, FIM Bank tends to evaluate more the commercial viability of a trade transaction rather than the net worth of the individual, although the integrity and reputation of a customer is given its due importance.
This approach has enabled traders with good business acumen and with sales potential to do transactions which go beyond their traditional financial possibilities or net worth. FIM Bank is instrumental in providing traders with valuable assistance in sourcing products, settlement support and even identifying sales opportunities.
A particular emphasis is made on the North African countries and the Middle East, however through offices overseas, FIM Bank has a global presence covering areas of business along trade routes ranging from Asia to the American continent.
Metco
Metco's role is primarily one of support through the provision of a wide range of services to industry at the enterprise level.
Overseas Business Development activities are some of Metco's more visible and well-known services to Maltese industry. These include group stands at International Fairs and Exhibitions, the organisation of Trade Missions and Business Cooperation Missions to selected markets, and participation in EU Business Cooperation Initiatives. These overseas initiatives are also complemented by services such as the Individual Trade Fairs Support Scheme, the Overseas Buyers Support Scheme, and the Overseas Promotional Literature Scheme.
Metco's Business Information and Technology services are also an extremely important pillar of its activities. Metco is deeply conscious of the indispensability to users of accurate and up-to-date market and business information.
With this in mind Metco has continued to build up its comprehensive Business Information Centre and Trade Library to be able to offer more readily available sources of information, both in printed versions as well as in electronic format.
Furthermore specific information on EU initiatives, programmes and related matters can be obtained from the Euro Info Correspondence Centre that is hosted by Metco.
Metco also offers a host of other important support services including extensive training activities that provide companies with useful, relevant and practical information and advice on various aspects connected to their international development, in addition to related publications.
However Metco's services do not extend solely to companies in Malta. Metco also offers services geared at providing immediate assistance and back-up to international companies and business people seeking to make contact with Maltese enterprises and also provides on-the-spot assistance to business visitors to Malta.
Unipol
Unipol Insurance Services Ltd. was founded in December 1997 to provide a new level of service in the local insurance sphere by placing an emphasis on customised products tailor-made to suit the needs of each individual client. Unipol are agents for Middle Sea Insurance plc and representatives of Middle Sea Valletta Ltd. Unipol's comprehensive range of packages include all risks, consequential loss, contractors all risks (including hoteliers developing internationally), electronic equipment, employers and public liability, fire, glass, health, hoteliers and shopkeepers, household, industrial all risks, life, marine (cargo and hull), motor, personal accident, professional indemnity, theft, and travel.
Salvo Grima (Freeport Operations) Ltd.
The company, which was set up 8 years ago, is part of the Salvo Grima Group. It is currently operating two warehouses which have a combined covered storage area of 2000 square meters and an open storage area of 3000 square meters.
The company's facilities are located at the Freeport Industrial Storage Zone, which is a Customs and Duty Free Zone through which customers are offered all the support services expected in a one-stop hub location.
Salvo Grima (Freeport Operations) offers a full range of services including:
Storage of cargoes and equipment;
International freight forwarding;
Customs clearance;
Pick & pack;
Consolidation and distribution;
Air freight, sea freight, road transport;
Relabelling and repackaging (under certain freeport conditions);
Light assembly and repairs;
Through regular services operating from the Malta Freeport, the company can now reach over 95 ports world-wide covering some 50 countries.
AON Insurance Brokers
Aon Malta Limited is a subsidiary of the leading professional insurance services and consulting organisation in the world - Aon Group.
Aon offers comprehensive risk solutions to the full spectrum of consumers, from individuals to groups of persons with affinity needs and from retailing to multinational operations.
Aon's Insurance Broking and Risk Consultancy services include exposure identification, design of insurance solutions, placement, maintenance and development of the insurance program and claims management, control and administrative services.
Aon is also the largest reinsurance broker in the world. In addition, a segment of operations that is becoming of increasing importance is that of Human Resource Consultancy services.
Aon employs 44,000 employees in more than 120 countries worldwide. Aon Malta employs 32 personnel and has been operating in Malta for the past 24 years.
IPSE
IPSE Ltd has a two-fold brief - first to assist local manufacturing enterprises to restructure to meet the challenges posed by operations in a liberalised market, and second, to assist and encourage the formation and growth of SMEs.
To this end, IPSE has put together a series of Programmes of Assistance, aimed at enabling enterprises to enhance their operations and to develop or maintain competitiveness in liberalised markets.
The Programmes are backed by a Loan Guarantee Scheme which seeks to facilitate access to finance, and by initiatives to encourage enterprises to look at the benefits of working together - in clusters, networks or other initiatives - which will enhance the competitiveness of the whole beyond what could be achieved by each enterprise alone.
All IPSE's assistance is given in a holistic manner within the framework of a business plan. A crucial element of the restructuring process is a change in the approach to the way business is done.
It is important that the nature of the business is well thought out, and a strategy that fits the business well is formulated.
MECI
MECI was set up in 1989 in order to facilitate both an increase in exports and the diversification of export markets. MECI provides insurance protection against non-payment of goods and services exported on credit.
The policy can cover both the commercial and the political elements of credit risk in accordance with the requirements of the exporter.
The main benefits of credit insurance, apart form credit risk, include the additional capacity available to offer more competitive terms to foreign buyers and the confirmation of their credit worthiness.
| 
