The Middle East is the latest pressure point in an increasingly complex global trade environment. And as geopolitical uncertainty continues to mount, Danish companies operating in the region are facing a difficult question: do you stay, or do you pull back?
According to a survey by the Confederation of Danish Industry, 41 out of 96 Danish companies with activity in the Middle East have already scaled back or are planning to do so. Nine have already made the move. Thirty-two expect to reduce or cease operations entirely. The reasons are well known: disrupted shipping routes, logistical bottlenecks, and an unpredictable operating environment that makes long-term planning increasingly difficult.
IPS-Group in the Media
On 17 May 2026, IPS-Group’s Director and Owner Claus Christian Hjorth-Madsen was featured on DR, Denmark’s national public broadcaster, as part of a programme examining how Danish businesses are responding to the growing instability in the region. Speaking alongside representatives from the Confederation of Danish Industry, Claus Christian shared IPS-Group’s perspective on the challenges, and the decision to stay.
“How long we can sustain this, we don’t know at this point. We hope of course for better times. But right now, our decision is that we will not withdraw from the Middle East despite our challenges.”
— Claus Christian Hjorth-Madsen, Director and Owner, IPS-Group
We Understand Why Companies Pull Back
Disrupted shipping routes, supply chain pressure, and an unpredictable geopolitical climate affect us just like everyone else. We’re not going to pretend otherwise. The uncertainty is real, and the decisions facing businesses in the region are not easy ones.
But uncertainty is also where experience counts. IPS-Group has been operating in demanding, complex environments for over two decades. We supply critical cleaning and maintenance solutions to aerospace, defence, and industrial sectors — industries where reliability isn’t a preference, it’s a requirement. Our customers can’t afford disruption, and neither can we.
Why We Are Staying
Over the years, IPS-Group has built lasting relationships with partners and customers across the Middle East. Those relationships are not built on favourable conditions alone — they are built on showing up, adapting, and delivering when it matters most.
We know how to adapt when conditions shift. We know how to support our partners through difficult periods. And we know that the businesses that remain present and dependable during times of uncertainty are the ones that emerge with stronger partnerships on the other side.
Uncertainty doesn’t change our direction. It reinforces why reliable partnerships matter.
Get in Touch
If you have questions about our products, operations, or presence in the Middle East, we welcome the conversation.