Technology
Technologically, polyurethane forms the leitmotiv for
the Group’s highly diverse activities and wide range of
products. Polyurethane technology, in both manufacturing
and conversion, means that the technological competence
within Recticel forms the perfect basis for new, sustainable,
innovative applications and for improving the quality
of existing products.
Purchasing power
There is a centralised purchasing policy for chemical raw materials (mainly polyols and isocyanates). This has enabled
Recticel to acquire an important position as buyer of these
raw materials. All plants, including the joint ventures, benefit
from this. The Group has also taken steps to ensure that
purchases of other strategic raw materials are far more cost
efficient. For instance, initiatives have been taken in the Bedding
business line to ensure optimum combination of purchases
of latex, textiles and metal components.
Complementarity
Although the Group’s joint activities have been divided
into four different business lines, it is sometimes difficult to
draw firm lines between them and to mark off all the applications
strictly. A large number of products of the technical
foams division, for example, are used in the automotive industry
and polyurethane mattress centres for the Bedding
business line are supplied by the Flexible Foams division. These,
and other examples, clearly show that there is overlapping between
the various business lines which in a large number of
cases can therefore be considered as complementary.
In this way, certain business lines derive benefit from the possibilities offered by others, which is a clear illustration of
the economies of scale which this complementarity entails.
Recycling
Offcuts of foam from the slabstock conversion process
are recycled. In this way, the trim foam from various activities
is manufactured into new rebond foam which in turn
can be used for applications in the various business lines.
Marketing
Given the nature of the various markets in which the
Group operates, it is necessary to devise marketing strategies
tailored to the individual markets. Nevertheless, there
are also parallels. For instance, the major advertising campaign
for Literie Bultex® and Matratzen Bultex® (Bedding
business line) also paved the way for the brand name Comfort
Bultex® (Flexible Foams business line). Comfort Bultex®
has grown in the Flexible Foams business line since 1995 to
become the only filling material able to gain a competitive
advantage from its brand name and visibility.
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