Samenvatting

This research is done on behalf of the company Fudura, which is, as a commercially operating organisation, part of the Enexis Group. Fudura is a nationwide organisation operating on the Dutch energy market, especially in the provinces of Groningen, Drenthe, Overijssel, Noord-Brabant, and Limburg. As market leader in the meter market, Fudura wants to be known as a reliable and innovative partner. Fudura provides in a certain need of companies and consumers in the business market by offering advice, measuring energy consumption, designing and developing infrastructure, renting and maintaining charging stations, transformers, and switchgears. Fudura provides all services concerning gas and electricity behind the plug. By offering smart software solutions and energy infrastructure, the customer can handle its energy management in an organised manner. This way, companies and consumers can deal with electricity sustainably.
Research
The main goal of this study is to research the needs of energy-intensive users in the transformer market in outlying areas, in order to make recommendations for making strategical choices. This leads to the following main question: ‘What are the needs in the branche of energy-intensive users in outlying areas regarding the transformer market?’ A total of fourteen sub questions is formulated to help answer the main question. For answering the main and sub questions, a desk and field study have been conducted. First, a desk study is conducted to acquire several insights in Fudura’s business operation and the energy market. Secondly, by performing qualitative interviews, a field research is conducted. In this research, the acquired insights have contributed to formulate strategic choices for Fudura.
Findings
Transformers are used because there is certain need of electricity in the operational management on the one hand, and as a component in the production process on the other hand.
Energy-intensive organisations want to get a lower price and a better product if companies decide to transfer.
Energy-intensive organisations indicate wanting to increase their sustainability. Organisations do so by acquiring insights in their energy usage and find out how to improve this usage.
When a new transformer is purchased, for respondents the total cost of ownership plays a vital role in their choice.
Energy-intensive users indicate as important risks: electricity failures, financial losses, and the quality of the electricity.
Energy-intensive users indicate that for routine purchases the choice of supplier has often already been made, however, in more complex purchases the market is researched.

Conclusion
For this research, four hypotheses are formulated. To test if these hypotheses should be confirmed or rejected, the value proposition canvas is filled in and for hypothesis four, the value proposition of inner areas as well as the outlying areas it tested. Below, the four hypotheses are discussed:
- Fudura provides pain relievers and therefore removes sore points of energy-intensive users.
- Fudura’s gain creators ensure gains for the energy-intensive users.
- Fudura reacts to the customer jobs of energy-intensive users with their products and services.
- Fudura’s value proposition in the inner areas affiliates with the needs of energy-intensive users in the outlying areas.
The desk and field study show that only hypothesis three, in which Fudura reacts to the customer jobs of energy-intensive users with their products and services, can be confirmed.
Recommendations
After analysing the market and interviewing respondents, the following recommendations are done:
First, the student recommends for Fudura to enter the outlying areas. Second, the student recommends for Fudura to develop a quality measurement tool. Third, the student recommends Fudura to offer selling and letting transformers to create a broader assortment for customers. Fourth, the student recommends Fudura to increase their cross-selling, to make more profit by offering total solutions. Concerning the latter, the student recommends to offer consultancy services to react to the needs of energy-intensive users and selling more products in the end. Last, the student recommends Fudura to improve its accessibility.
Implementation
It is of essence to find out if it is possible to adapt the current product range and strategy to the needs of the energy-intensive users. To accomplish this, all before mentioned recommendations are translated into implementable goals, which include a timetable and an overview of the costs, benefits, and possible risks.