The new AGFA Managing Director – Direct Export – Mr. Kris Vangeel was recently in Nigeria on a familiarization visit to his partners – Bancod Limited and Technology Global Services Limited as well as AGFA customers in a bid to invite them to AGFA Stand at drupa 2016 as he explained ‘AGFA has the right systems for Nigerian printers’. Industry trade magazine publishers had a chat with Mr. Vangeel on a numbers of issues bothering on AGFA products and services with emphasis on his plan for the Nigerian market. Below is excerpt:
WELCOME TO NIGERIA – YOU’VE BEEN IN THE COUNTRY FOR FEW DAYS NOW; WHAT’S YOUR THOUGHT ON THE COUNTRY BEFORE AND NOW?
I accepted the role of Managing Director Direct Export mid February of this year. This is my first visit to Nigeria. I had the opportunity of visiting a number of our customers together with our partners – Bancod/Technology Global Services. It is obvious that the first time one comes to Africa as an European, one has to adapt to the cultural differences between Africa and Europe. What I learned in the few days that I was in Nigeria that country is facing challenges in different areas of the society. Education, security, the financial system and the economic stability. However, in the conversation I had with our customers and partners, I learned that most people have the capacity, the will and the social motivation to support the change that they find necessary for Nigeria. I met strong people who have succeeded in driving businesses in economic difficult times and environment. I have great respect for these people. Are my thoughts about Nigeria different now than before I came? I came with an open mind, trying not to be biased by the perception that is being created by the news channels. I try to form my own opinion and that is what I did. I have my own opinion based on only a few days of experience in Lagos. I was happy to be here and I will be happy to come back.
SIR, CAN YOU SHARE WITH US – HOW YOU STARTED WITH AGFA?
I started with Agfa as a young graduate in 1990. In my first job I was Applications Manager for DTP Scanners and Colour Management. A technical job at Agfa Headquarters in Belgium, supporting the Agfa sales department in selling scanners to local markets. DTP scanners are now a commodity and are integrated in the desktop scanners and printers, but 25 years ago, Agfa was one of the trend setters in bringing this new technology to the graphic arts industry. After 4 years, I took on a new role in the company: Product Manager Chromapress. The Chromapress system was a co-development with Xeikon and in the early ’90s Agfa, Xeikon and our mutual competitor Indigo started the development of digital printing. Eventually Agfa decided to leave the digital printing business to Xeikon who are still selling and further developing the technology we brought to the market under the Chromapress name. By the way, Xeikon is also represented by our partner – Technology Global Services. When Agfa decided to discontinue the Chromapress business, I was offered the position of Marketing Manager Packaging Systems at Agfa. For 5 years, I worked with our subsidiaries to enforce the Agfa position in the packaging market and to define new product development for that particular segment. In 2016 I moved from Agfa Headquarters to run the BeNeLux sales organization. As Managing Director BeNeLux I am responsible for the Agfa Graphic Systems business in Belgium, Netherlands and Luxemburg. Since mid February I combine that role with the management of Direct Export in Africa, Middle East, Turkey and Israel.
WHAT CAN YOU SAY WERE YOUR ACHIEVEMENTS?
I started with Agfa in a Technical department and moved over to Product Management and Marketing Management and now to full responsibility as Managing Director of a Sales and Service taking care of our customers in three continents (Europe, Asia and Africa). Tanks to the different roles and responsibilities I had so far, I was able to build up experience in completely different areas of the business. I learned how to give technical support and training; I also learned how to launch and introduce new products to the market and learned to take on managerial responsibilities. This diversity of experience helps me to understand all different profiles in our international organization. This shortens decision making processes and helps us to support our customers to the best of our possibilities.
CAN YOU SAY YOUR REDEPLOYMENT IS STRATEGIC CONSIDERING THE IMPORTANCE OF NIGERIA BUSINESS TO AGFA?
I can indeed underline the importance of Nigeria in the Agfa business in this part of the world. We are very fortunate to have such strong and professional partners as Bancod and Technology Global Services. They also support our business in some neighboring countries. Nigeria is the 7th largest country in the world with a growing economy. If the current president and government can implement their plans and create the necessary stability, Nigeria could turn into a fast growing economy.
THIS IS DRUPA YEAR, WHAT ARE YOUR INNOVATIVE OFFERINGS TO YOUR NIGERIAN CUSTOMERS?
We have introduced our Drupa announcements to the Nigerian market. We will show new developments in different parts of our portfolio : new digital plate developments that further build on our quest to bring more ecological friendly, convenient and economic interesting plates to the market (ECO³); all our workflow solutions will be shown at Drupa bringing more functionality, more automation and more convenience for the operators using them (Apogee, Asanti, Arkiteks); we will show our latest developments in Wide Format Inkjet printing, Tauro, a high volume, highly productive, high quality hybrid UV inkjet system. We also will show new state of the art SW solutions for security applications in packaging and value documents as well as new developments in digital publishing and our cloud solutions.
HOW DO YOU INTEND TO SUPPORT CUSTOMERS ON THIS?
Agfa is the preferred supplier for prepress systems. This is a position that we have deserved by taking ourselves and our customers very serious. We develop products that meet the requirements of our customers and we support them through best in class technical support, financial support via Agfa Finance and in business development support through our Sales Support Teams that are highly dedicated to specific sectors in the market. We are not a sell and run company. We develop long lasting relationships with our customers. We find our customers loyal to us and we are loyal to them.
WHAT ARE YOUR OTHER PLANS FOR YOUR NIGERIA CUSTOMERS?
We have this loyalty principle also towards our customers in Nigeria. We find it very important to have a strong local partner such as Bancod and Technology Global with whom we work very closely. They are our representatives; they understand the market and they have access to all levels in the Agfa organization. But for them it is important to also feel the presence of Agfa in their local market. Therefore our Regional Business Manager, Thibault Dejaiffe, travels regularly to Nigeria. The Nigerian offset market is in a transition from analogue prepress (film + analogue plates) to digital systems. Agfa has the right CTP solutions for that. It is important that customers that are in the process to invest, make the right decisions. They should look at the complete solution: workflow, CTP system and the plates. Important element in this are: total cost of ownership of the chosen solution; reliability of the hardware and the quality and convenience of the plate solution. Too often we see companies making decisions based only on the price of individual components (e.g. price of the plate or of the plate setter) without considering the reliability of the system, the availability of a good support infrastructure or back up facilities in case of emergencies. We have affordable state of the art CTP systems available to support the Nigerian market to make a successful transition from analogue to digital plate making. Also the wide format printing market is developing in Nigeria. Agfa have a number of successful installations in Nigeria. With the products we currently have in our portfolio and that are in the pipeline, we are sure we have the right systems for the Nigerian printers.
CAN YOU SHARE YOUR SPECIFIC PLANS FOR PREPRESS AND INKJET MARKET BUSINESSES WITH US?
Agfa’s vision is to remain the preferred prepress systems supplier in the world and to become one of the top 3 players in wide format UV inkjet printing. I know that this is tough but it’s also very realistic ambition. The way we will achieve this ambition, we will show you at Drupa.
NO DOUBT, AGFA HAS ONE OF THE BIGGEST MARKET SHARE IN NIGERIA, HOW WILL YOU SOLIDIFY YOUR STAKE AND WHAT WILL YOU DO DIFFERENTLY FROM YOUR COMPETITION?
I believe that a strong local sales and support infrastructure is crucial. We have that and via the regular local presence of our Regional Business Manager – Thibault Dejaiffe, we keep a close contact with the market. Good service is fundamental for good customer relations and good business. Our local commercial and technical infrastructure is second to none and we will continue to further invest in that.
COST IS A MAJOR FACTOR IN PRINT EQUIPMENT ACQUISITION, WHAT CONCESSION OR PAYMENT PLAN DO YOU HAVE FOR YOUR CUSTOMERS IN NIGERIA?
We understand the financial challenges the Nigerian market is facing. Currency exchange rates are very volatile and make international business often very complicated. The long and strong relation we have with Bancod allows us to help them as best as possible to cope with financial situations. Every case is different and therefore Bancod and Agfa tend to try to find individual solutions for individual cases. For a valid customer project with financial challenges, we will always try to find the right (financial) solution.
WHAT POTENTIALS DO YOU SEE IN THE WEST AFRICAN PRINT MARKET AND HOW DO YOU SEE THE MARKET DEVELOP OVER THE YEARS?
A lot of course will depend on the political and financial evolution the country will go through the next few years. If the country will be able to improve the economic stability, the education system and employment levels, Nigeria will become an important economic driver in the area. The new, higher educated generations will be the consumers of tomorrow and they are very many. I am convinced that the potential for the printing industry will be huge if that happens. I believe that in a market such as Nigeria with about 180million people, there will be a big need for high volume printing machines. Offset has still a great future in Nigeria. With the development of the internet shopping culture, we will also see a transition to more web printers in this market. This is a trend that we see in markets such as Europe and the United States, but in Nigeria this has not been really developed yet. I am sure it will happen.
GET TO KNOW KRIS VANGEEL
I was born in 1966, so I just turned 50. I am happily married and have two grown up children (son of 21 and daughter of 18). I finished Graphical Engineering Studies in 1989. After that I did my Military Service and started with Agfa July 1st 1990. Agfa is my first and only employer till now. Agfa as large international company offered me a lot of opportunities to develop myself in different jobs. Therefore I didn’t have to find another employer to give me new professional challenges.
Background with AGFA
As Managing Director Graphic Systems BeNeLux & Direct Export I am responsible for all Sales and Support activities of Agfa Graphics in prepress and inkjet in Belgium, Netherlands, Luxemburg, Middle East, North and West Africa, Turkey and Israel. I have a team of 60 professionals to support me in all aspects of the business, sales managers, technical experts, back office support, financial and marketing support. In Europe we have a mixed sales model. We have dedicated dealers combined with direct sales activities via our own sales channel.
Likes and dislikes
I like working with people. Working with different people in different cultures is something that I like very much. I find it interesting, challenging and it widens your view on the world. What I appreciate is respect for each other so what I absolutely dislike is dishonesty and unrespectfull behavior. What I also dislike are long night flights J
Leisure time
I am board member of a socio-cultural organization since 16 years. We organize all sorts of activities (sports, entertainment, fund raising) for the local community in the area where I live. Via these activities we support the local social structure, school, etc. I also like to play golf with my wife and friends.
Favorite place for holiday
I don’t have a particular favorite destination. I like to discover new places. But I really enjoyed the Greek Islands, Bali in Indonesia and Spain. Closer to home I like Bruges, Antwerp and Amsterdam a lot.
