Synergy with someco: tap into the benefits

The dictionary defines synergy as the interaction of elements that when combined produces a total effect greater than the sum of the individual elements. That’s clear enough, but I’m willing to bet that you understood the concept of synergy long before you were ever taught about it in school.

You knew, for example, that you and your pal would have more fun if you got together for a kickabout than if you both stayed at home kicking your own football against the garden wall. You understood that you’d learn more skills together and enjoy the element of competition. What’s more, you were economising: all the fun with one football, not two. You also knew that if you were challenged by any other kids for a match, you and your pal would be a team, ready to show what you could do. That’s synergy.

Finding synergies

Synergy is easy to see in football. It’s there in the defender/keeper relationship. It’s there in the rise of the women’s game. It’s there in the links between the game on the pitch and the game on the console. But examples of synergy are found everywhere: in our homes, in a great family dynamic; in colleges, as students collaborate on a project; and in our communities, as a thriving local enterprise.

Of course, synergies are most often talked about in a business context, frequently when referring to mergers. Two businesses come together to create something bigger, better, more cost-effective or more able to serve a particular market.

Practical and people driven

When a synergistic effect happens, it isn’t because of some weird phenomenon. It’s because measurable changes occur. Perhaps two half-capacity warehouses become one site finally operating efficiently. Perhaps vehicles don’t return from deliveries empty but take a different product to a new destination. Perhaps some machinery becomes fully utilised, or maybe there are economies of scale in some functions. That’s not magic. It’s good management.

For me, the most exciting part of a synergistic relationship happens because of the people involved. Whatever we have done, achieved or created in our lives, we store information about it. When two organisations come together, the spectrum of expertise becomes much broader. The new organisation has more skills, more understanding and a wider variety of niche or specialist knowledge. The key thing is to recognise, value and capitalise on the contribution others can make. 

What do they know, have and do that will make your enterprise stronger?

What do you know, have and do that will further their aims?

The synergy of a new PVC profile processing brand

Let me illustrate this with an example I’m very familiar with. elumatec is a global brand, but it started its life in Germany. It’s known and respected for its engineering and its machining centres. In Italy, Emmegi has an equally proud history in saws and machining centres but has been seen as the leader in technology for the seamless welding of PVCu. Now, Voilàp Group, of which both businesses are part, has launched a new PVC brand called someco.

In creating this brand, which will embrace all of the group’s PVC processing products, something far bigger than a new logo and identity has been formed. someco is the home for superb technology, innovative thinking and attention to detail. It’s the place where there’s true alignment between products and supporting systems, ready for all the benefits of Industry 4.0. It’s where consultancy, service, and support are integral parts of the customer experience. And because the new someco brand is so closely aligned with elumatec – we will be the brand’s UK supplier – there are synergies aplenty.

These synergies arise because of the skills our operations have across different sectors, because of our international reach and experience, and because of our place in the Voilàp Group structure. We share a desire to collaborate, have goals that are in alignment and are focused on the same ambitious standards for sustainability. It’s exciting that we’re working together. It feels like a catalyst has been added and that now, we are stronger than ever.

Whilst that might sound somewhat boastful, I do think it’s important that our strength and experience are recognised. They are, after all, what many in the fenestration industry need right now. In challenging times, access to specialists can make an enormous difference to a business. What’s more, with many fabricators extending their product ranges to include PVCu, steel and aluminium, it makes sense to have access to suppliers who can deliver across the board.

Look out for the new someco brand. It’s a sign of a business that uses synergy to create outstanding products and deliver remarkable service.