The Eberspaecher Group concluded the 2011 financial year on an encouraging note. Its sales during the year rose by 34 per cent, for the first time above the level of 2008, the year proceding the worldwide recession. As an annual average, the total number of employees grew over 12 per cent. For 2012, management expects sales to stabilize, with stronger growth in the coming years.
In 2011, Eberspaecher posted sales totalling 2,590.5 million euros, representing an increase of 34 per cent compared with the previous year or a rise of nearly 27 per cent after deduction of transitory items. As an annual average, the company employed 6,331 workers and generated net income of 76.3 million euros. “Eberspaecher profited from the new exhaust-emission standards and from the good business situation in the commercial vehicle market, but in the passenger car sector too, domestic and foreign demand was exceptionally high”, said the Managing Partner, Mr. Martin Peters, at the annual press conference.
In the largest division, Exhaust Technology, sales of 2,141.6 million euros were posted in 2011, and the turnover of this division, adjusted for transitory items, reached 1,016.1 million euros. Eberspaecher was able to expand in North America in line with the growing market for the technologically sophisticated exhaust-gas aftertreatment of commercial vehicles and is planning to extend appropriate capacity.
Moreover, the company has been preparing for the Euro 6 exhaust-emission standard for commercial vehicles coming into force in Europe from 2014. With this in mind, a new production site has been built in Wilsdruff near Dresden, and in Sweden a controlling interest has been acquired in Swenox AB.
Eberspaecher has thus been able to extend further its market-leading position in the exhaust-gas aftertreatment of future Euro 6 commercial vehicles. In addition, it has set up a new company in China to track the increasing need for higher-quality exhaust technology there too.
The Climate Control Systems Division also grew significantly in 2011, posting sales of 448.8 million euros. Sales of vehicle heaters were considerably above expectations. Contributions were made both by business with vehicle manufacturers and commercial business for the aftermarket. The German sales operations were consolidated in the Mecklenburg-West Pomeranian town of Torgelow, thereby strengthening customer service nationwide.
As far as electrical vehicle heaters manufactured and distributed by Eberspaecher catem are concerned, the previous year’s sales level was substantially exceeded. In this, development work, especially involving innovative electronic solutions for battery-driven vehicles, also played its role.
Significant sales growth was also recorded at Eberspaecher Suetrak: international business in bus air-conditioning systems increased due, among other things, to new orders, and new sites were added in Singapore and southern India.
Eberspaecher Controls, specializing in vehicle electronics, can also look back on a successful financial year. The strong rise in sales can be attributed in particular to the series production of control units for on-board network stabilization.
The Eberspaecher Group expects continued positive growth. For 2012, it is assuming a slight rise in sales, with profit being affected by intensive advance expenditures, capital spending and increasing material and wage costs. For the coming years, the company expects stronger sales, mainly due to ever stricter exhaust emission standard in the car, commercial vehicle and non-road segments and growing demand for efficient air-conditioning and energy management in systems.
“We have taken precautions in setting our course for growth – through secure financing, through the development of new, technologically leading products and through investment in new, highly efficient production plants”, stressed Mr. Martin Peters.