Business
activities
Concerning business activities, the year 2000 was typical by these important facts. In spite of a stress due to strong competition, the "EPL a.s." company maintains a leading position in the Czech and Slovak market. Nevertheless, this market shows a long-term stagnation in all its needs, because it is limited by the situation in the energy-making industry, distribution companies acting in the distribution network sector and the situation on the Czech railroads. Namely thanks to the knowledge of limited possibilities of our domestic market, the "EPL, a.s." company efforts to enter foreign markets. There is a dynamic increase of our export share and our company becomes partner for a majority of important global producers of electricity equipment, as e.g. Siemens, Pirelli, Schneider Elektric, ABB, etc. Simultaneously, the company fights with its competitors, with low-price aggressive producers from China, India and other countries having inexpensive labour force. Nevertheless, EPL already occupied a relatively strong place in the markets in SRN and Italy where there is the biggest part of its export. It is impossible not to mention export to Australia and the USA, although we expected a faster penetration to the US market. In spite of this fact, the USA market is in front of our subsequent interest due to its huge potential and import needs because of substitution of energetic networks in following years. The company also successfully develops contacts and firm contracts into the Eastern Europe's countries, where there is a positive influence of a certain economic stabilisation of Russia, the country as well with a huge potential for future successful business.
Another characteristic change in 2000 consisted in the assortment change towards to larger, more integral supplies, reduction of residual and fragmented assortment and concentration to a sale of products requiring a high quality standard, being produced from a new quality C130 advanced material, so-called big tyre casing. This C130 material, successfully developed in a co-operation with VSCHT, was produced and as well, the company was awarded a certificate thanks to it.
We suppose that the year 2000 strengthened the EPL company's name both in Western and in Eastern Europe, which opens new sales possibilities in the global market together with other stable position in the domestic market. In future, the customers should thus have in their minds that EPL is a brand and a global reputable producer. For that reason, EPL must further increase its sales and marketing activities in the market, namely its broad activities with customers in the terrain and its participation in sector fairs. Of course, there is a high level of after-sale service and customer's comfort, reliability of supplies in terms and required quality. Production and sale of oxidative ceramic assortment are special branches, which showed decreasing tendency during several years. The company excluded production and sale of this assortment in a separate division, which contributed to refreshment of the sale of many products (tubes, honeycombs, ceramic knifes, etc.…). They are as well supposed to gradually penetrate new markets, including Ukraine and Russia.
Shares of export
territories in 2000 |
 |
Czech republic |
36,6 % |

|
 |
Austria |
2,8 % |
 |
Slovakia |
9,5 % |
 |
Greece |
1,8 % |
 |
Italy |
11,5 % |
 |
Germany |
19,4 % |
 |
Others |
2,8 % |
 |
Australia |
5,4 % |
 |
England |
3,5 % |
 |
Bulgaria |
1,2 % |
 |
U.S.A. |
5,5 % |
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