MD's Update - December 2023

Dear Valued Customers and Somfy Friends,

Welcome to the final issue of Motoreyes for 2023. The festive season is well and truly upon us – we hope everyone reading will be able to take a well-deserved break over the holiday period.

Looking back at 2023, it was another rollercoaster year, the highlight of which was connecting with you all at the BMAA SuperExpo on the Gold Coast. It was a fantastic turnout, and a successful event for Somfy, where we had the opportunity to showcase our latest range of innovations including TaHoma suite and Zigbee 3.0 technology. The latter will be launching in April 2024, with an exciting roadshow planned across the eastern states of Australia – stay tuned for more details on this.

We also recently announced that the loyalty and support of you, our valued customers, has fuelled our continued growth, leading to an expansion of the business. The great changes experienced in the business environment called for an across-the-board review of business practices, culminating in the convergence of the business operations of our sister company BFT Automation Australia Pty Limited, into Somfy Pty Limited. BFT Automation is a full access specialist with advanced solutions including gates and garage doors openers. You can learn more about BFT here.

Due to this business growth and in order to be able to carry additional stock to meet supply demands, Somfy will also be expanding warehouse operations in 2024. Somfy's warehouse operations will be moving to third-party logistics (3PL), providing Somfy with the use of a 10,000m² warehouse space. This move to a purpose-built facility with the latest technology equips Somfy with expanded supply chain capability and resources.

This expanded capability will help us meet the unprecedented high demand we have faced in recent months. The high-season surge in sales – up 27% for October/November on last year, which was a record year of sales, on top of a previous record year off the back of COVID – meant we faced challenges meeting demand. Our team has been working diligently to replenish stock (including receipting new air-freight shipments from France) to fulfil your orders. We appreciate your patience and loyal support during this time, and a move to larger warehouse operations is just one of the processes we are adopting in 2024 to better meet our customers’ needs.

We are all looking forward to 2024 and the exciting changes the new year will bring. We are excitedly anticipating the return of R+T Stuttgart in February, with many customers joining us for Somfy activities throughout the week.

If you can’t make it to Stuttgart, we hope to connect with you at one of our Zigbee Roadshow Events in March and April.

I take this opportunity to thank you, our loyal and dedicated Customers and Somfy Staff for all your efforts in 2023. Wishing you, your teams and all valued Somfy customers and friends a very safe and Happy Christmas and a prosperous New Year.

Take care,

Stephen Eggleton

Managing Director, Oceania

Somfy Pty Limited