Pakistani cable manufacturers demand level playing field - An exclusive interview with Fahd Chinoy - Deputy Chief Executive, Pakistan Cables.

• Author: Kazmi, Shabbir
• Position: Interview

Byline: Shabbir Kazmi

PAGE: Please tell us something about yourself and Pakistan Cables

Fahd Chinoy: I am the Deputy Chief Executive of Pakistan Cables and have been with the company for almost 11 years. Prior to that I was a banker in the US and Canada. I have studied at the University of Pennsylvania and INSEAD, which are both amongst the world's top educational institutions and it is this exposure to international business and academics that has helped me in my career with Pakistan Cables.

Pakistan Cables, the country's oldest and most reputable cable manufacturer was established over 5 decades ago in 1953 as a joint venture with British Insulated Calendar Cable (BICC). In 2010 General Cable Corporation, a Fortune 500 company and global leader in cable manufacturing invested in Pakistan Cables by taking up a 25 percent equity stake in the company. General Cable was affiliated with Pakistan Cables up to 2017. Pakistan Cables primary product lines are Wire and Cable, Copper Rod, PVC compound and Aluminum Sections and its annual revenue is in excess of Rs9.5 billion. The company has been listed on the Pakistan Stock Exchange since 1956.

PAGE: What major milestones have been achieved by Pakistan Cables?

Fahd Chinoy: Pakistan Cables is the first cable manufacturer in Pakistan and is a pioneer in the industry. We have been the first to introduce a large number of cable and wire products in the country and are proud to be a major part of the country's industrial growth story.

Pakistan Cables is also the only cable manufacturer to have foreign technical collaborations through its JVs with BICC, General Cable and now CTC Global. We have invested in technology, best practices and have a strong reputation in the market for product quality and operating through a highly ethical approach. Our products and factory have received several certifications, including the coveted KEMA type test certificate as early as 1984 (we now have successfully passed 8 KEMA type tests). We are the largest importer and processor of copper in Pakistan and also on the forefront of innovation.

The most recent product that we have introduced to the market is Aluminium Conductor Composite Core, which is a new technology for conductors that is highly efficient and reduces line-losses and increases transmission capacity. This introduction is set to have a major impact on the efficiency of Pakistan's stressed and ageing transmission and distribution network.

PAGE: How do you...