Page 14 - Danish Offshore Industry 2016

RAMBOLL FIGHTING IT OUT Ramboll has no room for any hitch as they, too, feel the consequences of reduced investments. Just a year ago when Managing Director John Sørensen was interviewed by Danish Offshore Industry, his focus was still on attracting new staff. Like in many other companies that kind of talking has faded out after more than 12 months where the price of oil has dropped to Our forecast for 2016 tells an incredibly humble level and that the new situation – quite logically – has given way to a rather different us that the situation will perspective. not improve signifcantly, “The world had defnitely changed and we now fnd but it stabilizes and there ourselves in an extremely competitive situation where all our clients try to cut down costs resulting in a signifcant may be a small positive trend impact on our turn-over. Projects are being postponed or completely cancelled, and obviously that is bad news, for at the end of the year. they represent the jobs from which we make our living,” Generally, we are looking at tells a most honest John Sørensen, who is heading the offshore section of Denmark’s largest consulting engi- a year which is just as hard as neering company. The mantra of adjustment being called from all corners of the industry places strong demands 2015, but having been in the particularly on Ramboll’s competences, and the process is business for a considerable spreading down through all the parts involved. number of years we know “Just now we have to turn every stone as all the time our clients are assessing which jobs are absolutely necessary. that things may change at Our company has launched several initiatives to get as short notice. close as possible to a sensible balance, but it is an enor- mous challenge, and unfortunately we have been forced to say good-by to some most competent members of our staff. Fortunately, not very many here in Denmark as we have been focusing on developing our business in areas being less hard hit by the circumstances. Areas like for instance gas and gas infrastructure, not only in Europe but also in North America and the rest of the world. Here we have been fortunate and suffciently competent to be awarded contracts which may compensate a bit for the decline we see in our traditional markets,” states John Sørensen who sincerely hopes that there will be no need for any further down-manning of his staff. “I do not expect any further adjustment unless something dramatic should happen, but we have no indications of such a situation. The signifcant decline experienced at our main clients is compensated by jobs for several minor clients, so fortunately we are still in a position, where we are on the look-out for persons with Managing Director John Sørensen specialized know-how for our activities in Denmark.” 12 / RAMBOLL FIGHTING IT OUT