Annual report 2012 - VDL

initiative for more intensive marketing in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, from which we expect to
pluck the first fruits in the course of 2013. For the year as a whole we expect to come out slightly above
the 2012 level.
Systems for the industrial sector
The past year has gone well for VDL Industrial Products. Growth was realized both in turnover (from
7 million euro to 8 million euro) and in number of orders delivered. The downturn, which was certainly felt
in the construction-related industries, was more than offset by sales in new segments and deliveries to the
food industry in particular. In 2012, steps were taken to further expand the company’s own product range
through investment in development, and closer cooperation was begun with good partners and sister
companies within VDL Groep. Results from these collaborations will be introduced in 2013 in the form of
new products for the bulk solids industry as well as a number of new concepts for explosion protection of
industrial processes. Due to the current cautious investment climate in some sectors and a slight decline in
the order book, we expect no growth in this sector in 2013.
New companies
In terms of takeovers, it was a special year for VDL Groep. Following the acquisition of VDL Bus Danmark
in June 2012, we completed one of our largest takeovers at the end of 2012, namely that of the NedCar
car manufacturing plant in Born.
VDL Bus Danmark (7 employees) is located in Glostrup, Denmark. As from June 2012, the company was
renamed VDL Bus & Coach Danmark. With this acquisition VDL Groep affirms the importance of the
Danish bus market. The company focuses on the sales, after sales and parts for all VDL Bus & Coach
products in Denmark. VDL had enjoyed a strategic partnership with the company since 2004 and has now
acquired all shares.
On 1 October 2012 we announced the signing of an agreement with Mitsubishi Motors Corporation of
Tokyo concerning the acquisition of NedCar in Born. The actual transfer of the shares from Mitsubishi to
VDL took place on 14 December 2012. With this takeover VDL Groep intends to further strengthen its
position in the international automotive market. Effective 1 January 2013, the company became an
independent automotive manufacturer and will produce cars for third parties under the name VDL Nedcar.
VDL Nedcar’s first customer is BMW Group. After the conversion of the production lines, the MINI will be
manufactured for BMW Group in Born starting in the second half of 2014.
The activities of VDL Nedcar are a good match with the other activities of VDL Groep in the automotive
industry. As a subcontractor, VDL has supplied the passenger vehicle and truck industry with a wide range
of parts, complex assemblies and complete systems for many years. The group also produces automated
production lines for many car manufacturers around the world. The automotive industry is therefore an
important market for VDL Groep.
The period from 1 January 2013 until the second half of 2014 will be spent converting, renovating and
configuring the production lines at VDL Nedcar for production of the MINI. Therefore the approximately
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