AmCham Macedonia Summer 2015 (Issue 46) | Page 24

AMCHAM NEWS AmCham Connects Big FDI with Local Suppliers For the second time, AmCham Macedonia gathered the domestic suppliers and foreign investors to discuss opportunities for future cooperation. On June 10th, we hosted procurement professionals from three member companies: Arcelormittal Skopje, Feni Industries and Wabtec MZT to clarify their procurement-related approaches, challenges and current needs. Each speaker shared details on the products and services their company regularly buys from local suppliers, highlighting the positive impact they have had on local suppliers’ quality standards and competitiveness. All three companies expressed a desire to increase cooperation with local suppliers; Wabtec MZT’s Jadranka Pakic said her team was even putting on nationwide roadshows aimed at expanding their list of local partners. Another common message was the necessity for local suppliers to understand and respond to the operational pressures that export-oriented companies face. Locally-supplied goods and services must be competitive in terms of cost, delivery terms and quality. Each procurement presentation included examples of local  from left: Borka Petrovska and Lazar Trajkov, Feni Industries suppliers that rose to the challenge of winning business with them, resulting in long term, mutually-beneficial cooperation.  from right: Jadranka Pakic, Wabtec MZT Skopje; Todorka Ristovska and Emilija Churevska, ArcelorMittal Skopje (CRM) 24   Summer 2015 Issue 46