GULF& WORLD TRADERS
A GULF NEWS SPONSORED SUPPLEMENT
TUESDAY, JANUARY 29, 2019
“My work is my legacy — it is my baby” Dr Juma Khalfan Belhoul Al Falasi, Founder of Gulf & World Traders (GWT), offers insight into 50 years of providing the region with advanced healthcare and his thoughts on handing over the reins of the business to the future generation his company is my father’s initiative to show pride in my medical education and service,” says Dr Juma Khalfan Belhoul Al Falasi, Founder of Gulf & World Traders (GWT), and member of the Belhoul Group. Looking back with gratitude at the 50 years since achieving his dream to provide the region with the most advanced hi-tech healthcare-related products, he says, “It was probably the year 1969, when I was completing my medical studies in Cairo. I was required to do a project and wanted to buy a stethoscope and sphygmomanometer but it was unavailable here in the UAE. I
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Trust is an investment that the clients and partners gives an organisation. Using this investment we grow.”
arranged for it through a trader from Kuwait.” This incident got Dr Belhoul Al Falasi thinking about this gap in medical needs and supplies. It was at this stage that he decided to develop a means to bridge the gap. “I was fortunate to have the support of my father,” he says. “In 1971, when I returned to my country as a doctor, the UAE had established its first cabinet after liberation and I was appointed Under Secretary for Ministry of Health. I undertook the opportunity to serve not just my government but also my dream business, which today stands at a golden milestone.” GWT strongly believes in the significance of healthcare. “As human beings we are exposed to various illnesses,” says Dr Belhoul Al Falasi. “It is better to know the nature of these illnesses and prevent them even before onset. Understanding the causes helps keep ones health in good shape. Same applies to the health of a business. Ours is a people-oriented industry. It is therefore important to be a business of passion. One has to be very clear, very transparent and very honest in your deliverables. There is a delicate balance between human service and commercial returns. To be accepted by the community one must be
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from the same tribe to understand their needs, their pain and their joys. Trust is an investment that the clients and partners gives an organisation. Using this investment we grow.” Healthcare is all about relationships, explained Dr Belhoul Al Falasi, adding that trust is above all the most important currency that one handles in business — not just trust of the business with its partners and stakeholders but also with its end users and customers. “Transparency and honesty are the basics you have to work with,” he says. “This is the ethics of medicine. Do not just sell services, share the responsibility with the client.” Looking at the future, Dr Belhoul Al Falasi is clear that it is time to hand over the reins of the business to the next generation. “People from my generation have worked hard in spite of the limitations in know-how, knowledge and education,” says Dr Belhoul
Al Falasi. “Now there is advancement — not just in learning but also in thinking. Today’s generation use a different mentality, new approach and even the tools they have are not like the ones we used before. We have reached a stage now where we have built the business. It is time to welcome our sons, colleagues and youth to take the business a level up because they are more knowledgeable in technology and capable than us. Service no longer depends only on the person but also on technology. Therefore this is the right time to make the shift. “Surely we as their elders will always be there by their side to offer guidance and support but we trust them with this freedom to decide and grow the business. My work is my legacy — it is my baby. I will be proud to see the new generation use my work as the foundation to build a stronger empire. With each generation a new height is to be achieved.”
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50 YEARS | GULF & WORLD TRADERS
TUESDAY, JANUARY 29, 2019
“We cover more than 65% of any medical needs at all levels” Engr. Nabil Emil Daoud, General Manager, GWT, looks at the company’s many milestones in healthcare and medical innovation ifferent elements come together to make a vision come true. It was the intention to serve the community and deliver modern medical equipment and consumables that led to the establishment of Gulf & World Traders (GWT). Engr. Nabil Emil Daoud, General Manager of GWT has been with the organisation for close to 18 years now. “The company was established even before the law of registration was
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in place,” he said. “It is therefore even older than the 50 year milestone that it celebrates now. It was established as one company with diversified business. Under the platform of GWT were pharmaceuticals, schools and manufacturers of various things among which medical equipment was the main pillar of the company. In the late 90s the company spun off into separate LLC companies. GWT was dedicated to medical equipment and consumables. Pharmaworld
was for the pharmaceuticals, as well as a chain of schools, hospitals and garment manufacturing facilities, but each one is an independent LLC. Since then GWT has taken the flagship in medical equipment and consumables.” In 2003, GWT was restructured into the present day platform, which is segments. Each division is dedicated to a certain speciality in healthcare — cardiology, dentistry, laboratory, operating room, intensive care, etc. Each division of those is also representing a group of international manufacturers and have their own profit and loss focus per year. “Soon we developed a separate service department, which is now run by more than 55 service engineers,” said Engr. Daoud. “It is the backbone of the business because everything we sell under GWT is 100 per cent supported by our service engineers. It is through this department that we ensure that all the machinery and equipment is running optimally and in perfect condition. Through generic growth we have added on with us over 45 international partners with operations across the UAE and in Oman too. GWT represents the major names in diagnostic laboratory, Abbott and also one of the biggest manufacturers of surgical equipment, Aesulap, and so on. We cover
With balanced awareness of what we have and what we lack we build our partnerships internationally.”
more than 65 per cent of any medical needs at all levels.” GWT respects the partnerships it has built over the years. “With balanced awareness of what we have and what we lack we build our partnerships internationally,” Engr. Daoud explained. “To incubate a new product or a company till it is producing takes 15-24 months so we acquire these partnerships with a much focused mindset. It is a collaboration that must be mutually beneficial. For any company coming to UAE they know
that this region is always looking for hi-tech advancement and developed infrastructure. They come with their most recent developed product and want to collaborate with a partner that is stable, mature and established financially, well networked and good after sales service and application training. GWT has held its roots in the region since many years and is therefore a beneficial choice to make.” Technology is always evolving and at GWT the emphasis is on keep up with the advance-
ments. “There is always room to integrate the latest trends and technology into our systems,” said Engr. Daoud. “For example, we are looking to apply block chain into our business. Also we are looking for the recent application of artificial intelligence into our new equipment. We are even investigating the possibilities of using augmented reality into the application of surgery. There are a lot of varieties today worldwide and it is all based on new technologies. We are looking forward to partner with those providers and introduce it to the market because there is a demand for it.” Speaking on the plans for the future, Engr. Daoud informed, “We have two pivots of growth. First is that we are a 100 per cent national company. The second is the internal growth where we engage more partnerships whether on the level of manufacturers or end users. This gives a good level of trust for our establishment within the market and buyers. Besides, we have a golden chance to expand outside of the UAE. “We have established in Oman and aim to grow further and beyond. As we take ourselves forward from this 50 years milestone it is important to respect the foundation and the ground on which we have built ourselves. We take pride in this achievement and years of service that we have delivered to the community. Based on our legacy we move forward to the future.”
ADVERTORIALS
Abbott Laboratories SA “We congratulate Gulf and World Traders’ management and team on 50 years of contribution to the healthcare industry. As we take pride in our business partnership that started in 1985, we wish Gulf and World Traders further prosperity and continuous success.”
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50 YEARS | GULF & WORLD TRADERS
TUESDAY, JANUARY 29, 2019
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High-quality medical care for patients Gulf & World Traders (GWT), a member of the Belhoul Group, was established in 1969 as the flagship of today’s Belhoul Group with the vision of its founder Dr Juma Khalfan Belhoul Al Falasi to provide the United Arab Emirates and the neighbouring GCC countries with the most advanced high-tech healthcare-related products
exclusive partnership with almost 35 well-recognised multinational manufacturers covering more than 60 per cent of the market needs in both medical and scientific fields. GWT’s main objective today is to maintain the satisfaction of all our customers, as well as to reach their expectations, covering the sales, service and application domains by elevating the performance and quality through extensive trainings to its employees. The commitment GWT overtook its clients wide base, 39 years ago, will continue to update and upgrade.
HISTORY Gulf World Traders (GWT) is a 100 per cent Limited Liability UAE company dedicated to the country’s healthcare needs. Since its inception, GWT has opened more than one channel with the rapidly developing world of technology to comply with the daily market demands. GWT is now catering to all the medical and scientific needs throughout its offices in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Al Ain, Doha and Muscat with the intent to become a leader in its dedicated line of business and extending it to the local manufacturing/ assembling model. GWT is an ISO 9001:2015 certified company for Management Quality System, as well as the ISO 18001:2007 Standard — Occupational Health and Safety Management System (OHSMS), and ISO 14001: 2015 Standard — Environmental Management System.
MISSION To analyse and select the most renowned manufacturers in the healthcare product’s international market, and commit to them with complete transparency and dedication; through effective marketing strategies and thorough understanding of our customers and their needs. To offer excellence and value to our customers and provide products that are safe, economically efficient and technically exceeds their expectations. To attract, incentivise and retain the highest human calibres by creating the ideal working environment and career progression. To maximise profitability through market share growth and efficient cost management, while maintaining the highest standards of integrity and business conduct.
MARKET
Dubai Ambulance to partner with Gulf & World Traders at Expo 2020 for a Heart-Safe city
OPERATION GWT is a very well recognised and specialised company in the business of healthcare products and its related services, providing design, sales, installation, start-up, application training, and after-sales service, as well as turnkey projects. GWT’s multitasks activities are supported by more than 165 highly qualified employees, out of which, more than 70 per cent are factory-trained physicians and engineers acting as product, service, and application specialists. The rest of the team represents the professional logistic support system. GWT has its central ware-
house in Dubai with an area of 20,000 square feet, located next door to the main office, and another 7,000-square-feet warehouse in Abu Dhabi, both having walk-in cold rooms with temperature and humidity control. GWT has also its main highly equipped service workshop facility in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, in addition to the permanently located service engineers in other emirates, acting as first aid to any service call. This service division is controlled by the most advanced Asset Management software system. GWT as a healthcare-related provider, maintains a very efficient and punctuate delivery system including refrigerated trucks for the transportation of very sensitive chemicals, reagents, and consumables. GWT is in
The government currently provides free health service to nationals, who represents around 13 per cent of the total population. The 2016 statistics shows a population of 9.3 million with an average growth of 1.2 per cent, health expenditure was around $16.1 billion (Dh59.1 billion), representing 4.2 per cent of the GDP (70/30 public to private sector), with annual average growth of 7 per cent. Statistics also shows a total of 128 hospitals (38/90 public to private sector), and 200 plus healthcare centres, providing the market with 12,533 beds, equal to 1.4 beds per thousand, a very low rate to the international standards. The UAE healthcare market is projected to reach $19.5 billion (Dh71.56 billion) by 2020, achieving an annual average growth of 12.7 per cent, marginally higher than the GCC growth average. The UAE’s leaders have paved the way for a rapidly expanding healthcare system to meet both the evolving needs of a growing population and the nation’s ambition to become a regional medical tourism hub, and a recent snapshot of the country’s health sector shows there is no sign of the market slowing down. The UAE Healthcare Sector Outlook 2020 by RNCOS, a global business consultancy, forecasted that this market would grow at a compound annual rate of 7 per cent between 2015 and 2020, with a need of additional 8,000 beds by 2025.