From the acquisitions strategy and stable foundations for organic growth to a record-breaking leap into the very top of the market
In 2022, the Marera Property Management Company (MPM) made the most significant step forward in the domestic market in the multidisciplinary field of Facility Management (FM) services. The company practically doubled its business thanks to its acquisitions strategy and organic growth. The last in a series of successfully realized acquisitions was completed in December 2022, when MPM became the 100% owner of Eurosecurity – one of the leading domestic companies in physical and technical security. We spoke with MPM’s General Manager, Danilo Pušonja, about how did all of this affect the company’s business and what are the plans for the upcoming period.
Your company is one of the fastest growing in the domestic market. What does the MPM look like today?
The past year was a historic one for MPM in terms of achieved financial results, but also in regard to further boosting all our key business parameters. Here, I am primarily referring to people, because in our business segment of management and maintenance of all types of real estate and in meeting the highest quality standards which guide us, strong human resources are the core of success. That is why I am particularly proud of the fact that with the acquisition of Eurosecurity, which was completed in December last year, we practically doubled the number of employees so today we have over 1,200. We also had successful financial results – our company had record revenues which grew by 150% compared to the year before.
This, of course, is a reflection of both the results achieved in the FM service segment, as well as the results achieved by the company as a whole. In addition to providing quality FM services, MPM is recognized on the domestic market and in real estate management, which includes capital and real estate management, as well as supervision of construction and execution of works, thus rounding off the complete life cycle of a real estate, whether we are talking about the office segment, industrial, retail or residential spaces.
Investing in the constant development and training of employees is one of our key priorities
To what extent has the acquisition of Eurosecurity affected the portfolio of your services?
By integrating one of the leading companies in physical and technical security such as Eurosecurity, we have rounded off the portfolio of Facility Management services that we provide relying solely on our own resources. From the very beginning, this has been our business strategy and a desired goal, that is to integrate all FM services – which include hygienic and technical maintenance, security services, reception, maintenance of green areas and winter service services – into the large MPM system, and by coordinating all segments and optimizing processes to provide our clients with the top quality services. This has been reflected in our operations, where we consolidated all services and employees in one location. If we look at the annual change in terms of the size of maintained commercial and non-commercial properties, our portfolio has more than doubled to the current 1,100,000 square metres of maintained facilities. In addition to the size of our portfolio, we are continuing to expand our client network, which today numbers more than 300 companies throughout Serbia.
This approach, in the long run, generates savings and positively affects the financial results of the company that decides to engage experts to provide Facility Management services
You have highlighted the essential importance of human resources in terms of providing top-quality services, how much do you invest in employee development and operational processes?
Investing in the constant development and training of employees is one of our key priorities. With the acquisition of Eurosecurity, we have added 500 new employees to our team and throughout the acquisition process, we are working in parallel on the integration of organizational structures and the implementation of MPM standards related to skills, certifications and training of employees. Also, sales processes are unified and systematized. We have also implemented one-of-a-kind, integrated systems. In addition to training new employees, we are continuously implementing programmes aimed at improving the skills of all MPM employees, to ensure the highest level of service. We also maintain continuity in terms of investing in equipment. We intently listen to the needs of our clients and the local market, while also following global trends, to systematically increase our business efficiency.
By integrating one of the leading companies in physical and technical security such as Eurosecurity, we have rounded off the portfolio of Facility Management services that we provide relying solely on our own resources
As a relatively young market segment in Serbia, but not in the world, how much recognition did the advantages of integrated Facility Management solutions receive?
This is a segment that is rapidly gaining importance in the domestic market and more and more companies are realizing the advantages of this approach to facility maintenance, thanks primarily to multinational companies that have established this practice. The advantages of implementing integrated FM solutions are numerous, and I would like to underline in particular that service providers are the only point of contact for everything related to the facility’s functionality. This significantly reduces the time and resources spent by companies and sets clear lines of responsibility. After all, this approach, in the long run, generates savings and positively affects the financial results of the company that decides to engage experts to provide Facility Management services.
We intently listen to the needs of our clients and the local market, while also following global trends, to systematically increase our business efficiency
Do you have plans to further expand your business by implementing additional acquisitions this year or is your short-term strategy to rely on organic growth?
Our current focus is on the integration of two large systems, that is, the integration of Eurosecurity in all our system and operational processes. Also, we are quite sure that, in the near future, we will further expand our business network by opening the fourth regional centre in Kraljevo, which will greatly improve logistics and reduce operating costs. Bearing in mind all the aforementioned, we expect to see strong growth in performance and achieved results based on the existing structure, but we do not rule out further business expansion through acquisitions if an adequate business opportunity arises.