100 % FUTURE - ALNO
100 % FUTURE - ALNO
100 % FUTURE - ALNO
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52<br />
VIII. TARGETS AND STRATEGY<br />
The primary objective of the Managing Board and of all corporate units is to restore the company<br />
to financial health, competitiveness and sustainable profitability. The <strong>ALNO</strong> AG Supervisory<br />
Board approved the extensive “<strong>ALNO</strong> 2013” future concept in January 2010. This future concept<br />
is intended to structure administrative processes and production structures more efficiently. The<br />
reorientation of the brand and sales strategy is also targeted at strengthening the international impact<br />
of all Group brands. In parallel, synergies are to be exploited, and the complexity of products and<br />
production is to be reduced.<br />
In this context, “<strong>ALNO</strong> 2013” should not only be regarded as a concept for fundamental restructuring,<br />
but also as the basis for a paradigm shift.<br />
Under the central “<strong>ALNO</strong> – One Company” mission statement, the desired cultural change can be<br />
characterized particularly by the following aspects:<br />
• Value-creating factors will be of central significance. Quality will be given priority over quantity in<br />
this context. Performance-based measures comprise absolute and relative profitability, cash flow,<br />
and return on capital.<br />
• Priority is given to Group interests ahead of the interests of the company’s individual locations. With<br />
the reorganization of Group structures that has already occurred, a shift is to be made away from<br />
site-related corporate functions towards cross-Group and customer-oriented process thinking.<br />
Individual corporate functions will be centralized along the value chain. This is particularly intended<br />
to exploit Group synergies, and to efficiently structure and position the overall organization.<br />
Targets and measures:<br />
IMPROVING THE EARNINGS POSITION AND ENHANCING MARKET SHARES IN GERMANY<br />
In order to achieve this objective, the Group will need to refrain from entering into low-profitability<br />
or unprofitable business in the future. In addition, the company will also focus on boosting its<br />
gross profit margin, which is to be attained through improved furniture quality and more efficient<br />
purchasing, in particular. A marketing and sales campaign with a clear focus on sales channels and<br />
customer groups, which is realized through a reorganization of the sales organization under one<br />
operational management for all brands and products, and which has already been implemented,<br />
also supports this objective. Synergies are to be exploited to a greater extent, and processes are to<br />
undergo continuous improvement, in order to realize the planned enhancement of the gross profit<br />
margin. Product and production complexity is to be reduced at the same time. Fixed costs are also<br />
to be lowered, and financial stability is to be strengthened.<br />
REORIENTATION AND STRENGTHENING OF THE SALES FUNCTION, AND<br />
STRENGTHENING OF THE EXPORT BUSINESS<br />
The sales function has already been restructured to reflect customer groups and products in order<br />
to position the Group brands more clearly. As a consequence, kitchens from the <strong>ALNO</strong> brand<br />
will be sold exclusively through furniture retailers, kitchen specialists and real estate developers.<br />
WELLMANN is oriented to delivering the mid-segment in these channels. The IMPULS and PINO<br />
brands will be placed in the lower segments of the retail furniture trade and the flat-pack furniture<br />
business, with PINO positioned as an entry-price brand. IMPULS will also be deployed in project<br />
business. The foreign subsidiaries have already been partially liquidated or restructured into sales<br />
units, and switched to direct invoicing. This will relocate the administrative tasks of the export<br />
function to Germany. The sales function abroad is also to be strengthened by the servicing and<br />
training of trading partners. Among other measures in this context, working groups have been set<br />
up to strengthen sales, and the product portfolio has been adjusted to reflect local customer and<br />
market requirements. New growth markets for the <strong>ALNO</strong> Group will also need to be tapped, and