IEC+ announced that it has joined IM GROUP with the aim of strengthening their presence in the market globally.
IM GROUP has announced that IEC+ srl, specialist in mechanical engineering and mainly in the design and manufacture of dispersing, grinding and mixing equipment, as well as complete engineering studies and turnkey solutions - has joined the group.
IEC+ has been collaborating with IM GROUP for several years offering dispersing, grinding and mixing equipment. Now the entry of IEC+ represents a unique opportunity for the evolution of both companies.
The decision to announce the joining of IEC+, six months after the launch of IM GROUP, is based on a dual strategy. “The initial phase was to lay the foundations of IM GROUP by structuring our brands to focus on their individual specialties, yet for them to come together to offer total process-engineering solutions, under a single group, when required. The second phase was to evolve this to an advanced stage,” said Christophe Rizzo, CEO of EMEA/Americas, IM GROUP. “Today, we are adding a significant boost to our portfolio with the addition of a company that will act as a central catalyst to unite and spearhead each of our other brands into: Advanced engineering solutions”, continued Rizzo.
The announcement was filmed at the IEC+ headquarters in Traversetolo (Parma, Italy), at Inkmaker in Shanghai (China) and at the IEC Plant Engineering headquarters in Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) and recently presented on YouTube, in occasion of the conclusion of the third quarter of the year 2021 of the Group.
While waiting for the news to spread throughout the market, Roberto Guerra, CEO of IM GROUP Asia Pacific, said: “we are ready - with our industry-4.0-equipped factories - to offer our clients this next phase. Other than just expanding our premises we have been busy, paving the way, by strengthening our bond with Malaysian-based IEC Plant Engineering, a specialist in this industry since 1992. They have an extensive sales and service network throughout South-East Asia; especially in Malaysia, India and Vietnam. Additionally, their CEO, PM Ravi, an existing shareholder of IEC+, has been fine-tuning an excellent inter-brand relationship with us—which is a bonus”
“The two companies will also share a lot of human resources,” explained Valentina Cigna, Global Director of HR and President of IM GROUP. Plans are also underway to create new jobs for the Parma office. “We plan to increase IEC+’s workforce, by around 15-20% within the next 5 years, and invest in human capital initiatives such as advanced IoT training, to improve industry 4.0 experience and skills”, explained Cigna.
“IEC+ is an extraordinary company with a technical know-how gained from over 20 years’ experience of its team. It can offer, ‘advanced engineering’, by this we mean that the design, projection, and management services are extended to all the production processes, site management and software interface. This starts from preliminary engineering studies through to the complete project implementation and delivery - as such this will use the specialisations from all our brands,” explained Gianluca Incerti, Global Commercial Director, IM GROUP, “each brand will continue to be differentiated through their expertise, and compete in their individual market sectors, and when required, they will come together on large projects for IM GROUP.”
Lau Kar Seng, General Manager of Inkmaker Shanghai and member of the board, explained that even in China, since the launch of IM GROUP in April, the company has been committed on two fronts: firstly, by expanding its offices to align with IEC+ specifications and manufacture and customize large heavy equipment for dispersing, grinding and mixing and; second, to form a joint venture company with Zhuhai Longtec Corp. Ltd., called "Inkmaker Intelligent Systems" in order to offer the service, experience and machinery of IEC+. “Longtec, is a large cooperation, listed on the Shenzhen New Third Board, and will significantly boost our market reach throughout China,” explained Mr. Lau, “the addition of IEC+ is a bonus that many competitors will be unable to match in China, especially with IEC Plant Engineering (in Asia) as our partners.”
IEC+ shareholder and Inkmaker's long-term partner PM Ravi, CEO of IEC Plant Engineering, said: “I am particularly happy with this outcome. It is an ideal collaboration for all; IM GROUP, IEC+ and IEC Plant Engineering, too”. With over 30 years of experience in the Southeast Asian region, IEC Plant Engineering boasts an extensive network of subsidiaries, factories and after-sales service facilities as well as a workforce of skilled engineers.
Fabrizio Musi, founding member of IEC+, who will continue to work as operations manager, said: “this is a significant moment in a strategic global plan, I am confident that, through IM GROUP’s leadership and by joining the IM GROUP family of brands, IEC+ has secured the continuity of its business and is set to make the group stronger and increase its market position,” he concluded, “Antonio Riggio, is a proven General Manager with a very good track record and I warmly welcome him in his new role at IEC+.”
Finally, Antonio Riggio, General Manager of IEC+, concluded by outlining the strategy for IEC+ in the short term which will be based on 3 pillars: strengthening system engineering capacity, increasing production capacity and improving service. By the end of the year, IEC+ has also set itself the goal of doubling the size of its facilities.