Elmia Subcontractor 2009
Optimism among subcontractors
A careful optimism is starting to spread in the Swedish subcontracting industry. Despite a very tough situation for many companies the general tone is more positive and the market reports presented lately show that the industry is starting to recover.
- There is enormous fighting spirit and I am convinced that the fair has been an important step for the future for many of the companies here, says Jonas Ekeroth, project manager of Elmia Subcontractor.
The past year has been exceptionally tough for the subcontracting industry. Many companies have been forced to see their turnover drop by half and the number of employees reduced. Financial problems has been the situation for many.
– The subcontracting industry is undergoing big changes due to the recession, says Ekeroth. There are indications that the structure of ownership will change for many companies. A survey made at the fair shows that 43% of the exhibitors have during the past 12 months been discussing merging with or acquiring other companies.
– The results are not surprising. Companies are forced to think outside the box and it is likely that we will see many companies with new ownership structures.
But the faith in the future is growing among subcontractors. Despite the recession and the slow recovery the turn is on its way. This is proved by both The Swedish Industry Association ”Subcontractor barometer” and the “Engineering Outlook 2010” presented by the Association of Swedish Engineering Industries.