EoW November 2013

Feature Materials, machinery & welding

Sales of €69m

Thanks to specific investments in five growth regions, in the year under report GKD successfully created the preconditions for an increasing local share of value added. Apart from the two new subsidiaries in India and Latin America, these investments also included moving the Chinese production facility into substantially larger premises, and consolidating the factories in France and Spain to strengthen the company’s setup in Europe. GKD also invested in comprehensive modernisation and expansion of produc- tion at the parent works in Düren in order to optimise production layout and further increase the high production capacities that already exist there. “In spite of the slowdown in the global economy, we have managed to maintain and further consolidate our leading market position,” said GKD Director Dr Stephan Kufferath, summarising his company’s development in the past financial year. With the second highest volume of investment in its company history, this German SME continued to apply its proven strategy for success. In spite of recessionary trends in Europe and a global economic slowdown, the company worked with key suppliers to develop new technologies, procedures and products. In the Solid Weave business unit, for example, four technical looms specially developed for GKD created the basis for meeting anticipated high demand for the new products. “Our strategy of investing in machinery before the orders are there to utilise

GKD – Gebr Kufferath AG has staunchly held its ground in a somewhat subdued procurement market. In the past financial year, this leading producer of woven mesh solutions made of metal and other materials generated consolidated sales of €69.2 million. Allowing for one-off effects in the previous year, GKD has succeeded in maintaining sales at a stable high for the third year in a row. At the same time, the medium-sized non-listed corporation invested a total of €8.6m in new tech- nologies, processes and production facilities. A further €1.6m went toward upgrading the parent plant in Düren, Germany, and €1m toward consolidating new companies. These were important steps taken by GKD to strengthen its market position. Its three business units – Solid Weave (industrial mesh), Weave in Motion (process belt mesh) and Creative Weave (architectural mesh) – all contributed equally to the positive result. GKD employs 645 members of staff, 422 of them in Germany. With 22 apprentices and trainees, the company also continues to uphold its proven, long-term personnel policy. GKD also succeeded in once again increasing its sales in the European home market. Nevertheless, it was the production plants in the USA and South Africa that delivered by far the greatest contribution to group results. In response to the strong demand, the Maryland location in North America got a new production hall for the business units Solid Weave and Weave in Motion. Creative Weave also increased its production capacity in the USA through the further addition of a technical loom.

the capacity has always been our way of securing our competitive edge and market position,” added Ingo Kufferath, GKD director responsible for the new production concept. The extensive investment programme of the past financial year was completed in the first quarter of 2013. “The key feature is that we haven’t invested in replacements but in new technologies and optimised production processes for all our business units,” graduate engineer Ingo Kufferath stressed. It is for this reason that his brother, holder of a PhD in economics, permits himself cautious optimism in his expectations of the current business year, in spite of continuing worldwide economic uncertainty. “In 2013 we expect moderate growth in all business units,” added Stephan Kufferath, spelling out their planning. “Thanks to systematic, customer-focused expansion of our global presence and ground-breaking new technologies for the main key industries, we see ourselves in an excellent position to meet the challenges that lie ahead.” GKD – Gebr Kufferath AG – Germany Website : www.gkd.eu ▲ ▲ The new composite mesh CMP-Alu 6010 by GKD – Creative Weave ensures pleasant acoustics in this conference room in Stuttgart, Germany

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November 2013