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K>MOBIL 31 // KIRCHHOFF Group Editorial
Globalization securing jobs in Germany
r Competitive potential improved by increased investments in production, information
technology and service. Current situation in the KIRCHHOFF Group.
t 04
Dr.-Ing. Jochen F. Kirchhoff,
Chairman of the Advisory Board
of the KIRCHHOFF Group
Both sales and employment
figures continue to grow in our
company group (pic.1).
KIRCHHOFF Automotive will be
investing more than 44 million
euros in new large-scale presses,
welding facilities and informa-
tion technology for its German
plants in Iserlohn and Attendorn
between 2007 and 2009. The
company’s main overseas activi-
ties are concentrated in Poland,
Hungary, Portugal and China
(2nd photo)
We have continued to tighten
the product portfolio for pas-
senger vehicles and added some
sophisticated components (3rd
photo).
Employees / sales KIRCHHOFF Group
Dear customers and friends of our company
group, dear members of staff,
The consolidated sales volume for the Group in
2007 amounted to some 686 million euros (previous
year: 614 million euros), representing annual
growth of approximately 12%. This development
is likely to slow down in 2008, but an increase of
around 6% to achieve an approximate total of 730
million euros can still be expected.
The size of our workforce grew to 4600 in 2007
from 4036 in the previous year, a plus of 14%. The
current development in Germany is particularly
pleasing. The number of jobs on the home market
has increased by about 10% to 2075 since 2003 and
is predicted to rise by a further 4% to around 2160
in the course of 2008.
The example of our company group confirms the
statement made by the President of the Automotive
Industry Association (VDA) Matthias Wissmann:
”Globalization is usually a win-win situation
for our innovative industries. Precisely because
German sub-suppliers open new production plants
all over the world, precisely because medium-sized
companies improve their competitive edge and install
production facilities in low-cost countries, employment
in the German automotive industry has,
contrary to the general trend on the employment
market, grown over the last 15 years,“ Wissmann
said. It has had an even greater stabilizing effect
60
45
30
15
0
KIRCHHOFF Automotive investment planning
2007 - 2009 in Mio. Euro
Poland
Germany
China
Portugal
Hungary
due to the significant role played by medium-sized
companies in the automotive industry. ”Globalization
tendencies and upheavals in the value-added
structure within the automotive industry had in
fact led to a reduction in the number of sub-suppliers
over recent years,” Wissman continued. ”The
VDA does not, however, believe that this trend will
continue. In some sectors of the sub-supplier field,
the consolidation process already seems to have
come to an end to a great extent,“ said Wissmann.
”Many manufacturers prefer to cooperate with
medium-sized companies as sub-suppliers because
they particularly appreciate their flexibility and innovative
strength.“
Global competition in the automotive industry
has now become even more intense. New suppliers,
particularly those from Asia and eastern Europe,
are struggling to enter the market.
This is the reason why the KIRCHHOFF Group, apart
from expanding production facilities overseas, has
also steadily continued to improve efficiency in its
domestic plants.
The years 2007 to 2009 are marked mainly by total
investments of over 130 million euros. This enormous
effort represents the preliminary work to
smooth the way for the introduction of new models
by car manufacturers in the coming years..
It is our firm objective to reduce CO 2 emissions, to
protect the climate and to participate to an even