How can a company that furnishes disaster response and humanitarian agencies best manage the intrinsically unpredictable and highly volatile demand for its products? Utilis is a French provider of fast-deploy high-end tent alternatives for civilian and military uses (for example camps and field hospitals).
In 13 years it developed from a start up garage business into a successful company of reputation and global reach. In 2010 CEO Philippe Prevost and its creator must decide the market and merchandise strategy for the following period of growth cutting edge products and enabling the business to stay competitive with regard to price. Should they outsource some of their production to Eastern Europe? Diversify into new shelter product regions?
So far their small size as well as nimbleness had enabled the firm to thrive -- but would their deeper penetration into the market of disaster and emergency response (where contracts were smaller and peaks and troughs in demand bigger) still be compatible with their business model?
PUBLICATION DATE: February 28, 2011 PRODUCT #: 311096-HCB-ENG
This is just an excerpt. This case is about STRATEGY & EXECUTION
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