BERNER Group donates three raised beds and a herb snail to Waldenburg's Kleeblatt kindergarten
Total package of product, logistics and cost-effectiveness
Cologne-based Berner gains major customer Skanska in northern Europe
Cologne/Helsinki, February 24, 2017. The Cologne-based Berner Group, a commercial enterprise with 9,500 employees, is strengthening its position in the northern European market. The Finnish sales subsidiary, Berner Kiinnitystekniikka Oy, part of the corporate group, and the multinational construction company Skanska, headquartered in Helsinki, Finland, have signed a three-year contract. The scope of the future cooperation encompasses a seven-digit annual revenue volume. In a tough selection process, Berner was able to convince the large-scale customer with a total package of high-quality products, customized logistics and an optimum price-performance ratio, and not only extend the existing contract, but also significantly expand it.
The cooperation with the international construction giant Skanska will further strengthen the northern European market positioning of the trading company, which has been based at the Rheinauhafen in Cologne for the past year. With the Finnish subsidiary of the Swedish construction company, one of the most important industry giants in northern Europe could be gained as a long-term client upon contract signing.
Up to this success, Berner had to face a highly competitive selection process, but was able to prevail over its strong competitors and become one of two main suppliers. Ultimately, a total package, comprising the high-quality and comprehensive product and service range offered by Berner to the multinational construction company, proved decisive. “We were able to satisfy Skanska’s high demands with our total package consisting of products, logistics and cost-effectiveness. The signed contract shows how well Berner is now positioned in northern Europe,” said Christian Berner, CEO.
Berner has been supplying Skanska construction sites in Finland for years. At the last supplier evaluation, its outstanding delivery reliability was particularly praised. This gave Berner the opportunity to apply for a three-year contract with a seven-digit annual revenue volume.
The construction company Skanska, listed on the Stockholm stock exchange, began its growth in Sweden by manufacturing individual construction products. Today, with some 43,000 employees and an annual turnover of 16.4 billion euros, the group plays a central role in creating Sweden’s infrastructure, including roads, power stations, office buildings and houses. However, the company is also one of the largest providers on the international market. Already in the 1950s, international expansion began to such markets as South America, Africa, Asia and the United States. The company’s largest projects include LaGuardia Airport in New York and the renovation of the Brooklyn Bridge in New York.
The collaboration with Skanska will further strengthen Berner’s position and will also be important for the further long-term development of the northern European market. With the construction company, Berner has gained a strong client with comparable corporate values.
The Berner Group
The Berner Group is a European family-run commercial enterprise. Our vision: “We keep the world together and moving.” This means we are the central B2B trading partner for a full range of materials in the areas of maintenance, repairs and production for our clients in the construction, mobility and industrial sectors. We create an integrated cross-channel shopping experience for our customers on over four channels. We are an innovative manufacturer in the area of steel and c-parts, and also in the chemicals field. With over 230,000 items and 9,000 employees, we serve clients in more than 25 countries. In October 2015, the Berner Group opened a second pillar in the Rhine-Ruhr region for strategic tasks which go beyond the global locations. In doing so, the company is also responding to the challenges of demographic change and digital transformation.