The sixth factory of the fittings and shower manufacturer in Germany is currently under construction in Offenburg.
Sustained high rate of growth“We are very satisfied with fiscal 2007” summed up Siegfried Gänßlen, Chairman of Hansgrohe AG’s Management Board last year’s business performance of the Schiltach-based bathroom and sanitary specialist. “Thanks to our customers, in 2007 we managed to maintain the previous year’s high growth rate and to achieve new record highs in all relevant key ratios in terms of sales, earnings and employment numbers.” Despite the downturn in the global economy in the second half of 2007 in particular, the Hansgrohe Group’s total net sales rose by 16% year-on-year (adjusted for currency effects: 17 percent) to roughly Euro 661 million (2006: Euro 569 million). As a result, the Company was able to record double-digit revenue growth for the fourth year in succession. Growth is being underpinned mainly by the sustained dynamic uptrend of foreign business. With a 20% year-on-year rise in sales beyond German borders, the foreign share climbed to 79 percent (2006: 76 percent). With yet another gain on the domestic market as well, the Hansgrohe Group managed to increase its net sales for the sixth year in succession. With a four percent year-on-year increase in revenues, the Hansgrohe Group will be able to extend its share even further in an overall shrinking domestic market. “These figures prove that profitable growth can be achieved even with most of production being concentrated in Germany”, emphasized Hansgrohe’s new CEO. Accordingly, he indicated that Hansgrohe AG would in future focus on quality products “Made in Germany” and continue to reinforce and extend its local production sites in Schiltach and Offenburg. As a result, record investments totaling more than Euro 40 million were planned for this year. He said that the bulk of the capital invested to this end would be deployed in Germany for, among other projects, the construction of a new fixtures factory in Offenburg scheduled to go into operation on October 4, 2008. Connected with this is the intention to create additional jobs in Germany and abroad. Based on the good business performance, the Black Forest fittings and shower specialist had already further enlarged its workforce during the last fiscal year. The Hansgrohe Group employed a total workforce of 3,253 as at December 31, 2007 (2006: 3,094). The bulk of new jobs was once again accounted for by the German facilities. “The creation of 130 new jobs in Schiltach and Offenburg in the past fiscal year make Hansgrohe AG one of the top job creators among industrial companies in Germany”, reports Siegfried Gänßlen.
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