Annual Report 2008 - Siempelkamp

Development of Sales for the Business Unit
The positive trend from the previous years regarding the
development of sales continued in 2008: Compared to 2007
we increased our sales volume from 331 million Euros to
484.9 million Euros. This corresponds to an increase of 46%.
The largest share with 393.4 million Euros and an increase
of 30% was recorded in the area of wood presses. Due to
successfully completed projects in the area of metal forming
presses we have generated a very pleasing sales volume of
39.7 million Euros. We have well-positioned our company as
a producer of heavy-duty presses with steel producing
companies.
With an increase of 180.9% our presses for tire treads and
conveyor belts have asserted themselves outstandingly in the
market. The sales volume in this area increased to 13.2 million
Euros. The sales volume of our short-cycle presses increased by
76.8% from 5.6 million Euros in 2007 to 9.9 million Euros in
2008.
Total Order Quantity and & Milestones
With a total order quantity of 502 million Euros, the machinery
and plants business unit of Siempelkamp fell short of the
outstanding result of the previous year (549.3 million Euros).
However, we were able to maintain our leading position in the
world market.
14 sold ContiRoll ® lines contributed to this success. Our
competence in the area of continuous presses provides
customers worldwide with competitive advantages. Our
presses are characterized by their fully-developed and reliable
technical standards which are customized to customer
requirements. This competence assured us a market share of
over 70% in 2008.
Press for the production of steel cord conveyor belts
We also received interesting orders in the area of metal
forming presses including a straightening press for heavy plates
for Dillinger Hütte, Germany, and two open-die forging presses
for customers in China and France. A new complete forging
line for truck rims is supplied to a Hungarian customer and a
large heavy-plate forming press to a customer in India.
Special key data includes the speedy assembly of the
crimping press for Europipe in Mülheim as well as the world’s
largest O-forming press for Baosteel in China. This press set a
milestone with its press capacity of 72 MN.
Another order for a steel belt press line was received from
a customer in China in the area of rubber presses.
Prospects and Forecast
Wood-based products are the basis for the industrial
production of furniture, wooden flooring, wall paneling, and
for houses in wood construction (classic or ready-built houses).
The production capacity for wood-based products has
increased worldwide according to the growing demand.
Fluctuations in the building activities are allowed for. Over
and above, many positive factors influence the general
prospects for our markets. The demand will not be stopped
due to scarce resources; a scarcity of wood is hardly to be
expected. Wood-based products will continue to be needed to
fulfill the basic building and living needs. Furthermore, the use
of a renewable resource is part of the trend of the living
concepts of the future.
Against this background and after coping with the financial
and economic crisis we expect the upward trend from 2003 to
2008 to continue. During this time the worldwide production
of wood-based products increased by a total of 27% from
140 million to 179 million m 3 . The current situation of
Siempelkamp at the beginning of the crisis is characterized by