From measuring the physical properties of materials to satellite communications, Hitec Luxembourg has more than one string to its bow to ensure its growth and continued existence. The Mamer-based SME was founded in 1986 and now employs some 55 people.
Specialising in satellite communications solutions and data measurement, the company is active in four segments: test technologies, road traffic management, communications in critical situations such as natural disasters, and satellite communications.
Our growth is mainly driven by exports.
“Over the past three years, 60% of our sales have been generated abroad,” says , CEO and shareholder of the company. With competitors based in North America, the UK, France and Germany, Hitec may sometimes look like tiny Thumbelina amongst giants, but the SME has other cards to play.
Strengths and agility
“Our customers judge us first and foremost on our competence, reliability and durability,” insists chairman of the board of directors and shareholder. The SME enjoys a certain agility, but also a multilingualism that enables it to address its customers and prospects in their own language.
And in the absence of offices or subsidiaries abroad, Hitec Luxembourg can count on the services of the ministry of the economy to incorporate stands promoting the national economy at major trade fairs two or three times a year. “These events provide us with platforms to meet customers in their own regions, and that’s greatly appreciated,” emphasises Elsen. The SME also takes part in one or two Luxembourg economic missions abroad.
‘Made in Luxembourg’ is not the same as ‘made in Switzerland’ or ‘made in Germany,’ but people associate it with quality, reliability and and stability in the environment in which the company operates.
In addition to the ISO certifications recognised throughout the world, Hitec also has the ‘Made in Luxembourg’ label. “It’s not ‘made in Switzerland’ or ‘made in Germany,’ but people still associate this label with a notion of quality, reliability and stability in the environment in which the company operates,” explains Osch.
More than ever, Hitec Luxembourg’s growth will be fuelled by exports, as the company is developing a new ground antenna that communicates via optical frequency rather than radio frequency. It is expected to be on the market by 2025 at the earliest.
In 2022, Hitec Luxembourg doubled its reported profit to more than €378,000. While the SME is not directly affected by the consequences of Russia’s war in Ukraine, “the rise in energy prices and worries about supply chains are having an impact on us,” points out Elsen. They’re taking a cautious approach to the future, but with more than one trick up their sleeve. “Our small size means we have to be innovative if we want to make our voice heard in the international arena.”
This article is part of a summer series dedicated to Luxembourg entrepreneurial success stories. Stay tuned for next Wednesday’s edition, featuring IEE.
This article was first published in French on . It has been translated and edited for Delano.