Successful restructuring of a general contractor: From crisis mode to sustainable repositioning

A medium-sized general contractor with around 120 employees, specialising in the construction of solid-built detached houses, faced considerable challenges following its acquisition by a foreign private equity investor. A lack of market and construction expertise on the part of the investor, a shrinking market, increasing regulatory hurdles and a lack of transparency in costing and reporting led to liquidity shortages, falling staff satisfaction and growing customer dissatisfaction.

The aim of the restructuring was to stabilise the company operationally and financially and to position it for the future. The focus was on introducing transparent monthly and liquidity reporting, migrating the accounts to a standardised ERP system, implementing new pre- and post-project costing to ensure profitability, and adapting construction contracts to account for extraordinary events. In parallel, the organisation, cost structure, and roles and responsibilities were fundamentally overhauled.

A central strategy workshop involving investors, the board of directors and senior management laid the foundations for a new corporate roadmap, including scenario planning and an exit strategy. Through organisational analysis, streamlining of management structures and a comprehensive change management programme featuring clear communication and targeted leadership development, the firm succeeded in actively engaging staff and regaining their trust. The sale of the Austrian site and the centralisation of Swiss operations further contributed to improving efficiency.

The result: the outflow of liquidity was halted, turnover was stabilised at a sustainable level, and both staff and customer satisfaction were significantly improved. The restructured company was successfully sold to a Swiss entrepreneur and is now once again successfully positioned in the market as a small, innovative general contractor.

Further information on our specific range of services: Interim line managers