Marknadsstudie för identifikation av tillväxtmöjligheter

Abstract: Several studies show difficulties that companies have in pursuit of annual growth. The same studies show that companies that succeed are those that focus on innovation and continuous product development. Atlas Copco is one of Sweden’s largest companies and the brand stands for sustainable product development. This examination project has been executed for one its daughter companies, Atlas Copco Compressor. The purpose has been to identify potential growth strategies for the company by examining current conditions on the Swedish market for its compressed air products. The executed market study shows that there are five important companies that encompass most of the market. Atlas Copco Compressor is the clean-cut market leader, followed by companies that have gained market share more recently and increased competition. Available statistics from the Swedish state statistics organ ’SCB’ show that it is a mature market with relatively constant sales of products annually. This fact in combination with increasing competition suggests that there is higher pressure for Atlas Copco Compressor to find new growth opportunities. The study of the current market conditions shows that despite a stable market, there are several opportunities for growth and strengthening their market leader position. Different growth opportunities are analysed using a growth model developed by McDonald & Dunbar. Atlas Copco Compressor cooperates with several suppliers, a significant part of sales goes through these; the company is recommended to take initiative to further increase this cooperation in order to be able to work towards joint growth goals. To better seize business opportunities the company is recommended to improve communication between operation service technicians and the sales engineers. Furthermore the project has resulted in the recommendation to examine market entry in the northern part of Västra Götaland, nearby Skara and in Halland. Today, the company has little presence in this region, which has shown to be high in customer density. In order for the company to understand the customer perception of missing products and services better than competition, the company is recommended to review the efficiency of the information flow between the customers and global suppliers. The project also concludes that there is an increased importance of updated and informative product systems as the market matures and rivalry increases. Therefore the company is recommended to place more resources to develop product systems of installed machinery. Atlas Copco Compressor has huge advantages and a head start towards its competitors. Regardless of choice of growth strategy it is the use of internal resources within the company that will determine the possibility as well as the outcome of this growth. Therefore Atlas Copco Compressor is recommended to continuously invest in its core business.