Covestro has started a cooperation with Chinese internet giant Alibaba. As of 23 April 2018, the company offers its polymer materials in a flagship store on 1688.com, an online platform of Alibaba. The platform is the biggest online business-to-business marketplace in China. Under the link covestrochina.1688.com, polycarbonate as well as pre-products for polyurethane foams, coatings and adhesives will become available.
With a maximum quantity order, the flagship store is more tailored to the needs of small and medium-sized customers. Therefore, transactions will be of relatively small volume. As a start, Covestro will offer around 50 products on the Chinese online platform. The second wave of products to launch is already in planning. The company announced that new forms of online commerce will contribute up to EUR 1 billion in accumulated sales until end of 2019.
“Digitalisation rapidly changes customer needs and preferences and offers new business opportunities, especially in the fast growing Chinese economy,” said Dr. Markus Steilemann, Chief Commercial Officer and future CEO of Covestro. “For us, China plays a more and more important role not only in terms of market size but also with regard to innovation in relevant markets and technologies. With the launch of an online store on Alibaba we follow our strategy by innovating our business models in close cooperation with our customers.”
“We want to make the customer experience more convenient and efficient. Particularly in a market like China, which is at the forefront of digitalisation, we need to be where the customers are and will be. 1688.com is that place,” added Xiaobin Zhong, Head of Commercial Operations for the Coatings, Adhesives and Specialties business of Covestro in the Asia Pacific region.