{"id":5781,"date":"2026-08-20T07:48:13","date_gmt":"2026-08-20T07:48:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/merluno.be\/?page_id=5781"},"modified":"2026-08-20T08:15:21","modified_gmt":"2026-08-20T08:15:21","slug":"druk-omzetten-in-opportuniteiten","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/merluno.be\/en\/blogs\/druk-omzetten-in-opportuniteiten\/","title":{"rendered":"Druk omzetten in opportuniteiten"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Manufacturing<\/p>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Turning pressure into opportunities: why this is the moment for consolidation<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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Belgian manufacturing is under pressure, but within that pressure also lie opportunities. Consolidation is increasing across the sector. Many SME CEOs are asking themselves:\u00a0How will we grow (and survive) in the future?<\/i><\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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Consolidation as a strategy<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Consolidation is not just about survival, but also about opportunity. Deal activity may have declined in 2023, but Belgian SMEs remain optimistic: 63% of entrepreneurs see this as a good time to acquire another company, according to Marktlink. PwC's 2024 Belgian M&A survey also confirms this shift, showing that both companies and financial investors are preparing for buy-and-build strategies.<\/p>

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Choosing what you want and what you don't<\/p>

In the past, manufacturers focused on vertical integration<\/b><\/strong> and acquiring suppliers or buyers in the chain. Today the scope is broader. Companies add adjacent capabilities<\/b><\/strong> and acquire businesses for their innovation potential, not just for their incremental scale.<\/p>

Picture it like this: your company is the stable and reliable tanker, but you also want speedboats<\/b><\/strong>, agile, innovative and able to enter new territories. The challenge? Finding a balance between protecting your core business<\/b><\/strong> and experimenting beyond your core business<\/b><\/strong>.<\/p>

How much time, resources and energy do you spend on new ideas? When and how are they integrated? These are not simple strategic questions.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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The balancing-act dilemma: innovation versus identity<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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While exploring acquisitions:<\/p>