Positive results continue for 2013

Kiel-based IT service provider Consist Software Solutions GmbH generated revenues of EUR 20.9 million in 2013 taking subsidiary Consist ITU Environmental Software GmbH, Hamburg into account. Expectations related to new topics such as Big Data were satisfied. Consist expanded its business space during 2013 and plans further recruitment in 2014.

Kiel – Kiel-based IT service provider Consist Software Solutions GmbH once more reports positive results for its thirtieth year. The company successfully concluded the 2013 business year with consolidated turnover of EUR 20.9 million taking subsidiary Consist ITU Environmental Software GmbH into account. This represents a slight increase in revenue compared to the year before (2012: EUR 20.1 million). Consist supports companies over the entire software lifecycle, offering development projects and managed services for the operational phase. Additionally, Consist offers innovative products for secure and efficient IT operations.

As in previous years, the project business was the main generator of revenue, supplemented by managed services which have expanded continuously for several years. The company's entry into the market for products based on innovative Big Data technology, begun in 2012, has established itself as part of the product pallet in 2013. This is reflected not only in the increased revenue from license sales and services connected with the Big Data solution Splunk.

Regional ties and cooperation with Kiel University of Applied Sciences

Consist continues to focus on the proven location of Kiel. In order to support further business expansion, the IT service provider opened additional office space in June 2013 on the grounds of the Lindenau Harbor, within walking distance to the headquarters on Falklandstrasse in Kiel. In doing so, Consist has contributed to the revitalization of the Lindenau district.

Consist’s Managing Director, Martin Lochte-Holtgreven chairs the board of the technical group Maritime IKT of the North German Maritime Cluster and was reelected in 2013 for another three years to the advisory board of the Zentrum für Kultur- und Wirtschaftskommunikation (Centre for Cultural and Business Communication) at Kiel University of Applied Sciences.

The company has worked closely with Kiel University of Applied Sciences for many years. For example, the optional module "SAP ERP/ BI" has been offered by a Consist team of lecturers in the economics faculty in every semester since 2011. The team of lecturers has held a teaching assignment for this module since March 2013. In this context, the Consist experts are responsible for the execution of lectures and mentoring the students. Forty-four students successfully participated in this course during the past semester.

Social commitment and external representation

The company focuses on a constantly fresh appearance and thus further sharpened its product palette in 2013 with the more precise visualization of the three main pillars projects, managed services and products. Additionally, Consist relaunched the website www.consist.de and created its own Facebook fanpage for recruitment purposes. The fan page serves the increased visibility for the IT service provider for potential applicants.

IT service provider Consist Software Solutions GmbH donated EUR 3,000 to the charity Herzenswünsche e.V. in December 2013. The organization can use this donation to grant the long-awaited wishes of six severely ill children aged 5 to 14 years. Consist has supported specific individual projects in the social or community areas for years.

Outlook for 2014

The company expects stable, positive business development again in 2014. "The prospects for the IT sector are overall very good. We are very well-positioned given our tight focus. Our three main segments, projects, managed services and products remain promising and have potential for growth," Consist Managing Director Martin Lochte-Holtgreven explains.

This image is also reflected by the continuous recruitment of the company. As at 31 December 2013, Consist had 120 permanent employees. This figure will increase to 130 permanent employees by 31 March 2014 and will be supplemented by some 80 freelancers. The company plans additional hiring during the course of the year. Software developers are in particular demand.

In the first quarter of 2014, Consist signed a cooperation contract with Lieberman Software, a provider of excellent IT security tools based in the USA. Thanks to this strategic partnership, Consist may offer its clients an internationally leading range of security and compliance solutions. The first step of the cooperation focuses on the Enterprise Random Password Manager™ (ERPM), the Privileged Identity Management solution by Lieberman Software. This partnership is a useful addition to the existing partnerships with the Big Data solution provider Splunk and ObserveIT, the producer of software for user activity monitoring of the same name.