Why Consolidation Matters: How M&A Can Strengthen Fragmented Industries in a Global Economy
Today, agility alone is no longer enough.
In the European technical industries, including the world of access solutions, the market landscape looks surprisingly similar to how it did 20 or even 30 years ago. It is still a mosaic of small and medium-sized companies—founded by entrepreneurs, powered by craftsmanship, and driven by a deep understanding of their clients’ needs.
For a long time, this fragmentation was an advantage. Entrepreneurs move fast. They take decisions intuitively. They adapt instantly when circumstances shift. This agility created an ecosystem that was dynamic, resilient, and incredibly close to the customer. But as the global economy has evolved, so have the pressures around it. And today, agility alone is no longer enough.
Many independent companies—excellent at what they do—start to feel the weight of structural constraints
We live in a world where economic giants—multinational suppliers, integrated service platforms, global contractors—set the tone. Norms and regulations are becoming stricter. Technology cycles accelerate. Costs are rising simultaneously across labor, energy, materials, and logistics. And supply chains are fragile in a way few could have anticipated a decade ago.
In this context, many independent companies—excellent at what they do—start to feel the weight of structural constraints: limited access to capital, slower innovation cycles, reduced bargaining power, or simply the inability to scale operations beyond local borders. This is where M&A, done thoughtfully, becomes not just a financial tactic but a strategic evolution.
M&A, at its best, is not about buying companies. It is about aggregating value in industries where fragmentation has reached its limits.
Consolidation helps companies:
- accelerate investments through stronger capital
- exchange know-how across markets
- standardize processes that improve predictability
- gain purchasing power along the supply chain
- develop better, faster, more reliable service structures
- share best practices and avoid reinventing the wheel
- build operational depth that protects them in volatile periods
And perhaps most importantly, it preserves and amplifies the very thing that makes these industries great: the entrepreneurial mindset—fast, flexible, solution-oriented—while giving it the strength it needs to remain competitive globally.
When done right, consolidation creates something larger than the sum of its parts
In reality, the healthiest form of consolidation is not one that replaces founders, but one that empowers them. Not one that imposes uniformity, but one that harmonizes diverse perspectives across countries and teams. Not one that dilutes identity, but one that multiplies the impact of what already works.
When done right, consolidation creates something larger than the sum of its parts: a more mature industry, better equipped for the challenges of today’s global economy. And in a market where both fragmentation and global pressure are defining forces, this equilibrium—between agility and strength—may be exactly what moves the industry forward.
