EVOLVING TO MEET NEW TECHNOLOGIES
By Julian Nettlefold
BATTLESPACE Editor Julian Nettlefold visited Dytecna at its Weybridge manufacturing site.
Our last interview with Dytecna was last year at the Malvern site, for this interview the Editor went down to the Weybridge site, to find out what Managing Director John Fulford plans for the next decade and beyond following the publication of the U.K. MoD SDSR.
“Do you see the Company evolving through mechanical engineering expertise or moving more into high-tech C4ISR and Cyber solutions?” The Editor asked John Fulford.
“It has always been our aspiration to build an integrated engineering and manufacturing business and our vision is very much to maintain and develop that capability as we enhance our presence in overseas markets. Having said that we have a number of interesting opportunities in the secure mobile communications environment with a new leading edge product we are about to bring to market. We have for some time now been developing our software and electronics capability in the C4i arena and now see this as a strong core capability within the business.” John Fulford said.
“Australia is now a very important market for you. Can you tell us how long it took you to develop the Australian market?”
“Our ventures in Australia started in 2004 with a preliminary overview of the capabilities and potential competitors that existed in the Asia Pacific region. It was very quickly evident that there was a need for a business with the capabilities that existed in Dytecna and we established an initial marketing office in 2005. Those forays were further developed in 2008 with the acquisition of an engineering manufacturing business which we are developing with very strong capabilities in power, electric motors and vehicle integration. It is this model we are now looking to utilise as we focus on our international strategy.”
“Which is the next key market you see as key for growth?”
“We are some two years now into the establishment of our US capability and have had a number of successes in selling existing products directly into US DoD. The requirements for the US to place further business with us as an organisation demands an incorporated structure and so 2011 will see the establishment of Dytecna Inc.”
“What areas do you see as key to growth?”
“The future development of the business will rely on our ability to rapidly develop our product capability and establish a network of vendor relationships throughout the world to sell and support these products. We are confident that we now have a strategy to develop and release products that meet domestic requirements in a better way than we have done traditionally and this will allow us to meet the expectations of growth that we place upon ourselves.”
“In addition to organic growth, Dytecna has evolved by acquisition. Do you see acquisitions continuing or will the main driver in the future be organic growth?”
“Through acquisition Dytecna’s core capabilities have widened to include blast and ballistic protection, electronics, systems and software. The Company has expanded to international markets through acquisitions and widened its sector scope to include the aviation sector with the provision of aviation ground power. Where opportunities exist to expand our capability or product offerings Dytecna will assess where, why and how these acquisitions enhance the overall capability of the organisation and in every case these opportunities are assessed as to whether the acquisition is the best route to market or whether internal investment is a more suitable option.”
“Do you see COTS as a driver or will new demands demand more MOTS or specialist designs to meet ever growing threats, particularly in areas such as IED threat?”
“Cost has obviously driven the enormous demands that wherever possible a COTS solution should prevail, however we are seeing an ever increasing demand to return to a more MOTS style soluti