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The current economic climate has fundamentally reshaped M&A dynamics for SMEs and mid-cap industrial businesses. Where acquisitions were once driven primarily by strategic expansion or opportunistic growth, many transactions in 2026 are shaped by market stress . Some companies are forced into sale due to weakened performance. Others, more resilient, are pursuing acquisitions to consolidate market share, strengthen industrial capacity or accelerate inorganic growth . In this e

For many years, reducing carbon footprint was perceived by SME and mid-cap leaders as a forthcoming regulatory obligation — a peripheral “ CSR topic ” that could be postponed. In 2026, that interpretation is no longer viable. In industry, construction, environmental services, cosmetics , and asset-intensive service sectors, the environmental performance of production assets has become an economic, operational and strategic issue . Pressure no longer stems solely from European

For a long time, geopolitics remained at a distance from the day-to-day concerns of SME and mid-cap leaders. In 2026, it is now directly shaping operational decision-making. Trade tensions, protectionist policies and the reconfiguration of economic alliances are having very tangible effects on businesses — well beyond large multinational groups. For SME and mid-cap leaders , the challenge is no longer to follow international news, but to understand how these developments can

Tuesday morning, 8:30 a.m. The executive committee is meeting. The sales team reports tender processes dragging on and client decisions repeatedly postponed. The COO flags erratic increases in certain raw materials and supplier lead times that are becoming increasingly difficult to meet. The CFO presents a cash position that is “under control” — but clearly under pressure within three to four months. HR highlights rising absenteeism, the departure of a key manager with no o

When performance deteriorates, time becomes a critical factor In the construction, industrial, retail and cosmetics sectors, business difficulties rarely appear overnight. They tend to build gradually, often concealed by day-to-day operations, operational emergencies or the hope of a spontaneous recovery. Until one day, the warning signs can no longer be ignored: mounting cash pressure, shrinking margins, overstretched teams and decisions that keep being postponed . At this p

When governance becomes an issue, performance is already under strain In many SMEs and mid-sized companies, corporate governance is not viewed as a performance lever, but rather as a secondary concern. Yet it is often where the first vulnerabilities appear. Delayed decisions, unclear trade-offs, latent tensions within the executive committee... When these signals persist, they inevitably begin to affect day-to-day operations. The CEO or managing director then finds themsel