Financial Statements - Geberit

Quarterly Sales 2000
(%-changes compared to previous year)
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
-2
-4
Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1–Q4
Currency adjusted
For several years the development
of Geberit sales in the eight core
markets has outperformed the relevant
construction indices. Despite
the slow down in the year 2000,
the scene remains positive.
According to Geberit’s own calculations,
the European sanitary market
has a volume of approx. eur 25
billion whereof approx. 45% account
for sanitary technology. As a result,
Geberit is active in a market with a
total volume of approx. eur 11 billion
in Western Europe alone.
Moderate sales growth
With an excellent start in the first quarter, Geberit clearly outperformed the
results of the prior year period. This increase was in line with most economic
forecasts for the year 2000 and promised a very good year. However, already
in the second quarter growth slowed down due to a significant decline in sales
in Germany so that expectations became more moderate. However, in the third
quarter not only the German market experienced a disillusionment. Sales in
other countries declined as well. In the fourth quarter this tendency came to a
halt, and in local currencies a slight rise in sales was recorded.
For the fiscal year 2000 the Group recorded consolidated sales of mchf
1,208.5, an increase of 1.5% against the prior year (mchf 1,190.7); after
currency adjustments the rise in sales amounted to 3.0%.
11
High-tech WCs for the USA
Saving water is now also an important issue
in the usa. To this end, in 1994 the American
government ordered a reduction of water
consumption in toilets to six litres per flush.
“
We recognised that this decree presented
us with a unique opportunity to utilise our
expertise in the area of flushing technology,”
noted Bruce Reidel, Managing Director of
Geberit Manufacturing Inc. in Michigan.
In co-operation with an American ceramics
manufacturer, R&D engineers at Geberit developed
a complete system tailor-made to
conform with U.S. standards with three coordinated
components: a concealed cistern
with mounting frame, a hydraulically optimised
wall hung WC bowl, and a plastic siphon action
trap which is the real gem of the entire system.
Thanks to an ingenious design, the hydraulic
properties have been optimised to such an
extent that a strong suction with an efficient
cleaning effect is created in the bowl during
the flushing process. “Our six-litre system is
protected by two patents. In laboratory
conditions we are able to guarantee perfect
toilet flushing with less than two litres,” explained
Mario von Ballmoos, Division Manager
at Geberit Technik ag.
Our new system is called “Tessera”. It was
launched in the U.S. market in October 2000
and has aroused strong interest.