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EURONEXT BRUSSELS
Zetes
(Euronext Brussels: ZTS), established in 1984, is a leading Pan-European
system
integrator
offering value-added solutions in the Automatic Identification industry
(Auto-ID) for Goods ID and for People ID. These solutions use both emerging
and mature technologies (barcode, voice recognition, RFID, smartcards,
biometrics) to optimize the business performance of many private and public
customers in many market segments.
Zetes’
solutions are implemented in various sectors of activity: industry, transportation,
logistics, distribution, healthcare, finance, telecommunication, government
and public services.
The
Zetes group has its headquarters in Brussels, with subsidiaries in Belgium,
Germany, France, Ireland, Israel, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain
and the UK. Zetes currently employs 455 employees and generated consolidated
revenues of €139.5 million in 2005.
Zetes
poursuit son expansion géographique rapide avec l’ouverture d’une
succursale nordique
Bruxelles,
10 avril 2007 - Zetes (Euronext Bruxelles: ZTS), fournisseur paneuropéen
de premier plan de solutions et de services à valeur ajoutée
dans le secteur de l’identification automatique des biens et des personnes,
a ouvert un nouveau bureau au Danemark en vue de mieux servir les marchés
nordiques (Danemark, Suède, Finlande, Norvège). Pour diriger
cette nouvelle succursale, Zetes a fait appel à Jan Norret, vétéran
de l'identification automatique et pionnier de l'introduction des systèmes
à commande vocale dans les pays scandinaves.
Au
plan stratégique, Zetes entend s'implanter sur le marché
nordique en mettant l'accent sur sa "Solution 3i Voice", un ensemble complet
de solutions à valeur ajoutée destiné à des
applications à commande vocale dans le domaine de la logistique.
Zetes est leader incontesté sur le marché paneuropéen
de la logistique vocale. En 2006, Zetes est parvenu à accroître
les chiffres de ventes de sa Solution 3i Voice de près de 30% par
rapport à l'année précédente. Fort de l'acquisition
de Vocognition International en août 2006, Zetes sert aujourd'hui
50% du marché européen des solutions à commande vocale.
Depuis
quelques années déjà, Zetes déploie des activités
dans les pays scandinaves. Zetes est le seul intégrateur d'applications
vocales à posséder des références dans les
quatre pays. Ces clients, qui seront pris en charge par le nouveau siège,
étaient servis jusqu'ici par les sièges Zetes d'Hambourg
(Allemagne) et de Bruxelles (Belgique), lesquels continueront à
apporter leur soutien au nouveau siège nordique. La nouvelle succursale
pourra également compter sur le support des Centres de compétences
3i mis en place par Zetes. Ces centres opèrent comme des centres
de connaissances paneuropéens pour diverses technologies spécifiques.
Zetes possède actuellement des Centres de compétences 3i
pour les solutions à commande vocale, l'identification par radiofréquences
(RFID) et l'impression/application d'étiquettes.
Un
siège local pour faire face au développement rapide du marché
Alain
Wirtz, CEO de Zetes. "S'agissant de l'identification des biens, on constate
aujourd'hui un développement soutenu du marché nordique dans
divers domaines. La technologie vocale y est certainement la plus importante
des technologies émergentes, mais d'autres technologies – comme
le scanning de codes-barres, les terminaux LAN sans fil et l'impression
– sont également en progression. L'installation d'un bureau local
atteste de notre volonté de toujours mieux servir nos clients, nouveaux
et existants, dans les pays nordiques."
Expansion
géographique rapide
Avec
l'ouverture d'une nouvelle succursale nordique, Zetes poursuit une série
d'initiatives axées sur l'expansion. En 2006, Zetes a ainsi ouvert
de nouveaux sièges en Italie et en Israël. La société
a aussi acquis une nouvelle filiale en Suisse et des sièges supplémentaires
au Royaume-Uni, en Allemagne et aux Pays-Bas, par suite de l'acquisition
et de l'intégration de PEAK Europe. La création de sièges
locaux est une composante importante de la stratégie commerciale
de Zetes, qui privilégie des services de haute qualité et
des relations clients basées sur la confiance. L'installation de
sièges locaux utilisant des spécialistes locaux contribue
à la concrétisation de cet objectif.
ZETES
Industries - Results for the 1st half of 2006
Income up 9.7% to EUR
66.2 million
EBITDA of EUR 5.65 million
(stable compared to first half of 2005)
Net profit up 88%
Significant events during
the first half of 2006
During the first half
of 2006, the Zetes Group’s sales were strong thanks to very good organic
growth in the Goods ID sector (+22.3% to EUR 53 million). This very good
performance offsets the drop in revenue from People ID (-22.3% to EUR 13.3
million). This decrease is explained by the large size of the contract
concluded with the United Nations for the Congo in 2005 (30% of the project
had been implemented by 30 June 2005).
In Goods ID, voice recognition
technology continued to be the main growth engine. Many major European
distribution and logistics companies are currently deploying this technology
at their distributions centres. Zetes is a leading pan-European integrator
in automatic identification and is also the leader on the European voice
solutions market. It is ideally positioned to take advantage of this trend.
In addition, by acquiring
Vocognition International in August, Zetes bolstered its international
Zetes 3iVoice expertise centre and proctically doubled its installed base,
mainly in France.
In People ID, the number
of long-term Build and Operate-type contracts continued to grow. The rollout
of the Belgian eID card is taking place at a fast pace (more than 3.3 million
cards produced as at 30 June 2006, with a remarkable reliability rate).
In addition, other, smaller contracts were also signed and are currently
being implemented. If we include the income generated by the clients of
the IDOC Cards Division (taken over by Zetes in February), income growth
excluding the Congo contract was roughly 45%.
Further to the IPO, financial
expenditures were down significantly since financial income reflected a
net expenditure of EUR (0.1) million, compared to EUR (1.6) millin for
the first semester 2005. The net profits came in at EUR 2.34 million, compared
to EUR 1.24 million a year earlier, up 88%.
Acquisitions
During the 1st half of
2006, the company made an acquisition (100%) in the Goods ID sector: Powersys
(Spain). This acquisition affords Zetes new opportunities in manufacturing
and logistics and in an area that is critical for these sectors, i.e. Print
& Apply solutions. Thanks to the mechanism of Zetes’s 3i international
expertise centres, these Print & Apply solutions are made available
to the entire European market with Zetes’s local subsidiaries as the primary
channel.
Two acquisitions were
also made in People ID, one in production (acquisition of the Cards division
of IDOC, the producer of identity cards for Luxembourg) and one in software
(50% of Metaform). These acquisitions enable Zetes to offer its clientele
People ID solutions that are even more complete and integrated, in particular
in terms of digital colour printing, as well as automated personal data
and information software entry solutions.
Growth in Zetes’s income
in the first half of 2006 was mainly organic (+8.7%). The impact of the
acquisitions made was limited. Their contribution to consolidated turnover
for the 1st half of 2006 amounted to EUR 0.6 million.
Prospects
During the first half
of 2006, Zetes strengthened its competences in Goods ID. As a result of
these acquisitions, the company believes that it can continue to distinguish
itself from its competitors and sustain its growth. The company continues
to monitor acquisition opportunities, especially in large European countries.
In People ID, the Company
continues to be confident in its strategy of broadening its range of solutions
and focusing on the EMEA region. Although the United Nations, the largest
client in the region, did not award any projects similar to the enrolment
of voters in the Congo (DRC) during the 1st half of 2006, Zetes is sure
that the success of the registration project in the Congo, to which Zetes
took part, will confirm the demand for biometric registration solutions.
This explains why the company has continued to invest in this activity’s
growth, in the identification and qualification of projects. In particular,
Zetes has expanded its business development team and has taken a 50% stake
in Metaform.
Auditor’s report
The Auditor carried out
a limited review of Zetes Industries’s interim financial information for
the 6-month period ending on 30 June 2006. Its report is available in the
presentation of interim financial information on the site www.zetes.com.
Timetable
2006 results: Friday,
23 March 2007
Ordinary General Meeting:
Wednesday, 30 May 2007 |
