Europe Outlook Issue 1

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success Invest for

Sweden has been one of Europe’s top destinations for foreign investment over the last decade

badel 1862 40 Badel 1862 have been making wines and spirits for over 150 years

marriott drilling 66

Marriott Drilling’s success is driven by the pioneering work in shale gas exploration in the UK

edmi 77 After great success in the UK, EDMI are looking at expanding into new markets

AMREST 30 AmRest has now become one of the largest players in the quick service and casual dining sector

EUROPE OUTOOK ISSUE 01 AL S O T H I S I S S U E: n at i o n a l b us i n e ss awa r d s uk | a mp c o n tr o l uk | u n i t e d c a st b a r

REACH NEW

HEIGHTS Asia Outlook is a fantastic platform to share success stories and find ways of growing your business in Asia. To discuss your options, contact Ben Weaver ben.weaver@outlookpublishing.com

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W E L C O M E A New Dawn in Europe Welcome to the launch edition of Europe Outlook magazine. Our first issue will take a look at companies who are bucking the economic trend and working hard to ensure that despite the troubled financial situation Europe is still facing, there is a belief that the economy can be turned around, resulting in a stable and prosperous future.

Companies from the various sectors have not only been looking at implementing new and creative ways to build up their business and products, but some have been striking the perfect balance between tried and tested practices and modern techniques.

Our front cover feature for this issue is an investment profile on Sweden and how the Scandinavian country has consistently been one of Europe’s top foreign investment areas; partially down to a foundation of strong commitment to teamwork and a common understanding that the best results are achieved by working together.

On page 30, we feature AmRest, the largest independent restaurant operator in Central and Eastern Europe. The company have been building a portfolio of well-recognised and powerful brands such as as KFC, Pizza Hut, Burger King and Starbucks and are really helping to propel the quick service food industry forward in Europe.

On page 40, we feature Badel 1862, who have been making wines and spirits for over 150 years by taking the best techniques from their past and merging them with current methods, in order to produce truly spectacular drinks for the burgeoning European market. Another company really utilising past and present techniques to maximum effect is Amp Control UK, who for over 100 years have proudly pioneered bespoke engineering for hazardous environments.

We also take a look at Europe’s national football teams, who have been competing in Brazil for the 2014 World Cup against countries from South America, Asia, Africa and Oceania in a bid to become world champions.

Our first edition of the magazine is packed with features and profiles from a variety of sectors, offering something to suit everyone.

Matt Bone “The future depends on what you Editor, Outlook Publishing do today.” ― Mahatma Gandhi

Editorial Editor: Matt Bone matthew.bone@outlookpublishing.com Sub-editor: Emily Jarvis emily.jarvis@outlookpublishing.com

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In this issue of Europe Outlook...

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& D R I N K

AMREST Everything is Possible

With over 750 category leading restaurants, AmRest have ambitious plans for growing their portfolio

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BADEL 1862 The Spirit of Croatia

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C&C GROUP Raise Your Glasses

R E S O U R C E S

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MARRIOTT DRILLING Your Partner for Drilling Solutions

Marriott Drilling’s success is driven by the pioneering work in shale gas exploration in the UK

T E C H N O L O G Y

Badel 1862 have been making wines and spirits for over 150 years

C&C Group are behind the best selling and leading Irish cider brands Bulmers and Magners

MANUFACTURING

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EDMI The Future of Smart Metering Solutions

After great success in the UK, EDMI are looking at expanding into new markets

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NEWS

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WORLD CUP SPECIAL FIFA World Cup 2014 Europe Roundup

L O G I S T I C S

All the latest top stories across the month from Europe

Europe Outlook highlights the European teams taking part in the World Cup in Rio

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NATIONAL BUSINESS AWARDS UK Ben Weaver: Entrepreneur The Managing Director of Outlook Publishing Becomes Duke of York New Entrepreneur of the Year Award Finalist

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INVESTMENT PROFILE Sweden

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SHOWCASING LEADING COMPANIES Tell us your story and we’ll tell the world

Europe Outlook takes an inside look at Sweden’s investment and business potential

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UNITED CAST BAR Rock the Cast Bar

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AMP CONTROL UK Always in Control

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To date, United Cast bar hold the record for the world’s largest continuous cast iron bar

For nearly 100 years, Amp Control UK have been at the forefront of bespoke engineering for hazardous environments

BIBBY SHIP MANAGEMENT Comprehensive Technical Management

Bibby Ship Management’s adherence to the Quality Management System means that they prioritise the long term interests of their clients

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EVENTS

Europe Outlook highlights upcoming events on the continent

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Young UK Professionals Vote Hong Kong as Number One Overseas Relocation City ong Kong has been named as the top overseas relocation destination by young British professionals, in research carried out by one of the world’s largest independent financial advisory organisations. deVere Group, which has 80,000 clients in 100 countries globally and $10bn under advice and management, reports that in a recent poll 26 per cent of its UK-based clients under the age of 35 claimed that China’s Special Administrative Region would be their number one choice for relocation if they were to leave the UK. Hong Kong was followed by Dubai (23 per cent), New York (19 per cent), Cape Town (15 per cent) and Sydney (7 per cent). 10 per cent of those surveyed cited other destinations including Abu Dhabi, Barcelona, Tokyo and Geneva.

Of the 365 UK-based young professionals who were polled in this survey, 78 per cent said they have ‘seriously considered’, ‘are thinking about’, or ‘would be tempted’ to move overseas. deVere Group’s founder and chief executive, Nigel Green, remarks: “Relocating overseas is always a big step and so the benefits and rewards for doing so need to be clearly identifiable and substantial.

“Naturally, high achieving young professionals like those who participated in this survey, would be looking at global destinations that are perceived to offer the very best career and remuneration opportunities available; and preferably have a

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competitive tax rate in order to maximise their income whilst abroad.

“Bearing these important ‘pull’ factors in mind, it makes perfect sense that Hong Kong and Dubai topped the poll for British professionals under 35.

“Perhaps the reason why Hong Kong ranked just slightly ahead of Dubai, by three percentage points, is due to it being arguably more familiar in business terms because of its former British colony status.”

He continues: “Besides the top five overseas relocation destinations all being major international business hubs and having comparatively lower personal taxation than the UK, they also share other characteristics.

“For instance, they all have large, established expatriate populations, English is the primary business language, infrastructure and communications are world-class, and they are all well-served by airlines servicing UK airports.”

Mr Green concludes: “I would suggest that those key international business hubs that didn’t make the list need to be asking questions regarding what they should be doing to become more attractive to the very best young professional talent in the UK, the majority of whom are prepared to relocate overseas.”

Te c hno l o g y

Europe’s Tech Sector Creates 30 $1 Billionplus Businesses Since 2003 Europe has produced 30 technology companies worth more than $1 billion (£590m) since the millennium, according to research that explodes the myth that the region’s internet entrepreneurs lack vision and sell up too early.

Clothing retailer Asos, games studio King Digital, property portal Zoopla and music service Spotify are among the select group of Europe’s most valuable technology companies, most of which remain independent.

The research, conducted by boutique investment bank GP Bullhound, shows Europe compares well to the US, which produced $39 billion companies between 2003 and 2013.

These valuable startups, which the researchers refer to as “unicorns”, are few and far between. Statistically, it is very hard to find one, and the 30 produced in Europe account for just 0.27% of comparable tech firms founded in the last 14 years.

“Europe is much more adept at creating billion-dollar tech companies than most experts expected. The fact that it is in touching distance of the US demonstrates how both the ambition levels and ecosystem have progressed to allow entrepreneurs to scale global businesses,” said GP Bullhound cofounder Manish Madhvani.

The UK, with its big domestic market, love of online shopping and high level of internet and smartphone adoption, has been most successful in creating technology millionaires – since January 2000, the country has produced 11 unicorns. Among these are recently listed appliances retailer AO World and takeaway service Just Eat.

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RESOURCES

EU Plans to Cut Greenhouse Gas Emissions by 40 per cent The EU have ambitious plans to cut CO2 emissions by 40 per cent by 2030, however this is predicted to lead to a drop in the continent’s GDP by between 0.1 and 0.45 per cent based on current trends.

This information is contained in a somewhat overlooked passage in the impact assessment report which accompanies the proposal.

The finding, which originated in the Cambridge Econometrics model, appears at odds with estimates in the latest IPCC 5th assessment report released yesterday, that global decarbonisation would take just 0.06 per cent off global economic growth figures by 2030.

These conflicting figures depend entirely on pathways, and the

Commission rejected high energy efficiency and renewable options in its 2030 climate and energy impact assessment that would have offered higher long term GDP numbers and lower costs to industry.

The predicted negative GDP effects of the 40 per cent greenhouse gas target would be “more limited if carbon pricing is applied throughout the economy, via ETS or carbon taxes, and if revenues are used to lower labour costs,” by reduced labour taxation, the EU analysis says.

The EU’s climate and energy communication also pitched a 27 per cent share for renewable energy in the continent’s energy generation by 2030 that would be optional for member states, and was hailed for its economic prudence by the EU’s hierarchy, Euractiv reported.

“An ambitious 40 per cent greenhouse reduction target for 2030 is the most cost-effective milestone in our path towards a low-carbon economy,” the European Commission President José Manuel Barroso said at the time of the 2030 proposal launch.

According to the 2030 impact assessment, industry will pay for the EU’s proposed decarbonisation by 2050 by paying a carbon price of €40 a tonne by 2030, which will rise to €264 by 2050. There is some debate as to whether this proposal will hold water as the target seems a difficult ask with huge amounts of controversy attached.

Clarke. The core supermarket business had suffered against a backdrop of a Tesco to Launch lack of investment, whilst competitors Smartphone by the end have been eating into its dominant market share. of the Year Mr Clarke vowed to win back shoppers with millions of pounds of After the success of its Hudl tablet price cuts, after the store posted a launched in 2013, the UK’s biggest second year of falling profits in April. retailer is to release a Smartphone Full-year group trading profit fell 6 later this year. per cent in Tesco’s last financial year The plans were confirmed in May to £3.3 billion with its market share for the own-brand Smartphone, which standing at a 10-year low of 28.6 will run Google’s Android software, per cent. The supermarket’s focus with a specification that is comparable to devices such as the Samsung Tesco has sold more than 500,000half on securing growth, in addition to tech-based product lines – has result Galaxy S5. . The model would also a million of their budget tablets, with be pre-installed with Tesco services, plans to launch a second version – the in a return to the United States with its F&F clothing business. Mr Clarke including Tesco Bank and online Hudl 2 - later in 2014. shopping apps. Although the price is The supermarket giant’s tech product coined the phrase “New Tesco” to sum up his effort to change the yet to be disclosed, the Smartphone range is part of a wider turnaround is aimed at building on the success of strategy implemented around two years company focus to suit the needs of the Hudl, which was priced at £119. ago by the firm’s Chief Executive, Philip the local community.

Te c hno l o g y

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however, with no indication that the £46.26 price tag was final – which is likely to send Shire’s share price soaring.

The offer was described as “barely adequate” by Savvas Neophytou, analyst at Panmure Gordon, who argued AbbVie would have to come up with an offer over £50 per share to make the deal happen. “Shire’s rare diseases business is one of the hottest assets in biopharmaceuticals,” he wrote in a research note.

This could kick off a takeover battle for Shire, a perennial takeover target. It initially built a niche with amphetamine-based drugs to treat ADHD, but has used the revenues from these treatments to expand into lucrative orphan diseases and specialty pharmaceuticals.

US based AbbVie, which was spun out of larger Abbot Laboratories last year, now has until July 18 to make a full and final offer. Like many US-based pharmaceutical companies, it is seeking to bolster its pipeline, but also potentially to be more tax efficient.

Shire is based in Dublin for tax purposes, and buying it may also enable AbbVie to take advantage of a “tax inversion” by spending overseas revenues rather than bringing them back to the US to be taxed.

5 percent last year and the performance of Nidan was worse than the market,” he said, adding the company had been considering the move for some time and made the closure decision at the end of last year.

The beverage giant bought Nidan in 2010, which were the fourth-biggest juice maker in Russia at the time.

Multon, which it acquired in 2005, has two plants with a combined production capacity of more than 790 million litres a year.

The Russian juice market fell by 6 percent year-on year in volume terms in January-September 2013, according to market researchers in Nielsen. In addition to falling market volumes, both Coca-Cola and its rival PepsiCo are faced with increased competition from local Russian brands.

The plant closures coincide with an economic slowdown in Russia. The economy is on the brink of recession, having started to shrink in the first quarter of this year due to capital outflows and declining investments, resulting from Moscow’s involvement in the Ukraine crisis.

Kravtsov said Nidan accounted for around one third of Coca-Cola’s juice production in Russia.

Shire Rejects Takeover Offer from AbbVie FTSE 100 pharmaceutical company Shire has rejected a takeover bid from US-based AbbVie. Shire’s shares price shot up by 13 percent in early London trading on 20th June following the announcement.

The US company has made three proposals since early May – the first at £39.50 per share ($67.33 per share), the third and most recent at £46.26 per share (in a mixture of cash and AbbVie shares). Both represent a substantial premium to the share price of £37.38 at the close of Thursday. The final deal would have valued the group at some £27 billion ($46 billion).

AbbVie said in a statement: “There can be no certainty that any firm offer will be made. Discussions are no longer ongoing.”

The statement seemed to leave the door open for future discussions, Food & D rin k

Coca-Cola to Close Two Russian Juice Plants as Market Shrinks Coca-Cola is closing two of its four fruit juice plants is Russia in response to falling demand in the country, putting at risk hundreds of jobs in a business which the US company had bought for $276 million only four years ago.

The company will close the two plants run by its Nidan unit on the 1st June, transferring some of their capacity to the other juice unit, Multon, before the year-end, spokesman Vladimir Kravtsov said.

The plants being close are located in Novosibirsk in Siberia and one in the Moscow region. Some of the unit’s 1000 staff will be offered jobs at Multon, Kravtsov says. “The juice market fell by

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T echnology Huawei Signs Benchmark Deal with Euler Hermes to Cover European Mobile Business Against Payment Default uler Hermes, the global leader in trade credit insurance, and Huawei, a leading global ICT solutions provider, today announced an agreement to cover the trade receivables for Huawei’s consumer device business in Europe.

In 2013, Huawei’s consumer business was the world’s third largest supplier of smartphones by units shipped and contributed 24% of Huawei’s global revenue.

This agreement provides a new supporting framework in respect of credit management arrangements for Huawei’s Consumer business in Europe.

Using its proprietary database of companies operating in markets covering 92% of global GDP, Euler Hermes will support Huawei’s Consumer business to prioritise target countries for market entry, assess and categorise potential business partners based on their credit and payment history, and manage its portfolio of existing business relationships.

“Operating in highly competitive European business environments with diverse regulatory frameworks, and given our global market reach, we require service partners with extensive knowledge and experience both in Europe and globally,” explains Cathy Meng, Huawei Corporate CFO. “This is a pioneering partnership for us as it will help to free up management and

financial resources to focus on innovation, brand value and differentiation related to highquality, reasonably-priced consumer and industrial products.”

“This partnership is a significant milestone for Euler Hermes since our APAC team provides all consultancy and Euler Hermes World Agency unit covers Huawei’s European consumer device business,” explains Wilfried Verstraete, Chairman of the Management Board of Euler Hermes.

“Chinese multinationals are now able to obtain trade credit insurance solutions meeting the highest standards of corporate governance, and tailored products that fit their needs wherever they trade.”

The agreement was announced at the Huawei Information & Communications Technology (ICT) Finance Forum in New York. The agreement is issued by Euler Hermes World Agency, the dedicated team within the Euler Hermes Group specifically tasked with servicing multinational clients through tailored solutions, and the global market leader in the multinational segment. Terms and conditions have been structured and harmonised to support Huawei’s governance.

Making its foray into global markets as early as 1997, Huawei ranks among the pioneering Chineseheadquartered multinational operations going global. Key selection criteria for Huawei included product and geographical coverage, and financial solidity.

Euler Hermes’ AA- ratings, from Standard and Poor’s and from Dagong Europe as the first and only non-Chinese insurer to be rated by a Chinese rating agency, were key.

Euler Hermes – the largest and fastest growing private market credit insurer in the Asia Pacific supports companies to establish and maintain trading relationships, from initial counterparty vetting to prompt claims payment in the event an approved counterparty defaults on payment. Counterparty risk in both developed and emerging markets is monitored throughout the life of each policy.

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UK has the Second Best Education in Europe The UK is in second place among European countries for its education services, and sixth overall in the global education league table.

In the top global education league, South Korea has taken the number one spot, with three other Asian countries and Finland making up the top five. These rankings come from education and publishing firm, Pearson and include higher education as well as international school tests, which boosted the UK’s position.

The rankings are based upon an amalgamation of international tests and education data, including the OECD’s Pisa tests, two major US-based studies, Trends in

International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) and Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS).

Pearson Chief Executive, John Fallon, highlighted the economic importance of improving education and skills development. These latest international comparisons were compiled for Pearson by the Economist Intelligence Unit and emphasise the success of Asian

B usiness

Medtronic to Buy Covidien The world’s biggest medical devices maker (in terms of sales), Medtronic, will buy Ireland-based rival Covidien in a US $42.9 billion agreement that could increase concerns about the rush of US companies striking deals to cut their tax bills.

“This acquisition will allow Medtronic to reach more patients, in more ways and in more places,” Medtronic Chairman and CEO Omar Ishrak said in a statement.

Minneapolis-based Medtronic will create two new, Irish-listed companies called New Medtronic and New Medtronic Sub through which it will channel the transaction.

As well as saving on Medtronic’s tax

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bill, the acquisition is expected to deliver around $850 million of annual pre-tax savings by the end of 2018.

“To finance the deal, they have some $13 billion to $14 billion in cash trapped overseas. They wanted to free that up to use that,” former Medtronic Chairman and CEO Bill George told CNBC.

education systems, with South Korea, Japan, Singapore and Hong Kong in China rated as the highest performers.

However, the UK shows a strong performance in sixth position, behind only Finland in the European countries surveyed, placing it ahead of Germany, France and the US. Finland previously held the top spot and have now moved to fifth, reflecting a downward trend for a number of Scandinavian countries.

However, Poland has climbed the ranks and now sits in the top 10.

The Pearson Learning Curve Index ranks 39 countries on their educational performance.

To view the whole report, visit: http://thelearningcurve.pearson. com/index/index-ranking Medtronic is the latest US company to do a “tax inversion” – to move its base overseas for tax purposes, so that overseas revenues will be taxed at a lower rate. This kind of move particularly suits pharmaceutical companies because they tend to be cash-rich and generate a significant amount of their revenues overseas.

Geoff Martha, Medtronic’s Senior Vice President and Chief Integration Officer, said the acquisition gives the company financial flexibility needed to invest in more earlystage companies.

Medtronic has pledged to invest $10 billion into U.S. technology over the next 10 years; a figure it says will cover research and development, venture capital investment in start ups and acquisitions.

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Russian Startup Prixel Develop Painting-Copying Technology ussian company Prixel has developed technology that allows copies of paintings that fully convey the texture of the artist’s brushstrokes to be printed at a cost of no more than $200.

The only similar technology is unable to match this price, with the price of making one copy of a painting reaching up to $33,000. Prixel’s technology uses a conventional wide-format set of ultraviolet printers in its work, which makes it possible to seriously reduce costs. The Prixel program allows not only for the ‘reading’ of brushstroke contours, but also of the paint’s colour and shine. Prixel saves information on the layers in a file with a format developed by the program itself.

“A regular reproduction of a Van Gogh painting, of course, conveys the mood of the painting and a general impression of the artwork, but without replacing the contours of the forms taken by the strokes of the artist’s brush, the uniqueness of his technique is lost,” says Lyubov Cherevan, owner of Prixel.

According to the owner, as the original painter did not dilute his canvas, this means heavy and thick stokes still remained on the painting. The new technology allows for the complete transfer of this texture.

Prixel’s first printer was a test run, as the cost price of

reproducing artwork was too high. A small painting (8x10”) cost $5,000. At the time, the technology was based on printing simultaneously on a 3D printer and a UV printer. However, in just half a year, Prixel succeeded in reducing the cost 500 times by not using a 3D printer and by improving its technology. Now the creation of a 16x20” picture costs just $40.

The Russian company unveiled its printer at almost the same time as photo industry leader Fujifilm. The Japanese company tested similar technology last summer, in cooperation with the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam. However, each copy

by Fuji will cost more than $33,000.

The founders of Prixel hope they will be able to successfully negotiate with the State Hermitage museum in St Petersburg on the digitisation of the masterpieces in its collection. Additionally, they are looking at Amazon as a potential partner as approximately 300,000 reproductions are sold through the internet store, with Van Gogh and Picasso bring the most popular prints. However, the current paintings sold are in 2D on Amazon, so would be idea for reproduction with 3D technology.

Fin a n c e

BMW on Track to hit Record Sales in 2014 BMW have reported that they are on track to hit record vehicle sales and pre-tax profit this year. The increased demand in China - up 25 percent from last year - has helped the German luxury car maker post a 2.6 percent rise in the first quarter operating profit.

Group sales of BMW, Mini and RollsRoyce cars were up 8.7 percent, which is a new record for the automotive giant.

In Europe, sales climbed by 3.4 percent, despite a 1.4 percent fall in Germany.

BMW car sales were up 12.1 percent, which can be put down to the demand for the X1, X3 and X5 off-roaders and its 3 series sedan.

This helped to offset a 12.5 percent fall in sales at Mini, as the company prepared to launch a new version of the brand’s core model.

Euronews reported that the Munich-based BMW reiterated its aim to achieve a significant rise in sales volume in 2014 to two million cars or more, after it delivered a record 1.96 million Mini, Rolls Royce and BMW cars in 2013; they cautioned that the recent political and economic uncertainty may impact sales across Europe.

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With the FIFA World Cup in full flow, Europe Outlook follows the progress of the European teams through the tournament Writer Matt Bone

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oundup Belgium

vils) (Red De ls e iv u de D 38, m e: Ro 1934, 19 2 ic k n a N m a : 1930, 00 s Te 2 p , u 8 C 4, 199 rld 9 o 9 1 W , 0 s 9 u 9 P r e v io , 1982, 1986, 1 70 9 1 , 4 5 9 1 ilmots for the Marc W : r e alifiers g u a q n ly a n M eo win were th mpionship to ; elgium a B h e point : C n t o n c a n a e a F p h t o r e u r ls E mo goa EFA roup by ced on 1984 U lifying g p Spain advan a u q ir the ers-u al runn eventu scored. s u lt s Cup Re d l r o 2 01 4 W eria 2–1 Alg m iu lg e B sia 1–0 Rus ium Belgium 0–1 Belg a e r tes o K ited Sta South aet) Un ( 1 – 2 Belgium Belgium ls of the ina 1–0 ter Fina ree r a u Argent Q e d for th group with th ver qualifie o ir Belgium n topping the ra time victory hen io t t x it e t e r e e t p h w g m co d. They ntina by ard fou n h u a o r d t n wins a nockou tition by Arge in the k e the USA ut of the comp o d e k c o kn goal. a single

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Te a m N ic k n a m e: Zmajev i (Dragons) Zlatni ljiljani (G olden Lilies) Pr ev io u s W o r ld Cu ps: Appearing in 1st World Cup their M a n a g er: Sa

es) ry On he Fie T ( i n 6 re 2, 200 e: Vat 8, 200 9 knam 9 c 1 i : N Cups Team orld W s u io e Prev Kovač for th : Niko r e peting dependent g m a o c n a M f atia n in part o p as a 8, Cro In 199 e World Cu playing as rd place. : ct Fa 3 th sly eviou essive ime in first t , having pr in an impr d ry count via, finishe la s u lt s o g Yu p Res u C d orl 2 01 4 W tia 1 Croa – 3 l i z roatia Bra 0–4 C n o o r o hind Came up be the Mexic o r 3 g – 1 ir a i the ed to Croat third in id not proce uropean d e h finis k to nd d ing E Croatia d Mexico a the upcom eam will loo n t h a e it Brazil nd, but w fication, th li ou next r nships qua ng fashion. ro pio t s m a a h C ck in a b e c boun

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fet Sušić Fa ct: Bosnia -Herzegovina’s notable goal difference durin g qualification (for 30, agains proved crucia t 6) l, edging them past a Greece that finished le side vel on points in European zo qualifying, to ne secure direct passage to Br 2014 and a first azil appearance at a FIFA World Cu p.

2014 W o r ld Cu p R es u lt s Argentina 2– 1 Bosnia and H erzegovina Nigeria 1–0 Bo snia and Herze govina Bosnia and H erzegovina 3– 1 Iran Bosnia and Herz egovina finished a respectable 3rd in their grou p, which include d former winne Argentina and r 2013 Africa Cup of Nations cham Nigeria, and w pions ill look to be ba ck in 4 years tim e.

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nd The Three Lions , 1958, a l g n E 4 e: 0, 195 nam 0,

France Te am Ni ck na m

e: Les Bleus (The Blues) Pr ev io us W or ld Cu ps: 1930, 1934, 1938, 1954, 1958, 1966 , 1978, 1982, 1986 , 1998 (WINNERS), 2002 , 2006, 2010 M an ag er: Didi er Deschamps Fa ct: France won the FIFA World Cu p in 1998, becoming one of eight national te ams to ever do so while host ing the tournam ent.

2014 W or ld Cu p Re su lt s France 3–0 Hond uras Switzerland 2–5 France Ecuador 0–0 Fran ce France 2–0 Nige ria France 0–1 Germ any France were sadly knocked out of th e competition

by Germany in a ho tly contested mat ch, but will take heart from kn owing the current crop of players will be one of the favourites to go all the way on home soil in the 20 16 European Cham pionships.

, 199 : 195 Nick C u p s 1982, 1986 Team d l r 970 Wo RS), 1 ious P r e v 66 (WINNE 10 0 19 006, 2 1962, 002, 2 2 , is the 8 gson 9 19 team e ll y Hod a o b R t : th foo ager ed at tional Man nd na ; it was form organised la g n orld wed e was : The E Fact est in the w d. A fixtur 2 and is vie , n 7 ld ch 8 la t joint-o e as Scotth ovember 1 otball ma o im f N t l ly e a t 0 sam den ation on 3 depen e layed intern and p rst official ms were in n being th a fi ha as the the two te ed, rather t ion. t t se becau and opera ball associa ed ot t o c f le le e g s lt s of a sin Re s u work p u C orld 2 01 4 W land –1 Eng 2 y nd l a t I Engla y 2–1 a nd u fter g u Ur Engla ition a with 0 t – e 0 p a m p co Ric ’s ir grou of the Costa d out g last in the as the team r e h s a r w e c in t t f It d a . n in , e o app 1958 nam Engla g a dis int to their tition since matches in h is fin pe po wo e com single ning t only a exit from th h their ope t ot earlies feated in b e d g . in e be tim e first for th

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F I F A

W o r l d

C u p

2 0 1 4

Germany

Te a m N ic k n a m e: Nationa lmannschaft (national team ), (Die) Manns chaft (The Te am) Pr ev io u s W o r ld Cu ps: 19 34, 1938, 1954 (WINNERS ), 1958, 1962, 1966, 1970, 1974 (WINNERS ), 1978, 1982, 1986, 1990 (WINNERS ), 1994, 1998, 2002, 2006, 20 10 M a n a g er: Jo achim Löw Fa ct: German y have qualified for all of the 17 World Cups it has entered – it did not ente inaugural com r the petition in Uru guay of 1930 an could not qual d ify for or com pete 1950 World Cu p as the DFB (G in the post-war erman Footba Association) w ll as reinstated as a FIFA mem only two mon ber ths after this to urnament.

2014 W o r ld Cu p R es u lt s Germany 4–0 Portugal Germany 2–2 Ghana United States 0–1 Germany Germany 2–1 (aet) Algeria France 0–1 Ger many Germany 7–1 Brazil Fi n a l 13 July 2014 Germany v Arg entina

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Greece

tional) niki (Na h t E : e am N ic k n blue-white) Team ky S 0 ( i lefk 94, 201 Galano u ps: 19 C d l r us Wo P r e v io Santos 4 nando r e F : RO 200 r ge EFA EU the U t Mana a h triump acle of ll reece’s he pinn e Fa c t: G l represents t vement as w ie ga h ce u c e t a r e r o g G P in ride. tballin p o l o a f n ’s io y t nks to a of na countr osts tha final. h source e e s g e u u h as a in the ortug e the P as goal e m t a is c r r a e ov s Ch Angelo solitary s u lt s Cup Re d l r o 2 01 4 W reece ia 3–0 G Colomb ce –0 Gree Japan 0 d’ivoire e t 2–1 Cô e c e e r G reecealties 5-3) ica 1-1 G n rd minute Costa RRica win on pe h a 93 it w (Costa e 6 1 t inst Côt e las ched th s Samaras aga p but were a e r e c e Gre orgio grou from Ge e in the shing penalty secure 2nd plac a Rica after pu ire. t o s t o e e C h to t w s by d’Ivoir penaltie ide all the way erial seat n o n e t s bea anag rican th Ame antos left the m fter his team u o S e h t S ya ernando expired the da Coach F t c a r t n o c after his ked out. oc n k e r e w

sport

s) e Blue rri (Th u z z A ), Gli INNERS , a m e: W n ( k 4 c 3 i 9 7 N , 19 0 s: 1 Team d C u p 4, 1962, 1966 1994, l r o 0, 195 1990, ous W P r e v i NNERS), 195 ERS), 1986, 012 I N N W 010, 2 (WI 1938 ( , 1982 ERS), 2 8 N 7 N 9 I 1 , W 1974 006 ( 002, 2 i 1998, 2 randell ul esare P ccessf p C : r e ost su g Cu a m n d ld r n a M Wo seco of the 34, 1938, re the y r a o t ly a is It h 19 Fa c t: team in the titles ( won 4 al g n in io v t a a h n Brazil, behind 2006) d n ts 1982, a Resul d Cup l r o 2 01 4 W taly d 1–2 I

Englan ta Rica –1 Cos 0 r ly a t I ay es afte Urugu ut stag head 1 o – k 0 c o ly kn Ita nd g ach the ame, a d to re in the final g manager citin t e il a f ly a n y a a e Ita li g u a a g t to Uru quit as the It the group s losing i ll m e o d r f ran ess coach P ure to progr is reason. il h a f a ’s p ly Cu s Ita 4 World 1 0 2 e h t

Italy

Netherlands

Te am Ni ck na m

e: Oranje (Orang e) Pr ev io us W or ld Cu ps: 1934, 1938, 1974, 1978, 1990, 1994 , 1998, 2006, 2010 M an ag er: Loui s van Gaal Fa ct: The Dutch hold the record fo r playing the most World Cup finals withou t ever winning the tournament.

They finished seco nd in the 1974, 1978, and 20 10 World Cups, lo sing to West Germany, Argent ina, and Spain re spectively.

2014 W or ld Cu p Re su lt s Spain 1–5 Nether lands Australia 2–3 Ne therlands Netherlands 2–0 Chile Netherlands 2–1 Mexico Netherlands 0–0 (aet) Costa Rica Netherlan ds win on penaltie

s 4-3

Netherlands 0–0 (aet) Argentina Argentina win on penalties

4-2

Sadly the Netherlan ds lost on penalti es to Argentina after a hard fought match , and will face Brazil in the 3rd pla ce playoff.

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F I F A

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2 0 1 4

Portugal

Te a m N ic k n

a m e: A Selecç ão (The Team ) Pr ev io u s W o r ld Cu ps: 1966, 1986, 20 2006, 2010 02, M a n a g er: Pa

ulo Bento Fa ct: In 1995 , Portugal wer e invited to pl the SkyDome ay at Cup in Toront o, Canada agai Denmark and nst Canada. With a draw agains Canadians (1–1 t the ) and a win ag ainst the Dan Portugal won es, the trophy, w hich remains date as their on to ly win at senior level.

2014 W o r ld Cu p R es u lts Germany 4–0 Portugal United States 2–2 Portugal Ghana 1–2 Po rtugal In the last grou p stage match , despite the sm chance of adva all ncing to the ne xt round, Port beat Ghana 2-1 ugal but failed to ad vance due to a lower goal diffe rence against the United Stat who also finish es ed the group w ith 4 points an went through d instead.

a órnay aya sb n l á n io e: Nat tional k n a m Russian Na c i N ( T e a m o futbólu 1990 yp i s s 1930 - 002 ) o m R m a o r e f T all 94, 2 p s: Footb l d C u t Union 19 r o ie W e Sov ious P r e v layed as th p o Russia Capell ean Europ allon : Fabio r r e e m g r a (B fo Man three Yashin 5), and ia has ear – Lev 7 s s 9 1 u ( R Y : Fa c t llers of the leh Blokhin a ,O Footb ner 1963) in 6) w 8 r d’O v (19 s elano B r s u lt o Ig up Re C d l or public 2 01 4 W rea Re o K 1 – a1 a Russi Russi m 1–0 round a i Belgiu k out s c s o u n R k the he ia 1–1 y for t r showing in t after f Alger li a u to q spec poo failed in pro 018 fter a Russia orld Cup a ar future is ion of the 2 t W ll a e e t n of th tages. A s host s ted as group as appoin w Russia up.

C ld Wor

a Russi

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sport

Spain

Switzerland

Te am Ni ck na m e: Schweizer Na ti (Switzerland Na tional Team) Pr ev io us W or ld Cu ps: 1934, 19 38, 1950, 1954, 1962, 1966 , 1994, 2006, 2010 M an ag er: Vlad imir Petković Fa ct: In 2006, Sw itzerland set a FI FA World Cup record by be ing eliminated fro m the competition desp ite not concedin g a goal, losing to Ukraine in a penalty shoo tout in the last 16, by failing to score a single penalty – becoming the fir st national team in Cup history to do this.

oja

uria R

La F a m e:

n 1962, Nick 1950, 002, , 4 T e a m d Fury) 3 9 1 ,2 e u ps: , 1998 (The R rl d C 1990, 1994 o W ious 986, P r e v 78, 1982, 1 S) 9 1 ER , N 1966 010 (WIN que 9 2 , 6 el Bos e 200 0 d 20 e t n d Jun ing e n a ic V 6 : all 200 ager d-equ mber Man Nove for a recor loss to n e e their ated p; : Betw Fa c t ent undefe hes before rations Cu c e t w d a Spain ecutive m ded a Confe s in the il, and inclu 35 con ed States z a r nit with B ak. the U hared inning stre s d r o a rec 15-game w d e s u lts recor Cup R d rl o s rland 2 01 4 W Nethe 5 – 1 n Spai hile 0–2 C nd Spain Spain ions a ia 0–3 hamp were l c a r g t s in Au e reign , Spain wo eing th udded team after only t a b e it p t g s s e in r g t Des a a a t t e ing a s the group s pride by b t s a o b le ated in d a litt elimin but restore m 3-0. a , games ustralian te A y k c lu p

2014 W or ld Cu p Re su lts Ecuador 1–2 Switz erland Switzerland 2–5 France Switzerland 3–0 Honduras Switzerland 0–1 (aet) Argentina Despite their best efforts, Switzerlan d went out of the competition in the last 16 after conceding a 118th minute goal from Angel Di Mar ia, to see Argentina throug h to the next roun d.

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N A T I O N A L

B U S I N E S S

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U K

BEN WEAVER E N T R E P R E N E UR Ben Weaver, Managing Director of Outlook Publishing Becomes Duke of York New Entrepreneur of the Year Award Finalist

TS FINALIS AFTER DECIDED SINESS NEW BU RS FOUNDE VE AT ST PITCH LI ’S H A L L , GEORGE OL LIVERPO

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en Weaver of Outlook Publishing - the publishing company behind Africa, Asia and Europe Outlook magazines - has been announced as a finalist for the Duke of York New Entrepreneur of the Year Award for this year’s National Business Awards, following a live pitch in front of an audience and panel of expert judges at Liverpool’s St George’s Hall on the 24th June. The judges decided the five finalists who will now face a public vote to help choose the overall winner of the award.

Outlook Publishing is an international publishing and media company specialising in producing global business-to-business magazines.

They are a young, dynamic and passionate company keen to be the market leader in the industry and their publications reach a wide and varied audience across the world.

WWW.EUROPEOUTLOOKMAG.COM

Ben Weaver said: “Attending the event was a great networking opportunity.

Meeting like-minded individuals aspiring to build new businesses in the UK as well as meeting the Duke of York was fantastic and I came away with some great advice and ideas. To stand up in front of the judges and audience to pitch my business was nerve-racking but ultimately rewarding and I am honoured to make the final 5.”

Outlook Publishing presented a three minute pitch on their business model, key achievements and elements underpinning future growth alongside the other ten semi-finalists. The judging panel – which included Ed Wray, co-founder of Betfair; Charmaine Eggberry, former Wayra director and CEO of Plan B Consulting; Thea Green, Nails Inc founder; Guy Rigby, Head of Entrepreneur Services at Smith & Williamson; and Simon Burckhardt, Managing Director of Vonage UK

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- commented on the exceptional talent and future prospects of the finalists. They focused on the market opportunity identified, the model to capitalise on it and how it has been executed within the first 18 months of trading.

The Duke of York has with the National Business Awards established the Award as part of his support for the UK’s promising new entrepreneurs. HRH believes that encouraging more entrepreneurial endeavour will lead to greater opportunities for people to become economically active. Speaking at the event The Duke described how committed he is to supporting initiatives – such as the award - that accelerate, amplify and reward entrepreneurial skills.

HRH The Duke of York remarked: “If we’re going to employ people we’re going to have to be more entrepreneurial. We’re going to have to find ways of encouraging young people or people who are in businesses, who see a niche in the market, to get out there and start their own business. What’s very interesting listening to each of the semi finalists, has been the fact that you’ve all come from different backgrounds, you’ve all had different experiences and you’re all setting off down a path, not only to be a business in its own right, but you want to grow quickly. If there’s one thing that can make a difference to prosperity in the UK it’s high growth, fast growth businesses. Listening to these people shows that we’re on the right track.”

Alex Evans, Programme Director for the National Business Awards highlighted: “The courage and conviction of these new entrepreneurs really came through in their pitches. What they all had in common was a purpose beyond profit – with personal values embedded in their business models.”

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Vonage, a leading provider of internet telephony for small businesses, and Lead Supporter of the Duke of York New Entrepreneur of the Year Award, has partnered with the National Business Awards to find and recognise the best first-time business founders.

They will now provide each finalist with access to their products and services to help them continue to grow their business.

Simon Burckhardt, Managing Director of Vonage UK claimed that “Entrepreneurs like Ben Weaver of Outlook Publishing are the back-bone of this economy. They along with the other semi-finalists are an example of the innovation, creativity and passion that exists in the UK business community. While we may have selected five finalists, the competition was tough, not unlike the current business environment.”

The ten semi-finalists benefited from face to face presentation

coaching to hone their three minute pitch – provided by Beermat Entrepreneur Mike Southon, who designed the ‘5 P Elevator Pitch’ to focus on Pain, Premise, People, Proof, and Purpose. All registered attendees used a new web-based networking app to connect before, during and after the event, provided by Iwaz.at, and the audience was able to pose questions, vote and poll throughout the event using sli.do.

Recognising enterprise excellence, innovation and ethics, the thirteenth annual National Business Awards will celebrate a range of achievements through 17 award categories – the winners will be revealed on 11 November 2014.

To vote for Outlook Publishing as your Duke of York New Entrepreneur of the Year finalist and to attend the National Business Awards visit www.nationalbusinessawards.co.uk

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I nvestment

I nvestment profile 22

P r ofile

Sweden Europe Outlook takes a closer look at Sweden’s investment potential Writer Emily Jarvis SOURCE: www.isa.se

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finance

Clean Environment and Quality of Life Sweden has a unique position as an innovation leader while also being a caring, inclusive society with strong social cohesion. Ethical values such as equality between men and women, sustainable development and human rights are deeply engrained in the national mindset. Preserving a clean

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weden is a constructive and rewarding environment in which to do business. As an international centre for innovation, it combines a culture of openness to new ideas with a readiness to embrace change.

Swedes have an uncomplicated, no-nonsense approach to doing business. Organisations are founded on a strong commitment to teamwork and a common understanding that the best results are achieved by working together. Employers actively encourage staff at all levels to take individual responsibility. This not only ensures a high level of support for management decisions but also enables a quick transition from concept to implementation.

Organisational structures are flat and non-hierarchical. The emphasis is on pragmatism and modernity rather than adherence to tradition and convention. By harnessing personal initiative and flair, companies create and foster environments in which new ideas and innovations can emerge and flourish.

Rules and regulatory frameworks are clear, transparent and enjoy wide acceptance. Bureaucracy is minimal. Ethical standards in business are high, with personal integrity and honesty viewed as essential personal attributes. Sweden ranks consistently among the least corrupt countries in the world in Transparency International’s annual rankings.

investment

p r ofile

Automotive

Choosing Sweden for automotive development means access to some of the world’s leading car and truck manufacturers, and some of the world’s largest automotive groups. It also means access to an R&D environment where suppliers and consultants frequently work together and where it is easy for a new company to integrate itself in the cluster.

Five large global automotive groups perform automotive research and development in Sweden; the car manufacturers Ford and GM as the owners of Volvo Cars and Saab Automobile, truck makers Volvo Trucks and Scania; and Autoliv, a leader in automotive safety. The cluster has established a leading position in several important growth areas.

Sweden has been one of Europe’s top destinations for foreign investment in the last decade. Strategically located in Northern Europe and the Baltic Sea region and endowed with a generous supply of technologies, knowhow and natural resources”

and healthy environment is a national imperative. Proactive stewardship is acknowledged as vital in order to pass on a habitable environment to future generations. Sweden has long been recognised as an international leader in environmental protection and is currently engaged in an ambitious drive to become the world’s first oilfree economy by 2020.

Investment Hotspot

Green Solutions

With its advanced infrastructure, progressive mindset and ambitious capacity expansion plans, Sweden offers major investment opportunities in combined heat and power plants that use different types of biofuels and waste combustion. There are also exciting opportunities in cellulose-based biofuels and scores of innovative cleantech companies. Swedish firms have been specifically targeted by the United States as sources of innovation in alternative fuel technology.

Forty percent of energy consumption is today sourced from renewable energy resources, placing Sweden first among its European peers. Some 15 percent of all gas filling stations offer bioethanol (E85). Swedish universities and R&D companies have developed cutting edge waste-to-fuel and engine technologies that may help industry to meet new standards and regulatory frameworks which emerge in response to concern over climate change.

New technologies for black liquor gasification and biomass gasification are being pioneered to manufacture fuels such as dimethyl ether (DME), methanol, synthetic petrol, synthetic diesel and hydrogen gas.

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Sweden has been one of Europe’s top destinations for foreign investment in the last decade. Strategically located in Northern Europe and the Baltic Sea region and endowed with a generous supply of technologies, know-how and natural resources, the country is strongly positioned to meet investor demand of the future.

As competition between countries and regions for crossborder investment intensifies, Sweden remains one of the world’s most attractive locations for foreign investment. The ratio of foreign investment stock to GDP is surpassed by only a few other highly internationalised economies like the Netherlands and Ireland. From the mid1990s, Sweden’s economy underwent a major shake-up, spearheaded by regulatory reform and accession to

finance

People, businesses and public authorities in Sweden are among the world’s most advanced users of new technology. Swedes are also among the quickest to adopt new applications and technology.

Many leading ICT companies – including Google, Huawei, Oracle and Symantec – have established global R&D centres in Sweden.

Here they develop, test and launch new products and services for a wide range of applications. Sweden is also a preferred platform for marketing and sales in Northern Europe.

Advanced industrial and public buyers have fed the growth of a sophisticated and highly skilled ICT industry. Among the major players are Ericsson, the world’s largest supplier of mobile systems, and TeliaSonera, a major provider of telecommunications services. The Stockholm-Kista cluster is one of the world’s strongest for mobile communication technologies. Sweden was ranked second in World Economic Forum’s Global Information Technology Report 2007–2008, which focused on the ability of individuals, businesses and governments to capitalise on information technology for innovation and societal development.

Science & Research

Sweden is the source of a number of groundbreaking inventions, including the implantable pacemaker, the artificial kidney and blockbuster drugs like Losec and Genotropin. It is also the home to two of Europe’s most distinguished biotech clusters and Europe’s fourth largest biotechnology industry. Many global pharmaceutical and biotech companies capitalise on Sweden for in-licensing, clinical research or partnerships with academic research institutions.

Companies such as Astra, Elekta, Gambro and Pharmacia bear witness to Sweden’s century-long tradition of industrial success in life sciences.

Today, the industry employs 42,000 people in more than 800 companies, with coverage throughout the value chain and with particular strengths in drug discovery and development as well as medical technology and medical engineering. Sweden is home to two of Europe’s most distinguished biotech clusters: the Stockholm Uppsala Bioregion and Medicon Valley in the Öresund region. Sweden has six medical universities, each with its distinctive profile and specialist expertise. Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm is one of the world’s leading biomedical universities. A survey comparing biomedical research productivity in the US and the European Union placed Sweden first in four out of five categories measuring citations and publications in relation to population size and R&D expenditure. Major disorders in which Swedish scientists possess outstanding expertise include diabetes, obesity, insulin resistance, atherosclerosis, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.

the European Union. The ensuing rise in foreign investment saw the flow of incoming funds reach near parity with the volume of Swedish assets abroad.

Many foreign companies have turned to Sweden as a source for innovation or for access to new, promising markets. Studies show that many of them are successful, growing their businesses, expanding their workforces and handing increased responsibilities to the Swedish organisation.

Natural Hub for Northern Europe

Sweden is the ideal location for business activities related to the Northern Europe and the Baltic Sea region as a marketplace, such as regional headquarters, logistics, contact centres, shared service centres and facility management. This is not surprising, given that Sweden has the largest economy, offers a large and diverse customer base and is at the heart of the region geographically. Sweden is often chosen as the base for centralised

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Technology

investment

p r ofile

Retail

Sweden welcomes international store concepts and provides a firm platform for entry to Russia and the Baltic markets. The retail sector has experienced increased sales growth for over a decade as consumers allocate larger shares of their spending to retail products. The Swedish retail market has enjoyed positive annual growth for more than a decade, fuelled by steady population growth and rising disposable incomes. Total retail sales account for one third of total private consumption. Retail sales growth has been particularly strong in out-of- town shopping centres, and many such facilities are being upgraded, enlarged or under construction.

Crossborder shopping along the national borders with Norway and Finland is booming.

logistics, offering advanced distribution and communication infrastructure.

It is the only country to offer 24-hour distribution to all major destinations in the region. Swedish customer support and sales centres perform work across Northern Europe for companies like American Express, DHL, Sykes, Teleperformance and Transcom.

A workforce with strong language and computer skills, competitive operating costs and world-class telecommunications makes Sweden a choice location for tasks that require high levels of quality and service.

A Country that Delivers

Manufacturing

Sweden provides many answers to industry demands for innovative, intelligent and transport- efficient packaging. Available know-how spans the entire value chain - from new materials to complete packaging systems. Foreign companies can benefit in numerous product and process development issues and, more specifically, can establish research partnerships and perform pilot manufacturing and printing performance tests of new materials.

A number of groundbreaking packaging inventions, including the Nefab, PLM, Tetra Pak and Åkerlund & Rausing ranges of products, have been developed in Sweden and achieved widespread success in global markets.

As one of the world’s largest paper and pulp producing nations, Sweden offers specialist skill in fiber-based packaging. Extensive research efforts are devoted to the development of new materials, particularly fiber composites and other renewables, such as starch, gluten and xylan.

Finance

The benefits of investing in Sweden stem largely from the high productivity and efficiency of Sweden-based business operations.

Sweden offers value for money.

What is less known is that it is also one of Europe’s most competitive locations for corporate taxation.

Comparative surveys of national business environments and analysis by international tax consultants confirm its advantage in this area.

Physical infrastructure is of a high standard and includes excellent housing, transportation and communications. Major investment in higher education and basic research, the presence of home-

Stockholm, the Swedish capital, is a major financial centre, hosting one the largest stock and derivatives exchanges in Europe and a diverse range of foreign banks and financial services companies. Stockholm serves as a typical base for corporate banking activities in Northern Europe, which is natural given the significant presence of corporate headquarters nearby and the importance of Sweden’s financial services industry.

There are opportunities in retail and private banking – growing market segments traditionally served by Sweden’s four largest banks. The fact that Swedes are the world’s most advanced users of online banking services facilitates market entry.

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finance

The travel and hospitality industry offers a range of investment opportunities to hotel owners and operators, theme park operators, and service and infrastructure providers. Potential exists both in city-related hospitality and in tourism allied to Sweden’s ski, adventure/wilderness, golf and seaside offering.

Between 2002 and 2006, Sweden’s international tourism revenues more than doubled. Visitor volumes increased faster than the European average, and almost all Swedish regions recorded increases. Large-scale investments in facilities have been completed and more are under way throughout the country, including in the larger cities and in attractive summer and winter destinations. The high quality of the natural environment (clean air, pure water) as well as a strong focus on sustainable development favour future tourism development in Sweden.

The benefits of investing in Sweden stem largely from the high productivity and efficiency of Sweden-based business operations”

grown research-intensive multinationals and a solid scientific infrastructure have made Sweden a world leading R&D supplier.

Invest in Sweden Agency (ISA) actively promotes ten Swedish industry and service sectors to foreign investors. For further information, please consult ISA directly or visit www.isa.se.

Real Estate

Sweden is one of Europe’s most favoured foreign investment markets for real estate. Offering outstanding transparency and high liquidity, the market is recognised for its professionalism, low transaction costs and investor- friendly business procedures.

With nearly SEK 140 billion (€15.6 billion/$21 billion) in transactions, Sweden was Europe’s fourth largest investment market in 2007. Foreign investment accounted for almost 50 percent of acquisitions.

Twelve of the 30 largest property owners are non-Swedish.

All types of investors are present, including property companies, institutional investors and property funds from the US, Europe, Middle East and Asia. Sweden is among Europe’s top-four countries in terms of transparency. This refelcts a longstanding tradition of openness in public property records, a highlyevolved legal system and an abundance of readily available market information. Market transparency, the reliability of the legal system and common use of standardised documentation contribute to keeping transaction costs low.

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Tourism

L E A D I N G C O M P A N I E S urope Outlook is a leading business to business publication that promotes and showcases the leading companies on the continent. The digital and print publications are aimed at boardroom and hands on decision-makers in a wide range of industries, reaching over 195,000 business executives every month. With over 11,000 unique visitors to our website on a weekly basis Europe Outlook is the platform to promote your business success.

Our bi-monthly magazine features leading companies and business executives by profiling their operations in their own words. Covering all aspects from supply chain, investments and developments, best practice, innovation, growth plans and future project and products we aim to promote all that is good about industry, economy and business.

Producing business profiles across all sectors and regions of Europe we give companies the opportunity to tell their story to our readers.

Read on for this month’s profiles!

Emily Jarvis Sub-Editor

w w w . e u r o p e o u t l o o k m a g . c o m

If you want to enjoy the exposure and coverage we can offer please feel free to contact me and we can discuss the opportunity at length. Tell us your story and we’ll tell the world.

emily.jarvis@outlookpublishing.com

A m R est

Everything isPossible The long standing significance of the “Everything is Possible” mantra for AmRest emulates the entrepreneurial spirit of the company’s founders and the company’s ambitious growth plans Writer Emily Jarvis Project Manager Glen Newton

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A M R E S T

mRest Holdings SE (AmRest, WSE: EAT) is the largest independent restaurant operator in Central and Eastern Europe with a growing international presence. Since 1993, the company have been building a portfolio of well recognised, power brands such as KFC, Pizza Hut, Burger King and Starbucks based on a solid franchise and joint venture partnerships. AmRest also owns the La Tagliatella brand in Spain which is being developed internationally as both company operated restaurants and franchised stores. Recently, AmRest acquired two unique brands operating in China: Blue Frog and Kabb.

Today, AmRest operates over 750 category leading quick service and casual dining restaurants, with headquarters situated in the southern Polish city of Wrocław. Through their “Everything is Possible” culture,

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Most restaurant holding companies are regional, whereas we have spread our wings across Central and Eastern Europe in order to provide for the ever-growing quick service market as a multi-brand operator”

every day 20,000 AmRest employees in 12 countries across 7 brands deliver delicious food and exceptional service at affordable prices. “Most restaurant holding companies are regional, whereas we have spread our wings across Central and Eastern Europe in order to provide for the ever-growing quick service market as a multi-brand operator,” explains Wojciech Mroczynski, Executive Director of AmRest.

Wszystko Jest Mozliwe – Everything is Possible Running throughout AmRest’s history is the idea that “Everything is Possible” or “WJM”. In 1993, the CEO and founder of AmRest, Henry McGovern, along with his business partners acquired a prime property at the beautiful, main square of Wrocław, a city in southwestern Poland. One of the partners, Don Kendal Sr, a longtime Chairman and CEO of PepsiCo,

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challenged Henry to open a Pizza Hut on the ground floor of their newly acquired building. Shortly after they received an offer for the Pizza Hut franchise. “Such an opportunity could not be missed and thus, the Everything is Possible (Wszystko Jest Mozliwe, in Polish) mantra was born,” affirms Mroczynski. “The phrase was repeated over and over to any naysayers and the restaurant was opened, with outstanding success and on time, in November 1993. The philosophy of Everything is Possible has fuelled our entrepreneurial culture throughout the company’s life.” From its roots as a small restaurant start-up business, AmRest has now become one of the largest players in the quick service and casual dining sector.

Continually Growing Portfolio Since 2005, AmRest has been a public company, listed on the Warsaw Stock Exchange. As one

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Taking on this leading brand is a new chapter for us; a lot of people do not know that Spain has the largest market per capita for the restaurant market.

This means that initial business has been very successful”

of the first operators of foreign restaurants in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), AmRest’s extensive portfolio continues to grow; on average, they open a new restaurant every three days. “More recently, we have acquired western-style concepts –Blue Frog and Kabb restaurants - in some of the major Chinese cities, which is proving to be highly profitable and scalable. This further expands our reach as at the moment, around half of our portfolio is in Poland,” Mroczynski says.

Three years ago AmRest acquired Italian restaurant chain La Tagliatella in Spain, and Mroczynski is excited for the new expansion opportunities this is bringing: “Taking on this leading brand is a new chapter for us; a lot of people do not know that Spain has the largest market per capita for the restaurant market. This means that initial business has been very successful.”

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A mRest

“Our business model rests on three pillars: People, Brand, Scale” Before AmRest, there was no heritage in the quick service and casual dining industries in CEE as Mroczynski highlights: “In the beginning, securing people was one of our key challenges when developing our business. We had to develop people and their expertise from the ground up as there was no expertise to be hired.” As with any restaurant business, millions of interactions are made each day both internally within the company and externally with their customer base. “As a result, all of our processes start and end with people,” adds Mroczynski.

“Operational excellence is what distinguishes a good player from a great player, and we believe this is one of the reasons we have been so successful,” states Mroczynski. This can only be achieved by bringing the right people on board and providing them with the right systems and tools to ensure excellence in how we operate. AmRest go to great lengths to provide high quality restaurants and accompanying services, including sourcing fresh chicken for their KFC branches, even going as far as marinating the fresh meat on site.

“This high consistency really makes a difference. Even though KFC is not our own brand, we have treated it as our own since day one.”

The second part of AmRest’s unique selling proposition is leading brands. “We make the point to always choose reputable brands, which are leaders in their respective categories. We strive for the best restaurants in order to secure scalable businesses, which can only be secured if you have a unique business model; ours includes seeing through the eyes of our customers.”

As the company continue to increase the number of restaurants under

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their belt, further emphasis is placed on the happiness of their customers.

“The first two ingredients, i.e.

People and Brands, are indispensable to drive our growth and ensure the necessary Scale, our third component of success formula. It matters not only in such typical areas as achieving economies of scale in purchasing, accessing attractive locations or being able to launch effective marketing campaigns. Scale also opens up a lot of new growth opportunities for our people and our shareholders,” Mroczynski adds: “Truly a win-win outcome!”

BHAG Aspiration BHAG - or Big Hairy Audacious Growth - is a popular term at AmRest that comes from the book From Good to Great by Jim Collins. When discussing long term growth plans with Mroczynski, the BHAG aspiration

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Our shareholders are important to us, and we want to make sure that they receive adequate returns, whilst exceeding expectations”

really works for AmRest: “In the next 10-20 years, we strive to surpass the US$1 billion sales mark which we are currently reaching. With McDonalds as the biggest player in this sector, we are ambitious and wish to overturn this one day, becoming the largest globally. If our past is anything to go by and we continue growing at the current pace, we will catch up with them by 2032. Though this is a distant and stretch aspiration it provides for us a clear sense of direction.” Further, Mroczynski wants to grow both the top line and bottom line faster so that shareholders can see an ambitious 20+ percent return: “Our shareholders are important to us, and we want to make sure that they receive adequate returns, whilst exceeding expectations. Therefore, continuing to fuel our growth means that we can continue to open new restaurants and achieve profitable expansion.”

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A mRest

Henry McGovern- Founder and Chairman of the Supervisory Board

We believe no amount of training will change a negative attitude, therefore we insist on hiring people with a positive attitude who have fun working and are engaged at work” Wojciech Mroczynski- Chief Strategy Officer

Bringing Fun to Life AmRest recognise that profit is not the sole purpose of their business and with some 20,000 employees on hand, both staff and customer happiness is crucial for the business to succeed. “With over 120 million transactions made per year in our restaurants, it is not just about the money that changes hands. As the majority of our staff are in customerfacing positions, we have to nurture a positive energy and attitude within our staff. We believe no amount of training will change a negative attitude, therefore we insist on hiring people with a positive attitude who have fun working and are engaged at work.” Further reinforcing this core value is AmRest’s back to basics programme, where even those in senior managerial positions, including all Executive team members, are tasked with a few restaurant shifts. “At the end of it

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A M r E S T

INTERNATIONAL FOOD LINK

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FL are proud to have been associated with amrest for 20 years in helping to execute a reliable supply chain supporting their international foodservice brands. we congratulate amrest on their continuing success story.

IFL have been a supply chain partner to many of the leading global brands in casual dining, quick service restaurants and coffee businesses in over 60 countries. the company provides a range of specialist services helping to provide safe ongoing supply in all product categories and protecting brands entering new markets.

Tel +44 (0)1268 290180 Fax +44 (0)1268 290190

www.intfoodlink.com

We want employees to feel more engaged in what they do...

Senior management need to be role models who live and breathe our core values to our general staff”

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all, we want employees to feel more engaged in what they do. I have to say that I found it a very enlightening experience; it is really refreshing and you learn a significant amount about your people, business and customers.

Senior management need to be role models who live and breathe our core values to our general staff,” mroczynski emphasises. moreover, for the last couple of years the company conduct an annual engagement survey with nearly 90 percent response rate from the staff indicating a rising engagement score year-on-year.

The long standing significance of the “Everything is Possible” mantra for amrest as a company, emulates both the entrepreneurial spirit of the company’s founders and AmRest’s ambitious growth plans which are sure to continue propelling the company forward in the coming years.

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BONA-AGRA

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n 1993 we were among the first companies starting co-operation with restaurant chains entering the polish market. today’s relationships are solid and beneficial for us and our clients.

As a company, Bona-Agra is able to offer a full supply of fruit and vegetables, ready to eat mixed lettuces, fresh sauces based on yogurt or mayonnaise, fresh soups, vegetable salads and the famous coleslaw that can be found in KFC restaurants run by AmRest.

Bona-agra Sp. z o.o.

Nadma, Szkolna 11 05-261 marki poland Tel (+48) 22 786 94 95 Email info@bona-agra.pl

www.bona-agra.pl

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B adel

1 8 6 2

Croatia T he S pirit of

Badel 1862 have taken the best techniques from their past and merged them with current methods in order to produce truly spectacular drinks Writer Matt Bone Project Manager Glen Newton

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adel 1862 PLC, founded and based in Zagreb, Croatia in 1862, has a proud and historic tradition. For 152 years Badel 1862 have been a name synonymous with the production of high quality alcoholic beverages, wines and soft drinks. The company are proud of their tradition of uniting the experience of the most competent experts in the various areas of drink manufacturing in Croatia.

Today, the company is the leader on the Croatian alcoholic beverages market and one of the leaders in winemaking, as the company is constantly adjusting and reinvigorating their present product portfolio.

A Brief History

Badel 1862 is proud of its tradition and by interweaving the year of inception into their name; the company honoured not only its ancestors but also unmistakably identified itself as a company with a long tradition.

Franjo Pokorny, who laid the foundations of alcoholic beverages production, at first produced, packaged and distributed alcoholic beverages all by himself. This seldom seen persistency soon started to bear fruits; as time went by he turned his production into the largest export force in that line of business. Soon he expanded his markets to numerous Central European countries and, additionally to significant European capitals, he also supplied the French imperial court of Napoleon III with his liqueurs.

The second famous name, Mijo Arko, was one of the first Croatian experts in wine cellaring. In 1867 he established a wine and brandy store.

His son Vladimir inherited and further developed the industrial production of spirits and liqueurs and made the factory Arko, a respected name in the production of cognac, sparkling wine, rum, rakija liqueurs and other drinks.

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Ba d el

1 8 6 2

The factory Patria, established in 1886 with its own distillery, was prominent for its rich offer of chosen alcoholic beverages. Patria’s main product was Patria Brandy, whose popularity outlived the company.

After World War II there were significant changes - the liqueur factory and alcohol refinery, Marijan Badel, was established. A quarter century later it merged with Vinoprodukt, a company owning the most wineries throughout Croatia which was the starting point of winemaking tradition in BADEL. Having entered the 21st century, Badel 1862 launched a modern bottling plant for spring and mineral water in Apatovac. Since 2006, BADEL Group has a new member – Eurobev

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Badel 1862 are the undisputed leader in alcoholic beverages in Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Macedonia�

d.o.o., (a company producing fruit juices, nectars and syrups as well as carbonated and non-carbonated refreshing soft drinks). The company was integrated in BADEL 1862 d.d. at the beginning of 2011.

Supporting the Economy

Badel 1862 prides itself on being a strong employer within the Croatian economy. The number of employees currently on staff is approximately 500. However, during the main wine producing season, the company bring in additional workers in their vineyards for grape picking and other similar tasks. When you then take into consideration the other facets of wine making, approximately 2000 people

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are directly working alongside the company including direct employees, grape producers, wine producers, producers of plums for alcoholic beverages, producers of spices and herbs for the renowned Pelinkovac.

Badel 1862 are the undisputed leader in alcoholic beverages in Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Macedonia.

Badel 1862 are also present in other European markets such as Germany, Poland, Czech Republic, Netherlands, Slovenia, Switzerland and Italy.

However, they are not just confined to Europe, Badel 1862 have spread their distribution to include the USA, Canada and Australia, making them a truly global alcohol producer. The company are especially focused on strengthening their emerging position in the spirit markets of China, where they are building a business with a focus on their premium spirit products.

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1 8 6 2

The company’s products have been highly successful and critically acclaimed, winning some of the highest prizes and awards on a regular basis, including the Monde Selection, Vinalies Internationales in Paris; Decanter World Wine Awards from London; MUNDUSvini in Germany and Vinitaly from Verona, Italy, where their wines have won more than 45 medals during the last ten years. Badel 1862 wines are regularly finding their place in the publication “1000 Vins du Monde”, Thousand Wines of the World published by the French Oenologist Association.

Past Meets Present

Badel 1862’s portfolio

includes beverages with a strong tradition and special fermentation technique crafted over three centuries, and these lines are exactly the type of products which have secured their longevity in an increasingly flooded market, by constantly delivering amazing quality. The only changes to these prestigious drinks are in the design and modern production technologies that Badel 1862 are now employing. Badel Prima Brandy, Badel Pelinkovac Bitter and Badel Stara Šljivovica (Cherry Brandy) are just some of the traditional products on offer from the company.

The philosophy deeply embodied in the business foundations of Badel 1862 is the constant focus on the

DINGAč Skaramuča

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he tradition of the viticulture and winemaking of the family Skaramuča is old as the family itself and our love of this has passed down from generation to generation.

Since 1992, the family Skaramuča have operated as a private producer of grapes and wines, and our participation in various trade fairs and professional events has yielded 50 medals and awards for the quality of our wines.

The Skaramuča vineyards are located in prominent positions of the Peljesac peninsula, belonging to the parish and the position of Peljesac Dingač. The southern slopes of the Dingač vineyards are spread over an area of 20 hectares.

We annually produces 70,000 bottles of fine wine Dingaè, 20,000 bottles Dingaè Barrique and 60,000 bottles of quality wine Plavac that are recognized by their quality both in the domestic and international markets.

Tel +385 020/742-211 Email dingac-skaramuca@ dingac-skaramuca.hr

www.dingac-skaramuca.hr

The philosophy deeply embodied in the business foundations of Badel 1862 is the constant focus on the future and products to capture new markets”

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future and products to capture new markets, endeavouring to take the best from the company’s past and merging it with current practices and new techniques. With this combination of tried and tested and new-age production methods, Badel 1862 is striking the perfect balance between tradition and novelty, between European criteria and authentic Croatian values. As a company primarily owned by the state, Badel 1862 are currently in the process of finding a strategic and/or financial investor, with whom they could then become an independent company from the state.

“Drink less, but of the best!” is the slogan best reflecting the mission of Badel 1862. Supporting responsible behaviour and culture of living, promoting culture of drinking, cultivating tradition, continuous top quality – all of these are values which represent Badel 1862.

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C & C

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Raise Your Glasses C&C Group have developed and created a very good business and production strategy, where they have developed a multi-beverage model that is true to their ethos of being a truly local producer Writer Matt Bone Project Manager Glen Newton

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C & C

G R O UP

&C Group plc are a manufacturer, marketer and distributor of branded cider and beer, proudly based in Dublin, Ireland. The Group are behind the best selling and leading Irish cider brands Bulmers and the widely regarded premium international cider Magners. The company also makes and distributes Tennent’s Lager, the iconic Scottish drink.

Keeping Up With Demand

In 2005, C&C were an Irish business selling cider to the local Irish market, but in 2006 the company launched the Magners brand to the rest of the UK, which became a major success.

However, to keep up with demand from the UK market, the company decided to invest heavily in order to meet the projected sales of the cider. The Board of Directors appointed three new executives to run the business and by

Porter Lancastrian Ltd

Instead of just selling beer and cider, C&C Group have also branched out into wine, spirits and soft drinks in order to expand their market reach in order to further strengthen their position at the top”

P

orter Lancastrian Ltd is a leading manufacturer of drinks dispenses fonts and associated branding.

Operating from their manufacturing headquarters in Chorley in North West England they trade globally, supplying the worlds brewers and brand owners.

With ‘in house’ design, manufacturing, and engineering facilities together with a ‘state of the art’ digital print facility they are your ideal partner to design and manufacture all your Point of Contact merchandise requirements.

They have a long trading relationship with C&C Group. They recently supplied the innovative multi media tap marker for the Bulmers brand. This innovation brought multi media content to the bar top, for the first time. This allowed the brand owner to achieve powerful brand awareness at the customer point of contact.

Other developments have included the Magners Golden Draught tower and more recently they have provided a customized ‘Chaplin Bistro’ from their range for the launch of Heverlee, the Belgian Premium Lager.

Current developments include the choice from the “Spinal Tap” range, of the “Vega” tower to launch the Clonmel 1650 brand.

Porter Lancastrian Limited Lower Healey Business Park Froom Street Chorley Lancashire PR6 9AR England Asia Office: Porter Lancastrian Limited Suites 715-716, 7/F, Shatin Galleria, 18-24 Shan Mei Street, Fotan, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong Tel +44 (0)870 871 0113 Email sales@porta.co.uk

www.porta.co.uk

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C & C

G R O UP

2009 the company were in a position to acquire the Irish, Northern Irish and Scottish business arms of AnheuserBusch InBev, including the Tennent’s brand; thus expanding their business into the Scottish market and paving the way to a brighter future.

A Multi-Beverage Strategy

The company’s diverse and highly successful wholesaling approach has cemented the Group’s position as a market leader. Instead of just selling beer and cider, C&C Group have also branched out into wine, spirits and soft drinks in order to expand their market reach in order to further strengthen their position at the top.

As well as this multi-beverage strategy, C&C are also trying to break into the niche beverage market by investing in craft brewing. The company have made two investments in the last 12 months in the craft brewing sector and have recently built a small brewery on their Clonmel site in Ireland. The development has a capability of 100,000

hectolitres of beer a year. The intention at the start was to create a new Irish lager called Clonmel 1650, as 1650 was when Cromwell invaded Clone Mill.

In Scotland, C&C Group are just about to open a new site called Drygate, a joint venture with Williams Brothers. It will be a very small brewery being built with a restaurant and a bar with a sales outlet. The company have refurbished an abandoned building and view this as a way into this smaller crafts brewing sector.

Local Roots, International Appeal C&C are proud of their origins however, they owe a lot to the strength of the UK cider and beer market. The company have always had a strong position in Scotland and Ireland; Ireland because of their origins and Scotland has been a major acquisition in the last five years. C&C are now focused on continuing to achieve sustainable growth across England through cider and beer, which is greatly assisted by summer sales of alcohol.

Innserve Innserve in partnership with C&C

I

nnserve are the sole dispense technical services solution provider to C&C Group plc. Our role is to ensure all C&C’s world leading brands are continually delivered to its customers at the highest quality.

By offering an all-encompassing service from inbound telephony to post work completion quality audits we are committed to meeting all of C&C’s expectations.

Through the use of UK based supply chain we are support C&C International with the supply of dispense equipment to all the world markets they are currently operating in.

One of the key drivers in the UK on trade is consistent quality and via our own research and development team we are constantly striving to offer the highest quality dispense equipment to deliver quality in glass.

Innserve is the largest national drinks dispense service company in the UK. The company supplies, installs and maintains drinks dispense systems in over 75,000 outlets.

With 350 vans serving England, Scotland and Wales and a Customer Service Centre which is open from 9am to 9pm 365 days a year, from 9am to 9pm, Innserve prides itself on ensuring pubs receive the best immediate, technical support possible so beer continues to be served to the highest quality and customers keep coming back for more.

For more information about Innserve, please visit www.innserveltd.co.uk.

Tel 0845 877 0089

www.innserveltd.co.uk

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C & C

G R O UP

Parker domnick hunter

C

ider choice and consumption continue to grow, and quality specifications are increasing to reflect consumer needs and the extended shelf-life required for products that travel further afield. Aside of live and cloudy ciders, the emphasis for the majority of volume produced is to provide consumers with a fresh tasting, visually brilliant product.

Microfiltration, typically aimed at removing particles and organisms that are invisible to the naked eye, is essential in assuring the quality of ancillary fluids such as carbon dioxide, steam and water. For cold stabilised products, whether in glass, PET or keg, the final filter must provide a guarantee of protection against spoilage organisms.

The long-standing relationship between Parker domnick hunter and the C & C Group relies upon an open and trusting application-led approach to the selection and sizing of filtration solutions. The choice of filter is a balance between two primary aspects: 1. Filtrate quality. This is defined by the retention rating of the filter and can be matched to qualified removal efficiency of particles or specific organisms.

2. Service life. This is a function of filter design and the methods adopted during process operation, cleaning and sterilisation. Introduction of enhanced filter designs, and technical support in the form of development of, and training in, operational protocols are essentials to maximise service life.

This proven approach enables Parker domnick hunter to strive toward their ongoing commitments to provide quality and economy and to support continuing process optimisation.

Tel +44 (0)191 4105121 Email dhprocess@parker.com

www.parker.com/dhbeverage

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Parker domnick hunter commitments

Protecting

quality and taste for 50 years

With the ever-increasing choice of cold beverages, the emphasis on the majority of volume produced is to provide consumers with a fresh tasting, visually brilliant product. Whether producing premium varieties or own-label supermarket brands, quality specifications are increasing to reflect consumer needs and the extended shelf-life requirements for products that travel further afield.

Since 1963, Parker domnick hunter has partnered with beverage producers to meet their changing needs.

Through a structured application-led approach, we can provide options for various levels of clarity and microbiological stability throughout the production process, whilst demonstrating proven cost reductions through operational efficiencies and filter design. Quality, economy and continuing process optimisation are our ongoing commitments.

www.parker.com/dhbeverage North America: toll free: +1 877 784 2234 email: dhpsales.na@parker.com Europe: phone: +44 (0)191 4105121 email: dhprocess@parker.com

C & C

G R O UP

C&C Group have played an important role in the sponsorship of sports teams over the years. The Magners brand was the title sponsor of rugby union’s Celtic League beginning in 2006–07, when the league featured the top teams from Ireland, Wales and Scotland, and ending with the 2010–11 season.

In 2013, Magners replaced Tennent’s Lager as the main jersey sponsor for Celtic F.C. after the previous contract had expired, with Magners sponsoring Celtic’s shirts for three years. On 20th August 2013, Celtic wore the Tipperary Natural Mineral Water logo on the front of their shirts for their UEFA Champions League first-leg clash with FC Shakhter Karagandy due to Kazakhstan’s restrictions on alcohol advertising. Celtic switched to Tipperary Water as it is also owned by the C&C Group. The company view their sponsorship in sports, as an investment in the community and to local customers.

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Chr. Hansen

C&C are now focused on continuing to achieve sustainable growth across England through cider and beer, which is greatly assisted by summer sales of alcohol”

Chr. Hansen, based in Denmark and represented across the globe, is the world’s market leader in high grade natural colour solutions. We specialise in providing natural colour solutions to the food, beverage and health food industries.

At Chr. Hansen we pride ourselves on quality and reliability. With more than 40 technical natural colour specialists and more than 10 natural colour expertise centres around the world, we are focused on producing innovative solutions for today’s challenges.

Our in-depth understanding of major food industries combined with our extensive food colouring and ingredient knowledge mean that we are constantly developing and improving our product solutions.

Our policy of working closely with customers to develop innovative solutions continues to bring brighter futures to individual product needs.

Tel +44 (0) 1488 689800 Email techservice-gb@chr-hansen.com

www.chr-hansen.com

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The Cobell complete service: • NFCs • Concentrates • Purees • Preparations and Natural Flavourings Bespoke blends to meet individual requirements Aseptic or frozen formats

www.cobell.co.uk

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C & C

G R O UP

Minimum Pricing Changes

With the alcoholic beverages market driven by consumer tastes and trends, C&C Group are continually looking at new ways to invigorate their products and keep ahead of the trends that change with the seasons. One such trend that is coming, not from the consumer, but from the government, is that of minimum pricing and strength of alcohol.

The English government have been discussing minimum pricing for strong ciders and alcohol recently on the back of focus group campaigns about high strength products and the size of container the product is held in. A prime example of this is a 2-litre bottle of cider, which carries a high alcohol percentage.

From Ireland to America

C&C Group are always on the lookout for strategic and viable expansion opportunities both in the UK and abroad. One such foreign market is that of the USA. C&C Group has always had an export division and have already moved into the American market with early success, but with the US markets looking more and more viable, the group are looking to capitalise on this.

C&C Group proudly holds the number one position in Ireland with Bulmers, the number one position in Scotland with Tennent’s Lager, and various top products in England, therefore the next logical step is to invest in cider internationally, in particular the US market.

Getting the product to market is organised by a dedicated sales team who organise distributors and sales.

C&C Group produce and package local to their market so the cost of shipping is greatly reduced, with the exception of the American and UK markets, which are supplied from Ireland and Scotland.

With the American market opening up, the company may invest in brewing overseas in the long term, but right now product is sent over from Ireland.

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C&C Group produce and package local to their market so the cost of shipping is greatly reduced, with the exception of the American and UK markets, which are supplied from Ireland and Scotland�

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Planning for the Seasons Planning plays a pivotal role in an operation, but in a market that is as seasonal as alcohol production, C&C Group have had to plan that bit harder. Sales vary between the various products in the group’s portfolio, but cider is the most seasonal product currently on the books. It is one that always sells well in hot weather and not so well in winter, giving it definite peak season. On the other hand, beer is more stable, although it does still rise in the warmer months and also at Christmas and New Year festivities. Sporting events are also a very big draw for the alcohol market, and with the World Cup finals currently taking place during June and July, demand for alcohol will be at record levels.

Success Breeds Success

Over the years, C&C Group have developed and tweaked a very good business and production strategy, where they have developed a multi-beverage model that is true to their ethos of being a truly local producer who never neglects local markets. It is not just the local approach that has served them well; with strong leadership and teams that drive the multi-beverage business model forward, C&C Group can focus on crafting their strategies and marketing campaigns to incorporate new ideas.

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U nited

C ast

B ar

ROCK THE

CAST BAR The growing European support for the manufacturing sector is a solid foundation that secures UCB’s position in the economy Writer Emily Jarvis Project Manager Serge Utting

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M

anufacturing

nited Cast Bar (UCB) are one of the world’s largest manufacturers of continuous cast iron bars, to this date holding the record for the largest bar, measuring in at 665mm in diameter.

Moreover, they produce the broadest range and size of any continuous cast iron bar and supply to a wide array of blue chip companies.

A cast iron bar (Unibar) can be produced in a multitude of forms to meet customer design requirements.

It is commonly used in general engineering applications, but primarily in hydraulic, fluid power and pneumatic equipment.

United Cast Bar was formed in 1998 from a merger of 3 companies: Eurocast Bar Limited (UK), Starkey’s Technicast Limited (UK) and Cast Profil SA (Spain); fusing together a wealth of technical expertise and knowledge for the production of cast iron bar, along with a strong distribution network across Europe. In 2001, the ‘Unibar’ brand of products were launched to establish best industry practice and standards of quality, consistency and customer service that exceeded market demands, and to provide the best technical and commercial support.

Delivering Cost Effective Solutions As in most industries, the global market collapse of 2009 affected United Cast Bar. Following investment in melting capacity in their UK facility in 2007, the Group was able to rationalise their production base without any loss of total capacity – consolidating production into the two production facilities they operate today: United Cast Bar (UK) in Chesterfield, UK and Cast Profil in Zaragoza, northern Spain.

“In so doing, we are able to produce more material through single site operations, delivering timely and cost effective solutions whilst retaining

lower manufacturing costs overall. As a result, we have been able to remain profitable with a lower break even,” explains James Brand, Managing Director of United Cast Bar (UK).

With a network comprising of 8 wholly owned distributors spread across the globe, the company have a route to market that differentiates them from their competitors, as Brand cites: “By having our own distribution network, we have our own shop window in almost every country across Europe along with a new platform in South Korea. This enables us to offer quick and efficient service, whilst remaining economically viable.”

United Cast Bar’s strategy of global reach with a local presence enables the local engineering workshop to purchase whatever quantity of unibar material they require locally, rather than having to import from external manufacturing companies.

“We keep our warehouses stocked with good volumes at all times.

Additionally, each warehouse doubles as a workshop whereby we can tailor a product for a client, rather than just selling them the raw material as a commodity. For example, we can start giving raw materials a nearer shape to what the customer actually wants,” highlights Brand, keen to demonstrate that UCB are a one-stop-shop for your unibar cast iron needs.

Upgrading Facilities Over the last year, UCB have invested heavily in upgrading their melting and liquid metal handling capability at their facility in Spain. In the UK, the company have invested in further process developments - increasing their internal capacity for heat treatment, reorganising their product flow, improving their logistics and stock areas and expanding their warehouse. “Additionally, we will be modernising our production lines and bringing some automation to the

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Unite d

C ast

Ba r

production casting process, to ensure the longevity of equipment and that we are able to achieve scalability.”

There is a growing competition for unibar in Europe, but Brand believes that it is nothing United Cast Bar can’t overcome: “Competition in Europe is as fierce as ever as we begin to see growth after the recession – we still hold a 60 percent market share in the EU. However, our advantage is that we don’t just focus on Europe; we travel to all four corners of the world and see ourselves as a contender in the global market.”

“We have partners whom we work with all the way from South America to Australasia, with strong ambitions to open further facilities in the Middle East and South East Asia. Some of our regular customers are in Australia and New Zealand, so you really get the idea we want to build global relationships and business,” adds Brand.

Through improving plants and equipment, Brand hopes this will future proof the Group and strengthen business development growth: “Looking further into the future, we will look to new applications, products and markets for further avenues for growth, targeting 8-10 percent growth year on year.” Combining this long term vision with UCB’s current modernisation and expansion plans will secure their position with a market leading product.

Metal & Waste Recycling Limited

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etal & Waste Recycling Limited are pleased to support United Cast Bar, a valued customer. The company commenced trading in 1964 in North London and is an acknowledged specialist in serving general industry and the heavy engineering sector.

This includes the automotive and associated industries in the Midlands and North East of England. Its success is achieved by the level of service provided, to include schedule collections, onsite staff and the supply of total waste management solutions.

The company is able to match supplier’s products to the best available markets worldwide maximising the returns achievable for all stakeholders.

Tel +44 208 807 4268 Email marc.robertson@metaIandwaste.com

www.metalandwaste.com

the public form a better understanding of what we do. I don’t believe in closing our doors to the local communities in which we operate.”

With support from the local government, UCB are on their way to breaking down these barriers, proud to be one of the best at what they do.

As a consequence, Brand sits on the local council project called Destination Chesterfield, as a representative for the Destination Chesterfield manufacturing industry in Chesterfield, and there is a second reason for this: UCB are always keen to assist and “Metallurgy skills are not something the develop the local community. Brand youth of today make a conscious career discussed with us the various activities decision to move into. Therefore, we that the company are involved in and want to inspire people to get excited why: “As you can imagine, the metal’s about our industry by bringing them in manufacturing sector can sometimes and changing the perceptions of what carry a negative and industrialised we do.” image. We are trying to change UCB ensure all their staff receive this within the local community in the option for in-house training, with Chesterfield; breaking down those barriers to the stereotypes our industry some management even going on to carries in the hopes to drive the business complete studies at university. “In an ideal world, I believe that if all the UK forward, whilst simultaneously helping

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M an u fact u r ing

Providing high quality ferrous and non-ferrous feed for UK and International Markets Metal & Waste Recycling, with 15 depots across the UK processes both ferrous and non-ferrous metals.

The processed material provides high quality feed for a broad range of UK and international steel mills and foundries. The company, as one of the largest metal recycling companies in the UK, handles very significant quantities of low residual arisings.

METAL & WASTE ARE DELIGHTED TO WORK WITH UNITED CAST BAR

Metal & Waste Recycling Ltd. Albert Works, Kenninghall Road, Edmonton, London N18 2PD Tel: +44 208 807 4268, Fax: +44 208 884 0381 Email: marc.roberston@metalandwaste.com www.metalandwaste.com

foundries club together, we can share resources and grow the interest in our profession,” emphasises Brand. It is this philosophical and future proof thinking that secured Chesterfield’s win as Derbyshire Times Team of the Year in 2013. Brand further comments: “I am very proud to be involved with this team of people in the UK and across Europe – they work very hard, succeed in difficult conditions and have some fun along the way, making working life a very enjoyable experience. It is a pleasure to be involved with them all.”

The growing European support for the manufacturing sector is a solid foundation that secures the UCB’s position in the economy. With an attitude to stay ahead of the market in terms of both quality and product range, UCB will continue to build on their achievements, both industrially and in the community in order to future proof themselves in an evercompetitive market.

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A mpcontrol

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Always Control IN

Ampcontrol UK engineer more than just products, they deliver solutions to problems Writer Matt Bone Project Manager Arron Rampling

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anufacturing

or just under 100 years, Ampcontrol UK have been at the forefront of bespoke engineering for hazardous environments. From the early days of working alongside the coal mining industry in Britain, the UK outfit has proudly worked closely with its customers across multiple industries and geographies to deliver high quality, designs and solutions to any challenge. Based in Irvine, Scotland, Ampcontrol UK are perfectly placed to capitalise on the opportunities within the European mining, oil, gas and petroleum and tunnelling sectors.

Business Development Manager Pat McGinley is proud of the roots and reputation the company has established over the years, and believes that building on the strong name and brand as they move into the new sectors will serve them well: “The company has been going for nearly 100 years and although we have moved away from concentrating on the mining sector in the UK, the oil and gas sector is really booming and we are working to ensure that Ampcontrol UK are very much a part of it.�

A History to be Proud of The Ampcontrol story began in Australia, where it carved a strong reputation in the countries expansive coal mining industry as the leading supplier of electrical power equipment and electronics products. And amongst the technological firsts, awards, impressive growth and global reach, Ampcontrol was founded and driven by providing technology solutions that redefine industry expectations and lead safety in over nine countries.

Strengthened by a vertically integrated structure, Ampcontrol’s technology and innovation base underpins their internal supply chain.

From customised engineering to the fabrication and manufacture of

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product suited to the most hazardous environments, Ampcontrol is able to support their customers each step of the way. McGinley sums up the exact nature of Ampcontrol’s business by explaining that the work they undertake is: “Any high hazard application, ardours environment or highly regulated project and industry that requires the engineering professionalism to ensure the solution is reliable but primarily safe and fit for purpose.”

Not Just Sales

Switchrack

We work with the customer every step of the way, from concept design to sales, and after sales. If your product breaks down or you require help with installation or maintenance, we will always be on hand to support our clients”

Softstart

Paul Briggs, Sales Director of Ampcontrol UK, explains that the equipment and products that Ampcontrol sell are not only bespoke and of the highest quality, but come with a guarantee that Ampcontrol UK will not just sell you a product, they will give you an after sales service second to none: “We take the view that we do not stand face to face with a customer but shoulder to shoulder. We work with the customer every step of the way, from concept design to sales, and after sales. If your product breaks down or you require help with installation or maintenance, we will always be on hand to support our clients.”

This mantra of “shoulder to shoulder” has propelled Ampcontrol forward in the eyes of potential business partners looking for a reliable and professional service and supplier company in the UK. Global companies with strong brand names have been working with Ampcontrol on large tenders in Russia and the Middle East throughout recent years and have been pleased with the aftercare service they have received from the company.

Environmental Challenges

With Ampcontrol’s products being put through rigorous usage across the globe, products have to be robust and

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M an u fact u r ing

Paul Briggs, Sales Director

Pat McGinley, Business Development Manager

capable to withstand dramatic changes in temperature, while remaining bespoke and always operational for the client’s needs. One example of this is the range of motor “Softstarters,” which have been deployed in such varied locations as the Persian Gulf, where it can reach 55°C and the North Sea by Scandinavia, where snowfall is often a daily occurrence and temperatures can drop to -10°C. It is this high level of quality manufacturing that sets Ampcontrol apart from its competitors. “We have seen a strong need in the market for robust equipment that can be utilised in a variety of demanding environments but still remain operational at the touch of a button. That is where Ampcontrol UK can really add value to your project, our systems are capable of withstanding daily workloads and environmental challenges and keep on functioning at optimum levels,” remarks McGinley.

Held to the Highest Standard With the hazardous environment areas that Ampcontrol work in, regulations are very much adhered to in the strictest terms. Regulations, certifications and legislation change often in these sectors and if a company is even the slightest bit lax in meeting these regulations, they can find themselves unable to compete in the markets. “Moving with the times and paying close attention to all rule changes is paramount in our industry.

You cannot afford to miss any changes or addendums to these rules or you will quickly find your company is not compliant and that has many ramifications and knock on effects which will damage your credibility and the bottom line,” emphasises Briggs.

ISO audits and certification audits are another area that must be kept up to date if you are to compete in the hazardous sectors market. A lot of the daily work undertaken

by Ampcontrol is keeping topside of legal regulations and updating the staff’s expertise and areas of specialist knowledge, something that McGinley is particularly proud of: “We are very proud here at Ampcontrol of not only having a team of experts and professionals who are always aware of any new changes to work practices and are ready to implement them at a moment’s notice. Our company’s ISO and certification always passes audits from the regulatory boards.”

With Ampcontrol constantly striving to ensure its products are always ready to do the job they have been designed for, and a dedicated team of professionals who are constantly developing their existing knowledge base, the company looks set to expand into more markets over the coming years, bringing with it a proud tradition of excellence and quality.

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M A R R I o T T

D R I L L I N G

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DRILLING

SOLUTIONS with operations in Europe, Central America and Africa and future opportunities in the Middle East, Marriott Drilling Group are well on their way to achieving their company mission Writer Emily Jarvis Project Manager Arron Rampling

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perating a fleet of onshore drilling and workover rigs, including two rigs under a long term alliance contract, Marriott Drilling is the largest Britishowned, UK-based deep drilling company with bases and operations in Europe, Central America and Africa.

The Marriott Drilling Group was established in Derbyshire in 1947 by the late Richard Marriott whose interest in geology and engineering promoted the development of innovative drilling rigs and drilling equipment. His focus on the highest standards of equipment, innovation, equipment maintenance and customer satisfaction are key factors in the culture and success of the company today. The company is now owned and managed by Paul Marriott and Jonti Hobday who are grandsons of the founder. “For over almost 70 years, the company have been offering a range of specialist drilling and associated services to the oil, gas, gas storage, shale gas, coal bed methane, geothermal, mining and water industries,” says Jonti Hobday.

The company has built up an experienced and versatile team of some of the best in the industry with a commitment and focus on project and customer success underpinned by comprehensive health, safety and environment programmes together with personnel training to ensure service excellence.

The success of the company is illustrated over the last year or so by the pioneering work in shale gas exploration and development in the UK, which promises to provide the UK with gas resources for many years to come together with the discovery of one of the largest potash deposits in the world at a site in North Yorkshire, and the development of some of the world’s most productive geothermal wells in Kenya.

Marriott prides itself in achieving some of the lowest downtime statistics in the industry through well maintained equipment, spares holdings and experienced on-site rig mechanics and electricians. “Downtime records of less than 0.5% have been recorded in remote parts of Africa, for example,” Jonti comments.

The combination of personnel expertise and experience, local knowledge, new rigs and fit-forpurpose equipment together with the ability to provide a range of critical support services that the company can offer through partnering, alliances and integrated service arrangements, offer a strong capability in selected international markets. The Marriott Group is an active member of the International Association of Drilling Contractors (IADC) and a member of the Water Well Drillers Association.

Assessing Future Potential The focus on shale gas as a potential source of cheaper gas in the UK and its contribution to energy security offers significant opportunities for Marriott as Jonti explains: “This will only work if banks and other financial institutions will provide finance for the expensive drilling and associated equipment that is required. Given the right support by customers, government, local authorities and funding agencies, we could grow further with the shale gas business and help channel the benefits to the UK economy, by establishing local manufacturing facilities, workshops and bases in shale gas areas and providing employment coupled with training programmes for both young and older workers,” Jonti continues: “The drilling rig and associated rig components required for the emerging shale gas market could be manufactured or assembled in the UK given the right environment with local personnel, particularly the young job-seekers, trained to crew

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D r illing

Marriott HQ, Chesterfield

Oil exploration, Northern Kenya

Recovering potash core, North Yorkshire

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the rigs and also operate and maintain the associated equipment with very significant benefits to the local communities and the UK industrial future. The threat is that the large international drilling companies will step in and many of the benefits will go overseas if early action is not taken to support UK companies.”

The company’s priority operational focus is on the health, safety and welfare of its employees together with environmental protection with the future trend to more automatic and robotic drilling rigs and associated equipment to minimise personnel exposure to danger.

Strength in the home market in the UK is important for Marriott to help to create a company with the ability to win more work in the competitive international market and to provide stability and opportunities for personnel development, together with the additional benefits that such commercial enterprise brings to the UK economy. “Additionally, we feel it is also important that UK based oil and gas companies do not ignore the indigenous capability in procuring drilling services for their international operations, which is all too often the case,” cites Jonti Hobday.

Health, Safety and Environmental Protection Marriott is a leader in safety, innovation and technology for both domestic and international exploration and development of natural resources.

The Marriott Group operates a comprehensive Safety Management System to ensure that all hazards identified in the work-place and potential occurrences detrimental to personnel, operations, assets and the environment and their impact on business performance are identified or effectively controlled. “Coupled with this is the Marriott Group’s own STAR (Stop–Think-Act-Report) system, which

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Drilling Services Ltd

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rilling Services Ltd is proud to have been associated with Marriott Drilling Ltd for over 10 years. A leading stockist and distributor, Drilling Services supplies a wide range of Oilfield equipment from Mud Pumps, BOP’s and Drill Collars to Fishing and Downhole Tools for the Oil, Gas and Petrochemical Industries worldwide.

In order to meet ever-changing customer requirements and the rigorous, demanding nature of the industry, Drilling Services can also offer a tailored total supply package.

Please contact our experienced team with your specifications for a prompt competitive response or visit our website where we hope you will find our services of interest.

Tel +44 (0)1778 392555 Email sales@drilling-services.co.uk

www.drilling-services.co.uk

Marriott prides itself in achieving some of the lowest downtime statistics in the industry through well maintained equipment, spares holdings and experienced on-site rig mechanics and electricians”

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is designed for reporting potential near misses, unsafe equipment and operations,” Jonti adds.

Marriott Drilling is accredited to LRQA OHSAS 18001:2007 and is also accredited for health, safety, environmental issues and quality by Achilles, Jonti comments that “Training at all levels is also a key part of our commitment and our culture with routine safety meetings, briefings and investigations into both incidents and near misses.”

The Marriott Group prides itself on its excellent service to clients providing value for money with a focus on well integrity and lifetime costs to complement the goals of their customers as Jonti emphasises: “Above all, it is a team philosophy working together with clients and service providers to ensure the project objectives are met.”

Marriott Drilling is driven by a strong company vision to become one of the leading independent service providers in the oil, gas, gas storage, geothermal, geoscience and water resources markets in Europe and in selected international markets. With expanding operations across Europe, Central America, the Middle East and Africa, the company are well on their way to achieving this goal.

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E D M I

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Smart METERING THE FUTURE OF

SOLUTIONS EDMI Limited is one of the leading smart metering solutions providers in the world Writer Matt Bone Project Manager Donovan Smith

or more than 30 years, energy companies all over the world have relied on EDMI to deliver the flexibility and reliability they need and the innovative solutions they demand.

EDMI’s experience, a proven track record, and having installed millions of EDMI multi-functional smart meters installed globally, mean that EDMI’s products have met and exceeded clients’ expectations that led them to become a global energy solution leader. Founded in Australia in 1978, the company have been based in Singapore since 1997. EDMI have grown to 20 offices globally spreading throughout the region of Latin America, Africa, Asia, Europe and Australasia.

EDMI CEO Lee Kwang Mong is very pleased with just how far the company have come in recent years: “When you look at the progress the company have made over the last 5 years, you can see just how successful we have been. We have seen our meters become commonplace across Asia and now they are a staple product in the European markets, especially in the UK, where we have seen strong sales, which continue to grow monthly.”

A Smart Solution A smart meter is an electronic device that records consumption of electric energy at intervals and is able to communicate with a central system.

This secure communication is twoway: the meter provides information to the central “head-end” for monitoring and billing purposes, but it is also possible to perform remote parameterisation. Lee believes this technology is not just a simple remote recorder, but a useful automated system that can become fully integrated into a company’s network: “Our smart meters are not just a

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KG Technologies

K

G Technologies, Inc. is a leader in switching solutions for the world’s energy management

market. Having shipped well over 40 million latching relays to every corner of the globe, we have consistently risen to meet the challenges of this everevolving market.

Decades of engineering and logistics expertise give us the insight to design innovative solutions that are leading the industry into the next generation.

As we continue to look ahead to the needs of the smart energy market, we understand the value of reducing

Yoshihide Watanabe, chairman of the board and Lee Kwang Mong, CEO

failure rates, maintaining consistent lead times, consolidating our clients’ supply chain, and delivering a

system that enables you to remotely view data on energy consumption, but are considered a vital part of a company’s infrastructure due to their detailed reports and real-time readings. With advancements in technology, our meters can become fully automated needing only marginal supervision and servicing.”

European Market Metering EDMI have been a constant presence in the UK market for several years now, having seen their smart meters installed in both homes and businesses alike. Recently, EDMI announced that they have signed a contract to provide meters and a communications hub as part of the Smart Meter Rollout Communications Service, across Scotland and northern England. The project aims to install 53 million meters in 30 million homes and small businesses across the UK by 2020.

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cost-to-performance benefit that is unmatched in the industry.

We build relationships in the market around these key objectives, which

We have seen our meters become commonplace across Asia and now they are a staple product in the European markets, especially in the UK, where we have seen strong sales, which continue to grow monthly”

enable us to remain agile and to provide flexible design solutions for the evolving smart meter market.

Our patented latching relay technology for the smart grid changes how the world handles high current, high voltage switching. Utilizing one of the largest, state of the art factories in the industry, we ensure high volume production, superior quality, timely delivery and competitive pricing.

KG Technologies, Inc. Toll Free Tel +1.888.513.1874 Email info@kgtechnologies.net

www.kgtechnologies.net

World Class Switching Solutions for Energy Management

Latching Relays

CHALLENGE:

Reduce lead times and costs for meter base assemblies.

Meter base assembly complete with K120 latching relay, terminals, cables, and connectors.

We Rise To Your Challenge.

At KG Technologies, your challenge is our

As the world switches to a greener and smarter

solution. KG Technologies' reputation for providing

tomorrow, KG Technologies is raising the bar for

high quality solutions is unmatched. Our latest

quality, value, and service. We welcome the challenge

challenge involved going beyond designing latching

of delivering high quality solutions for your energy

relays to providing meter base assemblies.

management needs.

Our engineering and logistics team met this challenge

We work with you so that our products work for you!

by streamlining the supply chain to leverage a single source manufacturer. This approach not only reduced logistics costs and lead times but also extended KG Technologies' high quality guarantee to the entire meter base assembly—reducing complexity and saving our customers' time and money.

Toll Free: +1.888.513.1874 www.kgtechnologies.net

Switch to a greener tomorrow with KG Technologies today! www.europeoutlookmag.com

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Lybase Sdn. Bhd.

Our smart meters are not just a system that enables you to remotely view data on energy consumption, but are considered a vital part of a company’s infrastructure due to their detailed reports and real-time readings”

Operated since 2001, Lybase Sdn. Bhd. is a Malaysian company specialized in manufacturing and supply of injection moulded Engineering plastic parts, secondary process and sub-assembly.

It received One Star Award (2010) and Silver Award (2011) in SME OSH Award and Gold Class (I) in MSOSH OSH Award 2012.

With 10 years of steady growth, Lybase expands further into LED lighting. Lybase’s products are certified by JKR, IKRAM QA Services, SIRIM QAS, QAV Technologies and endorsed with GreenTAG by Malaysian Green Technology Corporation. Certified with ISO 9001: 2008, ISO 14001:2004 and OHSAS 18001: 2007, Lybase is committed to provide only the best to its customers.

Tel +607-599 7878 Email enquiry@lybase.com.my or calvintan@lybase.com.my

EDMI will design, manufacture and supply the communications hub for the northern region. The hub will enable communication with electricity meters, gas meters and the In-Home Display (IHD), allowing consumers to effectively monitor and manage energy usage. Mr Lee commented: “We are dedicated to the design, development and manufacturing of innovative smart meters and systems for the global utility industry. This selection further underlines our expertise in the market and the robust, reliable product offerings which we provide.”

In order to further cement their position as a market leader in smart metering, EDMI opened a new manufacturing and R&D plant in Europe and are looking to open another one in Eastern Europe at a later date. The creation of a local distribution network has seen the company halve the average turnaround time, from manufacturing

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Kian Soon Founded in 1977, Kian Soon Mechanical Components has grown from a hardware store to a manufacturer and distributor of advanced application mechanical components, used in a wide range of industries.

Our strong culture of professionalism and dedication allows us to penetrate demanding industries. Our products and series are used in advanced applications such as liquid chromatography machines, kidney dialysis machines and automotive vehicles.

We have a deep heritage, yet our sights are set firmly on the future.

We are constantly strengthening our capabilities and expanding our reach with offices across Asia, as we strive towards our vision of Connecting Every Product in Asia.

Tel + 65-6291-1177 Email sales@kiansoon.com.sg

www.kiansoon.com.sg

T

echnology

81 Genting Lane, #04-01/02 Everich Industrial Building Singapore 349566 Email: sales@kiansoon.com.sg Tel: + 65-6291-1177 Fax: + 65-6297-2714 | + 65-6295-2412 Web: www.kiansoon.com.sg

Products: Automotive Components | Bearings | Clips & Rings | Precision Fasteners & Customized Components Sensor Housing | Shafts & Studs | Compression & Tension Springs | O-Rings and Spacers & Standoffs Services: Vendor Managed Inventory | Kanban Inventory | Ship-To-Line Kitting Services | R&D Technical Assistance Quality Equipment: XRF Spectroscopy Machine | Hardness Tester Cr (VI)+ Tester | Automated Optical Sorting Machine

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to installation, in a premises from six weeks to three weeks.

The Green Trend with more and more businesses and homes looking to become greener and more energy efficient, EDMI have seen a large rise in the number of smart meters and communication devices being purchased globally. with the advancements in communication and automated information collection, EDMI have created more sophisticated meters that are capable of relaying large amounts of specific information to a server in real-time. “We have seen the demand for our smart meters increase rapidly over the last 18 months due to so many businesses and private homes wanting to be greener. By monitoring exactly how much electricity they are using daily and cutting down where they can, customers feel like they are more in control of their spending and helping to save the environment at the same time,” lee explains.

Expansion In 2010, EDMI opened a new manufacturing plant in china after seeing an opportunity to engage the competitive Chinese labour market.

With the new plant online, EDMI doubled the production of low-cost smart meters and have driven the company’s vision closer to reality, as Lee explains: “Singapore is no longer the manufacturing powerhouse it once was; so we made the decision to create a new manufacturing plant in china. this enabled us to greatly increase our production of meters and because the overall manufacturing costs were lower, we were able to offer a new low-cost meter to the Asian market. this is a big goal for us: to ensure that every home in Asia has an EDMI smart meter installed in it.”

EDMI’s expansion has not stopped there. PT EDMI Indonesia have

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opened a new factory in cikarang on March 5th, 2014, adding half a million units to EDMI’s yearly production capacity and strengthen ties with PLN Indonesia (Indonesia’s State electricity company). mr lee said the new plant will continue the good work of factories representing the osaki group in the region: “Indonesia is a very competitive market, and it is a big market; we have long term plans for working with Indonesia.”

Research and Development one aspect of the company that lee is particularly proud of is the global R&D group, who constantly revisit, update and create new smart meters to utilise technological changes and advancements in the industry. “Our R&D engineers have been updating our latest smart meters to ensure that they take full advantage of new technology and changing attitudes

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Our R&D engineers have been updating our latest smart meters to ensure that they take full advantage of new technology and changing attitudes from companies”

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from companies. the whole team are riding the technological wave but they always ensure they are keeping ahead of the curve and the competition,” he said. the smart meter is fast becoming a “must have” addition to business infrastructure globally, with more and more demand for smart meters becoming apparent, Lee is confident the company is prepared to meet and exceed this need: “Our product is a worldwide product, not just something for Asia or Europe. It can be used by any company or household, no matter where they are. We will always strive to ensure that the product is country specific and can be utilised fully from day one of installation. We have worked hard to make the company what it is today, but we will not sit back, instead we will push on and make sure the company is always a market leader.”

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B I B B Y

S H I P

M A N A G E M E N T

COMPREHENSIVE

TECHNICAL MANAGEMENT UK-based Bibby Ship Management Ltd, part of the Bibby Line Group, provides “a quality assured comprehensive technical management service to the International Marine Industry” Writer Emily Jarvis Project Manager James Mitchell

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K-based Bibby Ship management ltd, part of the Bibby line group, provides “a quality assured comprehensive technical management service to the International Marine Industry”. The firm can trace its roots back more than 200 years. The company are a totally integrated third party ship manager offering full commercial and technical management services across all vessel sectors. Bibby Ship Management are part of the Liverpool-headquartered Bibby line group and operate out of offices in the UK, Isle of Man, Norway, Sweden, Ukraine, India, the Philippines and Singapore. “At Bibby Ship management, we built our heritage and reputation, as a high quality, safe and reliable owner and manager, with experience of over 200 years of trading in the most competitive and dynamic markets in the world.”

Further, the company provide ship management services for their own Bibby fleet and reputable third party customers; delivering technical management, crew management and supply, training, travel and consultancy. “Our reputation for integrity and safety sails ahead with ISM, ISO 9001 and 14001 compliance and is demonstrated every day in each facet of our operations. we believe in ‘the power of partnership’, because by working with our customer ‘partners’ we can tackle any issue, be it commercial pressures, technical problems or crewing challenges.”

In a highly competitive shipping environment, a dedication to quality brings economic advantages, and with Bibby Ship Management’s adherence to the Quality Management System means that they prioritise the long term interests of their clients. “This means acting with foresight and integrity, especially in our primary role as providers of a personalised Ship Management Service.” These

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principles have brought success to several sectors within the Marine Industry, namely but not limited to: oil, chemical and gas tanker management; general cargo ships; Ro-Ro Vessels; Ferries; Cable Layers; Offshore Vessels; Floating Production Storage and Offloading; Floating Storage Unit; Jack Up Rigs; and Floating Accommodation vessels.

Strategic New Offices In early 2013, Bibby Ship Management was “delighted to announce” the opening of two new offices in “key strategic locations across the globe” in Singapore and India. These new locations are “ideally placed to service the needs of its customers worldwide”, it said in a press release.

Bibby Ship Management’s new office in India is situated in Mumbai. “This move recognises the importance of India as a key training centre for seafarers, particularly in the offshore sector,” said Prakash Agarwal, Managing Director of Bibby Ship Management (India) Ltd. “India has earned a reputation as a supplier of high quality seafarers to many of the vessels managed by Bibby Ship management. our new mumbai office, in addition to our locations in New Delhi, Chennai, Kolkota and cochin, will ensure that we are best placed to build upon that reputation.”

Bibby Ship Management (Singapore) Pvt Limited has a staff of 11 and is headed by managing Director Martin Kent and Arvind Mohan, Commercial Director for Asia. “Singapore is one of the largest shipping hubs in the world,” said Kent. “With over 5,000 maritime related companies registered here and connections to more than 600 ports in over 120 countries; including Indonesia, Malaysia and China, it offers an ideal location for Bibby Ship Management to base its future expansion ambitions.”

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India has earned a reputation as a supplier of high quality seafarers to many of the vessels managed by Bibby Ship Management”

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Marine Sales & Service

Agent for

Tel: 65 6366 6838 Fax: 65 6366 6830 Email: sales@incotrading.com.sg Website: www.incotrading.com.sg

Five-Year BP Deal Separately, Bibby Ship Management recently announced a £100 million five year deal with oil giant BP, which will see it manage four regional support vessels (RSV) and two platform supply vessels (PSV) in the North Sea for BP Exploration Operating Company. “This award is a key component of BP’s long term marine strategy and we look forward to working with Bibby Ship Management to ensure high levels of service to our offshore operations,” Mark Hardie, BP’s UK logistics Infrastructure Manager, said.

Sir Michael Bibby, Managing Director of Bibby Line Group, added: “We are absolutely delighted to work with BP in providing full technical management and logistics services for these vessels in the UK North Sea. The award of this contract reflects the benefit of our investment in Bibby Ship Management’s systems and people to create a high quality ship management business

with great safety awareness which can deliver real value to our clients.”

Bibby Ship Management has a managed vessel portfolio that combines a Bibby-owned fleet with strong third party clients like BP. In addition, it is able to supply crew and crew management services and the company currently supplies crew to more than 200 vessels and is able to offer a wide range of additional services including training, accountancy and salary services.

2014 – New Contracts In June 2014, Bibby Ship Management secured a contract to supply crew management services for Chevron’s floating storage unit, the Alba-FSU. The crew will provide operating, loading and equipment handling services on the Alba Floating Storage vessel.

Mark Robertshaw, Managing Director of Bibby Ship Management – Isle of Man commented in a press release: “This is an important contract

The authorized service centre for

for us as it underpins Bibby Ship Management’s continued growth as a trusted business partner in the offshore sector. We invest a great deal in the selection and training of our crew to ensure we provide well-qualified and highly competent personnel for our managed vessels.

We look forward to working with Chevron to ensure the safe and efficient operation of the Alba FSU.” The company will provide a bespoke service tailored to individual owners’ requirements and is FPAL verified.

Additionally, Bibby Ship Management recently acquired GAC Travel and Murray Fenton (India) Surveyors Limited, and announced that it provides statutory management services to a quarter of the Isle of Man Ship Registry’s registered gross tonnage.

To learn more about Bibby Ship Management visit www.bibbyshipmanagement.com

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International Conference on Energy and Environment Research

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t

SuisseEMEX

CPO Network France

26-28 August 2014

16 September 2014

Trade Tech FX

www.iceer.net

International Conference on E-Business

International Leadership Conference

28-30 August 2014

Madrid Spain

Zurich Switzerland

www.suisse-emex.ch

18-19 July 2014

Roberts Grove Resort Hotel Stann Creek District Palencia Belize

24-28 July 2014 www.icglgroup.org

International Conference on Tourism Transport and Technology

Vienna Austria

www.ice-b.icete.org

Fair Chalons

Parcs des Expositions Chalon-su-Saone Chalon-Sur-Saone France

29 August – 08 September 2014

www.10times.com/fair-chalons

Capital Creation 2014

The University of Westminster London United Kingdom

Le Meridien Beach Plaza Monte Carlo

01-03 August 2014

www.capitalcreationeurope. wbresearch.com

25TH IPRA General Conference

Viscom Paris

www.ictttconference.com

Sakarya Istanbul Turkey

10-14 August 2014 www.ipra2014.org

82

8-10 September 2014

Porte de Versailles Pavillion 3 Paris France

9-11 September 2014 www.viscom-paris.com

www.europeoutlookmag.com

s

Hyatt Paris

www.cpofrance.wbresearch.com ETC St Paul’s London

16-17 September 2014

www.tradetechfx.wbresearch.com

B2B Multichannel

Grand Connaught Rooms 61-65 Great Queen Street London

16-18 September 2014 www.b2bmultichanneleu. wbresearch.com

Buy Brand Moscow Russia

23-25 September 2014 www.buybrandexpo.com

Oil & Gas: Supply Chain Strategy One Whitehall Place 2 Whitehall Court London

07-08 October 2014

www.supplychainoilgas.wbresearch.com

REACH NEW

HEIGHTS Africa Outlook is a fantastic platform to share success stories and find ways of growing your business in Africa. To discuss your options, contact Ben Weaver ben.weaver@outlookpublishing.com

www.africaoutlookmag.com

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