Hilti Business Case
Hilti 2003.
Maintaining a Proactive Sense of Urgency
As of 2003, the Hilti Group was a world leader in developing, manufacturing, and marketing added-value, top-quality products and services for professional customers in the construction industry and building maintenance. Hilti’s product range covered drilling and demolition, direct fastening, diamond and anchoring systems, firestop and foam systems, installation, positioning and screw fastening systems as well as cutting and sanding systems. At that time, Hilti had operations in over 120 countries worldwide and more than 14,000 employees, of whom two-thirds interacted directly with customers in sales, engineering, and customer services. Hilti operated its own production plants as well as its own research and development centers in Europe, America, and Asia. Approximately 1,500 individuals were employed at the company’s headquarters in Schaan, Principality of Liechtenstein. Furthermore, Hilti posted €2.05 billion in sales for fiscal 2002. Since its founding in 1941, Hilti had been profoundly influenced by the values, tradition, and spirit of its founder, Martin Hilti. Although his pioneering spirit was no longer omnipresent, Hilti’s executive management drew from his principles and core beliefs and so kept the company in a state of constant evolution: People were always the focus; the utmost quality was a must; and Hilti products were sold via direct sales. “Sustain that which has sustained” was the motto according to which the executive management was constantly realigning the company. By 2003, Hilti had been the undisputed market leader for years. In a process lasting almost two decades and costing €16.3 million, the company systematically developed a culture which revolved around constantly questioning the status quo, personal will to succeed, and actiontaking grounded in personal responsibility. Toward this end, the major challenge facing Hilti’s management was the process of generating a proactive sense of
Maintaining a Proactive Sense of Urgency
As of 2003, the Hilti Group was a world leader in developing, manufacturing, and marketing added-value, top-quality products and services for professional customers in the construction industry and building maintenance. Hilti’s product range covered drilling and demolition, direct fastening, diamond and anchoring systems, firestop and foam systems, installation, positioning and screw fastening systems as well as cutting and sanding systems. At that time, Hilti had operations in over 120 countries worldwide and more than 14,000 employees, of whom two-thirds interacted directly with customers in sales, engineering, and customer services. Hilti operated its own production plants as well as its own research and development centers in Europe, America, and Asia. Approximately 1,500 individuals were employed at the company’s headquarters in Schaan, Principality of Liechtenstein. Furthermore, Hilti posted €2.05 billion in sales for fiscal 2002. Since its founding in 1941, Hilti had been profoundly influenced by the values, tradition, and spirit of its founder, Martin Hilti. Although his pioneering spirit was no longer omnipresent, Hilti’s executive management drew from his principles and core beliefs and so kept the company in a state of constant evolution: People were always the focus; the utmost quality was a must; and Hilti products were sold via direct sales. “Sustain that which has sustained” was the motto according to which the executive management was constantly realigning the company. By 2003, Hilti had been the undisputed market leader for years. In a process lasting almost two decades and costing €16.3 million, the company systematically developed a culture which revolved around constantly questioning the status quo, personal will to succeed, and actiontaking grounded in personal responsibility. Toward this end, the major challenge facing Hilti’s management was the process of generating a proactive sense of