Bertrandt AG records increase in turnover

Wednesday, 14 December 2005

EBIT increase realised in the fourth quarter of the financial year 2004/05 The Bertrandt AG attained a turnover increase in the financial year 2004/05. Despite an in-consistent market environment and high nonrecurring expendi-tures a positive annual group result could be obtained. The strategic and organizational adjustment already initiated in the previous year, was finalized in the reporting period and indi-cates successes. Bertrandt especially wants to further expand its, "Electronics", "Supporting Services", "Powertrain", "Test and Trial" Competence Centres as well as the "Aerospace" business segment. Efficiency program completed successfully The Bertrandt AG is a business with substance and great innovation energy, stressed Board Chairman, Dietmar Bichler at today’s Annual Press Conference in Stuttgart. Bichler further con-firms that the business’ success was secured in the long term by means of the strategic and organisational adjustments which were carried through. Internal operations were downsized, subsidiaries abroad were merged and the business operation ZR Zapadtka & Ritter GmbH & Co. KG was leased out. In the context of restructur-ing personnel measures carried out overcompensation could already be made in the reporting period. With an extension of the customer base, new services along the automobile value chain as well as the development of the business segment "Aerospace" Bertrandt wants to gain market shares in the future. Growth in strained market environment In the group’s past financial year the engineering service provider recorded a turnover, which increased with 2.6 percent to 220 million. The group result before interest and taxes (EBIT) exceeds despite a nonrecurring expenditure of 4 million expectations with 1.8 million. With a superproportional increase of 2.6 million the group’s EBIT of the fourth quarter reflects the realized strategic and organizational adjustments after a nine-monthly EBIT of €-0.8 mil-lion. The group’s yearly surplus was reduced to €72.000 Euro in the reporting period. Due to this result, the Bertrandt AG will not pay any dividends for the financial year 2004/05. Active personnel management In the context of its personnel work Bertrandt invested 3.7 million in qualifying employees in the reporting period. The emphasis was on technical courses as well as on advanced training in sales and project management. By means of purposeful advanced training employees were qualified and offered further perspectives within the company - an important contribution in order to secure the location in Germany, said the Bertrandt CEO. Bertrandt assumes responsibility for operational training: Bertrandt currently trains over 60 young people in technical and commercial occupations.