Annual Report 1999739KB - Essent

Brabant landfill companies in 1999 in light of theintegration of such companies in this province.With these activities and the acquisition of VAM,the share of end-processing in the divisionincreased. Growth is still possible in the collectionand logistics sector, both in industrial wasteand among the authorities. The discussions withthe municipalities of Apeldoorn and Deventer onthe acquisition of the waste collection companyCirculus are in line with this objective. The newpremises of the waste collection company ATFDe Pijp in Drachten were officially opened byHer Majesty's Provincial Governor in the provinceof Friesland, Mr E. Nijpels, on 17 September. It isnow possible to process 200,000 tonnes of wasteevery year in Drachten.network company of EDON this meant the completionof an initial reorganisation in which integrationand efficiency operations had an impacton staff turnover. Staff levels at the EDON networkcompany fell due to the early retirement ofolder employees, transfers to other parts of thebusiness and the contracting out of activities.At PNEM/MEGA the focus was on the integrationof operations. As a result, PNEM, MEGA Limburgand Nutsbedrijf Heerlen ceased to exist as independentcompanies. Thanks to rigorous managementof the placement process and the number ofvacancies in connection with natural staffturnover, the integration resulted in a new surplusin staff numbers to only a limited extent(around thirty instead of the expected 155).essent1999As part of cost reductions and in view of environmentalconsiderations, a start was made on theuse of waste-to-energy technology on the processingside, in which waste forms the basis for theproduction of energy. In Born, Limburg, a plantwas built which separates waste and then makesit suitable for use as fuel. A similar plant is beingprepared for a location in the north of the Netherlands.The fuel produced is ideal for industrialapplications and district heating.In order to integrate the existing companies andequip the organisation for the complex environmentalmarket, a new organisation structure wasdeveloped at the end of 1999. The head office ofEssent Milieu is in Zwolle.The organisation The proposed merger between PNEM/MEGAGroep and EDON Groep announced at the end of1998 added a new dimension throughout 1999 tothe ongoing change processes at both enterprises.At EDON, EDON in Vorm (‘EDON in form’) wascompleted. At PNEM/MEGA, the integration ofPNEM, MEGA Limburg and Nutsbedrijf Heerlenwas finalised.Employment and staffing Employmentdevelopments at Essent in 1999 reflected the factthat the group was undergoing change. For the22Staff levels at the Cablecom division rose both inthe north and the south in a dynamic market.The situation at the Environment division wasdetermined primarily by strategic forms of collaborationand participating interests. In energy trading,the existing workforce was strengthenedmainly by high calibre specialists.The pull of the labour market was very noticeable,especially in the south of the Netherlands.This outflow was encouraged by the integrationprocess, which resulted in substantially longercommuting distances for people working atcertain parts of the business.The process of establishing and staffing newEssent units focusing on trade and non-captivecustomers went smoothly and quickly. The samecan also be said for the head office of the newholding company. The influence of the NMa wasdiscernible at this level; the integration andexpansion of these new Essent units sufferedconsiderable delays.In the years ahead, the age structure withinEssent will fall due to natural staff turnover, partiallyrelieving the pressure on employment.Supplementary measures will also be required tomake Essent a healthy market leader in terms ofstaffing too. A redundancy plan has been agreedwith the trade unions which creates the frameannualreport