ground for Bühler’s future profitable
business development. Despite the
issue of a corporate bond, the equity
ratio remained at a high level of 45%
(previous year: 47%), and the return on
net operating assets (RONOA) rose to
21% (previous year: 19%). “In order to
safeguard our entrepreneurial flexibility
and to use the current beneficial
conditions in the financial markets, we
decided to launch a corporate bond on
the capital market,” says CFO Andreas
Herzog.
Becoming the Number 1 in the consumer
food market with Haas
The acquisition of the Austrian Haas
Group, announced in 2017, was a
highlight in the past fiscal year. The
closing of the transaction took place in
early 2018. Haas is the global leader
in the manufacturing of plants and
equipment for making wafers, waffles,
cakes, and cookies, with over 1,750
employees and turnover of around EUR
300 million. The machinery and solutions
of the two companies supplement each
other excellently. This step opens up
great perspectives for Bühler and Haas
alike. Both organizations together hold
a leading position in the consumer
foods market and can offer customers
integrated, sustainable, single-source
solutions along the entire value chain.
Unique innovation model drives growth
The starting point for these sustainable
process solutions are the leading
technologies that Bühler develops on the
basis of a unique collaborative innovation
model. In 2017, Bühler once again
increased its investments in research and
development (R&D) by 10% to CHF 119
million (about 4.5% of total turnover) and
launched over 50 innovative technologies
and products. One special focus was on
the development of new digital services
and business models, of which several
have now been rolled out.
The significance of innovative solutions
This operating performance further 6.5% (previous year: 5.9%). Significantly is exemplified by the market launch
strengthened the already very sound higher capital investments of CHF 100 of a new process for manufacturing
financial position of Bühler. Net profit million (+41%) – among other things battery slurry – a key component for
surged by 22% to CHF 174 million, in the modernization and expansion of manufacturing lithium-ion batteries.
representing a net profit margin of the global production network – lay the Bühler’s continuous mixing process is
24 FDPP - www.fdpp.co.uk