Asia-Taers, one of the largest suppliers of car parts in Kyrgyzstan, has been present on the market since 1999. Its product range includes car tyres, engine oil and chemical agents. The company pays particular attention to product quality, and the company leadership is also keen to develop a qualified management team.
Head of procurement, Irina Amsayeva, applied to participate in the BMWi Manager Training Programme with two concrete aims in mind. She wanted to develop her management skills and identify new suppliers and ideas.
“Our department’s work is determined by the sales department’s plan,” Amsayeva explains. “Our task is to supply a particular product within the specified period and to guarantee the required volume. It is important to organise the department’s work efficiently for this.”
Within the scope of the interactive training in Germany, she was able to acquire skills she can successfully apply in personnel management. While in the past, each of the eight employees in her department had their own highly specialised area of responsibility, the department manager is now committed to the principle of team work. This has made work processes more transparent and effective, and led to an atmosphere of mutual trust in the department. “Each colleague is now in a position to cover for a colleague in the event of sickness, which means work is not left undone.”
Irina Amsayeva also successfully forged new business relations in Germany. “During my internship we signed a deal with a Forchtenberg-based company for the supply of car tyres to Kyrgyzstan,” the programme graduate reports of her successes. “The first delivery was made back in October 2009, and a further six containers arrived in 2010.”
Asia Taers not only wants to import, but is now also investigating opportunities to export nuts and pulses from the region to Germany. A sample has already been sent to a series of specialist German companies, one of which expressed interest in purchasing 80 tons of beans. A visit to Kyrgyzstan was planned for March 2011 to learn about production conditions and to sign contracts. Should the project become a reality, lorries could soon be transporting foodstuffs from the republic to Germany.
Name: Irina Amsayeva
Company: Asia-Taers, Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
Sector: Retail
Position: Head of the procurement department
Training in Germany: 3 – 31 October, 2009
Training centre: Export-Akademie Baden-Württemberg, Tübingen