Posted to News on 28th Apr 2017, 16:22
Phoenix Contact started 2017 dynamically: growth in all areas
Explaining Phoenix Contact's economic development in the last year, CEO Chairman of the Executive Board, Frank Sthrenberg says: "In 2016, Phoenix Contact could generate a sales growth of 3.2 per cent. Compared to the industry, surely not bad. However, our planned target of six per cent could not be achieved also due to exchange rate effects." With it, the turnover of the Company Group increased to 1.977 billion euros. Explaining their diverse market development, Sthrenberg says: "In Italy, Russia and India for example, we could achieve a very positive sales growth between 12-17 per cent. Thanks to the dynamic growth in the electromobility market, the subsidiary Phoenix Contact E-Mobility even achieved a sales growth of 70 percent". The manufacturer of industrial electronics invested 150 million euros in the development of the Company Group in 2016. In addition, 500 new employees joined the company last year.
For the current year, Phoenix Contact expects an increase in turnover of around 6.5 per cent. Sthrenberg is confident: "In the first quarter of 2017, we have already recorded a very good increase in sales of more than 12 per cent. In 2017, we will exceed the 2 billion euros threshold". Around 150 million euros will be invested in national and international development by the company this year. At the site in Milan, Italy, for example, additional sales and training capacities of approximately 6000m2 will be established.
In India, production and logistics capacities will be expanded with an investment of 5 million euros. At the site in Blomberg, the size of the laboratory of Phoenix Testlab, the test lab and certification institute for technical products will be doubled to 4000 m2. Also, shares in companies are increasingly included in the investments. At the beginning of April, the company took over Mauell Netzleittechnik GmbH from Velbert to 100 per cent. With the integration of the automation specialist in energy networks in the Company Group, Phoenix Contact continues its sustainable growth strategy in the energy market.
Just recently, Phoenix Contact took over the Taiwanese company Etherwan System Inc., a manufacturer of Ethernet communication technology in automation. Both companies have been successfully cooperating for 15 years. With this, Phoenix Contact significantly strengthens its network technology, a key technology for digitalisation. In February, the Phoenix Contact Group took a share in SmartB Energy Management GmbH, a start-up company for energy management in commercial buildings from Berlin via Phoenix Contact Innovation Ventures GmbH. Their software offering makes energy consumption transparent up to the device level.
On April 24, the Hannover Messe, which is seen as a trend indicator of the economy, will start. This year, the partner country will be Poland. Sthrenberg explains: "Our production site there has become the largest production site outside Germany and is the centre for the production of modular terminal blocks and cabling solutions. Our site in Nowy Tomysl is the major employer in the region."
Phoenix Contact as provider for electrical engineering, electronics and automation will present its innovations and trend-setting technologies in Hannover Messe on an exhibition area of approx. 2500m2. At the heart of the exhibition there are products for digitalisation which focus on the task fields of Industry 4.0 such as easy operation, secure communication, adjustability or a seamless digital description of the products. With the open control platform PLCnext, a focus of the presentation at Hannover Messe, Phoenix Contact is initiating a paradigm shift towards open source-based control systems for Industry 4.0.
Sthrenberg confirms: "Traditionally, the Hannover Messe is the most important trade fair for us. This year, we will present more than 100 innovations and welcome visiting delegations from 50 countries with more than 1200 visitors".
For more information about Phoenix Contact visit www.phoenix-contact.com.
