Building strong relationships with selected customers and translating customer needs into solutions was key for all Cargotec’s global operations. Cargotec took several steps in 2011 to enhance customer focus and create synergies with customer segmentation. The three customer segments chosen for close customer work were container terminals, merchant shipping and offshore.
Cargotec’s main strategic objectives for 2011 included building our position in selected customer segments and a focus on selected products. We placed major emphasis on winning port projects, as well as on developing account management and creating a comprehensive supply network strategy.
The most visible strategic decision regarding customers in 2011 arose in the form of our customer-oriented operating model. As of 1 January 2012, Cargotec’s Industrial & Terminal business area was divided into two new business areas, Terminals and Load Handling, with Cargotec's Supply organisation divided between these two. This customer-oriented operating model will increase transparency and further enhance Cargotec’s ability to respond agilely to market needs.
For 2011, container terminals was identified as the customer segment with the greatest potential to attain growth. Examples of achieving strategic targets and building our position in this segment include acquiring Navis, the US-based terminal operating systems (TOS) provider, establishing competence centres in Singapore and Tampere, and planning a joint venture with Jiangsu Rainbow Heavy Industries Co., Ltd. in China.
The establishment of the Terminals business area is a culmination of this process, and the partnership with DP World in the London Gateway port project in the United Kingdom is a landmark that will set the pace for the new business area in the coming years. Notable deals also include signing an agreement for Cargotec to deliver ten state-of-the-art Kalmar automatic stacking cranes and a customer-specific automatic horizontal transport system to TraPac, Inc. in Los Angeles, USA.
For merchant shipping the geographical shift in economic power especially to China resulted in an even stronger focus on strengthening operations in the area. Offshore’s notable strategic advances include winning Best Supplier award 2010 from Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Shimonoseki shipyard in Japan as recognition of a drive to understand future customer needs through the provision of an extensive geographic presence and strong collaboration with customers.
Cargotec was able to maintain market share in its core business and sharpened its focus on emerging markets. Key strategic initiatives regarding customer focus throughout Cargotec’s operations include our Strategic Account Management development programme, which offers a method for identifying and developing Cargotec’s key accounts. This programme is currently being developed and will be fully implemented by the end of 2012.