Exalco Group was founded in 1987 by its owner and managing director Alex Montanaro, and was known initially as Exalco (Metals & Steels) Ltd with its core business focusing on international trade in non-ferrous metals.

In recent times, the Group has expanded its interests with four business centres on the island, a financial services subsidiary and a trading department that trades internationally and locally.

Twelve years ago Mr Montanaro saw an opportunity to import steel to Malta for use in the construction industry and research led him to approach suppliers in Turkey.

“Turkey had a reputation as a very strong steel supplier, and that has certainly proved to be the case,” says Mr Montanaro.

“Certainly at the time it was also very competitive in terms of price compared to the likes of Germany or Italy.  

As well as the logistics advantage of the steel being shipped from Turkish ports to Malta within a short period of a week, Exalco Group found their Turkish principals to be very flexible in terms of minimum order quantities.

“We might order 2,000 tonnes of steel at a time, which, compared to other countries like Saudi Arabia or Dubai, is a small quantity, but our supplier is prepared to make the effort to adapt and meet our particular needs when it comes to quantities for the market in Malta,” says Mr Montanaro.

“And I certainly think that would be the case in other products such as ceramics or cement.  The Turkish are very good business people, and will find ways to make a deal work.”

With 12 years’ experience of working with Turkish principals and suppliers, Mr Montanaro has no doubts as to the keys to success when doing business with Turkey.

“Personal relationships are important in business there, and you have to exercise persistence, politeness and, above all, friendliness,” he says.