Saur has a long history of producing, transporting, securing and distributing drinking water in Morbihan, a large department in Brittany. Our contracts renewals from 2018 to 2021 with Eau du Morbihan, which manages a large part of the department’s water services, illustrates important shifts in the market, says Thierry Kernoa. ‘We are seeing big changes in our contracts with the territorial collectivities, or municipalities,’ he begins. ‘There is a far stronger focus on performance and technical governance now than in the past. This is partly because the responsibility and management for water services no longer lies with just one person (president or mayor), but with a wide body of knowledgeable people. It has become more complex and more demanding.’
Clients are taking more ownership
Eau du Morbihan is a point in case. Thierry Kernoa: ‘In earlier days, local authorities would leave the management of the contracted services entirely to the contractor. Today’s clients do as well, however, they want us to tell them exactly how we are managing everything, with daily, monthly and annual reporting on Key Performance Indicators and associated penalties. They are taking far more ownership of the services provided.’
Pushing back consumption
With this increased sense of ownership come higher performance expectations, Thierry Kernoa explains. ‘Clients like Eau du Morbihan clearly want to join us in pushing back consumption. Not only of water - for example, by reducing leaks - but also of energy and chemicals. Managing resources more efficiently is a hot topic, and the targets are high. For Saur, this means our expertise matters more than ever. Not just in areas such as hydraulics, but also - and increasingly - in IT and electrical engineering, because of the growing role of smart technologies. This increasing use of sensors, actuators and Internet of Things solutions, of course, also affects our recruitment.’
Call the expert
The rise in demands from partners like Eau du Morbihan is a powerful illustration of just how relevant Saur’s ambitions are in the water sector. ‘The demands confirm our own internal drive to anticipate needs and trends, and lead the way for clients,’ says Thierry Kernoa. He notes that for clients such as Eau du Morbihan, these are the qualities that even in today’s unpredictable market lead to contract renewals. ‘We often hear that our expertise is highly appreciated - and not only that, but also the immediate reachability of individual experts at Saur: whether a client wants to speak with our hydraulics expert or our CEO, he knows it can be arranged quickly and easily. We’re seen as an agile organization that is always close to the clients and their short- and longer-term needs and wishes. A lot has changed in the thirty odd years I’ve been with Saur, and I’m excited to be a part of so many positive changes.’
