Wednesday, 17. June 2009 R. STAHL presents itself as a strong and stable partner

 

Strong market position consolidated in 2008

Business has been overall satisfactory for R. STAHL in the 2008 financial year. Turnover grew by 4.5% to 221.2 mn EUR, slightly exceeding the projected volume of at least 220 mn EUR. Incoming orders increased by 1.6% to 223.6 mn EUR in the year under review. Standing out as a particularly pleasant figure, operating cash flow rose to 27.5 mn EUR from 17.7 mn EUR in the previous period. Due to this positive development, the company’s liquid assets amounted to 34.1 mn EUR at the end of 2008, exceeding short- and long-term financial debt by 23.4 mn EUR. R. STAHL was also able to further amend its equity ratio to 43.7%. All told, the corporate group commands a solid financial structure giving it extensive financial leeway in economically challenging times.

R. STAHL has accomplished extremely positive developments in recent years and continues to present itself as a stable, strong partner with a sales and earnings potential hardly rivalled in the industry. The company has recently expanded sales world-wide and has boosted its development activities. This strategy has yielded numerous product innovations. These include e.g. new Ethernet-enabled Ex Remote HMI (Human-Machine Interface) stations for hazardous areas, which offer a host of user-friendly networking options to operate server systems in secure areas from the station in the field. Complementing the existing ISbus fieldbus technology portfolio, R. STAHL has also added an Advanced Fieldbus Power Supply for Foundation fieldbus, which provides comprehensive diagnostics functions to monitor fieldbus segments. A recently introduced WirelessHART gateway enables users for the first time to connect field devices such as sensors and actors from different manufacturers via a standardised wireless interface. A modular construction kit is supplied for customised budget UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply) solutions for hazardous areas. Their Ex UPS Guard function makes them a unique innovation: the Guard checks for proper charger and battery functionality as called for by the ATEX directive and pertinent standards. Even in a generally adverse economic climate, these and other product innovations help R. STAHL generate additional revenues to counterbalance current market contractions.

Moreover, the company has further expanded its systems business. R. STAHL not only supplies automation components such as isolators, Remote I/Os, or fieldbus technology, but also provides comprehensive customised solutions. These include adequate consulting services – even in the final commissioning and start-up phase, skilled engineers are available to help users tackle complex application adaptations at the eleventh hour. All R. STAHL components and systems are manufactured in Germany, which ensures excellent quality as well as flexibility in handling and resolving customer requests. In addition, new processes have been initiated across the company in order to optimise R. STAHL’s efficiency and achieve further time-to-customer improvements.

Business in the Americas has also been expanded and will continue to be expanded. A host of products e.g. undergo certification according to American standards, which has made R. STAHL a competent and accepted partner for customers in North America. In Asia, distribution capacities have been cautiously augmented by the addition of new agencies as well as a subsidiary in Malaysia. And in the upcoming Russian market, a subsidiary company has also been established. R. STAHL’s global presence now comprises activities in more than 60 countries.

Flexible staffing as well as flexible working hours make the company well prepared to handle normal business volume downturns. One paramount corporate goal is to retain all permanent staff through the crisis, which will enable R. STAHL to maintain high quality throughout, keep sales and consulting services readily available, and provide continuity in customer relations.

 

Contact:

R. STAHL

Kerstin Wolf

Am Bahnhof 30
74638 Waldenburg
Germany

Tel.: +49 7942 943 - 4300
Fax: +49 7942 943 - 404300
E-mail: presse@stahl.de
Internet: www.stahl.de

 

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