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CHAIRMAN'S
MESSAGE
Companies are sometimes accused of being
too timid and lacking in ambition.
At Mersen, despite a lackluster 2014 and a still shaky
economic environment, we are not afraid to be
ambitious and our results confirm the validity of our
approach. The past twelve months have strengthened
our confidence in the key aspects of our strategy and
convinced us that our objectives are within reach.
Affirmed since last year, these objectives are to
deliver close to €1 billion in revenue by 2018with
a recurring operating margin of 12%. These figures
weren’t just pulled out of a hat. They reflect a precise
analysis of each of our market segments, our
strengths and the overall economic and business
outlook. They are ambitious yet realistic, which means
that we have to take an innovative, demanding
and results-oriented approach.
Last year, with the launch of our Transform plan
to optimize our manufacturing base, we took
an important first step in the right direction.
By reallocating production within the same
geographies, resizing certain facilities and closing
or disposing of certain businesses, the plan will create
a new organization that will makeMersen more
efficient and flexible while enhancing its ability to
innovate and invest in the future.
At the same time, we will retain our natural
competitive strengths, including our global leadership;
our business approach melding technological
expertise and continuous innovation; our presence in
nearly 35 countries that keeps us close to our
customers; and our industrial organization built around
two core competencies and five markets. Together,
these factors mean that we are optimistic for the
future and proud to display our ambitions despite the
sometimes low-key business environment. Far from
sitting on our hands, we are seizing the reins of our
destiny and deploying the resources required to
maintain our competitive lead in the global
marketplace.
Luc Themelin,
Chairman of theManagement Board
Turning
Vision
into Reality
Luc Themelin,
Chairman of
the Management Board