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Consolidated Financial Report |
DIRECTORS’ REPORT
2014 Annual Report
Prysmian Group
54
REVIEW OF ENERGY PRODUCTS
OPERATING SEGMENT
What is the perimeter of the Energy Products
operating segment, one of the two segments into
which the Energy business has been divided?
The Energy Products Operating Segment is able to offer a
broad portfolio of products for two lines of business: the
first is Energy & Infrastructure, which in turn includes Trade
& Installers and Power Distribution; the second is Industrial
& Network Components, which comprises Specialties &
OEM, Oil & Gas, Elevators, Automotive and Network Compo-
nents. In practice, the segment aims to cover the needs of
different industries and has a customer base consisting of
top companies the world over.
What does it mean to be a leader and remain
a leader in energy cables?
It means setting the standards for the global cable industry
at ever higher levels of quality, efficiency and safety, and
opening up ever new frontiers of technological innova-
tion. Even in low voltage, which is mistakenly seen as a
commodity, our Group aims to stand out by making top
quality its hallmark. The planet's construction industry
landmarks, real symbols of design and engineering materi-
alising into increasingly bold and spectacular buildings, are
made safe thanks to Prysmian fire-resistant cables, able to
save lives in the event of fire. These products are constantly
being improved by our research and development labs,
helping raise industry standards ever higher.
Why has Prysmian been selected for these
world leading projects?
For its ability to put the customer first, to anticipate their
needs, to have an ever-ready response to the challenge
of quality and excellence, to act as a one-stop-shop
INTERVIEWWITH HANS NIEMAN,
Senior Vice President Energy Products
where customers can find all the answers to
their questions, even those they haven't yet
asked. Obviously there aren't just buildings: our
customers are also in the transportation industry,
from the sea to the skies, in the Oil & Gas industry,
and the elevators and renewable energy indus-
tries, always positioned at the very top end of the
market. It's obvious that safety plays a critical role
in all these industries, not only because extensive
asset management services help get the best out of
all components over their life cycle, but also because
higher quality cables can minimise risks and make
infrastructure safer. Like in the case of mid-ocean
oil platforms, the Airbus 380, or the historic London
Tube that transports millions of people every day.
What are the prospects for the
Energy Products Operating Segment?
We closed 2014 with slightly lower revenues mainly
because of the economic situation in some areas of
the global market, like South America. Our focus on the
high end of the market, i.e. that of high value-added
products, and our ongoing commitment to research
and innovation, culminating in the introduction of ever
new products, allow us to take a positive medium-term
view. We're optimistic about 2015 and confident that
investments in power distribution networks will regain
momentum in several parts of the world, as anticipated
by Jean-Claude Juncker for Europe. If this is the case, we'll
be ready.