News

In addition to the renewed and expanded product range, the switch to neutral ownership of CEDES, made up of capiton AG from Berlin and the Management Team, will be a decisive growth factor.

A crisis may also be a self-fulfilling prophecy. The prophets of economic apocalypse are gaining impetus. They herald dark times and threaten with the fall of the world economy. Let's imagine that nobody listens to them and we simply work our way through the current problems. Looking ahead with confidence, learning from past mistakes and constantly improving ourselves seems to me the more reasonable option. We also have the responsibility to support the bold strategy of national banks with our work.

There is one positive aspect of this dreadful corona crisis - it gives us food for thought. Fortunately, CEDES hasn't been particularly affected by the overly strict lockdown measures. Thanks to hard work, we've managed to achieve almost the same turnover in 2020 as in the previous year and thus hold our strong position. In order to implement crisis management and, at the same time, fundamentally adjust strategy and rethink organization, you need to keep a cool head. The Hockey Club Davos, strongly supported by CEDES, knows this very well. They have also managed to rethink their strategy and tactics in those hard times. 

We have been working together with HCD for almost 20 years. This cult ice hockey club, celebrating its 100th birthday this year, has won the Swiss Championship 31 times. Other Swiss hockey clubs get significantly more financial support. So what makes HCD different? Those players are true warriors, living in a harsh mountain region. They know what suffering means and that success can only be achieved through outstanding performance as a team. After a dry spell, the team is up on their feet and on the rise again. Go Davos! 

The Floorball Club Alligator Malans has a similar background. They were also Swiss Champions more than once, defying the financially better situated clubs from Zürich and Zug. CEDES supports those tough fighters, whose performance doesn't cease to amaze us. Go Alligator!

The CEDES team in Landquart, Minneapolis, Singapore, Shanghai, Changshu and Tokyo also fought hard for their victory. A heartfelt thank you to this amazing team. They show great courage and foresight, constantly rethinking themselves strategically and operatively. In 2020, the team did it again - CEDES has been geared for growth with sharpened strategy and adjusted organization. We have made significant investments and are starting 2021 with a renewed product portfolio. As Jack Welsh, the late CEO of GE, would say: short- and long-term goals must be reached simultaneously. The CEDES owners, capiton AG and the Management Team, are setting course for sustainable and profitable growth, achieved both organically and through acquisitions. Go CEDES!

We would also like to thank our major customers: Schindler, OTIS, ThyssenKrupp, Mitsubishi, Hitachi, Amazon and many more. Our success would not be conceivable without this intense and often cordial cooperation. I wish you all a particularly successful and healthy 2021. Let's take advantage of the many new opportunities that this New Year brings.

Christian-Erik Thöny, CEO CEDES Group