Globally regional
Nine percent more orders than in the previous year and total sales of 57 million euros (an increase of 21 percent): these are the business figures of the StrikoWestofen Group (Gummersbach) for the year 2013. “For the fourth year in succession, a two-figure percentage growth shows we have chosen the right course,” manager Rudi Riedel explains. “The unmatched high energy and material efficiency of our new melting and dosing systems and the range of services we provide on site are the principal factors which make our customers decide to invest in our systems.” Thus, StrikoWestofen was able to quadruple sales in China alone over the last two years, and this year it has expanded the production capacity at the Taicang site (Jiangsu Province) to meet the growing demand. The management expects the positive development of sales and revenue to continue in 2014.
In 2013, a year which was not an easy one for foundry and thermal process engineering in Germany, the StrikoWestofen Group was able to increase sales and revenue again. Whereas the German Engineering Association (VDMA) reported a six percent drop in orders, StrikoWestofen was able to increase incoming orders by about ten percent to achieve a current total of 61 million euros.
Regional orientation worldwide
“Besides the permanent improvement of our products and the comprehensive range of services we offer, our strategic orientation seems to be the key to our continuing success,” says StrikoWestofen manager Rudi Riedel summing up. “our strategy of being present on location for our customers all over the world is meeting with a very good reception.” To satisfy the demands of the regions Asia, Europe and America in each case, StrikoWestofen has its own production and service facilities in the centres of the foundry industry. This allows the Gummersbach company to reduce the effects of fluctuations due to cyclical or regionally varying investment behaviour too – quite successfully, in fact: the order volume in Asia was not the only thing to show an above-average increase in the past business year. More transregional projects are now also being realized in conjunction with global customers, who are opening new production sites.
Innovations in products and service
Sales of StrikoMelter melting furnaces and Westomat dosing furnaces continue to account for about three quarters of total sales. In addition, StrikoWestofen offers a wide range of training courses, services and spare parts. The range it provides makes a permanent contribution towards optimizing energy consumption and plant availability as well as giving employees the qualifications they require for operating the systems safely and efficiently. As a result of the increased demands of automotive industry and suppliers – especially with regard to reject rates and the quality of castings – we experience a technology shift among our customers,” says Riedel contentedly. “Our Westomat dosing furnaces are now more in demand than ever thanks to their high dosing accuracy and availability and the possibility of integrating them into casting cells. This is why they are winning out more and more frequently against ladle systems on an international level too.” Also, the Gummersbach company profits from the fact that its roducts are convincing solutions suitable for facing the hardships of day-to-day foundry operation. “The positive experience made by our customers is encouraging them to choose our technologies again when it comes to expanding their capacities,” Riedel explains.
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