REINACH, Switzerland – Endress+Hauser has again enjoyed strong growth in 2012. Operating worldwide, the measurement specialist achieved record high figures in net sales, employment, profits and equity. Despite ongoing global economic uncertainty, the Group expects this positive trend to continue this year.
Endress+Hauser increased net sales by 11% to almost €1.7 billion. Despite higher depreciation and amortization, the operating profit (EBIT) almost kept pace, increasing by 10% rose by only 3% to €183 million, which is nevertheless a new record.
Endress+Hauser showed growth across all regions, with exceptionally good developments in the Americas. The development of the Group was broad-based across all customer industries. The strongest growth was seen in the oil and gas and the power and energy industries, followed by the chemical, food and beverage, life science, and water and wastewater industries.
By the end of 2012 Endress+Hauser employed 10,066 people worldwide - 652 more than the previous year. Two hundred seventy-two employees joined the company in Europe, with 162 in the German-French-Swiss region around Basel, where the two largest production plants, several Group companies and the holding company are located.
A new sales center in Saudi Arabia began to operate in 2012. Another example of stronger activity in the Middle East was the opening of a sales office in Abu Dhabi, in the United Arab Emirates. In addition, Endress+Hauser opened a representative office in Vietnam's Ho Chi Minh City. At the turn of the year a sales center was founded in Indonesia. A further sales center is to follow in Algeria in the coming year – the 46th sales company in the Endress+Hauser network.
At €127 million the Group's investments have reached a new high. Most of this was spent on expanding production facilities, particularly in Maulburg and Gerlingen, Germany, and Greenwood, Indiana/USA. By no means the biggest but certainly the most important project was a new production facility in Itatiba near São Paulo. Endress+Hauser expects this to have a significant impact on business in Brazil as in the rest of the South American continent.
Endress+Hauser has set itself ambitious targets for 2013. Net sales are expected to grow by 10% to almost 1.9 billion. For operating profit and net income, the company expects a moderate decrease. This is where investments in buildings and plants, software and IT of a record-high €160 million come to bear, as well as increased expenditure in research and development. 550 additional jobs are to be created by the end of 2013.
Pictures from the Endress+Hauser annual conference are posted at Press.Endress.com/annualconference.
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