Specialists in energy optimisation Apator

SPECIALISTS IN ENERGY OPTIMISATION

“We carefully listen to our customers and tailor our products to their needs. Our distinctive feature is our flexibility and comprehension in meeting the expectations of our customers,” Jerzy Kuś, the Apator Group’s Member of Executive Board and its Metering Equipment and Systems Director explains the commercial success of the company.

Apator SA, based in Ostaszewo near Torun, Poland, is the leader of the Polish switchgear and metering market. “Our goal is to help our clients to optimise their energy consumption”, says Mr Kuś. ”Our metering systems make it easier for consumers to manage the consumption of electricity, heat, water and gas. Their application allows the expenses for consumed water, energy, gas and heat to be reduced. Distributors of utility services can manage the information and properties more efficiently and effectively. Our top-quality switchgear equipment allows for safe distribution of energy and protection of power networks, so that energy distributors and consumers do not have to be afraid of any power failures. Thus, our world becomes cleaner, healthier and friendlier for the future generations.”

Apator SA is a company with 60 years of tradition on the switchgear and metering market. In May, 2012 Apator SA moved its operations to a new plant, located in the Pomeranian Special Economic Zone in Ostaszewo in Torun. This site houses Apator’s production departments and its Board office, as well as commercial and administrative departments. “This is the optimum investment for us, as the plant is very modern and full of ‘intelligent’ solutions. Moreover, since it is located in a Special Economic Zone, Apator is entitled to recover 50 per cent of investment costs”, says Mr Kuś.

The head of the group

The company also plays a leading role in Apator Group in respect of organisation and coordination of cooperation of all its units. The Group is a dynamic business structure currently consisting of nine entities, including two foreign companies.

Apator’s market range includes a wide variety of low-voltage switchgear, surge-

protective equipment, metering systems and equipment. “Our long-term strategy involves development of our two ‘legs’. Switchgear systems is one of them and metering segments is the other one”, explains Mr Kuś.

The Group’s activity covers such areas of operation as power industry, water and sewage industry, gas industry, heat engineering, construction industry, real estate management and mining.

Apator is the pioneer in the implementation of innovative technical developments such as: LEW system Apator – electricity metering system based on the electronic pre-paid LEW meters or comprehensive remote data readout and management system based on GIS type numerical spatial maps.

Development despite the crisis

Total employment of the Group is 2000 people, including 400 people employed in Apator SA. Each company in the Group has a special team of the constructors working in design offices. The total number of constructors is 120. “Despite the economic crisis throughout Europe, the dynamic development of the Group will make it necessary to employ new workers soon,” reveals Mr Kuś.

This dynamic development has its specific financial value. The company’s turnover in 2011 was estimated as more than PLN 537 million (more than €139 million). The first quarter of 2012 was a record-breaking period for the Group. Its income reached more than PLN 163 million (€40.6 million), or 52 per cent more than in the first quarter of 2011.

The share of metering equipment and systems, and switchgears in the Group income is 64 per cent (or more than € 26 million; by 34 per cent more than in the first quarter, 2011). Foreign markets make up over 30 per cent of the sales. They are very important for Apator as, according to Mr Kuś “the strategic objective of the Apator Group is to establish a Polish technological group based on the strong Apator brand and oriented towards the increase in sales on foreign markets.”

The Apator Group sells its products to 65 countries. “Our knowledge and technical competence has enabled us to expand products into worldwide market. Central and eastern Europe is the main foreign region for the Apator’s products, followed by Russia, Germany, and some African countries”, specifies Mr Kuś. “Different groups of products are popular in different countries; for example Apator’s water meters are very popular in Russia, gas meters in the Netherlands, and energy meters in Hungary and Germany.”

The company’s ambitions go much further. It would like to become EMEA leader in manufacturing and delivering comprehensive metering systems and switchgear.

Commitment to sustainable development

“We take corporate social responsibility very seriously and are involved in many social programmes,” explains Mr Kuś. In the strategy of Apator, business responsibility means, first of all, charity and commitment to sustainable development with respect to the economy, ecology and ethics. The company supports important social projects. It focuses on the promotion of culture and science.

Apator SA participates in the innovative CSR project, “a platform of knowledge transfer and creation of common venture of social responsibility.” The project is aimed at the exchange of knowledge and experience between the scientific community and business in the scope of social responsibility of business. The leaders of the project are the Nicolas Copernicus University in Toruń and enterprises from Kujawsko and Pomorskie province. n

www.apator.com