A: Should we go into Eastern Europe and CIS? We assisted a chemical company to investigate whether they should move into Eastern Europe and CIS. We came to the conclusion: yes! The next question was: how? Greenfield or by acquisitions? We came to the conclusion acquisitions. We assisted our client in the process of finding companies and acquiring them starting with Ukraine.
B: The long period of growth in some areas in the forestry industry showed signs of deterioration. We assisted a pulp and paper company to analyze if there were structural changes in the market or if it just was a normal down turn. We came to the conclusion that it was a structural change. We assisted to come up with measures on how to handle the situation before the rest of the industry identified the problem.
C: We assisted a large Latin-American group to evaluate what strategy they should have in Europe (Second Opinion) where they already had substantial sales. We changed the priority of the end-markets, redesigned their logistics and warehousing structure and cut a lot of intermediaries. Sales and margins boomed.
D: We assisted a large telecom company in central Europe to identify new areas of operation. We found that e-Government was a new interesting area where some eastern countries were far ahead. This has now developed into a large and profitable operation in the company.
Acquisitions and Divestitures
A: We assisted one of Europe’s largest hotel groups to acquire new hotels/group of hotels/hotel companies. We identified interesting targets, approached them (first anonymously) and took part in the negotiations and integration. The group became the most profitable large hotel group in Europe.
B: We assisted one of the larger private equity firms to acquire a world leading company in the steel engineering business.
C: We assisted a private equity firm to acquire a large number of companies in a very fragmented contracting market.
D: We assisted the owner of a mid-size energy company to sell the company to a large energy group. The company was difficult to sell so the process was long and complicated.
Markets and Marketing
A: One of Europe´s larger telecom companies wanted to get a GSM license in an Eastern European country. Competition was fierce and not clean. We assisted our client through our contacts (in business and government) in a clean lobbying campaign where we made business leaders push the prime minister and the telecom minister supporting our client as they were by far the most professional which should give significantly lower telecom prices. They got the license keeping their hands clean and the telecom prices in the country became much lower.
B: One of the world’s largest hygiene companies wanted to expand in Latin America. We investigated all markets and found that they should go for Chile. (They were already active in one other country). Customer interviews (restaurants, hospitals, large offices, etc) on the spot were essential in order to really get a grip of the market. We identified a company that we assisted our client to acquire. Our client has now approx. 40 % of the market.
C: One listed shipping company had ordered the construction of several ships in a challenging eastern country. During 6,5 years we were monitoring the development in the country and in the ship yards in order to be sure that deliveries would be made in time and with the right quality. Our client got an early warning system that would make it possible for them to take the right measures in time if a problem occurred. All turned out well and the deliveries became a success.
D: One of northern Europe’s largest manufacturing company had “white spots” in four Eastern European countries. We assisted them in the process of finding suitable acquisition targets, approaching the most interesting and “made” them for sale. Our client got support from us during the entire acquisition process.
Operational Improvements
A: One of the largest steel companies in the world wanted to improve their operations through better use of ICT-technique. It was important for them to first have a general view of what could be achieved before they hired IT-consultants etc. We took part in the implementation. The productivity improvements were substantial.
B: One of the world’s largest furniture producing companies had their largest plant in Poland. There had been problems with productivity and leadership in the plant for a long time. We assisted to sort out the problems – which had not been solved for years by other consultants. The key to success was that very senior, elderly consultants with long operational experience in similar fields (as managers) interviewed the entire management of the plant making crucial findings. Productivity increased substantially.