Mumbai: Antwerp’s tender houses have been thriving in 2020, enabled by quick adaptations and continuity of operations in the Antwerp diamond square mile. Antwerp is home to a critical mass of buyers as well as the largest concentration of tender houses and representative offices of mining companies, enabling the successful conclusion of nearly 100 rough tenders, and more than 10,5 million carats of rough diamonds sold via tenders in 2020, despite the pandemic and consequent travel restrictions.
Karen Rentmeesters, Senior Manager PR&Communications says, “Antwerp has the advantage of having all the elements in place that allowed us to keep the engines running, and that in turn proved instrumental for the steady supply of rough diamonds, the lifeblood of the industry; Antwerp’s diamond office remained operational and there was constant consultation with shipping companies and airlines to ensure goods could continue to be shipped, we have an unrivalled critical mass of buyers and sellers that enable true market value for rough productions and last but not least, an infrastructure that enabled companies to quickly adapt to a covid-proof, safe business environment.”
Mr. Philip Hoymans, Bonas Group says, “One of the major attractions of Antwerp is the quality and consistency of what is being offered here, as well as the presence of a solid, and well-established buying community. Even in times with travel restrictions in place, we are able to reach out to a large number of companies that don’t depend on travel. Antwerp is where what we call “original” goods, run of mine productions straight from the source are being tendered. The physical presence of a number of mining companies, as well as tender houses such as ourselves that promote original productions, is a very powerful tool.”
“In Antwerp, we have always experienced high attendance and strong interest at our tenders. What is important to note when comparing to other markets, is the percentage of bids we receive that are highly competitive which in turn results in the highest possible prices achieved per lot. This critical mass of buyers and bids is a result of Antwerp’s inclusivity of all buyers from across the world as well as the diverse polishing skill of all categories present in the market. The strong bidding and high prices achieved is extremely important and attractive to producers who have consistently chosen to market their goods in Antwerp,” Mr. Johan Erikson, First Element says.
“Every crisis poses challenges but also opportunities”, Mr. David Kuchler, I. Hennig comments, “The pandemic has boosted a digital transformation on all levels of society, including in our industry, and also pushes us to keep innovating, to embrace digital technology but also to nurture our expertise, know-how and traditions.”
As countries across the globe are tightening restrictions again Antwerp is hosting 8 tenders no less than 8 tenders in January, indicating the trend of rough trading activity is continuing in the new year. For a full overview of tenders AWDC offers a downloadable calendar on www.awdc.be/calendar
