100 % FUTURE - ALNO
100 % FUTURE - ALNO
100 % FUTURE - ALNO
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70<br />
Exchange rate risks<br />
Currency exchange-rate risks exist with regard to deliveries to countries outside the Eurozone,<br />
particularly deliveries to Switzerland and the United Kingdom. Currency exchange-rate trends are<br />
subject to constant monitoring. There were no forward currency transactions in place as of the<br />
balance sheet date. <strong>ALNO</strong> will implement exchange rate hedging measures if new currency risks<br />
arise as part of the further international expansion.<br />
Price risks<br />
The most important commodities for <strong>ALNO</strong> are wood, plastics and metal. Price changes for these<br />
materials on the market could exert a corresponding impact on the Group’s margin trends.<br />
Materials prices<br />
The market for wood and metal products was confronted with significant price increases in the 2011<br />
fiscal year. The current situation on commodities markets means that a reduction in materials prices<br />
cannot be expected until the final quarter of 2011 at the earliest. In line with this trend, high fuel<br />
prices lead to the expectation that distribution costs will increase above budget. Further bundling<br />
of transported items is indispensable as a countermeasure.<br />
Services<br />
A significant increase in fuel prices is feeding through to particular risks in terms of transportation<br />
cost trends. <strong>ALNO</strong> has bundled and streamlined its freight consignments in order to counter this.<br />
Market risks<br />
The <strong>ALNO</strong> Group operates in the kitchen furniture sector, a market that is characterised by intense<br />
competition. Tough price competition on the part of providers, particularly in the lower price ranges,<br />
is resulting in ever greater margin pressure, and is crowding out less competitive manufacturers<br />
at the same time. Activities on the part of competitors and wholesalers/retailers could significantly<br />
reduce the revenues and earnings level of the <strong>ALNO</strong> Group.<br />
The <strong>ALNO</strong> Group’s customers are primarily resellers, most of whom are organised into purchasing<br />
associations. If important purchasing associations were to reduce their ordering volumes, cancel<br />
master agreements, be required to file for bankruptcy, and if the <strong>ALNO</strong> Group proved unable to<br />
acquire new customers to a comparable extent, or if existing customers proved unable to increase<br />
their ordering volumes to the same extent, this might result in a marked decline in capacity utilisation<br />
and revenues, and lead to receivables defaults for the <strong>ALNO</strong> Group.<br />
In addition, the repositioning of the <strong>ALNO</strong> Group brand world that was launched in the previous<br />
year, and the new sales structure that has already been set up, must be further established. This<br />
also carries risks.<br />
Germany is the <strong>ALNO</strong> Group’s primary sales market, and accounts for an approximately 70 % share<br />
of total revenues. The United Kingdom, France, Austria, Switzerland, Spain, Italy and the Benelux<br />
countries are additional notable sales markets. These markets have reported different growth rates<br />
in the past. Particularly markets abroad, such as the Spanish market, have been subject to negative<br />
influences. <strong>ALNO</strong> AG assumes that individual markets will continue to report different growth rates<br />
in the future, and remain dependent on economic influences.