2009 - Jaarverslag

ConnectedTenCate is a producer of materials for a wide range of applications.A common feature of these materials is that the guiding trends aresafety / protection and sustainability / environment. They also sharea common core technology: textile technology combined with chemicalprocesses.TenCate comprises a coherent set of complementary knowledgeareas, technologies, a close-knit corporate culture and – of course –a common strategic framework. This strategic framework is our valuechain management, in which four cornerstones of policy are embedded.Being connected is pursued not only internally – hence becoming thebinding agent within the company – but primarily externally on thebasis of product-market-technology combinations. That ensures thatthe customer always remains central.The growth of a company entails a risk of compartmentalisation.It often means that the company responds more slowly to changes inits environment and operates less cost effectively, and that knowledgeis no longer shared, etc. During the reporting year, TenCate stroveintensively to make the internal and external context even more visible.Market groups are directed on the basis of the value chain. This isachieved specifically through the use of the internal context (coretechnologies and competences) and the context on both the input side(commodity markets) and the output side (markets and customers).CONNECTED IN THE STRATEGIC CONTEXTIn the context of the strategic model, the connection of the companycan also be approached on the basis of the four cornerstones:◾ Market – co-operation aimed at positioning TenCate more stronglyin end-markets. The global branding of all TenCate units in thevarious markets strengthens the corporate image.◾ Products and product knowledge – introducing new products innew geographic markets by exchanging product ideas, mostly onthe basis of specific technological and other expertise. An exampleof such development is the introduction of TenCate Tecasafe Plusin the American market. At the same time various originallyAmerican products have been modified for the European market.◾ Costs – joint pursuit of cost reduction, economies of scale andoptimum allocation of production resources. An example of thisis the rationalisation of manufacturing in the Netherlands.◾ Technology – the exchange of technologies, patents, formulas,etc. between market groups. This gives rise to new products andimproved production processes. An example is the use ofknowledge of weaving technology for the integrated productionof synthetic turf systems.A good example is the formation of the TenCate Defense & Tacticalbusiness unit in 2009, as part of the TenCate Protective Fabrics marketgroup. TenCate Defense & Tactical will further develop the worldwideinstitutional defence markets on the basis of shared corporate vision.Various TenCate market groups are involved.14Royal Ten Cate