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Restructured Fuba challenges competitors

Fuba Printed Circuits GmbH is at the beginning of a new stage in its history: a) having been restructured, b) having three profiled locations c) a reduction in personnel and d) a clear strategy for its 2006/2007 business year.

In fact, its recent financial and operational restructuring has positively affected the operating performance as well as its profitability. The budgeted turnover and profit for the business year 2005/2006 have been achieved and the outlook for the business year 2006/2007 is promising. On September 30th ,2006 the insolvency proceedings have finally been terminated. The insolvency administrator, appointed by the Insolvency Court of Osterode, solicitor and graduate engineer, Mr. Torsten Gutmann, will finish his overseeing activities in the insolvency proceedings by the aforementioned time frame. Mr. Gutmann stated that “We have realised the complete proceeding from the opening by the establishment for the insolvency plan to a location-assurance-agreement and a social plan all within a time period of 14 months. Today, I am convinced that the actions which have been taken will assure the future of FUBA and maintain 650 of 900 jobs in its German locations." As of to date, all prevailing conditions for the closing of the insolvency procedure have been accomplished. Recently FUBA Tunisia, a long time strategic partner, has participated in the capital increase of FUBA Germany and became a 50% shareholder of the company with the remaining shares belonging to the current managing Directors Mr. Andreas Ebeling and Mr. Walter Drach. FUBA Printed Circuits Tunisie S.A. is part of the Onetech group, a leading group in Tunisia, which specializes in the electrical, telecommunication and electronic industries. The Onetech group today employs more than 1,800 people with 120 Million EURO of sales most of which is directed to export markets. Mr. Moncef Sellami, President of the Onetech group stated that “Our participation within the capital increase in FUBA Germany has been decided for strategic reasons. We believe that FUBA Germany is still and will remain the leader of the PCB industry in Europe. Our main target today is to further increase the technology level in all plants and to consolidate our long term partnership with our customers. For that we will invest in technology in Germany and we will increase the capacity in our Tunisian plant in order to provide our customers with a lower cost alternative." With the termination of the proceedings further extensive changes will be effected within the company: The management has strongly profiled the three locations Gittelde, Dresden and Bizerte in Tunisia and poised them towards their key competences. In the future, FUBA will concentrate even stronger on the business segments such as automotive electronics, industry electronics, prototypes and Rigid- Flex applications. Furthermore, FUBA will reinforce its R&D activities and enhance its cooperation with its customers in order to provide them with suitable technological solutions. Mr. Andreas Ebeling, managing director, has a positive attitude with the proceedings: “We have mastered the carefully planned restructuring and we have reached our short-term goals and established a positive dialogue with our employees. This is not self-evident in such a tense situation." His colleague Mr. Walter Drach refers to the noticeable changes as follows: “We made progress regarding our technical performance and the introduction of new products and we have no reason to hide from any competitors." The mid-term strategy of the FUBA management is comprised of the diversification and the enlargement of the customer base as well as the further development of the R&D competence as key objectives. The growing market of special technologies has induced FUBA to establish prototype and Rigid-Flex centers. With regard to some market segments Mr. Drach and Mr. Ebeling pilot the company further into the direction of future assurance through the optimization of FUBA's performance. Mr. Walter Drach says: “We don't want to be the world champion regarding the turnover, but we aspire to become the leader regarding quality with technological demand and, above all, we want to stay profitable." Within the capacity increase in Tunisia and the introduction of multilayer technology, FUBA feels up to the requirements of the business volume. Mr. Andreas Ebeling comments on the new diversification strategy of his enterprise: “Due to the specialization in Gittelde, the technical upgrading in Dresden and the enlargement of the production capacities in Bizerte we will manage to take part in the fast changes in the market. At this stage, we can offer one-stop-shopping service from a unique source."

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March 28 2024 10:16 am V22.4.20-1
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