Aleš Kvídera graduated from the Czech Technical University in Prague and completed his MBA studies at the Institute of Industrial and Financial Management in Prague. He is an experienced manager who heads two radar companies in Pardubice belonging to the CSG Aerospace Division of the industrial CZECHOSLOVAK GROUP.
ELDIS has an excellent tradition in the field of radar technology and air traffic control systems. It can be said that you have a radar for good business. What makes you special?
If we are truly special, it is the fact that our radars cover 99 per cent of the airspace of India, the seventh largest country in the world by area. The whole Indian story represents a huge success for a medium-sized company from the Czech Republic. But ELDIS is not just about India. We have installed more than a hundred radars in nearly thirty countries on four continents. Our other major territory is China, where we have installed a total of 11 pieces of our equipment in the last four years. We may have, as you say, a radar for good business, but that alone is not enough. We rely on an expert team of specialists with many years of experience, both in development and production. Thanks to the fact that we manufacture most of the components for radars ourselves, we are able to supply our customers with precisely tailored equipment and take care of its maintenance, upgrades and spare parts supply. We strive to provide as comprehensive a service as possible.
You are part of the Czechoslovak Group holding, which continues the tradition of Czechoslovak industry. Are you perceived as such on foreign markets, and do you feel the support of the Czech state?
We have a very strong name in the radar industry in foreign markets, but our integration has significantly enhanced our capabilities in CSG. An example of this is the two large contracts in Indonesia won by our two Pardubice radar companies, worth CZK 5 billion, which we will participate in together with other companies from the group and which are covered by Excalibur International, the group’s export agency. The support of the Czech state is also crucial for us, especially in the area of economic diplomacy. We work very closely with representatives of individual ministries and embassies, whose support is essential for us in many cases.
This year, you have successfully managed the integration process with the affiliate radar company RETIA. What are the main advantages, and what do you expect from this integration?
The integration is primarily an internal project within our CSG Aerospace division. Nothing significant changes for our customers, suppliers and other business partners in the sense that two independent companies remain, each with its ID number and security clearance. Together, we will continue to build two brands. The goal of the integration is to merge our companies at the management level, taking maximum advantage of synergies in many areas of our activities, especially in the areas of the joint direction of development activities, cost optimisation, unification of business processes, unified project management methodology, sharing of production capabilities, etc. The integration process will also include implementing a single ERP system in both companies.
Thank you for the interview.
