China: ‘A rapid paced and price sensitive market’

In addition to having a Chinese headquarters, the company will set up multiple service hubs and sales teams in territories throughout China where it has a strong customer base.

Stronger economy​

Geel told FoodProductionDaily TOMRA recognizes China is becoming an ever stronger economy and it can make a difference with a local team.

“Having both our sales and service staff located regionally in China – a highly diverse and geographically spread country, will enable us to provide the flexibility needed in this ever changing, rapid paced and price sensitive market environment,​” he said.

“China also offers a large talent-pool - tapping into this potential is how we will set ourselves apart from the competition​.”

Geel joined BEST Sorting in March 2006, as sales manager for tobacco. Following that organisation’s acquisition by TOMRA six years later, he was sales manager for tobacco in the Asia-Pacific region and market unit manager for tobacco, a role he will retain.

In his new post, Geel will oversee all sales and customer support activities, including service, application development, tests and demonstrations in China and develop the company’s local presence for its growing customer base.

Currently based at TOMRA Sorting Food’s global headquarters in Leuven, Belgium, Geel will now relocate to the Xiamen/Fujian region, home to the organisation’s Chinese headquarters.

The firm recently refurbished the Xiamen facilities with upgraded offices, stores, service, and test and demonstration space.

 Asia split​

As part of the move,  TOMRA’s sales director for Asia, Sean Slevin will focus on supporting customers and building the organization’s capability in countries outside China, particularly Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, south-east Asia and India.

Outside China, the group has existing Asian facilities near Tokyo, Japan, a shared site near Seoul, South Korea, and premises in Bangalore, India, opened earlier this year.

Service and sales support is based at all these locations and there are test and demonstration facilities in South Korea and Japan.

“We want to be part of the Asian success. We’re already experiencing huge growth in the region and now, as we become more local and aware, we need to refine our focus, and this is an investment in that commitment​,” said Slevin.

Slevin entered the food sorting systems industry in July 2007, when he joined ODENBERG as group marketing and business development manager. He began focusing on the Asian market after TOMRA acquired ODENBERG in late 2011.

TOMRA Sorting Solutions creates sensor-based technologies for sorting, peeling and process analytics and unites four brands under one roof: TITECH for recycling, TOMRA Sorting Mining for mining, ODENBERG for food and BEST for food and raw materials.