NAGASE Specialty Materials (NSM) has appointed Abdul Aziz El Khatib as a buyer. El Khatib will focus on the industrial side of NSM, managing domestic purchasing and inventory for its performance chemical lines.

A native of the United Arab Emirates, El Khatib’s family came to the United States a decade ago and settled in the western Chicago suburbs. While at DePaul University, he did an internship with NAGASE Specialty Materials, where he was hired after graduation. 

“Abdul demonstrated a passion to learn and grow with NSM,” said Ray Winkel, director, Supply Chain Management. “He has excellent communication skills and a desire to take on and manage projects.” 

El Khatib is fluent in English, Arabic, and French. Prior to joining the NAGASE team, he had relatable work experience in a retail environment with Meijer, a Midwest-based grocery chain ranked No. 14 on Forbes’ list of America’s largest privately held companies. There, he not only gained valuable customer service experience, but also was tasked with forecasting and replenishing stock.

“I’m working the entire supply chain from product ordering, shipping, delivery to NSM, and ultimately to our customers,” said El Khatib. “NAGASE is a good fit. I had a very good introduction to logistics and supply chain through the pandemic, as we had to deal with supply chain issues. Getting an item from point A to point B, in the fastest way possible, intrigued me.” 

“If you step back and see how much work goes into getting the product on the shelves, you realize there is a bigger picture for all of that,” continued El Khatib. “I wanted to get involved and make that process better,” he said.

For more information, visit: https://www.nsm-na.com/.