Uldis Pilens and Oskars Mors, founders of UPB Holding, which is one of the leading industrial enterprises groups in Latvia on the peak of its success and achievements, today, 9th February, passed the baton to the new generation of managers. After leaving the operative management of the company, they both will focus on working at the Supervisory Board of UPB Holding. Normunds Horsts, the current Chairman of the Management Board of MB Betons, which is one of the enterprises incorporated in UPB Holding, has also joined the Supervisory Board.
Therefore the company, which has reached its highest development peak since the establishment, has decided to regroup the management attracting active and energetic new generation of managers educated by the company itself – Dainis Berzins, Nora Kalna, who worked at the previous Board as well, and Ugis Grinbergs. The Supervisory Board of UPB Holding, on the other hand, will provide with a strong and experienced team. The new positions will allow Uldis Pilens, Oskars Mors and Normunds Horsts to focus more intensively on the development strategy, export, new products, geographical development and risk diversification of UPB Holding.
“UPB Holding has worked successfully and has been a well-managed company for 24 years. From a small company “Arhitekta Ulda Pīlēna birojs” established in Liepaja it has grown into a modern industrial enterprises group, which has been one of the export leaders for several years. The Holding achieved its best consolidated net sales last year – 117 million euro (according to unaudited data), the number of completed objects and new products was also higher than ever before. Comparing with 2013, we have increased the turnover by 9.5% and entered new export markets in four countries – United Kingdom, Switzerland, Ireland and Croatia,” noted U. Pilens.
Dainis Berzins has been working for UPB Holding since 2007; he was Chief Financial Director of AILE Group and since 2012 the Chairman of the Management Board of AILE Group; since 2010 he has been the Chairman of the Management Board of UPB ENERGY. Prior to working for UPB Holding, he was working for an international audit company in the sphere of audit and advisory services. D. Berzins has obtained master’s degree in management from the Ventspils University College, he has developed his knowledge in the spheres of audit, transactions and the European Union tax, as well as he has acquired the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS).
Nora Kalna has been working for UPB Holding since 2001. In 2008 she became the Board Member of the Holding and Executive Director of UPB. She has studied finance at the Riga International School of Economics and Business Administration and law at the Faculty of Law of the University of Latvia. She has knowledge in the sphere of public procurements, construction legislation, tax and labour rights.
Ugis Grinbergs started working for UPB Holding in 2001; since 2006, he has been leading the Export Department of UPB Holding, as well as participated in expanding of UPB business, entering of export markets and establishment and leading subsidiaries abroad. He has graduated from the Programme of Architecture and Civil Construction at the Riga Building College, as well as perfected his knowledge in the spheres of project management, international law and international project management at the Latvian Business School and Riga Graduate School of Law.
“The stable and long-term growth of our company is based on a well-considered risk diversification – a reasonable proportion between import and export and industries represented by UPB Holding – as well as synergy among the Holding companies, innovative approach and quality. The proportion of the UPB Holding’s projects implemented abroad has exceeded 60% of the total amount of projects for several years, however, our aim is to deepen integration in the European markets and I am sure the new team is able to do it,” emphasised U. Pilens.
UPB Holding employs more than 1,300 people and incorporates 40 companies, including subsidiaries in 8 foreign countries – Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, United Kingdom, Switzerland, Iceland and Belarus. The Group has representative offices in seven countries.
The largest production facilities and companies in the holding are: MB BETONS Group, RK METĀLS Group, AILE Group, UPB ENERGY Group and UPB NAMS Group. Engineering, production, logistics, assembling and service are the key business lines of UPB Holding. In the international arena, UPB offers engineering, production, delivery, assembly of prefabricated concrete, metal and glass, glazed aluminium, wooden-aluminium constructions made in Latvia, and the company is active in the field of energy supply, installing and servicing cogeneration stations, as well as automotive solutions and general construction.
The Holding incorporates also H&L Studija, the company engaged in sales of tiles and decorative materials, Vīna Studija, network of wine stores and restaurants, as well as ENNA, the company operating in the sphere of technical management of buildings.
Sweden, Norway and Germany are the largest export markets of UPB Holding. The largest proportion of exports is made up by concrete construction – 36%, metal construction – 27%, glass constructions – 19%, cogeneration stations – 18%.
Last three years, the company’s investments in development reached approximately 5 million euro every year, thereby continuing creation of new and modern Holding’s production infrastructure. The proportion of UPB Holding’s share capital in the balance has remained above 50% in the long run.
