Project Topic
This ten-week student consulting project invites you to help Holcim Belgium strengthen
the market position of Cantillana Facade, its specialised brand for external facade
insulation systems.
You will begin by mapping Cantillana Facade’s current market approach and business
model, including its customer segments, commercial strategy, product offering and key
performance drivers. You will then benchmark the company against four to five leading
competitors, examining how they differentiate themselves through their value
propositions, pricing, sales, marketing and overall market approach.
By combining these findings in a comprehensive SWOT analysis, you will identify the
most important challenges and growth opportunities for Cantillana Facade. Your final
objective is to develop clear, well-supported recommendations that can strengthen its
competitive position, improve performance and support sustainable, profitable growth.
The Company
Holcim is a global leader in building materials and building solutions. The company
develops products and services used across the construction industry, supporting
projects ranging from individual buildings to large-scale infrastructure.
Cantillana Facade is part of Holcim Belgium and specialises in external thermal
insulation composite systems, commonly known as ETICS. These integrated facade
solutions combine insulation and finishing materials to improve the energy
performance and appearance of buildings. As Holcim looks towards the future of the
brand, it wants to better understand its competitive position and identify opportunities
to further develop its market approach.
Project Goals
- Map Cantillana Facade’s current market approach and business model
- Identify its key customer segments, commercial dependencies and performance drivers
- Conduct a comprehensive SWOT analysis
- Benchmark Cantillana Facade against four to five leading competitors
- Compare competitor business models, value propositions, pricing, sales,
- marketing and product offerings
- Identify relevant market practices and potential growth opportunities
- Develop actionable recommendations to strengthen market position,
- performance and profitability
- Present the findings through a professional report and final presentation
Why should you participate?
This project allows you to work on a real strategic growth challenge for a global
company in the building materials industry. You will apply your academic knowledge to
a concrete business question and learn how consultants transform internal data,
interviews and market information into practical strategic recommendations.
You will also gain insight into the commercial side of the construction sector and
collaborate with professionals from Holcim’s product, sales and marketing teams.
What's in it for you?
• Hands-on experience in market research and competitive benchmarking
• Practical experience with SWOT analysis and business-model evaluation
• Insight into the construction and building materials industry
• Exposure to product, sales and marketing strategy
• Experience translating complex findings into actionable recommendations
• Collaboration within a motivated, multidisciplinary student team
• Professional reporting and presentation experience for a real client
• ECTS-certified project
You will develop valuable analytical, strategic and communication skills while
contributing to decisions that can shape the future growth of Cantillana Facade.