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MPI (ARENDONK) TAKES ITS FIRST STEPS IN WEST AFRICA AND THE MIDDLE EAST

Exactly two years ago, MPI Pumps & Irrigation centralised its activities in a new building on the Hoge Mauw business park in Arendonk. The stock was relocated from Overpelt and the offices from Oud-Turnhout. Those two years saw a revenue increase of around 40%, from 3.1m (2014) to 4.4m (2016). At the same time, the wholesaler of pumps, irrigation and pressure piping systems took its first steps in West Africa and the Middle East.

“Such rapid growth cannot be explained by new construction alone. It takes some sound entrepreneurship as well”, CEO Reinier Teunissen explains. “Then again... we can receive customers properly here, with a showroom that was recently expanded. Working from a single location is just a lot easier.”

Headed for 40% exports
Exports currently generate 20% of the revenue. Teunissen intends to increase this percentage to 40% in the next three years. He sees a lot of growth potential in the Netherlands, which is one reason why he recently attracted a new commercial director from that country. Their workforce will soon have grown from 10 around the relocation to 14.

The CEO continues: “The first orders from West Africa and the Middle East are starting to come in. These are regions with a tremendous need for pump and engineering expertise. I spent a lot of time travelling to those regions, which is starting to pay off. Exporting to those countries does pose an administrative challenge, but Voka and FIT are being very helpful in that regard. And once you get your exports to those places in order, the EU becomes child’s play.”