Sany Group: Chinese Technology Beyond Limits

It just started as a small welding shop in 1989. Now, Sany Group has grown to be a global company that produces heavy equipment and machineries such as wind turbines, port machineries, road construction equipment, pile driving machineries, cranes, excavators and other concrete machineries. Sany Group was founded by Yuan Jinhua, Mao Zhongwu, Tang Xiuguo and Liang Wengen.

Sany Group operates five industrial parks located in China, five manufacturing bases equipped with R&D facilities in Indonesia, Brazil, India, Germany and the US, and 21 sales distributors worldwide. The company employs close to 50,000 workers in over 150 countries worldwide.

The Group was listed by Financial Times among the world’s most valuable companies in its July 2011 list of FT Global 500. With a capitalization of $21.5 billion, the company was ranked 431^st. Sany became the first Chinese machineries and equipment company to make it to the FT Global 500 list.

Sany believes that the top priority for doing business is quality. Yearly, the Group spends about 5% to 7% of its revenues in R&D efforts. In fact, Sany attributes its expansion into wind energy machineries, excavators, pile drivers, port hoisting equipment and concrete road machineries to R&D.

In 2007, Sany made it to the Guinness Book of World Records twice when it developed concrete pump truck with the longest booms (66 meters and 72 meters). The record showed that China leads the technology of concrete pumping. Sany began mass-producing its concrete pump with the longest boom, so far, on September 19, 2011. It showed that the concrete pumping technology is limitless.

Aside from innovation, Sany is also committed to the best well-rounded and efficient service. This commitment is evidently shown by 15 logistics centers and warehouses of spare parts around the world.

Sany uses its advantages to advance and help build a better world.

Thermo Fisher Scientific: World Leader in Serving Science

Thermo Fisher Scientific leads the world in enabling its customers to contribute in making the world safer, healthier and cleaner. The company caters to clinical laboratories, medical schools, research groups, government agencies, environmental institutions, process control industries, biotech companies, pharmaceutical companies and hospitals.

The company was founded in 2006 when Thermo Electron and Fisher Scientific merged together. Thermo Electron was established by George Hatsopoulos in 1956. It was created to provide analytical and lab products and services. Chester Fisher founded Fisher Scientific in 1902 to provide lab equipment, chemical supplies, and services to healthcare professionals, educational institutions and researchers for use in scientific research.

The most recognizable brands of the company are the Thermo Scientific and Fisher Scientific. Other brands operated by the company are Pierce Protein Research, Cole-Parmer, Cellomics and Nalgene.

The company’s most notable operations are in the US and Europe. Annual revenues are reported at $12 billion. Thermo Fisher Scientific employs approximately 39,000 employees.

Atlas Copco: “First in Mind, First in Choice.”

Atlas Copco leads the world in providing solutions for industrial productivity. Among its products and services are air treatment systems, expanders, compressors, power tools, assembly systems, mining equipments and construction tools and equipments.

The company has operations in over 20 countries. In 2011, the company reported revenues of SEK 81 billion when its employees totaled 37,500 worldwide. The company’s products are sold under different brand names through a network reaching over 170 countries. One half of this network is serviced by either partly or wholly owned service centers.

Atlas Copco has a simple vision: First in mind, first in choice. Such a vision statement has inspired the company to lead both in mind and business and to set a standard of innovation that far exceeds what the market expects.

Every Atlas Copco brand promises a commitment to sustainable productivity. The promise drives the company to deliver lasting results while committing to responsible use of capital, natural and human resources. The foundation of Atlas Copco for doing business is increasing productivity. With faster delivery, efficient use of energy, and safer ergonomic, the result is always increased productivity. The next level is to sustain increasing productivity. Each Atlas Copco client should know that productivity extends to more years from now. Sustained productivity starts from making the right choice today.

In order to achieve the vision of “first in mind, first in choice”, Atlas Copco believes in acquired and organic growth. Expansion is possible through acquisition of brands and channels that link to the market. However, organic growth should always be considered: opening new sites for geographical expansion, deep penetration of markets, and continuous launching of new products.

To keep its hold of the markets, Atlas Copco has also strengthened its after sales services which include training, maintenance, parts, and consumables. The after sales markets have contributed a lot towards the achievement of stable revenues, growth potential, profit potential and optimized business opportunities.

Emerson: Best Technology for the World

Emerson is a technology and manufacturing company that offers diverse products and services in consumer, industrial and commercial markets. Its core businesses include residential and commercial solutions, climate technologies, network power, industrial automation and process management.

The company is known worldwide for its capabilities in engineering and excellence in management. The company operates over 235 factories worldwide and is home for more than 133,000 employees.

As a Fortune 500 company, Emerson is known as the largest manufacturer of power equipments in the US. What started as a producer of electric fans in 1892 has expanded to produce power tools, electric dental drills and sewing machines. Emerson also ventured to manufacture airplane armaments during the World War II.

Emerson’s contribution to the wellbeing of the world cannot be ignored. The company continues to innovate through extensive research and development projects to keep on making the lives of millions of people better.

Richemont: Icon in Luxury

In the world of luxury, the one that survives is the one who has the ability to reinvent and entrust its heritage to newer generations. A luxury brand that is sustained through generations is like a living being; it recreates and innovates.  Luxury goods have become a way of life in the modern times.

Compagnie Financière Richemont was established to be the holding company for the international interests of the Rupert family.  Through the years it has grown as world icon in luxury goods. Among the brands owed by Richemont are Lancel, Chloé, Officine Panerai, Vacheron Constantin, Piaget, Baume & Mercier and Cartier. On top of these, Richemont also owns 80% of the stakes at Van Cleef & Arpels, a world renowned jeweler.

Richemont was established in 1988 as a spinoff of the Rupert family’s core company, the Rembrandt Group Ltd. Rembrandt was originally engaged in tobacco manufacturing before the World War II.

When the company was affected by the fluctuating currencies in 1992, Richemont decided to split the tobacco business and the luxury goods business into two separate entities. The luxury group was named Vendome. Vendome was further divided into two groups, the Vendome PLC and Vendome SA.

Of the stakes at Vendome, 70% was owned by Richemont, 18% was owned by Rothman International, 8% was owned by Dunhill, and the remaining 4% was owned by other investors. In order to gain absolute control of Vendome, Richemont purchased Rothman’s minority interest in 1995.

In order to sustain operations in the luxury world, Chairman Johann Rupert developed the idea of buying back 30% of the stake at Vendome. If Vendome is kept private, management over the next 10 years would be easier. The buyout was approved in 1998 generating proceeds of $5.74 billion. Vendome was freed of the pressures of the stock market.

In 1999, two of the largest tobacco companies in the world, the British American Tobacco and Rothman’s International, announced a merger. When the merger was consummated, Rembrandt and Richemont owned 35% of shares of the merged company, BAT.

After the merger, Richemont also acquired 60% of the interests of the jewelry house Van Cleef & Arpels. Richemont operated separately of Van Cleef & Arpels to keep their distinct brands.