What drives our leadership?
Thierry Vanlancker, Chairman and Eric Olsen, Chief Executive Officer, discuss our performance in 2022 and what, personally, gives them purpose and inspiration.
E: Thierry and I warmly welcome you to the Aliaxis Annual Report for 2022. It covers a year of tremendous progress for the company, and tackling the challenges our world faces around access to water, sanitation, and the transition to clean energy, as well as on making our own operations more sustainable.
Q1: How was 2022 for Aliaxis?
T: 2021 was already a very strong financial year for Aliaxis and 2022 matched that great performance. The company maintained record EBITDA despite significant inflation throughout the year. This year, in 2022, Americas was the leading region for growth. We also completed two strategic acquisitions, one in the US and one in Italy.
Aliaxis delivered on a very solid performance, which confirms that the company has really changed gears. The Growth with Purpose strategy is progressing on all fronts, and I’m specifically pleased in what I see in the stepped up quality of the teams and the enthusiasm we feel when we visit the operations around the world.
E: Thank you Thierry, and you know that enthusiasm is confirmed in the step change in our profitability in 2022. Our revenues increased to 4.3 billion Euros, and our EBITDA margin was at 16.8%, which although it was down from 2021, it was well above our pre COVID levels. Our Growth with Purpose strategy that we initiated in 2021 is delivering upon all its promises, and we are on track to achieve our ambitious goals for 2025.
Q2: How has Growth with Purpose been received?
T: The complete board fully supports the strategic plan Growth with Purpose, it is a comprehensive strategy, which takes the company to the next level and we already see delivering, according to its promises. And what is really nice is that it’s being picked up more and more by the outside world too. There is great recognition for the company, and the solutions that we provide as a global leader.
E: Another highlight of the year was winning EY’s Belgium Company of the Year Award, which was a fantastic honour for Aliaxis to receive. It recognises how Aliaxis is a purpose driven company, aiming to solve some of the world’s water challenges and accelerate the transition to clean energy. This recognition validates our choices in the eyes of our customers, our employees, and our shareholders. It simply gives us more momentum to go further and deeper.
Q3: What inspires you?
T: As the new Chairman of the company, it’s fair to say on behalf of the board that we are inspired by the fact that Aliaxis brings positive solutions to the world’s water challenges. In fact, it is hard not to be enthusiastic for what’s still to come for Aliaxis. Enthusiastic for its ongoing growth trajectory, enthusiastic for its positive role that the company plays in society, thanks to its fluid management solutions, and enthusiastic for the immense potential still ahead.
E: Well, I’m enthusiastic as well Thierry, and I’m an optimist about all the things that we can do to make a difference in the world at Aliaxis. Water is our most precious resource, and it needs our urgent attention and action. At Aliaxis, we have the expertise and know how to tackle the world’s water challenges head on and accelerate the transition to clean energy.
We have a responsibility to leverage the power of our business model to make great things happen around water. That responsibility comes with a tremendous opportunity to leave the world a better place.