Blanketing Asia with CP technologies

I just completed my third trip to Asia in the past three years, and I am slowly gaining some appreciation for its CP market -- at least the markets in which we do business.

What I found is a complex environment with some established local businesses that are often teamed up with American or European corrosion companies for material supply and technological expertise.

It seems that there are competent corrosion engineers throughout the continent, with some countries having more than others. Invariably, it's a rather small fraternity of specialists. And yet the experience base is much smaller in their country than in the United States.

With our highly developed and highly regulated infrastructure system, American-based corrosion engineers are exposed to a lot more projects covering a lot more industries and applications than their typical counterparts in Asia.

When I discuss cathodic protection overseas, I find American technology, products, and know-how are well respected. Asia corrosion engineers are also excited to hear about our capabilities and experiences.

Despite the experience American CP engineers bring to Asia, doing business there still requires good local representation. Korea is one country that does have good local representation.

These Korean corrosion engineering companies work both domestically and internationally, often through one of the large Korean engineering and corrosion companies.

And India is making strides in this area. For example, Corrtech Ltd., an Indian CP firm that has been in business for almost 30 years, has earned a strong CP reputation. Corrtech and MATCOR recently entered a partnership to capitalize on India's booming economy and tremendous infrastructure needs.

There will be disappointments and lost projects along the way, but perseverance and persistence will allow us to grow in the Indian market.