1 januari 2008

The company
A previously listed company now owned by a European family business. The company, which was established after a merger between two companies in wet and dry bulk, specialises in transporting tanks and silo containers for the global chemical and food industries. With a network of offices on all continents, it is a top-three intercontinental tank operator turning over more than €300 million a year.

The situation
After the merger, a switch was made from a divisional structure to a country structure. This led to huge differences in methodologies and results between the countries. This was especially true when it came to developing the dry container side of business, which had been neglected and become loss-making. Gwynt was asked to help management develop a market-oriented organisation structure and to professionalise the company.

The approach
We started by carrying out a scan of the formal and informal organisation. Stumbling points in the company’s historical structure were identified and a second opinion was given about the capacities of organisation and management. A comparison with the competition was made, several organisational options developed, and a new organisation model proposed.

The result
The new structure was adopted, which has enabled the company to greatly improve its operational effectiveness:

  • Transition from an ambiguous structure to a clear-cut hierarchy within a divisional organisation
  • Decentralisation of sales and customer services tasks to improve relationships with customers
  • Consolidation of centrally located staff for group synergy in purchasing, finance, IT and technology
  • Reduction of the span of control and a focus on growth

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