BIBUS Group - FROM FAMILY BUSINESS TO ENTREPRENEURIAL FAMILY

Member of the month July 2023 – BIBUS AG Group

Jul, 2023 by Alexander Scholer, Switzerland Global Enterprise

The BIBUS Group of companies in the engineering sector have more than 70 years of experience in the fields of hydraulics, pneumatics, mechatronics, environmental technology and system components. This bundled expertise allows the company to implement customer-specific orders efficiently and with pinpoint accuracy. We talked to Roberto Deola, BIBUS AG Group CEO, in an interview about the opportunities and challenges in export.

The group of companies distributes nationally and internationally high-quality components for high-performance systems and plants. Consistent customer orientation, broad inventory and efficient logistics ensure rapid and reliable order processing from prototypes to series production. The same level of expertise is applied to the development and assembly of complete systems as well as to the programming of electronic controls.

Questions for Roberto Deola, CEO of BIBUS AG Group:

What makes your business unique?

As an internationally active family business, it is above all the corporate culture and the values that are cultivated in our group of companies that make our business unique. Although we are active in more than 30 countries, it is still the local subsidiaries which, with a great deal of autonomy and in most cases also as co-owners, help to shape the success of the entire group of companies. Our motto "Supporting your success" also reflects a pronounced customer orientation with a great deal of pleasure in innovation, because the success of our customers worldwide is indisputably also our success.

Which countries have the greatest (export) potential for you?

We expanded into Eastern Europe early on in the 1990s and later into Asia. Although the Western European market remains an important pillar for us, we still see great potential in the countries of the regions mentioned. The several geopolitical tensions and the massive problems in the supply chains of the last years lead to substantial changes in globalization and thus to the return of some industries in Western but especially Eastern European countries.

What are your experiences in the internationalization process?    

Even as a larger, international group of companies, you must be able to adapt your business strategies to the individual local markets. Without losing focus on one's own strengths and expertise, areas such as product offering, pricing, distribution channels, marketing and communication must be adapted to local conditions. It has always been important for us to to work with local partners in the internationalization process. This has always been a great help for the acceptance of the company by customers and employees, but also for overcoming linguistic and cultural barriers.

What company performance are you particularly proud of?

Over many years now, BIBUS AG Group has been delivering solid financial performance with continuous development and profitable business activity. The group of companies works effectively and meets the constantly changing market needs. Both on the part of the suppliers but also with the partners in the national companies, there are long-standing successful partnerships, which are the basis for our success.

What made you decide to work with S-GE? How exactly do you cooperate with S-GE?

As an internationally diversified company, the BIBUS AG Group is active in many different cultures, countries and the associated particularities regarding market-specific or legal aspects.

Such a diversification, not only on the product level but also geographically, requires having the right partner with proven expertise by your side. The choice fell on S-GE. On the one hand, this is because S-GE's clear ties to Switzerland and its global footprint reflect the values of the BIBUS AG Group, and on the other hand, S-GE was recommended by employees who already had experience with S-GE.
In the internationalization process, it is important for the BIBUS AG Group to move forward in a targeted manner that is successful for all stakeholders. Therefore, the BIBUS AG Group and its subsidiaries cooperate with S-GE in various projects on different topics.

Roberto Deola, CEO of BIBUS AG Group