In its 130th anniversary year, the KERN-LIEBERS Group can look back on a mixed though, in overall terms, still satisfactory fiscal 2017/18. At 745 million euros in 2017/18, the group turnover was up approximately 2% over the previous year.
Performance in major overseas regions was weaker than in the previous year, in part due to the exchange rate situation (China: +2.4%; North America: -16%). At +12%, the trend in Europe outside Germany was encouraging. In Germany itself, there was an increase of 6% compared to the previous fiscal year.
Although the upturn in the global economy has lost momentum, the group plans to continue the growth trend in 2018/19, underpinned by numerous new initiatives and projects in all regions and business units, as well as the acquisition of shares in Schnöring GmbH.
“The environment is getting tougher,” says Dr. Udo Schnell, Chief Executive Officer. The trade conflicts initiated by the US are producing a spiral of action and reaction. Political uncertainties in the euro area have escalated significantly. And the risk of sudden insecurity on the capital markets, with hard corrections, has increased. This will negatively impact investment and consumer decisions and destabilize the forces driving global economic growth.
The KERN-LIEBERS Group continues to invest in its locations. This is apparent in the construction of new production halls in Taicang, near Shanghai, and Tianjin, near Beijing, which will create an additional 35,000 square meters of production facilities.
The company currently employs roughly 8,050 people around the world, including 3,800 in Germany. This represents an increase of 650 employees year-on-year, and includes 200 employees of Schnöring, which was acquired by the group some months ago. A total of 1,439 people are employed at the company headquarters in Schramberg-Sulgen.
KERN-LIEBERS is highly committed to the training of 119 young people at company headquarters at the Sulgen location, with 92 in industrial and 27 in commercial occupations. These include apprentices at the Bohnert and Carl Haas subsidiaries.