Kistler Group continues to expand: revenues up 20 %, strengthening of customerspecific development capacities with new Tech Office in Heidelberg, building up of software development team in Bratislava, investments at the Winterthur site
The Kistler Group is maintaining its high pace of growth. After the first eight months of the year, the Group is reporting revenues of CHF 171 million, representing a rise of 20 % compared to the previous year. The workforce both at the head office in Winterthur and at other group sites has been further expanded.
In contrast to the general trend in the industry, and despite the unfavorable euro exchange rate, the Kistler Group recorded a very positive business performance in the first eight months of the year. Revenues and order intake rose by 20 % and 5 % respectively compared to the same period last year. All three divisions (Automotive Research & Test, Industrial Process Control and Sensor Technology) contributed to this positive result.
Technology and innovative strength, combined with customer proximity, are the crucial success factors of the Kistler Group. Major progress has been made in all these areas in the last few months:
- The acquisition of the Digital Transducer Interface (DTI) technology from Hentschel System GmbH of Hannover enables the Kistler Group to offer more efficientmeasurement instrumentation solutions for vehicle technology. The DTI technology is being deployed in the new Tech Office in Heidelberg, Germany
- The building up of a software team in Bratislava strengthens the Group’s capability in the development of system solutions and reduces development costs. Ultimately, 20 developers will develop software for the Kistler Group at the Bratislava site
- In response to the strong growth of the Eastern European market, the Kistler Group has opened additional sales support centers in Poland and Romania
- Over CHF 10 million has been invested in new plant and equipment in recent months to secure the long-term future of the Winterthur production site
The Kistler Group’s growth objectives can only be met through the targeted development of its workforce. 70 new full-time posts were created across the Group as a whole in the first eight months. Recruitment is continuing at full speed to fill the vacancies, not least those at the Winterthur site.
CEO Rolf Sonderegger is guardedly optimistic with regard to the rest of the year: "Demand from the automotive industry has remained high, and massive production capacities are being developed worldwide. We will post good results again in 2012. As of 2013, however, we expect a decrease in demand and must therefore keep a close watch on general market trends. For the long term, by contrast, Kistler is extremely well positioned. Vehicles are becoming ever safer and engines steadily more efficient, not least thanks to the continued
development of measurement technology."