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European Benchmarking Cooperation highlights
the performance of Aqualia’s subsidiary
SmVak, Aqualia’s subsidiary in the Czech
Republic, participated successfully in the
2011 edition of the European Benchmar-
king Cooperation (EBC) project. This year,
which included water management com-
panies from cities such as Madrid, Paris,
Hamburg, Rotterdam, and Geneva, was
an interesting exercise of comparing the
management ratios which made it possible
for participating entities to, firstly, draw their
own conclusions on their levels of activity
and to implement new initiatives adapted to
their special circumstances.
The Czech company has been part of
Aqualia since 2006 when it was acquired
as part of FCC’s international expansion
strategy. During this brief period, SmVak
has implemented Aqualia’s know-how and
its management systems, thereby signifi-
cantly improving its ratios and financial re-
sults and to be on equal footing with the
best companies in Europe. This last aspect
was highlighted by the engineer Kolářová
Lenka, head of the OOV Operating De-
partment (wholesale water management):
“SmVaK’s participation in this European
Project provides the opportunity of com-
paring our company against our peers and
SmVak is the most important water
management company in the regions
of Moravia and Silesia, providing ser-
vices to 1.2 million people. The mana-
gement activity carried out by Aqualia’s
subsidiary differs in two aspects: firstly,
it does not operate under a conces-
sion scheme since it owns the infras-
tructures (therefore, the duration of its
activity is indefinite); and, secondly, it is
one of the few cases where a company
supplies water across its borders, also
providing services through its infras-
tructures to 100,000 people in Poland.
Leading company
in Moravia
and Silesia
Acquired by
Aqualia in 2006,
the Company measured its
performance against
management companies
from Madrid, Paris,
Hamburg, Rotterdam,
and Geneva
with the results obtained; to see new ways
of improving the aspects where our rating
is below optimal levels. It certainly is a
very interesting comparison for all”. Kalas
Zdeněk, who works as a financial analyst
at the Czech’s company administration de-
partment said that for the company, parti-
cipating in this project had contributed to
ongoing improvement “in environmental
and client management aspects”.
SmVak’s participation in this edition of EBC
was the second consecutive opportunity for
Aqualia, which participated, through its Al-
mería department, in the 2010 edition. The
participation of SmVaK’s supply and sani-
tation departments in the 2011 edition re-
presented the highest level of participation.
In total, the Czech company reported more
SmVaK,
among the best
European water
management companies