At the general assembly of the BTC Company, the adopted revised annual report of the company for the year 2023 has been presented, the proposal on the use of the company’s balance-sheet profit has been approved and a discharge to the company’s Board of Directors for its excellent work in 2023 has been granted. Last year, the BTC Company’s business operations brought successful results, focusing on strengthening strategic partnerships and developing strategic projects, including the continuation of the ambitious sustainable transformation of BTC City Ljubljana and the development of new content and programmes for its three BTC Cities. The company has continued making their progressive steps also in 2024, when, among other things, they will take over the management of the technologically modern and energy-efficient Logistics Centre Zalog and continue the urban greening of BTC City Ljubljana. The Board of Directors has also appointed Chief Executive Officer, Damjan Kralj, M.Sc., for a further five-year term in office. The general assembly was attended by shareholders whose capital represents more than 95% of the company’s capital, and the proposed resolutions were adopted with a 100% majority.
In 2023, the BTC Company generated revenues amounting to EUR 96 million, which represents a 12.1% increase compared to the previous year and exceeds the annual revenue target. The company achieved an EBITDA of EUR 20.5 million and a net result of EUR 7.2 million. The total value of implemented investments in 2023 amounted to EUR 7.5 million, with investments predominantly going towards ensuring a long-term development of BTC Cities and the logistics activities. A testament to the company’s financial stability and reliability is the Platinum Creditworthiness Certificate of Excellence AAA, which is awarded by Dun & Bradstreet and which, in 2023, the company has received for the fifth year in a row. According to the approved shareholder resolution, the company’s 2023 balance-sheet profit amounting to EUR 10.2 million will be used for shareholder dividends in the amount of EUR 15.4 gross per share, which means that the value of the dividend will be 10% higher than in the previous year. The remaining amount of the balance-sheet profit – EUR 6.8 million – will remain undistributed and its expenditure will be decided in the coming years.
Damjan Kralj, M.Sc., Chief Executive Officer at BTC, who was appointed by the Board of Directors as CEO also for the next five-year term in office, running from 1 July 2024 to 1 July 2029, pointed out the following after the general assembly: “The performance of the BTC Company in 2023 was very successful, as we have exceeded the set targets in every respect. We are proud of our many achievements, our strengthened strategic partnerships, the implemented investments and our accelerated sustainability efforts. Our successful business performance is the result of the commitment of all our employees and the mutual trust and responsible relationship with our business partners. At the BTC Company, we will continue to foster new growth opportunities for the company and our partners in all areas of our business operations, while maintaining our sense of responsibility to support the broader social community and the environment.”
In BTC Cities – Ljubljana, Novo mesto and Murska Sobota – business efforts in 2023 were focused on developing new content and improving the experience and services for visitors and business partners alike. In BTC City Ljubljana, which is strengthening its position as a sustainability-focused hybrid centre with intertwinement of shopping, business and leisure features, the year was marked by continued green transformation with the objective of improving visitors’ well-being and reducing thermal impacts. BTC City and Atlantis Water Park gift cards were also introduced, and the online BTC City Shop was launched. The implementation of developmental projects is turning BTC City Ljubljana into a destination for the most advanced and prestigious flagship office premises of both established and growing brands.
The BTC Logistics Centre built its successful business operations in 2023 on strategic partnerships and on an advanced digital and technological sphere, while at the same time it prepared for the expansion of logistics services to the technologically modern and energy-efficient Logistics Centre Zalog, which will open its doors at the beginning of June 2024. With the Logistics Centre Zalog, the BTC Company will further consolidate its position as one of the leading providers of logistics services in the field of products for everyday use in Slovenia, and it will also expand its business operations into other areas of logistics operations with a higher level of automation and robotisation.
The BTC PROP Business Unit expanded its portfolio by 30,000 m2 in 2023 and strengthened the scope of services with certain partners. It manages one of the largest real estate portfolios in Slovenia, with a total of more than 630,000 m2 of office and retail space.
In 2023, the BTC Company continued to recognise the potential of advanced technologies in the business environment, integrate them into its business processes and strengthen the company’s innovation ecosystem. The BTC Company has also been actively working with the ABC Accelerator and other start-ups. Technological companies co-founded by the BTC Company, including Eligma, Lab4pay, King of Games and OriginTrail, successfully took advantage of the potential of new technologies for their further development in 2023.
In the past year, the BTC Company has further stepped up its efforts for the green transformation of the company and has strengthened the stakeholders’ engagement in the process. As part of planning the BTC Company’s Sustainability Strategy 2025–2030, the BTC Company identified key strategic environmental guidelines and, in line with the CSRD Sustainability Reporting Directive, measured the BTC Company’s carbon footprint for Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions, which will form the basis for the preparation of a decarbonisation strategy in 2024. The BTC Company also strengthened its energy self-sufficiency with two new solar power plants in BTC City Ljubljana connected to the grid in 2023. At the end of 2023, the company was once again awarded the Green Star certificate by CER – Sustainable Business Network. The company also continued its successful implementation of European partnership projects; the DESIRE (Designing the Irresistible Circular Society) project, in which BTC City Ljubljana plays the role of a demonstration site, with scenarios being developed to test sustainable solutions that would reduce the impact of climate change.
In 2023, the company continued with its socially responsible efforts. In cooperation with partners, a wide range of organisations and individuals were supported through established events and projects pertaining to the environment, sport, culture, education and awareness-raising. Among others, the company celebrated the 15th anniversary of the theatre SiTi Teater BTC and sponsored the FIS Women’s Ski Jumping World Cup in Ljubno ob Savinji and the Marathon Franja BTC City cycling festival. The company also offered support to those affected by last year’s floods, helping several local communities with donations totalling EUR 320,000.
The BTC Company’s business plan for 2024 foresees net sales revenues in the amount of EUR 101.0 million and investments in the amount of EUR 11.8 million. The results achieved, as well as the investments made in 2023 provide a solid basis for further implementation of the development strategy in 2024, a year in which the BTC Company celebrates its 70th anniversary. Therewith, the BTC Company continues implementing the multidimensional development strategy until 2025 by pursuing a balanced development that will ensure stable operations and preserve respectful and responsible relationships with stakeholders and the society.
