Page 16 - Paragon Annual Report 2

14 | Strategic report | Paragon business review
Paragon business review
A year of significant change, with major integration projects and important investment in new plants and technology. In the current year we will continue to restructure to achieve a significantly lower cost base and production capabilities aligned with
our clients’ evolving requirements.
“ Our strong regional presence close to our clients greatly enhances our ability to serve them. ”
Seán Shine
Chief Operating Officer
Continued profitable growth
Paragon Group’s growth strategy is to attain a leading position in each of our chosen sectors and geographies by building market share, industry specialisation and depth while increasing scale and profitability. Our strong regional presence close to our clients greatly enhances our ability to serve them.
This geographic focus saw the Group add more than €150 million to our proforma turnover in the UK, propelling Paragon to a leading position in the customer communications sector there. This growth was largely attributable to the acquisition
of DST Output, as well as winning major outsourcing contracts to handle inbound and outbound communications for public and private sector clients. We will continue to pursue this strategy of geographic and sector focus in the coming financial year, with specific growth objectives in our major European markets.
The acquisition of ASK during the financial year brought us into the personal identity (e-ID) space, producing highly secure and sensitive items such as inlays for electronic passports and ID cards.
We have significantly enhanced our offer in the data analysis space, augmenting our capabilities in the insight, planning and digital marketing arena.
We have also invested in significant high-technology production facilities in Argent-sur-Sauldre in France and opened a new facility in Bucharest, Romania, more than doubling our high-speed RFID inlay production capabilities.
Organising for success
We have focused on evolving the structure of the organisation. The acquisitions we made during the year added strength and depth to the offering across the group, leading to a clearer focus for the three divisions we operate:
Paragon Customer Communications enhances the customer experience for our clients’ customers. We previously described these services as Document and Marketing Solutions. The major acquisition of DST Output, alongside our smaller acquisitions and the development of our inbound BPO solutions, has given this division greater clarity in our positioning as a customer communications service provider and provides a platform for strong organic growth.
Paragon ID is a leading provider of contactless technology such as RFID. The addition of ASK SA was a very significant step forward for the ID division, bringing the Group into the area of personal identification with production of inlays for electronic passports and ID cards. It further strengthened the Group position in RFID ticketing and brought the division to a significant scale within its sector.
Paragon Graphic Services is a highly responsive customer-centric business that offers on-demand reprographics and digital printing with a focus
on immediate service from local production. This business comprises individual, locally strong brands.
Paragon Group Limited – 05258175