Engineered Products and High Tech

Pooling experience

The Engineered Products and High Tech Competence Center offers comprehensive strategic management consulting for companies in the capital goods and project-related industries.

Mission

The Engineered Products and High Tech (EPHT) Competence Center covers a broad spectrum of industries, including steel, coal, non-ferrous, noble metal, construction material, machinery, energy equipment, electrical engineering, automation technology, microelectronics and other high tech industries. However, all these industries have common concerns in strategy and operations(e.g. production). While the second-tier players may have achieved temporary success by building on speed, cost, and scale, the top-tier players differentiate themselves in strategy with strong operational capabilities. Strategy formation is complicated, but can be structured in multiple dimensions, e.g. vision/value proposition, business model, synergy creation, core competence, etc.

For the engineered products and high tech industries, China has become a global battlefield. Besides being highly integrated in the global supply chain, the Chinese market is a "can't miss" market with massive potential. Therefore, international players are often tempted to rush in, with or without a carefully crafted competitive strategy. In addition, local Chinese firms have grown to become strong market players in the global playing field. Global competition has been intensifying with eroding margins as a consequence. The winners in the Chinese market will have an astonishing and lasting impact on the global playing field.

Engineered Products and High Tech is one of the largest Competence Centers within Roland Berger in terms of consulting staff and revenue. We are known for our expertise in implementable strategy and strategy-based operation optimization and transformation. We develop value strategies based on in-depth Engineered Products and High Tech market know-how, by taking a strategic view, understanding the value drivers and leveraging our functional expertise and industry best practice. Close work between our clients and our international network of highly motivated consultants ensures fast implementation.

Our focused industry areas

> Basic Materials: We advise steel, coal, non-ferrous, noble metal as well as construction material firms to jointly develop diversification and market entry strategies and to find potential partners for strategic alliances.
> Long life cycle products: Our clients range from machinery, energy and environmental manufacturer companies to production and other high tech system manufacturers. Together, we help them implement individual solutions that work.
> B2B - Electronics: Covering electrical engineering and manufacturing as well as automation technology and microelectronics, we focus on some of the most competitive industries, contributing effective approaches to meet current and future challenges.

Our main services include

> Developing vision and strategy for sustainable success
> Facilitating China entries or helping Chinese companies go global
> Understanding client needs and assessing competitive dynamics
> Positioning, branding and geographic expansion
> Gemba Power – excelling in operational capabilities that lead to competitive advantage
> Enhancing organizational and operational performance via Fitness and/or Transformation
> Advancing from Good (A) to Excellent (A+)
> Building in winning capabilities, e.g. business planning, performance metrics
> Advising on M&As and strategic alliances, as well as facilitating partner selection
> Anticipating and minimizing JV concerns and achieving consensus

Our recent project examples

> Management and control mode and organization design for a leading steel manufacturer giant in China
> A series of project services for the biggest T&D manufacturing group in China, including due diligence, post-merger integration, strategy development and operation improvement
> Mid to long term strategy development, marketing strategy and organization design for a leading semiconductor company in China
> Operations and Human Resources improvement for a global building materials company
> External and internal assessment for a leading industrial glass manufacturer
> Market entry strategy and partner selection for an international IT company
> Market and competition assessment and IPO preparation for the leading IT company
> Supported a European leading machinery company to design its dual-brand business strategy