Strategy

For the period up to and including 2012 Imtech has drawn up an ambitious growth strategy based on both its successful past track record and a number of strategic trends in markets relevant for Imtech.

Continuous growth since 1993
Since the present company was established in 1993, Imtech’s strategic efforts have been focused on increasing revenue and raising the operational EBITA margin and thus increasing profitability through:

  • high organic growth in existing geographical and technological ‘home markets’;
  • strengthening its position through geographical acquisitions in the European ‘home markets’ selected by Imtech in order to achieve at least a top-3 position in every country;
  • strengthening its position, both organically and through acquisitions, in the partly Pan-European and global ICT, Traffic and Marine markets.

This strategy has been successful. Since 1993 Imtech’s revenue and EBITA have increased substantially and Imtech numbers among the fastest growing technology companies in Europe. The Compound Annual Growth Rate in the period 1993 to 2009 was 14% for the revenue and 22% for the EBITA.

Scope for further growth
The markets in which Imtech is active are very fragmented and offer plenty of opportunities for further organic growth and acquisitions.

Market trends and Imtech’s strategic response
Various market trends allow the realisation of further growth. Imtech wants to respond strategically to these trends.

An increasing demand for technology
Technology is playing a role in solving social issues more and more often. Without technology comfort and welfare are almost unimaginable and research is, by definition, impossible. Co-operation and communication between people and organisations only takes place thanks to modern technology applications. Technology keeps business processes running and improves them. Imtech manages to profit well from this increasing demand for technology.

Social trends
The following social trends are relevant for Imtech:

  • an increase in the demand for energy saving, alternative energy and fuels and solutions that contribute towards a better environment and reduced CO2 emissions;
  • an increase in the demand for safe and reliable technology for clean water;
  • an increase in the demand for security from the authorities, the business world and consumers;
  • an increase in the demand for care & cure, health and welfare;
  • increasing congestion and therefore a high demand for high-tech mobility solutions. Imtech responds to these social trends with innovative services and concepts.

A different customer attitude
More and more often customers are specifying their desired output. Which means that more and more often technical services providers must specify how they intend achieving this output. As a result Imtech’s responsibilities have increased considerably, especially as more and more often customers are also focusing on their own core business. The trend towards the further outsourcing of the responsibility for the technology in customers’ primary and secondary processes is, therefore, accelerating and is generally combined with an increase in the scale of projects or trajectories. Imtech wants to respond to this strategically and increases its added value again and again.

ICT as the dominant factor
The importance of ICT (information and communication technology) is growing structurally. This means ICT generally forms the core of solutions to social issues such as the environment, mobility, food provision, energy usage and water management. This is why Imtech wants to have a strategically strong European ICT axis at its command. From a strategic perspective Imtech wants its role to be at the heart of primary and secondary processes in the Buildings, Industry, Infra/Traffic and Marine markets. Increasingly Imtech’s solutions are dominated by ERP, business intelligence, customised software, performance software and ICT applications. Imtech’s strategic portfolio, with a total of over 2,600 employees, contains two ‘types’ of ICT:

  • ‘hardcore’ ICT: the front line for Imtech with ICT as a core business that acts as an innovation and knowledge centre;
  • ‘embedded’ ICT: the integration of standardised ICT solutions into Imtech’s technology.

Continuous transfer of knowledge and co-operation between the two ‘types’ has strengthened Imtech’s ICT position. The goal is to increase the internal co-operation and interaction of existing ICT activities, continue acquiring high-value ICT companies and strengthen the partnerships with world market leaders. Imtech’s ambition is to expand into a leading European co-operation partner in particular of IBM, Microsoft, SAP and Cisco.

Labour market
The shortage of technically trained employees is a critical success factor. The inflow from the educational institutes is decreasing while, slowly but surely, an older generation of experienced technicians is retiring. School leavers often need supplementary training. Yet increasingly the available capacity of trained and qualified employees is a determining factor when it comes to acquiring projects. Imtech wants to be one of the best employers in the technical services provision market. Imtech is taking on the ‘battle for talent’ at every level and is paying a great deal of attention to reputation management, ‘employee branding’, management development, recruitment and training programmes and contacts with the educational institutes.

Extension of the geographical and technological scope
In addition to a strategic strengthening of its position in existing ‘home’ countries, with the emphasis on the Nordic division, the UK, Ireland, Spain and Eastern Europe, Imtech also wants to strengthen its geographical position in Austria and to build up a position in the Baltic States. Imtech also wants to achieve a significant expansion of its position in ICT. In the Traffic market Imtech’s aim is to expand into one of the largest players in Europe and also hold a strong international position. In the marine market Imtech is focusing not only on strengthening its existing positions in Europe, China and the Far East, but also on building up a position in the Nordic region and expanding its international service network. Imtech is also aiming for reinforcement on the technological front both through the acquisition of high-tech companies and through participation in technology funds that invest in high-tech and opportunity-rich technological start-ups, especially those related to energy, waste and food in combination with innovative new sustainable technologies. Acquisitions must fit within the strategy, make an immediate contribution towards earnings per share and achieve added value. Acquisition candidates must also have a capable management and a synergy-growth potential.

Strategic action points
Concrete action points for implementing the SWOT analysis described above and the growth strategy until 2012 are:

  • a sharp focus on growth markets such as energy, , the environment, water, mobility (Traffic), care & cure and security;
  • acquisitions and internal co-operation in the field of ICT and the strengthening of partnerships with IBM, Microsoft, SAP and Cisco;
  • strengthening its positions in the UK and Ireland geographically, in the Buildings and Industry markets, and in the Infrastructure (drinking water and (waste) water treatment) market;
    technological and geographical growth in Spain;
  • expansion of the activities in several Central and Eastern European countries;
  • strengthening its positions in the Nordic region and Austria;
  • achieving a strong European position, and to a degree international position, in the Traffic market;
  • a further strengthening of the position in the global marine market;
  • a strengthening of the Imtech portfolio with high-tech competencies and by intensifying internal co-operation;
  • the optimum utilisation of Imtech’s procurement power;
  • strengthening the culture-changing processes, in part through a European management programme and management trainee programmes;
  • labour market communication and campaigns that put Imtech into a ‘top-of-mind’ position in the European labour market;
  • the implementation of a Corporate Social Responsibility policy that is appropriate for Imtech

Strategic progress in 2009
In 2009 progress was achieved on various strategic fronts:

  • robust organic growth was achieved in the energy, environment and (waste) water markets;
  • via its participation in Cleantech Fund IImtech was involved in the development of the future generation of sustainable technology for energy, water and the environment;
  • in the Nordic region last year’s acquisition NVS was integrated within Imtech and further growth was achieved through the acquisition of various smaller Scandinavian technical services providers;
  • in Spain the electrical engineering position was strengthened both organically and through an acquisition. As a result Imtech is in a better position to supply total technical solutions;
  • the position in Eastern Europe was reinforced by both organic growth in Poland and an acquisition in Romania;
  • internal co-operation was intensified and a strategic plan that provides for further growth in the near future was drawn up in the European ICT axis and the partnerships with world market leaders IBM, Microsoft, SAP and Cisco were reinforced;
  • in the Traffic (mobility) market European and international progress was achieved and the first phase of a strategic growth plan for Sweden was completed successfully;
  • within the Imtech Marine Group internal co-operation and cross-selling between the various Imtech marine companies was stimulated and several international service points were opened, pursuant to the existing strategic plan;
  • in the European labour market, campaigns aimed at making Imtech the ‘employer of choice’ in the technical services provision market were carried out;
  • internal co-operation was stimulated and the (future) management readied for the future through management and management trainee programmes;
  • good progress was achieved with the implementation of a Corporate Social Responsibility policy appropriate for Imtech. 
     
  • SWOT Analysis
  • Objectives
  • Outlook