About SiggiChem

A short introduction to who's behind this, and why it's written in two languages.

Hello

I'm Siggi Hirsch — I know the chemistry in Asia.

Thirty years of direct sourcing, supplier development and REACH practice across China, India, Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Europe. I write about what actually happens on that corridor — freight, capacity, compliance and the decisions buyers make that never show up in a press release.

I write in English for the wider industry, and separately in Chinese for readers following the European market from China — not translations of each other, two different conversations.

Direct sourcingREACHSupplier auditsFreight & logisticsMandarin
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A rough timeline

Thirty years on the Asia–Europe corridor

2026

A dedicated Chinese section

SiggiChem's Chinese articles move from occasional translations to their own, separately written section for readers in China.

2015

Independent consulting

After two decades inside sourcing organisations, I started advising suppliers and buyers directly on both sides of the corridor.

2007

REACH comes into force

A new layer of the job: helping Asian suppliers understand what compliance actually requires before it becomes a blocked shipment.

1996

First trip to Shanghai

The start of thirty years of sourcing trips between Europe and Asia, and the relationships that came out of them.

Get in touch

Questions, sourcing needs, or just saying hi

I read everything that comes in through the contact page — it just takes me a few days to reply properly.

Want to write in? Contact me