Mettler-Toledo Competence Center launch

METTLER TOLEDO recently opened a Competence Center in the Dubai Science Park. This permanent demonstration space will offer year-round technical support to help local partners and customers optimize lab processes for more improved accuracy, better materials use and enhanced cost savings. The new facility will provide advanced analytical support for all industries operating in the Middle East and North Africa. There will also be hands-on equipment training for the company’s range of products, which are designed to provide unparalleled accuracy while also saving time in busy labs and production environments.

Jean-Claude Alder, General Manager of METTLER TOLEDO Sales International GmbH (Greifensee, Switzerland) spoke to Food and Manufacturing Journal - Middle East about this latest undertaking. Mr Alder is responsible for sales and marketing across all divisions in the Middle East, Europe, Latin America and Africa. Educated in Business Administration and Marketing, Jean-Claude has over 30 years of experience in training, sales and marketing. He holds an MBA from the University of São Paulo, Brazil.

Jean-Claude Alder, General Manager of METTLER TOLEDO Sales International GmbH

What is the reason for creating a Competence Center for the MENA region at this point, and choosing the Dubai Free Zone as its location?

The food industry is a relatively fast growing market in the Middle East for METTLER TOLEDO’s product range, consisting of laboratory instruments and balances, industrial weighing and automation, product inspection systems and retail price computing scales. Dubai has established itself as an ideal business support hub for the Middle East and North Africa market due to its accessibility and good connectivity, both regionally and globally. Furthermore, simplified regulations in the free zone area allow for greater ease of business processes and help to encourage economic activity in the region. The localized support facility will help customers in the Middle East and Africa understand how METTLER TOLEDO equipment enables process improvements that can enhance throughput, protect profits, improve quality and manufacturing automation, as well as support certain regulatory compliances and solutions for legislations.

How big is the competence center, and how many experts will be on hand? 

The Competence Center spans 200 square meters and houses a specialized team of application specialists, laboratory chemists, market managers and marketing professionals, who will all be on hand to provide specialist support to our customers in the region.

Marwan Abdulaziz Executive Director, Dubai Science Park (right) and Jean-Claude Alder led the ribbon cutting ceremony of the Mettler-Toledo Competence Center in Dubai, UAE

The new facility offers an extensive range of products with advanced analytical support capabilities 

How long has MT been operating in the Middle East?

METTLER TOLEDO has been operating in the Middle East for 11 years, with the new Competence Center recently opening in November of 2016. As well as providing support to the Middle East regions, including Pakistan and Egypt, the support Center also serves the African market, helping customers to avoid common mistakes made within the laboratory settings. Within the region, the Competence Center will be completely at the customer’s disposal, to provide them with the support they need to enhance their production processes.

What opportunities do you see in the food and beverage space within the MENA market?

As food and beverage industry regulations and data management legislation continue to evolve globally, including the Middle East and North African region, companies operating in this sector must constantly be aware of the need for compliance. Fast and accurate results are a key driver in these areas: inappropriate calibration procedures are common – for sensors and detectors for example – which can lead to a loss of accuracy in analytical processes. In addition, regular maintenance can often be left for longer than is advisable – which can lead to unscheduled downtime. Finally, manual recording and data handling can be time consuming and, where possible, should be automated to rule out the possibility of human error. By working with METTLER TOLEDO experts via the Competence Center, customers can learn how to best optimize processes in order to simultaneously remain compliant, increase productivity and improve workflow.

Having said that, what equipment/services will be available specifically for food and beverage companies? 

The new facility offers an extensive range of products with advanced analytical support capabilities which can be utilized in all industries, including the food and beverage industry. The laboratory has been specifically designed to help develop customer’s customized application methods with METTLER TOLEDO laboratory instrumentation, including precision balances, titrators, electrochemistry meters, moisture analyzers, UV/VIS spectrophotometers and thermal analysers.

In addition, the Competence Center will provide localized support with consultative customized solutions, and will serve as a regional training center for customers and partners to provide and share our analytical expertise through relevant and tailored training. As well as providing technical support, one core mission of the Competence Center is to be a part of the R&D Program by innovating and developing new solutions to provide better identification and anticipation of market needs. This will start with the development of new application notes per market segment to proactively offer new alternative solutions to our customers.