Double-digit increase in order intake at Ziehl-Abegg

Mesut Uguz installs a fan impeller at Ziehl-Abegg in the Hohenlohe industrial park in Kupferzell. (Photo: Ziehl-Abegg / Achim Köpf)

Ralf Stumpf installs an elevator motor ZAtop at Ziehl-Abegg's new plant in Kupferzell. (Photo: Ziehl-Abegg / Achim Köpf)

At the Künzelsau-based engine and fan manufacturer Ziehl-Abegg, things are buzzing: Revenue in the first half of the year amounts to 205 million euros. This is 7 percent more than in the comparable period of the previous year. Growth is expected to accelerate in the second half of the year, as incoming orders exceed last year's figures by more than 10 percent.

"This is the highest order intake since the company's founding," says CEO Peter Fenkl. The all-time high is widespread and cannot be attributed to any specific region. "The increase in sales is reaching us across the board," says Fenkl. Only the business in Russia and Ukraine fell short of expectations. The drive technology division (motors for elevators, CT scanners, and deep-sea robots) even performed slightly better in the first half of 2014 than the air technology division.

The growth in sales and incoming orders is also reflected in the number of employees: the worldwide workforce has increased to 3,300; in the five plants in Hohenlohe, 1,850 employees are employed. "The sustainably positive order situation now allows us to take on several temporary workers," explains CFO and HR Director Achim Curd Rägle. As is traditional, Ziehl-Abegg does not disclose profit figures. However, the CFO points out that the high euro exchange rate has a noticeable impact on the results.

Technology Director Norbert Schuster, responsible for the construction of the new plant on the A6 in Kupferzell, is pleased that the building is very well received by the staff. 27 million euros have been invested in the building, and three million euros in production facilities. The highlight was the official inauguration in early May with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economics Dr. Nils Schmid. "We have given the Ziehl-Abegg company a striking and attractive face directly on the main traffic artery A6," emphasizes Schuster, highlighting the impact of the building complex. The very good order intake allows us to already invest another 11 million euros in buildings and machinery in the first half of the year.