Simac presents the annual figures for 2017. Sales increased by approximately 10% to €223 million. The operating result ended at €10.3 million, well above 2016 and the net profit totalled €7.8 million.
CEO Eric van Schagen explains: “The focus in the Netherlands on the retail and healthcare market segments in particular and specialist technologies such as network monitoring, data centres, fibre-optic technique and vision technology resulted in additional sales and return. In Belgium, Luxembourg and the Czech Republic, too, revenue growth and a strongly improved result were achieved. We aim at real partnership with our customers. This is of major importance, given the increasing complexity of technology and the ever growing impact of technology on business processes. Apart from a flexible and customer-focused operation, we consider a thorough knowledge and collaboration in teams to be important skills.”
New investments
“The good results enable us to invest further in innovation of our services, growth and internationalisation,” continues Van Schagen, “apart from the focus on existing activities. In 2018, business locations will be opened in Metz, France, and Manchester, UK, in order to enhance successful activities and to bring the services closer to international customers. At the beginning of this year, investments have already been made in two new enterprises, Simac Learning Solutions and Simac Obec. We expect to be effectuating several acquisitions in 2018 in order to enhance existing activities or to explore important new technologies.”
Expectations
Despite the fact that challenges driven by the market and technology will continue to be big as before, Simac welcomes 2018 with much confidence. The speed of changes in the information and communications technology is expected to rise in the coming years, as a partial consequence of which the pressure from the market to provide ICT services more efficiently and at a lower cost will remain intense. The availability of qualified technical ICT staff is a significant problem. In 2018, much attention will be given to the retention of our employees and to recruiting new staff.
Van Schagen concludes: “Simac welcomes 2018 with great confidence. We expect our solid basis with long-term contracts, a good corporate culture and an excellent financial position to result in a positive closing of the coming year too.”
