Belarus is located on the Eastern European Plain, in the center of Europe. It is a landlocked country with its capital in Minsk. The country's area is 207,600 square kilometers and it has a temperate continental climate, which is mild and humid. The average temperature in January is -6°C, and in July, it is 18°C. Belarus is rich in water resources with over 20,000 rivers and more than 10,000 lakes, earning it the nickname "the land of ten thousand lakes." Belarus has 8 million hectares of forest, covering 39% of its territory. The population of Belarus is 9.45 million. Compared to other European countries, Belarus's level of economic development is not as high. In 2023, Belarus had a per capita GDP of 7,500 USD.
The next morning at 10 AM, we had a meeting at the client's office. We learned that 95% of their business is engineering projects, mainly constructing water purification stations for towns and rural areas to provide drinking water. The projects focus on removing heavy metals from the water to meet Belarusian drinking water standards, which require meeting 50 different indicators before the water can be consumed. The projects use various carbon steel and fiberglass tanks filled with different filter materials, combined with aeration and UV sterilization systems to complete the water purification process. Their household water treatment products are just starting, accounting for 5% of their business. These products include household water purifiers, water softeners, pre-filters, various filter housings, and filter cartridges.
On August 1, 2024, my colleagues and I took an Uzbekistan Airways flight and arrived in Minsk, the capital of Belarus, after a six-hour flight. The Minsk airport is small, and as we deplaned, we saw signs in Chinese, which made us feel very welcome. This indicates that Belarus is very friendly towards Chinese people. The current President of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko, studied in China and previously served as the Belarusian ambassador and consul general to China. He speaks Chinese well and is very fond of China, which has led to strong relations between Belarus and China. Belarus offers visa-free entry to Chinese citizens. At customs, we were warned by the customs police for taking photos, as there are no-photo signs in many customs areas around the world. Please respect the laws and regulations of each country.
Upon exiting customs, we saw a sign welcoming us to the casino. This is an open country, and many Chinese people enjoy gambling here.
While we were still looking for the baggage claim area, we arrived at the luggage carousel. There is only one carousel, reflecting the country's population of just 9.45 million, and the airport is smaller than the one in Shijiazhuang. After collecting our luggage, we were stopped by customs officers who asked how much cash we were bringing into the country. Belarus does not allow large amounts of cash to be brought in, nor can you enter with too little cash. Our client was already waiting for us outside customs. The airport is so small that we saw the client's Volvo car just 50 meters outside the terminal. It was 2 PM local time when we set off for the client's city, Grodno.
After a three-hour drive, we arrived at the client's company, which is housed in a two-story building. We were very excited when we arrived. All the client's employees came downstairs to welcome us, and they had even invited a local ethnic band to give us a grand welcome ceremony with traditional Belarusian music. This was the best welcome ceremony we had ever experienced. We were very grateful for the recognition and high regard the client had for our company and team!
After the welcome ceremony, we toured the client's office, which is about 600 square meters. The company was established in 2015 and includes two household water purifier stores, a warehouse, and a production workshop, with a total of over 150 employees. They are one of the top three water treatment companies in Belarus.
The client hosted a grand welcome banquet for us at the best state-owned farm in the area. The farm has animals, statues, tall trees, and a children's playground, offering beautiful scenery. All 15 members of the client's management team attended, and we were treated to the best Belarusian cuisine and wines.
The next morning at 10 AM, we had a meeting at the client's office. We learned that 95% of their business is engineering projects, mainly constructing water purification stations for towns and rural areas to provide drinking water. The projects focus on removing heavy metals from the water to meet Belarusian drinking water standards, which require meeting 50 different indicators before the water can be consumed. The projects use various carbon steel and fiberglass tanks filled with different filter materials, combined with aeration and UV sterilization systems to complete the water purification process. Their household water treatment products are just starting, accounting for 5% of their business. These products include household water purifiers, water softeners, pre-filters, various filter housings, and filter cartridges.
Our second stop in Belarus was the capital, Minsk, a modern city rebuilt after being completely destroyed during World War II. The central streets of Minsk are wide and clean, with major government offices located along these streets.
In Minsk, we had our first authentic Chinese meal at a restaurant called Tang Dynasty, which specializes in typical Northwest Chinese cuisine. The food was particularly delicious and the portions were generous. We ordered meatball cabbage soup, spicy hot pot, smoked meat platter, and hot and sour soup. The food here was just like in China, and after a long time without Chinese food, it tasted especially good.
The next day, we met our first client in Minsk, an engineer with 20 years of experience in water treatment. The client's water treatment methods include mechanical filtration, iron removal, softening, reverse osmosis, adsorption, desalination, and disinfection. The company is located in an industrial area with an office and a warehouse. They focus on small water treatment projects, providing one-stop services from design and equipment assembly to maintenance and after-sales. Their main marketing strategy is a combination of online and offline methods, using website marketing and direct customer engagement. The water quality in Minsk is generally good but has high iron content, so most projects involve iron and manganese removal systems. The TDS levels vary: 600 ppm in the western part of Minsk, 100 ppm in the southern part, and 200-300 ppm in the city center.
Our second client visit in Minsk was to a company established in 2001. They specialize in cleaning equipment, cleaning accessories, and cleaning technology, producing self-service car wash equipment and washing and disinfection equipment for food production enterprises and oil depot equipment. The client belongs to a niche market within the water treatment industry, focusing on cleaning. Our water treatment products are mainly used in conjunction with their car wash equipment. Their website showcases our ion exchange resins, fiberglass tanks, Runxin control valves, and DOW reverse osmosis membranes. They also expressed interest in our household reverse osmosis systems and hope to feature these products on their website.
On Wednesday, August 7, 2024, we concluded our client visits in Belarus and took a Russian Airlines flight back to China via Moscow. After more than ten days of client visits, we gained a deeper understanding of the economies, cultures, and water treatment markets of Uzbekistan and Belarus. These visits helped us better understand our client profiles and laid a solid foundation for future cooperation.
