A Profitable Growth for SDV

As SDV is bolstered by strong results in 2010, Herbert de Saint Simon, the group’s CEO, tells us about the investment projects for the upcoming months.
The first project will be to develop the information systems: "information systems will be the bulk of our investment. For example, we are about to get a WMS that will be implemented worldwide. So far, we are using many different systems depending on the geographical areas. However, we are facing important interface issues. Today, our objective is to provide a consistent and single system to all our entities”. Two tools are still in competition. The final decision is impending. ”The Group is also planning to set up a top level piloting tool” says the chairman.
Going on with the logistics investments, SDV is willing to build a ‘Green Warehouse’ of 45,000 square meters in Singapore in order to consolidate our clients’ volumes in only one site.


	With the IT and the property assets expansion, the external growth is also an important area to invest in: “After many acquisitions, included a network in India a few years ago, we want to keep growing either by strengthening our position in some countries, or by developing new skills in a niche market. By the way, we are about to achieve two acquisitions in Lebanon and in Egypt. Regarding some other countries, we have definitely a weakness in Italy, but we want to become a key player in the USA and in Brazil”. Herbert de Saint Simon pledges ‘a profitable growth strategy’: “We are not the leader but we are probably the one of the most profitable groups and we want to remain as such. Our investments are carefully planned. More than getting millions of square meters, our aim is to locate our platforms strategically to cover the upstream and downstream intercontinental flows. Hence, we can offer comprehensive benefits for large groups as well as the small companies which represent 70% of our turnover”. Picture : Herbert de Saint Simon, CEO SDV Source : Supply Chain Magazine ; 2011-03-07