Construction & Civil Engineering Magazine - Issue 218 Nov | Page 61

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Baufritz
by implementing our façade and roofing systems , which can also be added to larger buildings like apartment blocks .”
Selective expansion
Next , our conversation turns to how Baufritz had expanded around the globe . “ Germany is surrounded by lots of countries , and Baufritz naturally began to export products to neighbouring countries like Switzerland , Austria , Luxembourg , and Belgium , but our biggest export market for the last 20 years has been the UK ,” Oliver says . “ However , the Covid-19 pandemic changed market conditions dramatically , and we decided to consolidate the business rather than expanding further to ensure we could deliver the quality we pride ourselves on . “ Today , we have our headquarters and main offices in Germany , where we have a strong partner network , and we also have offices and a partner network in the UK . We use local suppliers where possible and we ’ re very selective with our supply chain to ensure products conform with our specifications and high standards .
“ In terms of expansion , the domestic market in Canada is a very interesting space at the moment , with lots of opportunities for prefabrication companies ,” he shares . “ It could be the right time for us to reignite a former relationship in the Canadian market , so we are in conversation with manufacturers to explore how we could enter Canada .”
Commenting on the future of the business , Oliver concludes : “ I ’ d like to see us providing a more diverse offering and expanding our involvement with the refurbishment and extension of existing buildings . We ’ ll also strive to make our products more accessible and affordable for a wider range of customers , particularly in the UK market . However , in terms of sustainability , there needs to be a much larger network of connected manufacturers working together on a long-term strategy to positively contribute to the environment .” ■
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