References & case studies
Turnaround via site consolidation in the automotive sector
Like so many companies who have expanded their geographical reach over time, an automotive supplier was suffering due to the way their production activities were distributed, with a high proportion of their activities in high-wage countries. As efficiency and competitiveness had fallen by the wayside, we developed a strategy enabling the company to consolidate their locations and drafted accompanying plans to relocate production activities and facilities. We provided intensive support for the first steps of this process and proved that our plans could actually work in practice. This built confidence in our strategy and enabled our client to complete the consolidation process themselves.
Reorganization of research and development in the automotive sector
An automotive supplier wanted to whip their research and development (R&D) activities into shape and improve their efficiency to make the company more competitive. We achieved this goal by reorganizing their R&D facilities. We were able to significantly enhance the automotive supplier’s efficiency and shorten their development cycles by consolidating centers of expertise while at the same time specializing activities at each site. In other words, delivering more, faster, and better.
Comprehensive reorganization in the automotive sector
An automotive supplier realized that their products were set to become much more complex. Our job was to reconfigure every single aspect of their organization from top to bottom to make them fit for the future. We refocused the three areas of responsibility within the Executive Board, completely redesigned, optimized and rolled out their project organization, and clarified all responsibilities along the supply chain, from the first customer call to delivery of the finished parts. Now our client can look to the future with confidence.
Service-oriented organization in the automotive sector
A company in the automotive services sector wanted to scale up a profitable business model in order to apply it to its less profitable locations. We suggested to the managing directors that the company first needed to switch to a service-oriented organization if it wanted to grow successfully at all. We then implemented this new service-oriented organization, making sure from the outset that it was scalable and had the capacity to grow. The organizational and cultural changes began right at the top at Board level and continued all the way down to the site managers. With the help of regular workshops and individual coaching sessions, we were able to motivate all of the company’s staff to follow this new path and gradually introduce a change in mindset across the entire company.
Comprehensive post-merger integration in the financial sector
Two German financial services providers with several thousand employees agreed to merge. Our challenge was to not only create a new organizational structure but also determine the right size for the new company “on the side”. We also supported the implementation of this project, with around 50% of employees across all locations moving to new offices.
Strategic alliance between the chemicals and automotive sectors
An established chemicals group wanted to expand its sales activities into the automotive industry. We recommended partnering with a provider of automotive engineering services. This enabled the client to enter into discussions with carmakers and offer their solutions at a much earlier stage, during the development process. We defined all aspects of the collaboration between both partners and steadily increased the intensity of the collaboration. Our client has been delivering their products very efficiently ever since.
International post-merger integration in the building materials industry
An American manufacturer of construction materials acquired a number of facilities in Europe as part of their buy and build strategy. They brought us on board for the integration process and tasked us with standardizing their processes and IT landscape. In addition to applying the parent company's processes and systems, we also identified best practices and optimization potential for the entire group. We then successfully implemented these to make sure that our client could enjoy the best of many different worlds.
Turnaround in the automotive sector
After gearing their product portfolio towards rapid changes in the automotive industry, an automotive supplier was rewarded with strong order intake. However, the market then changed again, and the increasing complexity this brought posed difficulties for the supplier. We freed them from this situation with the help of a wide-ranging stabilization and optimization program. This enabled us to stabilize the company's operations and financial situation and initiate a turnaround. To make the program sustainable, we provided the company with advice over a long period of time. We continue to support them today, albeit on a much less regular basis – something we are both pleased about.
Buy and build strategy in the healthcare sector
A private equity investor wanted its provider of laboratory analytics to grow via a buy and build strategy. The aim was to make the business more efficient and get individual sites to critical mass by carrying out standardization and specializing individual services. We worked with the investor to develop this strategy, calculated the value creation levers and identified initial targets. We are proud to report that this resulted in growth across the board, with output, sales and profitability improving at all of the company's existing locations. What's more, the investor now has the blueprint for successful future acquisitions.
Buy and build strategy in the automotive sector
A private equity fund had a successful portfolio company in the automotive services sector and wanted to get even more out of this business model. It ordered the company to grow via acquisitions and by opening new locations. This is where we came into play, developing the entire strategy and implementation plan for the expansion. We then provided support for the crucial first few steps, from target search, due diligence and negotiations all the way to integration. We did this so thoroughly that we made ourselves surplus to requirements for the rest of the process – which was great news for our client!
Carve-out in the financial sector
How do you carve out a division of a financial services company while it continues to operate, particularly when you have no idea who will buy it? As a fast process was the top priority for our client, we started at the very beginning of the M&A process by preparing for the carve-out. We separated the IT landscapes, migrated data and drafted service agreements for operations after the deal was closed. The success of this ‘open heart surgery’ on the client’s business is evident from the way that that heart has been beating for us ever since.
Carve-out and lean integration in the automotive sector
A private equity fund's portfolio company in the automotive industry made a strategic acquisition as part of its growth strategy. Our challenge was to carve out the new company from its previous structure and integrate it into the new group of companies as quickly as possible. This also included a turbocharged rebranding process. We delivered a fast, lean integration and were able to ensure that the previous owner’s logo was no longer evident anywhere in the company within three months of the deal closing.
International post-merger integration of an add-on investment in the industrial goods sector
A machine tool manufacturer made an add-on investment in a company in order to open up a new market. The new company already had sales organizations for this customer group in the same countries as the client. Our job was to bring together these organizations across all 12 countries, with their colorful mix of corporate cultures, as part of the integration process. We were also tasked with defining and combining central functions – fast. With this in mind, we began joint planning before the deal was closed, with a particular focus on fostering intercultural understanding within the company. The new sales organization went live three months after closing.
Strategic alliance in the automotive sector
An automotive engineering service provider was looking for a strategic partner with whom they could bring a completely “turnkey” powertrain to the market. Our job was to scan the automotive engineering service provider market for our client and identify promising candidates. We reached out to eligible companies and assessed their suitability. We then worked with the client to select a favorite and provided support for the negotiations. The two automotive companies are now successfully working in tandem.