Ljubljana, 31 January 2014 – “For the benefit of future generations” reads the motto of the BTC Company that thanked its long-time business partners and the City Municipality of Ljubljana at the 60th anniversary, celebrated at Water Park Atlantis. During the 60 years of development the Company was able to prosper due to its understanding of the expectations and demands of a modern-day consumer, customer and tourist, as well as the demands of local and foreign logistic activities partners. Especially in the last two decades the constant investments, improvements and inventive supplementations of business plans have led the Company to become an open, dynamic, modern and successful corporation. In all these years the BTC Company has strived towards projects that bring added value not only to the Company itself but also to the broader community and the future generations.
Since 1954, the BTC’s 60 years of development have significantly altered its business content. The Company that was established for the demands of the Ljubljana trade market has managed to finish the transition period by modernising the logistics and by entirely restructuring the company, especially by encouraging the business growth of the BTC City Ljubljana, Novo mesto and Murska Sobota. Today the BTC City is known as one of the largest business, shopping, entertainment, recreational and culture centres in Europe, visited by 21 million people each year.
The Company has already determined its plans for future growth and has also adopted the business strategy until 2020. The goals defined in the strategic plan are updated by the development of innovative services, by the powerful network of partners, by the implementation of modern technologies, by great instinct for mutual and working relations and also by sustainable development in the fields of energy efficiency, ecology and broader community cooperation. The new strategy, which will be put to use in the jubilee year, anticipates a new business ascent and the update of the existing business practice by adding new contents, dynamic and ambitious market appearance, new organisational approaches and intensive innovation processes. Among the specific projects there are two that deserve special attention; the urban project Partnerstvo Šmartinska, extending over 230 hectares of land, and the Intermodal Logistics Terminal Ljubljana (ILTL) which represents the upgrade of the Company’s logistic activities. The latter will be carried out in cooperation with the Ministry of Economic Development and Technology, the Ministry of Infrastructure and Spatial Planning, the City Municipality of Ljubljana and the Slovenske železnice Company. The centre with 161,000 m2 of enclosed storage facilities extending over 474,000 m2 of land will boast as one of the largest continental intermodal terminals of the Southeast Europe and will offer 900 positions of employment.
The enormous potential of the Company is seen in the company’s personnel that has in the last ten years become increasingly innovative and has been overwhelmed by genuine business stimulation, since the members are firmly incorporated in innovation processes and sustainable development.
“We are positive that with this concept we will achieve our goal of becoming the so-called company of open dialogue and fresh business opportunities. Our history has taught us that the company shall preserve its vitality and growth only by overcoming new, more challenging business demands. I am certain our position among the most successful companies, not only in Slovenia but also in Europe, will continue in the future as well. We shall establish new job positions, contribute to the public prosperity, conduct responsible, moral and ethical business, maintain a responsible relationship towards the environment, encourage the development, and keep our status as one of the most respected corporations in Slovenia. All in all, at sixty we still feel very young, full of energy and with bold plans for the future. We enter this new period full of creative business enthusiasm” emphasized Jože Mermal, the President of the BTC Management Board at the Company’s 60th anniversary celebration.
The BTC Company is taking an increasingly active part in organising large international events, related to social responsibility. The result of excellent work in this area is the European Corporate Social Responsibility Award for the project “BTC City and Ski Jumping”, awarded by the European Commission for BTC’s organisation of the FIS World Cup Ski Jumping Ladies at Ljubno ob Savinji. BTC, in the role of the general sponsor, managed to improve the recognisability and popularity of women’s ski jumping on the European and wider international level, thus the CSR award. The biggest cycling event, Marathon Franja BTC City, has also gained great international recognition. The UCI appointed Ljubljana and BTC the organisation of the UWCT Amateur Road World Championships in August this year. The purpose of these activities is to improve international recognisability and to invite foreign guests, strengthening the competitiveness at the same time. Besides sports, the Company also endeavours to support several other social projects in the fields of culture, science, education and humanitarianism. Last year an educational project called BTC Campus was successfully carried out in association with the Centre of Business Excellence at the Faculty of Economics in Ljubljana and the Employment Service of Slovenia. The project was attended by 30 young unemployed people who have finished their studies. This way they gained the necessary business knowledge and skills for their independent journey, and more than half of them also got employed which is a reason enough for the BTC to carry out the project again this year. All these projects are planned with a responsible attitude towards the wider community. Besides the CSR Award the Company’s socially responsible projects have won several other awards, such as the Green Logistics Award for environmentally sound decisions in the field of logistics and the international 2013 Tourist Prism Award on the initiative of the International Federation of Journalists and Travel Writers FIJET from the South-Eastern European countries.
Due to environmentally responsible activities the Company has started larger environmental projects, among others they have built three solar power stations, which coincides with their emphasis on efficient energy use. The Mission: Green project is an upgrade to the long-time endeavours for social responsibility and sustainable development and a supplement to the Green City project. The BTC Company has started implementing the 2014 business plan on the basis of which they anticipate a 9 % income growth and a 20 % increase in personnel, mainly due to the new logistic services. The newly introduced activity of real-estate management for different owners gives the Company extra zeal which comes welcome when managing the 680 000 m2 of business real-estate, completely supported by the newest IBM – Maximo technology.
The 60th anniversary was marked with a festive ceremony in the Water Park Atlantis. The programme was dedicated to the business partners, some of which (alongside the City Municipality of Ljubljana) received awards for their long-time active involvement and cooperation in mutual projects. The BTC business model not only generates further growth and business stability of the Company but also the stability of their business partners who are at the same time given business opportunities and long-term partnerships which results in achieving higher commonly created added value for companies, employees and the whole community.
Additional information:
Maja Oven, Director of the Market Communications and Public Relations Sector
- T: 00 386 (0)1 585 13 15
- E: maja.oven@btc.si
