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| Zumtobel Group is well placed in a dynamic market  Ulrich Schumacher, who was appointed CEO and interim CFO of the Zumtobel Group on 1 October 2013, is aiming to strengthen collaboration within the Group and thereby add value for all stakeholders:"My task is to lead and optimise the Zumtobel Group as a whole, " said Schumacher at his inaugural press conference in Vienna today. "In all of our business divisions we still have great scope for boosting efficiency and leveraging additional synergies. We will achieve a marked improvement in the cost structures at our plants. In the sales sector we will further strengthen our good customer relationships and market our portfolio in the best possible way in all regions. And we will strengthen our innovation power and add value through new offerings in the Controls and Services segment. My aim is to position the Zumtobel Group in such a way that as a whole we are more than the sum of our parts." Stable customer relationships an advantage in an extremely dynamic market environment The technology shift from conventional to digital lighting, Schumacher said, is driving far-reaching changes in the lighting industry, including the arrival on the market of very aggressive and established competitors, above all from Asia. In this dynamic market environment, the new CEO sees the Zumtobel Group in a good starting position: "Our main strengths are our stable customer relationships that have evolved over decades, as well as our good market position in Europe. With all three brands we cover key areas of the value chain, which means we have the opportunity to offer our customers innovative system solutions from a single source." Despite the current low level of construction activity in Europe in particular, the new CEO sees opportunities for global growth: "In a stable economic environment we expect to see industry growth of between 3% and 4%. The factors driving this growth are energy-efficient LED and control technology, as well as demand from Asia. So we will be focusing in particular on the topics of innovation leadership and growth markets." In the process, Schumacher will continue to invest in the ongoing development of the product portfolio. Leveraging synergies, promoting entrepreneurship, accelerating processes In his leadership approach within the Zumtobel Group the new CEO is focusing on more entrepreneurial thinking and more efficient processes as he aims to identify and leverage synergies at the Group: "From December onwards all of our luminaire production activities worldwide will be grouped within a single global function with the aim of attaining a clear improvement in cost structures and capacity uptake. We will have a flat sales organisation that keeps very close to the customer so that we can make better use of the strengths of Zumtobel and Thorn. Each of our three brands will constitute a separate business division to drive the strategic development of the product portfolio and bring about a clear acceleration of the time-to-market process." At Thorn the outdoor portfolio will be expanded with innovative products, while in the indoor sector cost-effective volume products will be added to the range. In addition, Schumacher is concentrating on the Controls and Services segment to strengthen the brand's innovation power, as well as on the further expansion of the global product portfolio. "One of the great strengths of the Zumtobel Group are its employees, " said Schumacher. "Over recent weeks I have visited almost all of the company's sites and talked with countless people. I am thrilled at the high level of knowledge, the enormous commitment and the great loyalty of the employees to their company. Across all divisions and functions we will be promoting entrepreneurial thinking and action as well as empowering our people, making the workforce our biggest competitive advantage." The CEO is keen to establish a dynamic corporate culture that helps promote an entrepreneurial approach across all functions and leverage the innovation potential within the organisation. This also includes an intensive exchange of best practices and a proactive approach to HR development in respect of continuing professional development for all employees and the early exposure of high potentials to new challenges. "The global lighting market is currently going through a fundamental change. The Zumtobel Group is one of the few global players in a good starting position. I took on the role of CEO to demonstrate how we can generate added value for the Group through a multi-brand approach. My goal is to draw on the combined strengths of all our brands to grow our market share and thereby lay the foundations for organic and external profitable growth, " said CEO Ulrich Schumacher, summing up his role. write your comments about the article :: © 2013 Construction News :: home page |