TÜV SÜD kicks off 2010 with acquisitions
TÜV SÜD kicks off 2010 with acquisitions
TÜV SÜD is continuing its course of international expansion. By taking over the Austrian company ZWP and Canada-based Global Advantage International and founding TÜV SÜD Ukraine, the international service group has further expanded its testing and certification network and strengthened its position on important growth markets.
"The expansion of our activities in Austria and Canada and our market entry in the Ukraine mark further steps in our international growth strategy", says Dr.-Ing. Axel Stepken, CEO and President of TÜV SÜD AG. The corporation plans to increase the percentage of consolidated sales generated abroad from
30 per cent in 2009 to over 40 per cent in the medium term. To reach this target, TÜV SÜD Group focuses in particular on the export of established core products into new markets and on further expansion of its global testing and certification network.
By taking over Vienna-based ZWP – zerstörungsfreie Werkstoffprüfung Gesellschaft m.b.H., which specializes in the non-destructive testing of materials, TÜV SÜD is strengthening its presence on the Austrian market and expanding its service portfolio in this sector. "Together with our affiliated company TÜV SÜD SZA GmbH, we are the market leader in the field of non-destructive testing in Austria", emphasizes Dr.-Ing. Manfred Bayerlein, Chief Operations Officer of TÜV SÜD. "With this takeover, we will also further improve the services we offer for the safe and cost-efficient operation of power stations, pipelines, refineries, chemical installations and other industrial plants."
Strategic strengthening of global competition in testing and certification
Product testing is another area where TÜV SÜD has chosen to further expand its international network. "Globally, we employ 1,700 experts in this field, which is characterized by highly dynamic growth", explains Dr Bayerlein. "The takeover of Global Advantage International in Toronto, Canada, is first and foremost of strategic significance, as it permits us to fill a gap in our global network while further strengthening our position on the North American market." Operating in the field of product certification, the experts at Global Advantage International ensure that their clients' products comply with the requirements of the various destination markets in the Americas, Europe and the Asia-Pacific region. The range of products extends from industrial components and electronic parts to medical devices and IT products, and even includes consumer goods.
Another step of high strategic significance is the foundation of TÜV SÜD Ukraine. "We still regard Central and Eastern Europe as a region offering major growth potential", emphasizes Dr.-Ing. Axel Stepken. "By founding TÜV SÜD Ukraine we will firmly continue to establish and build up Regional Companies there." This new TÜV SÜD subsidiary will initially focus on industry business. "By providing our know-how and experience, we will significantly contribute to making the plants in Ukraine safer, more reliable and thus also more cost-efficient", notes the CEO and President, "and, as a result, give our clients an important – possibly even critical – advantage in global competition."
Contact: Wilfried Sauer
