At TRUKING’s headquarters in China, one of the company’s symbolic landmarks—the TRUKING Culture Square—is surrounded by rows of flagpoles. Each flag represents a country where TRUKING’s pharmaceutical equipment has made its mark. Among them, many belong to nations across the Middle East and Africa, proudly symbolizing the vast territory opened by Alex and his team. “We’ve added quite a few flags there,” Alex says with quiet pride.

1. From Medical Devices to Pharma Equipment: A Seamless Transition

As the Head of the Middle East & Africa Market, Alex’s career path has been as smooth as Turkish delight. Starting in international trade of medical devices, he joined TRUKING in 2017—transitioning naturally into the field of pharmaceutical equipment, where the technical and regulatory foundations of his earlier work became valuable assets.

His arrival coincided with TRUKING’s landmark acquisition of Romaco Group, a century-old German pharmaceutical equipment manufacturer. With his professional background in German, Alex quickly became a bridge between the Chinese and German teams, facilitating deep technical and cultural integration.

“The collaboration was an intense but invaluable onboarding,” he recalls. “One early outcome was when a Romaco distributor from North Africa visited our headquarters and was so impressed by TRUKING’s technology and product range that they became our regional partner. That was the first ripple in what became a regional expansion wave.”

2. Building on Strength: Platform Synergy and Global Reach

The Romaco acquisition not only strengthened TRUKING’s technological base but also raised the company’s standards in software and documentation—key to entering regulated Western markets. “These improvements helped us operate even more confidently in markets like the Middle East and Africa,” Alex notes. “The integration created a powerful platform effect that amplified our speed and reach abroad.”

TRUKING’s own global strategy has evolved in parallel. Since 2022, the company has established over 20 local Sales & Service Centers (SSCs) worldwide, including in Dubai, Istanbul, and Cairo, giving Alex’s team the proximity needed to serve clients efficiently. “We’re no longer just visiting customers—we’re their neighbors,” he says. “That builds trust.”

3. Creating Value for Customers—and for the Region

Behind TRUKING’s international growth lies a deeper logic: empowering customers to create value. The company’s equipment delivers efficiency, reliability, and energy savings, directly translating into lower operational costs and greater profitability for pharmaceutical manufacturers.

This capacity became particularly evident during the pandemic. As part of TRUKING’s project team, Alex helped deliver vaccine production lines in the UAE and other countries, supporting Chinese biopharma companies in enabling local manufacturing. “At a time when many nations lacked vaccine production capabilities, we mobilized quickly to provide full-scale solutions,” Alex recalls. “That effort connected directly to people’s health and lives.”

The success boosted TRUKING’s brand reputation across the Middle East and Africa, generating strong momentum and trust. “It was the perfect example of how decades of accumulated capability can deliver exponential results,” Alex says.

4. Beyond Equipment: Building Enduring Capabilities

Today, TRUKING’s mission extends beyond supplying pharmaceutical equipment. In many African countries, Alex and his team are working with Chinese partners to help build local pharmaceutical capacity—not only through equipment delivery but also via training, technical transfer, and management support.

“This goes beyond hardware,” Alex explains. “We’re helping clients enhance their operational know-how and establish sustainable manufacturing systems. Many governments and companies now see this as a path toward healthcare independence.”

In that sense, TRUKING’s role has evolved—from supplier to partner in national development. “We’re connecting Chinese technology, expertise, and investment with local needs,” Alex says. “It’s a bridge that carries long-term significance.”

5. Endurance, Dedication, and the Human Side of Expansion

None of this would have been possible without the resilience of Alex’s team. “Our colleagues often spend over 300 days a year on the road,” he says. “Working in regions where infrastructure is still developing requires persistence, but we share a deep belief in the potential of this land.”

From Dubai’s glittering skylines to Cairo’s sunrise over the Nile and Algiers’ Mediterranean coast, Alex’s journey traces the evolving landscape of a region full of contrasts—ancient and modern, challenging yet full of opportunity. “When I started, it was just me and a suitcase,” he recalls. “Now, we’ve connected dozens of dots into a solid network.”

Looking ahead, Alex remains optimistic. “The Middle East and Africa are vibrant with growth. Governments and investors are driving industrial development, and TRUKING is ready to support that transformation.”

He smiles, thinking back to those flags at headquarters. “Our hope is simple,” he says. “To see more flags flying high on that square—each one representing trust, partnership, and shared progress.”