Annual Report 2008 - Siempelkamp

4
Foreword
Dear business friends:
Despite depressed economic conditions, 2008 was a successful year for the Siempelkamp Group. The extraordinary success of 2007
set high benchmarks for us while, in the fourth quarter of 2008, we started to feel the impacts of the global financial crisis.
We completed another successful business year. This result is confirmed by:
A total order value of almost 800 million Euros which was close to the record value of 2007
An increased sales volume of 38% which was received by all three business units of the Siempelkamp Group
An increased overall performance of 23%
An order backlog of 1.1 billion Euros which is the second time in a row that the order backlog has been over the one billion mark
To achieve such figures during an economic downturn speaks in favor of Siempelkamp’s overall business concept. This concept gains
strength through the well-balanced interplay of many different factors:
The technological advantage of Siempelkamp products has further developed.
Our close relations to our customers are an invaluable asset for us.
Our ability to survive economic crises is based on a stable and diverse business orientation in three fields. All three of our business
units, the Machinery and Plants, the Foundry, and the Nuclear Technology unit are global market leaders in several areas of their
expertise.
Siempelkamp operates without the involvement of external financial investors.
Our in-house production depth and the fact that we are the sole owners of our international branch offices and production
locations strengthen our solid setup.
These factors make Siempelkamp a “Hidden Champion”. As a family-owned business we play a leading role in our industry sectors
worldwide. We generate substantial business results. This is the best prerequisite to cope with the financial crisis.
In this respect we look with motivation toward 2009. The long-time tradition of our company provides us with a wealth of experience
that ensures us competitive advantages as far as the efficiency of our processes and the accurate fit of our concepts is concerned.
Each year we acquire the technological advantage of our products and our customers’ trust anew.
However, we will only manage to do so if our dialogue with you, dear business friends, stays as clear and constructive as it has
been in the last years. On behalf of the Siempelkamp Group, we would like to express a heartfelt thank you for your friendship, your
continuing trust in our work, and excellent cooperation.
We would also like to thank our advisory board chaired by Dr. rer. nat. h. c. Dieter Siempelkamp. As part of an efficient exchange
of information, the advisory board supported us in making strategic decisions in 2008. Another thank you goes out to our partners
whose trust in our work made today’s success possible.
The management would also like to thank all employees and employee representatives for their work and commitment to the company.
Dr.-Ing. Hans W. Fechner Michael Szukala
Chairman of the Executive Board
Executive Board of G. Siempelkamp GmbH & Co. KG
(from left to right): Dr.-Ing. Hans W. Fechner (Chairman), Michael Szukala