4 minute read
Losberger RDS • Philippe Doucet
Managing Director of Losberger RDS Losberger RDS is specialized in the support of men and equipment in the civil and military infrastructure sectors and crisis management markets for over fifty years, and is now present worldwide. The company is part of the Losberger Group, international leader of metal and textile structures mainly intended for the events industry.
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What are the activities and products Losberger RDS is involved in?
We have developed three main activities: crisis management, infrastructure supply and land use management. Since 1947, Losberger has supplied the Army, the Air Force and the Navy for many projects which are dedicated to protecting human interests or equipment. We are a NATO, Army and Department of Homeland Security supplier. We have developed hygrometry-controlled shelters where we keep the humidity below 45% in order to prevent the aging of the equipment. We are very successful in this kind of special equipment because very few companies are able to produce the same results in terms of power consumption and protection.
Overall, French military contracts are decreasing which impacts our turnover, meaning we need to compensate. In 2008, we were at 8 million euros turnover and last year we achieved 32 million euros. Previously, the entire Losberger Group had a turnover of 30 million euros which is today 140 million euros.
What kind of technology does Losberger RDS promote? How diverse are the company’s services?
With regards to the technology, the key word is “airtight” structures. Within these airtight structures we provide the dehumidifiers that we are able to control, thanks to a software we have developed to further regulate the humidity of the tents.
It is important to note that we are not simply a tents supplier; we provide the entire infrastructure. Therefore, we supply air conditioners, beds, medical equipment, panels, ceiling, roof, hard floors and walls, lighting, and even internal furniture. We are in this way, a “one-stop shop” because it is more practical to provide all of the services rather than make clients sign many different contracts. Thus, we are able to supply a structure which can be based on our dual technology. Furthermore, we provide a wide variety of frame types: PVC, aluminum, composite, steel, hot-dip galvanized steel, etc. The structure of the tent is at the core of our business, but we go a step further and ask what will be the purpose of the structure? This was the case in Kabul where we built a mobile hospital and supplied all of the internal medical equipment, lighting, air conditioning, etc. Consequently, for most of our projects, the tent only represents about 10-15% of the entire project. How is Losberger RDS able to provide such a wide variety of rapidly deployable products and services?
In order to provide all of these different products and services, we began using a turnkey operation system. We succeeded in partnering with companies which can provide added value. We have to provide such a system meaning that we use them as a partner and not as a subcontractor. Most of the time, even if we are not specialists, as in the case for air conditioning, we are able to supply the HVAC and keep the price as low as possible.
Another issue was that our clients do not wish to merely acquire our products. They also want logistics support to help in the setup and maintenance. In turn, we now have a worldwide maintenance team who is able to respond within 24 hours anywhere in the world. We have a base in Dubai and in Kosovo where we have made real partnerships in order to expand and to provide more services to our customers.
We are the lead contractors because we have a team that can respond on the ground. There are three projects that really show what we are capable of. First, when hurricane Sandy hit New York we were the first company to supply tents for the National Guard within eight hours. Second, when they had the blast one year ago in Brazzaville, we deployed tents to accommodate 1,000 people in a couple of days. And third, we built a mobile airport in Egypt ten years ago, which is still operating.
With 40% of turnover in exports, in which external domains, both geographical and market-based, is Losberger RDS likely to expand?
First, nuclear, biological and chemical (NBC) decontamination and collective protection are two issues that preoccupy many countries in the Middle East right now. They are looking for investment. They want to be prepared in case of problems, and therefore they are looking for products that can be quickly deployed and which offer real protection.
In terms of geographical zones of interest, we are looking at South America and Africa. The Middle East is not new for us as we have been working there for many years.
We are also interested in the US. However, they have special legislation, for example, the Berry Amendment or the Buy American Act, which stipulate that if you are providing a tent, you may not be allowed to sell to the American army, navy or air force if the PVC is not manufactured in the US. This does not apply to the Department of Homeland Security. If you have a good product they will be interested. The Berry Amendment is currently stopping us from exporting more to the US. So, we have set up a production facility in Frederick, Maryland and we are expanding. We also have production facilities in Shanghai, Germany, and Strasbourg in France.
We are a “one-stop shop” because it is more practical to provide all of the services in one contract.
