POSITIVE OUTLOOK IN PERSPECTIVE When I look back on the past
possible freedom and decision-
that the demand for process
two years and think about the
making speed.
equipment had disappeared
results that we have achieved,
completely. The orders that
the moment that we bought
Fantastic turnaround
were being placed were usually
Gouda Vuurvast and delisted
The crisis struck Gouda
granted at prices that were well
it is one of the more powerful
Vuurvast fast and suddenly; it
and truly below cost: not the
memories. It was our biggest
disappeared with equal alacrity.
most attractive of conditions
takeover to date. At the begin-
In July 2010, we took advantage
for booking an order. We were
ning of September 2008, we
of the possibility for part-time
therefore using part-time
signed the takeover and a week
unemployment insurance for
unemployment insurance
later, the U.S. bank Lehman
our personnel in Gouda, but by
as much as possible at FIB
Brothers failed, which turned
August 2010, we had to bring in
Industries in 2010. Fortunately,
out to have been the starting
all of our resources in order to
that, too, was temporary. In the
short for the worldwide finan-
hit production levels of 100%.
last months of 2010, demand
cial crisis. Within a very short
returned just as quickly as it had
time, major production orders
The situation has remained
that had been placed with Gouda
the same every since and
Vuurvast were cancelled, and the
we are now working out an
Starting in January 2011, the
company's capacity utilisation
investment project to increase
FIB Industries order book is
rate quickly dropped to between
the production capacity in Gouda
once again looking good, we are
40% and 60%.
by approximately 60%. Once
working at full capacity and the
again, it becomes clear that
crisis seems to be behind us.
The shock was great, but the
things can change quickly and
And partly because we had also
f lexibility of our personnel
that maximum f lexibility and
invested heavily in production
in confronting those kinds of
adaptability are constantly being
equipment at FIB, we are looking
problems proved to be even
required from everyone.
at a promising future here, as
greater. With all hands on deck,
disappeared a year earlier.
well.
we forged ahead. Fortunately, we
Still a temporary dip
didn't need the banks in 2008
As the most pressing concerns
A record
to finance the Gouda takeover
were easing at the Gouda
Fortunately, orders and capacity
and with our healthy financial
companies, we were confronted
utilisation remained good at
position since then, we haven't
with an strongly decreasing
the offshore operations and also
needed the banks since, either.
order book at FIB Industries.
the construction division kept
That gave us the maximum
When the crisis broke, it seemed
the ship on a reasonably steady
W V L S TA A L B O U W E R S •
RIJNDIJK TECHNICAL SERVICES •
RIJNDIJK STEEL CONTR AC TING •
RIJNDIJK ENGINEERING •
P&K R AIL •
M E B R A M E TA A L B E W E R K I N G •
L E N G K E E K S TA A L B O U W •
I N T E R S T E E L S L O VA K I A •
HSM STEEL STRUCTURES •
HSM OFFSHORE •
G O U D A V U U R VA S T S E R V I C E S •
G O U D A V U U R VA S T B E L G I U M •
GOUDA REFR AC TORIES •
GOUDA FEUERFEST •
GFD SERVICES •
FIB INDUSTRIES •
ANDUS GROUP SERVING THE INDUSTRY
volume 3 | no. 6 | April 2011
about you AND US A S S E L B E R G S V E N T I L AT O R E N •
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