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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 •

HotLine


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