Client Situation

A European aluminium rolling mill was facing a significant lack of orders and struggled to identify profitable growth opportunities. The existing commercial approach was too narrow, and the plant lacked a structured strategy to align product development, market focus, and future investments. The company required a comprehensive commercial strategy and an investment roadmap that would enable sustainable, profitable growth.

Objective

Create a clear commercial strategy based on a more differentiated product segmentation, potential new products and develop a corresponding investment plan to enhance capabilities, increase capacity, and improve cost performance.

Approach & Implementation

1. Product Mix, Segmentation, and Profitability Analysis

With more than 30 years of experience in aluminium rolling operations and sales, I conducted an in-depth analysis of:

• The current product mix and profitability
• Market potential across product families
• The performance and capabilities of the existing equipment

It quickly became evident that the mill’s segmentation—limited to only two product groups—was insufficient to reflect true market and profit potential.

Through workshops and cross-functional discussions, a more refined segmentation was developed. Each segment was evaluated and ranked according to profitability, market potential, and the specific strengths of the plant.

2. Market Evaluation and Business Case Development

To support the new segmentation, we assessed:

• Existing market share for each product group
• Target volumes and market share ambitions
• Growth scenarios and risks

These insights were integrated into a solid business case, forming the commercial backbone of the strategy.

3. Sales Organization Realignment

To ensure the new commercial strategy could be executed effectively:

• The sales organization was redesigned based on the new segmentation
• Clear responsibilities were defined
• Dedicated sales managers were assigned to major product groups

This increased customer focus, accountability, and transparency in the commercial processes.

4. Investment Strategy and Equipment Assessment

Building on the commercial strategy, the equipment portfolio was carefully evaluated. An investment plan with a clear timeline was developed, addressing three core goals:

• Cost improvement
• Capabilities enhancement
• Capacity expansion

The investment roadmap ensured that the rolling mill’s technical capabilities supported the targeted product segments and future market requirements.

Outcome

• A comprehensive commercial strategy aligned with market opportunities and plant strengths
• A clear, prioritized investment plan enabling profitable growth
• Approval of the full strategy by the owners
• Start of implementation to secure future competitiveness