As part of its move to further solidify its position in the global phosphate market, the company has been reinforcing its presence in key Asian countries.
Two years ago, the company executed its first sales to Vietnam, led by senior sales specialist Mwadah Al Sulami.
“The Vietnam market is very fragmented. For us to enter the market and play our role in food security, we opened a hub and warehouse there. It was a huge success. This enabled us to service more regions in South East Asia and now we are nearer to our customers,” she told AgTechNavigator.
The firm holds ambitions to scale further in Vietnam and neighbouring countries like Thailand.
Maaden is the second-largest exporter of phosphate fertilisers globally, accounting for 20% of the global phosphate trade.
According to the company, its phosphate production capacity is expected to increase from six million to 7.5 million tonnes by 2026.
According to Al Sulami, Maaden is the largest supplier in most regions it serves globally, with Brazil being the main exception.
She added that Asia is a priority market for the company, which is expanding its footprint and is set to unveil its first Singapore office in 2026. The company opened its first office in India in 2020.
Al Sulami emphasised the importance of deepening Maaden’s footprint in the region.
“Asia is our backyard. We need to cover that and make sure we can be there for our partners. We have an office in India and now we will open an office in Singapore in 2026. We want to be nearby to support our customers.”
Over the years, Maaden has built a stronghold in South Asia and holds a leadership position in Australia.
Now, it is setting its sights on SEA as it expands its influence in Asia.
“Our main target is to be the largest in terms of market share in the region. We are already the largest in many, many regions – like in South Asia with India, Pakistan, and Bangledesh. Now we want to be the largest supplier for South East Asia,” said Al Sulami.
Despite strong growth prospects, Al Sulami acknowledged that SEA presents operational challenges, particularly market fragmentation and long voyage times from Saudi Arabia, underlining the importance of a local presence.
Moving forward, the firm will continue to explore expansion opportunities in SEA, especially in markets where they are growing, like Thailand.
