Projektbeschreibung
A Swiss company that converts trucks to electric drives using self-made powertrains was faced with a fundamental strategic decision.
Its core competence was the complete conversion of diesel-powered trucks to electric drive. On the one hand, this business was lucrative, but on the other hand it was characterised by a lot of manual work. The orders were mostly one-offs and the potential for increasing effectiveness and growth was low.
Should the company continue to be organised as a generalist and work like a manufactory, or should the company specialise and concentrate fully on the production of powertrains?
Continuing to operate as a manufactory required no changes and no investment, but it carried the risk of being displaced by competitors in a few years. Specialisation offered the chance to increase production efficiency, reduce unit costs and achieve a strong expansion of unit numbers. However, this strategy required high investments and the willingness of the shareholders to finance them.
We supported the managing director in analysing the strategic alternatives, substantiating them with figures and presenting them to the shareholders in a clear and comprehensible way.
What to cover in a strategy plan for an e-mobility supplier
A supplier moving into electric trucks faces a market in transition. A good plan describes the target customers (truck manufacturers, body builders, fleet operators), the products and components offered, and the timeline from development to series production.
Lenders and investors look at the investment need for development, tooling and certification, the expected order volumes and the dependence on a few large customers. Regulation, funding programmes and the pace of fleet electrification should be reflected in scenarios (conservative, base and ambitious).
The financial plan should combine research and development costs, working capital and capacity expansion into a transparent cash-flow forecast. This shows how the strategy is financed and when the new business line is expected to pay for itself.
