UZWIL, Switzerland – With sales of CHF 2,131 million, the global Bühler Technology Group once again achieved solid growth of around 12 percent. Order intake rose by more than 3 percent to CHF 2,233 million; in local currencies and adjusted for acquisitions, it rose by 8 percent. EBIT increased by over 7 percent to CHF 218 million (10.2 percentage points of sales), and net profits increased by 3 percent to CHF 163 million. For current fiscal 2012, the company expects a moderate increase in volumes due to the uncertain economic situation.
Adjusted for exchange rates, the two Food divisions managed to boost their sales volumes by about 20 percent, while the Advanced Materials Division benefited from the boom in the automotive industry and achieved growth of 35 percent. In geographical terms, this increase in sales is primarily due to China (+64 percent) and Europe (+15 percent). In Europe, the acquisition of Schmidt-Seeger accounts for about half of total growth and the related strengthening of the strategic market for grain logistics solutions. Asia, with its 30 percent share of sales, now has the same size as Europe.