I have always believed that the key to success is not just what we achieve at the moment, but in knowing what is around the corner. For 24 years, we have always managed to stay ahead of the curve.
The CSS Group entered 2020, on the heels of a successful 2019. I had expressed that optimism in my message at the beginning of the year. However, we didn’t see what was lurking just around the corner. Starting with an outbreak, COVID-19 quickly escalated into a pandemic in no time.
“Smooth seas never made a skilled sailor”, said Franklin D Roosevelt. The last 25 years have thrown many an obstacle in our path. From our humble beginnings in Dubai as a company with just three employees, today, our footprint stretches across the Middle East and the Indian subcontinent.
Our growth is a testament to our resilience, and we will overcome this current challenge as well. Having said that, we are not out of the woods yet. Global trade is slowly limping back to normalcy, and we are part of a key vertical in this equation. The aviation sector operates at minimal capacity, and the ocean segment is heavily imbalanced in terms of equipment and capacity. Fluctuations in these two sectors have a cumulative impact on the supply chain to a degree not seen in the recent past.
Or is this the new normal?
Is this a sign for us to change what we do and how we do it? Investment in people and culture remains a priority; however, adapting to new technology has become necessary to ease process gaps and incorporate learnings from our shortfalls that the current pandemic-driven challenges have brought up.
True to our commitment to the marketplace, we have been a responsible partner. We have realigned our products and offerings to aid and support hard-hit industries. We revamped our business models and have come out much better in the second half of 2020 than what was anticipated. We are also fueled by an undying ambition to grow. Having established a niche presence in the Hamriyah Free zone, we have also completed a very successful 12-months stint in Bahrain.
To my team, the entire CSS Group family – Thank You! Your efforts and perseverance have brought us to where we are now, despite the challenges around us. We are looking to close 2020 as we did in 2019.
I would also like to thank our partners and customers who have stood by us during this unprecedented period in modern times. We have a new world unfolding in front of us, a lot of shifts ahead, and the opportunities that come with it.
At CSS, we always intend to stay ahead of the curve.
I wish you a safe end to 2020 and a much better 2021