History

     The Hilal Trading Agency, Beirut, Lebanon, Bab Idriss Street, was established and registered officially in 1957 (Commercial Registration No. 7070). Our company is specialized in the field of representation and marketing of Paper, Stationery, Office Supplies, Security Paper, Bank Note Printing, etc...

          We used to represent quite a number of reputable European, American & Japanese companies for most of the Middle east. Our sales representatives were covering that vast area in active marketing strategy where our duty was to select the best customers, dealers and distributors for the products we were representing.

          The firms we represented are so many, we will only mention few names. We were, in fact, pioneers in sales and marketing over the Middle East area since 1957:

Few of the above companies are still our principals.

          Phase two: We started importing and stocking in the free zone and re-exporting from the Arab World, Iran & Turkey. Our business was growing fast and during this period, Hilal Trading Agency grew up to the extent that we considered investing in a new venture.

          Phase three: In the late 60's, SHM - Hilal Trading Agency acquired the company Eteco, Ras Beirut, Who was specialized in importing, selling and servicing Office Business machines, Filing systems, Microfilm, etc... All this was distributed by the 1974 destructing and tragic war. On the first round, we lost our free zone stock which was for $984,800.00 as per documents presented to the Chamber of Commerce, to the port authorities and to the insurance companies who denied our claim for payment as that was considered riots and not a civil war. Despite the great loss, Hilal Trading Agency continued to meet the obligations and paying her employees full salaries, even to those who were unable to come to work for many months.

          Phase four: SHM - Hilal Trading Agency acquired the famous and the largest company, Star Stationers s.a.l. which was founded in Lebanon in 1948 by M. Hanna Salib with his colleagues of the Malak Family who originally established the Star Bookstores in Jaffa, Palestine, in 1930. Since then, all possible finance was provided and have improved performance and efficiency of the working team. Star Stationers s.a.l are Lebanon's No.1 stationers although they have lost their headquarters, Rue Maarad and their 400 sqm. warehouse. Total loss was $695,000 according to records.

          Phase five: In 1982, Star Stationers and Hilal Trading Agency established their joint branch in Sed El-Bauchrieh, Beirut, which costs in property and decoration $350,000 plus $165,000 in goods. All these were destroyed and goods stolen on the occasion of the last battle of the civil war in the eastern part of Beirut.

          With all these experiences behind us, which in fact strengthen our will and determination to go ahead and continue efforts to re-develop SHM Group, we put on record our great appreciation and many thanks to our dealers, customers and employees for their cooperation and sincere loyalty to the SHM Group, as all these events have played a major factor of our success.

          There are no doubt that our faith, love and loyalty to Lebanon and the confidence in the future of this country are behind our motivation to go ahead, despite the very critical economic recession Lebanon is experiencing in this era.