Welcome Summer 2019
A Note from Filip Geeraert
Growing together makes us stronger.
O
ne of the things we do at Deceuninck that makes me proudest is creating partnerships and alliances. The best example of this is our longstanding customer alliances, which are unique in the fenestration industry. It is not easy to bring together different businesses, especially when the coalition includes competitive entrepreneurs with various management and leadership styles. Still, a recent study says it’s vital to all industry. The study was completed by KPMG, a multinational professional services company and one of the “big four” accounting organizations. KPMG interviewed 1,300 CEOs in 11 of the world’s largest economies and found “33% of respondents will prioritize strategic alliances over the next three years versus 16% who emphasize mergers and acquisitions.” The survey’s results also speak to CEOs’ realization that they need to find new ways to respond to disruptive forces. A great example is the auto industry. Many companies are now incorporating ride-sharing services or vehicle charging stations into their plans to prepare for electric-powered and autonomous vehicles. After all, it’s just not realistic for a single company to acquire all of these diverse capabilities, so strategic alliances enable them to do a number of things with flexibility.
As our own industry continues to evolve, the ability of companies to benefit from strategic alliances will also continue to grow. This may include fabricators working together, or collaborating with suppliers or service providing. Participating and building networks within our communities, both online and in-person will also take on more importance. There are lots of opportunities to learn, from both inside and outside our industry. At Deceuninck, working with others is part of our business philosophy, and it extends through our customer alliances, like Earthwise and AWA (who is celebrating their 20th Anniversary this year) and of course our Commercial Alliance (see our Sheldon Kahan interview in this issue.) This is also true for our local networks, like our partnerships with our local Chamber of Commerce, the European American Chamber of Commerce, and our collaborations with local schools and universities (see our article in this issue about our new partnership with Miami University.) And while we happily celebrate Deceuninck NA’s 50th Anniversary this year, we look forward even more to our shared future.
Here’s to the next 50! And stay tuned. Sincerely,
Filip Geeraert President and CEO