Relentless
since 1866
For more than 150 years we have owned and developed different companies across several industries. Now, we are committed to our goal of becoming the best Nordic company group for mid-sized companies. People, leadership, culture and values are key focus areas for Ratos. Everything we do is based on Ratos’s core values: Simplicity, Speed in Execution and It’s All About People. Our principles define our organisation and companies and serve as a guide in our day-to-day operations
10,500
Employees
16
Companies
32
Billion SEK in net sales
2.2
Billion SEK in EBITA
We live by our values:
Simplicity,
Speed in execution and
It’s all about people.
Our principles
Founded on our experience of successful company development, these fundamental principles define our organisation and companies and serve as a guide in our day-to-day operations.
Stability – Profitability – Growth
Reliable profitability should be built from the ground up, and this all starts with stability. Stability is about creating an environment with a good ability to predict company development in the near future. Without this ability, it is difficult to reverse a company’s negative profitability.
This is why accurate forecasts for sales and EBITA are important parameters to follow. Good leadership and a clear business plan are also crucial.We can only begin to focus on profitability once stability has been achieved. Favourable profitability is the corner-stone of growth. Company strategy must be based on a clear insight into what drives the company’s profitability. This is partly about improving gross margins and reducing the amount of fixed costs. A good result is when a company out-performs other companies in the same sector in terms of profitability and achieves a growth rate that is higher than market growth. Profitability is the cornerstone of growth. An exception can be made, however, for companies that need to build a market position quickly. Growth is often a natural result of focusing on those products or services that are most profitable. This is a question of focusing on sales, correct pricing and profitable acquisitions.
Line managers in the management group
To establish a healthy dynamic in the management group and to keep the management group close to the business and the customers, at least half of the management group is to be comprised of line managers.
This creates a good balance between support services and those responsible for the customer’s earnings.
What gets measured gets done – but don’t measure everything
A strong drive to accomplish positive results is within all of us. This is why the things that get measured improve. However, it is crucial not to measure too many parameters, since this can lead to a decrease in clarity.
As such, it is important to limit the amount of measuring points.
Pricing can always be improved
Pricing is an important measure for improving profitability in every company. With a good understanding of the customer value that can be created, there are often opportunities to adjust prices in both directions.
Customers talk – we listen
It is the customers who pay the salaries of a company’s employees. Listening to the customer allows us to understand problems and opportunities, market trends and the value that the company can provide. Armed with this understanding, we can develop product offerings and internal processes.
Customer satisfaction is therefore a crucial parameter to keep a track of in our companies.
Focus on our strengths
There is always a risk of devoting too much focus and resources to trying to find ways of fixing things that are not working. Our experience has taught us that it is simpler to turn something that is working well into something that can work better, rather than turning something that is not working into something that works well.
The company must focus its resources on its strengths and develop them even further.
Costs can always be lowered
Costs can always be lowered. We have an obligation to our customers and owners to always scrutinise our costs and make sure that the company’s operations provide customer value every step of the way. Constantly finding ways to improve operational efficiency is a continuous job.
Our experience has taught us that companies that lower their costs are often surprised by just how much costs can be reduced without having a negative impact on the operations.
Benchmarking for measuring and comparison
Benchmarking for measuring and comparison. The key to deciding whether or not something is good is finding relevant common benchmarks for comparison. By compiling benchmarks between different units in the company and between companies in the same industry and by making use of external data,
the company can challenge itself to further develop and find out about other companies who have performed even better.
Organic growth prioritised, while acquired growth with synergies also boosts value
Organic profit growth is unparalleled when it comes to creating value for a company and, for this reason, is always a top priority for Ratos. Acquired growth can generate considerable value when combined with real synergies in terms of expenses and revenue.
Corporate governance
The principles determine the form of corporate governance that we implement in our companies and are key to the recruitment of CEOs and company boards. Our companies must have management teams and boards that share Ratos’s philosophy.
Value-creating measures
Each company has identified prioritised value-creating measures intended to take the company to the next level. These initiatives, which are based on the Ratos Principles, are limited in number and specific in their focus.
Ratos’s network
At Ratos, we make it possible for companies to develop rapidly by being a part of something larger. An important aspect of this is building strong networks between the Ratos companies. There is always a risk of becoming blind to the bigger picture in one’s own company and sector. In order to thrive in their respective segments, companies require ideas and perspectives from other companies and sectors.
A history of entrepreneurship
Everything begins with the desire to create something new. To contribute to the community and build prosperity. Gustaf Söderberg decided at the beginning of the 1800s to work in trade and became one of 20 dealers in the town of Åmål. His son, Per Olof (Pelle), became a Nordic dealer of steel products, moved to Stockholm and established the partnership Söderberg & Haak in 1866, which became one of Sweden’s largest steel wholesalers. That is the beginning of the story behind Ratos.
OUR HISTORYAddress
Ratos AB
Mailbox 511
SE-114 11 Stockholm
Visiting address:
Sturegatan 10
Work with us
Get the opportunity to develop throughout your career, together with driven people who care deeply about what they do. And much more.
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