RANDOM EXPORT

We have all heard of so called acts of random kindness. Yes, and we need more of them.

That’s all very nice but how about ‘Acts of Random Export'? Sounds silly doesn’t it! Well it’s not so silly, export is one of the main stays of most countries economies, and more is better, not less. Well we have come across some random export that is worth a mention. One example is when Anil Sethi first joined Ariel Maritime (UK) Ltd., as small shipping and forwarding agent with offices in Manchester, England he was a recent arrival from India. He was not familiar with how things are done in the UK or even how to identify potential customers for this company. One of his tasks was to bring in more business and he did the best he could. Well as time went by, he rose to become the Managing Director of Ariel Maritime that by this time had become an important shipping and forwarding agent in the UK.

Well back in the early 1980’s Anil was sending Ariel’s brochure out left right and center to any one he could. Since he did not know who was a potential customer he sent them to many firms and people that would assume would throw them away. Well, not every one did throw them away. To his great surprise 14 years later, he got a call from a man that identified himself as a farmer and mentioned that he had an Ariel brochure in his file from 14 years ago and now wanted some help shipping an export shipment. He said that 14 years ago he received this brochure and since he was only a farmer with a small farm growing potatoes for the local market, he did not think that he would ever need the services of an overseas shipping firm. By just in case he kept it in a file and once in awhile would look at it and wonder if he could ever sell overseas. With this in mind he started to look for ways to export and in the back of his mind he always wonder how he could.

As time went by he developed a special line of seed potatoes that he began to grow on this land and since Ariel’s brochure has peeked his interest he put out feelers to sell his special seed potatoes overseas. That was when he called Anil Sethi and told him how he had received the brochure 14 years earlier and had it in mind ever since. He wanted to arrange to ship his first export order from a foreign firm and had a large enough order to fill several full container loads for this shipment.

This shipment was loaded at the farmers warehouse and shipped to the foreign destination on time and received by the importer in good condition. Now these seed potatoes are being use to grow potatoes far and wide and this farmers export business has taken on an importance all have its own.

Random export it was but this one brochure sent to a farmer by mistake started a seed growing in the mind of the farmer and has brought his seed potatoes worldwide. It was lucky that Ariel’s phone number remained the same for all of these years and that they were easy to find after so long. After all the farmer could have easily have called any other shipping agent but he remained loyal to the brochure he received 14 years earlier and knew that it was getting this brochure that was so far removed from what he was thinking about that gave him the spark to do international business. Some how the idea of dealing with countries and people on other countries was very romantic and appealing to him. He never gave up on this idea and he is no longer a simple farmer. He is an exporter and both grow and develop special potatoes.

For Anil Sethi of Ariel Maritime he was pleased to have helped in some way this farmer and grateful for being chosen to handle his shipments worldwide. It’s become a profitable business for both and it is one small example of how we help others even by mistake to develop and expand their business. Yes it was a random export but has become a real on going business that is a win-win situation for every one. This new strain of special hardy seed potato that can grow and thrive in very difficult terrain has been a boon to farmers overseas and has brought the simple potato to many countries that had before that never seen them in their local market.

Anil Sethi would be happy to hear from you. He is still helping farmers as well as butchers, bakers and candlestick makers. He can be reached at:

HEAD OFFICE:

Ariel Global Logistics Services
ARIEL MARITIME (UK) LTD.
Registered / Head Office:
Maritime House, 26 Modwen Road,
Waters Edge Business Park, Salford Quays,
Manchester M5 3EZ, United Kingdom
TEL: 44 (0) 161 848 9009 FAX: 44 (0) 161 848 9511
E-mail addresses:
Head office: info@arielmaritime.com
Manchester Office: manchester@arielmaritime.com

London Office:
Ariel Global Logistics Services
ARIEL MARITIME (UK) LTD.
Octavian House, 40 Victoria Way,
Charlton, London SE7 7QS, United Kingdom
Phone: 44-(0) 208-858-2642 Fax: 44(0) 208-858-1347
London Office: london@arielmaritime.com
E-mail: london@arielmaritime.co.uk