- 2. November 2016
From a start-up to a brand: MEC celebrates 5 years of existence
Die MEC METRO-ECE Centermanagement GmbH & Co. KG blickt an ihrem 5. Geburtstag auf eine Erfolgsgeschichte: Übernahme von 16 neuen Objekten* (+42%), mehr als 3 Mrd. Euro Assets under Management (+20%) und 940 Mietpartner (+23%), die einen Jahresumsatz von 3 Mrd. Euro (+11%) erwirtschaften. „Wir sind unglaublich stolz auf die Entwicklung unseres jungen Unternehmens. Wir haben unsere Marktführerschaft weiter ausgebaut und die MEC als feste Marke für das integrierte Management von Fachmarktzentren und Hybriden Malls positioniert“, so Christian Schröder, COO der MEC.
Green light from the EU Commission
“Metro and ECE join forces,” was the headline in August 2011 when the joint venture partners announced their plans. This was still subject to the competition law approval of the EU Commission, however, because with 38 locations at the time, MEC already was the market leader in the retail park segment. It was the first time that the Commission had investigated the management of retail park properties from the perspective of competition law. On 1 November 2011, the Competition Commission then gave the green light, and MEC was unconditionally permitted to commence operations.
The start-up period
“Despite the fact that we have two strong parent companies behind us, the start-up period was very exciting. Everything first needed to be developed and built up: the entire corporate identity, from the logo to swearing in the team to achieve a common goal,” remembers Schröder. From today’s perspective, it is clear that the company was founded at the right time. The requirements for the market players have increased and, parallel to this development, so has the need of investors to get a professional partner on their side for the operation of retail parks.
From the very beginning, MEC also endeavoured to contribute to ensuring the transparency of the market for retail parks. By means of the reports “Fachmarktzentren in Deutschland” (Retail parks in Germany) published annually, and through active participation in numerous industry associations like the ZIA and the GCSC, the involvement of MEC employees in debates has an opinion-forming effect.
The key to success
„Zuhören und verstehen, was die Kunden wollen, das ist bis heute unser Schlüssel zum Erfolg“, erklärt Sebastian Kienert, CFO der MEC das Erfolgsrezept. Unsere insgesamt 14 unterschiedlichen Geschäftspartner, vom Family Office bis zum institutionellen Fonds, haben sehr differenzierte Anforderung an die Leistungserbringung und das Report-ing. Die MEC richtet ihr Leistungsangebot daher flexibel und standortspezifisch aus. Darüber hinaus bringen alle Fachbereiche ihre Erfahrung bei der Weiterentwicklung der Standorte ein. „Genau wie einem Auto oder ein Smartphone, betrachten auch wir unsere Center als Produkte, die zielgruppen- und wettbewerbsgerecht im Marktumfeld positioniert werden müssen“, erklärt Moritz Felix Lück, Head of Marketing & PR.
Looking forward
“Our progress confirms and encourages us in the systematic further development of our business model,” says Kienert. “In our current portfolio, we still see a lot of potential that we want to realise with our clients, whether in the form of project developments, energy-saving measures with the help of EASY (Energy Audit System by MEC), or service measures to increase visitor frequency,” adds Schröder. Taking over further locations, and thus promoting the healthy growth of MEC, is also amongst the objectives of the retail park specialist.
*by the end of the year
