Solar invests in digital craftsman productivity

Minuba and GenieBelt offer digital tools for job management and planning of construction projects that improve the productivity of craftsmen.

Both dynamic project management and online job and resource management boost productivity. Moreover, with the current severe competition, greater productivity is necessary if you want to be best in class in the future. Solar has so much faith in this philosophy that we now make investments in two software businesses that both focus primarily on offering intelligent solutions that improve craftsman productivity.

GenieBelt and Minuba, both based in Denmark, are strong players in their individual areas of expertise. They offer digital tools that can be used anytime, anywhere and on any device to make sure that they are suitable for busy site managers and craftsmen on the go. With these investments, Solar will hold approximately 20% shares in GenieBelt and Minuba, respectively.

- These two digital investments fit in very well with Solar's strategy. We take a wide approach to business development opportunities, looking beyond what we can acquire simply to integrate into our traditional business. Both businesses have ambitious expansion plans, and we can help them to succeed with our investments, experience, expertise and market knowledge. We see digital potential in many areas, and we expect to make more investments like these going forward, says Hugo Dorph, Chief Commercial Officer.

Greater productivity in both project and services aspects

GenieBelt focuses on dynamic project management with a clear aim to improve productivity in the construction industry. When you bring technology to the site, you create a cohesive and efficient workflow across professions. This eliminates waste in the process, no craftsman shows up at a site without work to be done and site and project managers always have an updated overview via the dynamic project plan.

In short, this investment underpins greater productivity in our project business.

Minuba, on the other hand, specialises in online job and resource management with a keen focus on operational development and optimisation for installers, builders and construction contractors. At the same time, their software allows for integration with a number of invoicing, accounting and finance systems which help to make the workday run smoothly. Consequently, this investment underpins improved productivity in our services business.

- It is important to us that both GenieBelt and Minuba continue to operate as separate companies. As is the case for Solar, these businesses both focus heavily on adding value for customers and making their work easier. With these solutions, customers can grow their businesses by simplifying processes, planning their efforts and having overviews of their work. It's all about making the most of your available resources which saves time and money, points out Hugo Dorph, Chief Commercial Officer.

As a sourcing and services company, Solar's stated ambition is to improve our customers' productivity and digitalisation is key in this respect.

- We are already one of the largest e-business companies in Northern Europe, but digitalisation is much more than just e-business to Solar. We want to digitalise all aspects of our business and this is one of the reasons why we have the most productive customers. They should not waste time on procurement, logistics or inefficient processes. Their focus should be on adding the most value to their businesses - that's what we do, emphasises Hugo Dorph, Chief Commercial Officer.