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Economic survey - Everything is so positive here
Optimism also determines the economic outlook for the coming year: as in the previous year, confidence prevails among the 16 top managers surveyed. We wanted to know: What will the coming year be like and what USP do the companies surveyed want to score with?
Economic trend
Materialfluss asked the participating managers to assess the economic expectations in their company, in their sector and in Germany in general. We convert this assessment into arrows:
AMI Förder- und Lagertechnik: Automation is becoming the driver of Logistics 4.0
2017 was an extremely successful year for AMI Förder- und Lagertechnik. Based on the positive forecasts and our own observations, but also taking into account more cautious assessments, I believe that we will remain on the road to success in 2018. This development will certainly be driven by the constantly growing e-commerce market. Added to this are the requirements for the design of Logistics 4.0 resulting from increasing digitalization and the Internet of Things. In this context, automation and networking are becoming increasingly important. We meet this demand by developing innovative components, a high level of vertical integration and an IoT solution that maps all intralogistics processes on a software basis and supports their control. And the USP? We will focus even more strongly than before on digitalization and the Internet of Things. This will accelerate the development of highly automated components and systems for intralogistics.
AR Racking: "Increased presence in Germany"
The shelf markets in the countries where AR Racking is most active - i.e. the EU and Latin America - will continue to grow at a good pace. In 2018, we will open a sales office in Germany to serve end customers and support the major projects of our dealer network. The trend towards automation and modernization of warehouses will continue and therefore the share of solutions such as drive-in, shuttle, flow and mobile racking will also increase. We are involved in several automated warehouse projects. We already have AR employees in Germany to facilitate direct contact with the market. AR Racking has two important novelties for 2018: the introduction of a more efficient range and the expansion of our calculation software. Since 2013, our standard has been the sendzimir galvanized upright, with which we have been able to realize large projects in Europe. In 2018, our range will be more efficient and we are convinced that this will give us a greater presence in the market.
Combilift: Aiming to double turnover
Combilift is expecting strong growth in our 20th anniversary year 2018. With the full commissioning of our new 46,000m² factory in spring 2018, the course has been set for a significant increase in production capacity. Our goal is to double our turnover in the next few years. We are continuing to invest considerable amounts in research and development (7% of turnover). Industry: I estimate the general economic situation in the industry to be slightly improving. The forecast for the mechanical engineering and manufacturing sectors is positive, and this will lead to further demand in our industry. Market development: The unstoppable rise in the e-commerce sector will lead to an increasing demand for warehouses and consequently forklift trucks. Our USP has always been and will always remain: we develop innovative products for the safe, space-saving and productive handling of loads: whether long loads in confined spaces, pallets in narrow-aisle warehouses, containers and oversized loads. An expansion of our range of hand-guided models is planned for 2018.
EK Automation: We expect strong growth
We have been experiencing a significant increase in demand for AGVs for around five years. More and more industrial and logistics companies are addressing their need for intelligent, networked and flexible material flow solutions for the automated, precise transportation of goods. In fact, the majority of our customers are already assuming that autonomous transport robots will be the predominant means of transportation in the factories of Industry 4.0, as only they can guarantee flexibility in the material flow of future intralogistics. We are convinced that we are well positioned to meet the challenges on the path to Industry 4.0 and expect strong and sustainable growth for our company and the industry. Our product and process development pursues the overarching goal of linking sources and destinations in intralogistics ever more precisely and completely autonomously. At LogiMAT, we will be presenting a multifunctional, ultra-flat transport platform which, as a scalable technology carrier, forms the basis for a new generation of future transport robots.
European Pallet Association e.V. (EPAL): Focusing on quality and safety
Together with our licensees and national committees, we were able to increase the result in 2017 and are expected to achieve growth of more than ten percent. The users of Euro pallets have positioned themselves in favor of EPAL. By expanding our product range to include nine independently tested EPAL wooden load carriers from January 1, we are responding to the wishes of the chemical industry. Taking into account the economic forecasts for 2018 for Germany and the entire eurozone, EPAL expects a consolidation or a slight increase in production and repair figures. The entire product range of EPAL load carriers impresses with its independently tested quality and is a guarantee of safety. In addition to the EPAL Euro pallet, we see the nine EPAL CP pallets as quality load carriers with enormous advantages for the chemical industry. We will protect the "EPAL in an oval" brand as usual in all markets and take strict action against brand counterfeiters.
Ferag: Skyfall system to be expanded
Despite Brexit and the uncertainties in US politics, we expect 2018 to be a good year for our company and the industry. In just four years, Ferag AG has established itself as a system provider for complete materials handling solutions to support customers worldwide in optimizing their processes and making new investments in intralogistics. We live and breathe a culture of innovation. We have emphasized this for over 60 years as a technology leader in print finishing. We have significantly strengthened our software business unit in order to help shape developments in Industry 4.0. We see this as another strong pillar for our future corporate success. The best proof of our high innovation potential is the enhancements we are currently implementing to the Skyfall overhead conveyor technology: For example, the pocket sorter is being completed with newly developed stations for semi-automatic loading and fully automatic unloading, making it even more efficient.
hofe shelving systems: Healthy and sustainable growth
By investing in new machines in 2017, hofe Regalsysteme underlines that we are looking positively to the future. This year's turnover is satisfactory and incoming orders are increasing, so we are entering 2018 with confidence. Although it is difficult to assess the overall economic situation due to Brexit and other political uncertainties, we believe we are well equipped for the future thanks to our flexibility. We have confidence in our high-quality shelving and focus on customer-specific solutions. This year, we were once again able to prove that we can respond quickly and flexibly to our customers' project requirements. Expert advice during the planning phase and consistent support for a project through to completion are what set us apart. We will continue to focus on this in 2018. Another focus will be the further development of shelving to meet current market requirements.
Körber Logistics Systems: All-time high in sales expected
In 2018, we expect an "all-time high" for all sub-segments in terms of both incoming orders and sales. We are therefore assuming an increase that exceeds the generally positive market growth forecast for both our domestic and foreign units. A closer look at our focus industry segments also suggests constant growth rates for 2018. Körber Logistics Systems, as a Business Area of Körber AG, continued its internationalization course in 2017 and achieved significant successes, particularly with regard to the expansion of software expertise in the area of intra- and extra-logistics. With the acquisition of DMLogic and HighJump, we have made a real mark on the market and, with more than 1,100 software engineers, we have a leading international position in the areas of supply chain management and cloud solutions. We have thus ideally complemented our portfolio and cover all the main elements of the logistics value chain internationally.
MIAS Group: Growth drivers remain the markets in Asia
The MIAS Group is very optimistic about the coming year. We expect the intralogistics sector in Europe to continue its robust development - the markets in Asia will remain the growth drivers. A possible slowdown in the Chinese market will hardly affect intralogistics - the upcoming need for investment there is too great. Just this year, MIAS moved into new production halls in China that are more than twice as large in order to continue to meet the growing demand. MIAS not only produces load handling attachments in China, but has now also successfully launched the sale and production of storage and retrieval machines. We also expect demand for load handling equipment to increase in Europe and have therefore increased production capacity in Munich. As an independent and innovative partner (OEM), we look forward to continuing to realize optimal solutions for intralogistics in the coming year.
Pierau Unternehmensberatung: Robotic solutions on the rise
Digital commerce continues to be a major sales driver in the intralogistics sector. The trend has been positive for years without interruption. However, this growth is partly at the expense of store space in multichannel retail. The proportion of sales accounted for by floor space will decrease here. The development of new systems and components is constantly being driven by this unchecked growth. New providers with new systems are driving the market. Robotic solutions are on the rise, especially in order picking technology for sub-process areas. Companies are confronted with almost full employment in their regions. Operative employees must be courted. In addition to bonus and working time models, modern and ergonomic workplaces must be created in order to attract and retain employees. The higher retirement age is also one of the driving forces behind this. And our USP? Very good market transparency with regard to intralogistics systems and their fields of application thanks to our project work.
Segro: Expanding its role as a pioneer
Segro has grown strongly in Northern Europe and is successfully represented with logistics solutions in all of Germany's top 7 conurbations as well as in Vienna. The most important driver is the increasing importance of e-commerce. In order to be close to end consumers, companies need central warehouses close to cities and inner-city distribution centers. We are also seeing demand for space from industry and the manufacturing sector. In addition, the logistics real estate asset class is becoming increasingly popular with investors. They are switching to warehouses in search of higher yields. In my opinion, the high demand will continue in 2018. Segro has completed the first multi-level logistics property in Germany with external ramp access in Munich-Daglfing and will continue to develop innovative logistics concepts in 2018. We will also continue to expand our role as a pioneer in terms of energy efficiency, sustainability and attractive design for commercial and logistics centers.
SSI Schaefer: Committed to customers worldwide
Intralogistics remains a growth market with different characteristics across the continent. As a global manufacturer and solution provider, we see the digital transformation and the permanent availability of goods in the age of e-commerce as major challenges for many companies. On the other hand, today's customer-driven markets require an industry-specific focus. It is important to speak the customers' language, recognize their market situation and develop tailored solutions. With the reorganization completed in 2017 with the IT powerhouse SSI Schaefer IT Solutions GmbH, the automation expert SSI Schaefer Automation GmbH and our expertise as a manufacturer of products along the entire intralogistics value chain, we believe we are ideally equipped to translate our customers' challenges into future-proof solutions. In 2018, we are also shaping the future of intralogistics independently of projects and driving forward innovations such as in the fields of robotics, AGVs and artificial intelligence.
Stahl CraneSystems: About mechanical and electrical ideas
We are very confident about 2018 and expect the economy to develop positively. Even if growth in Germany has slowed somewhat, this is still at a stable level for us. The change of ownership to the Columbus McKinnon Group and the resulting development opportunities for our company will also have a positive impact on our business development and give our expansion strategy an additional boost. In Asia in particular, the "Made in Germany" seal of quality continues to be an important guarantee for our economic success in this region. The topic of digitalization and IIot (Industrial Internet of Things) will play an increasingly important role not only in our industry. New business models will also develop in conveyor technology in the near future. Our USP: We have many ideas - let's wait and see which ones will be presented next year - both mechanically and electrically.
Stöcklin Logistik: Automation is the key
Investments in intralogistics will continue to increase. The main drivers are online retail, where multi- and omnichannel concepts are increasingly being implemented at an operational level, and industry, which is having to adapt to the trend towards ever smaller batch sizes, among other things. Added to this is the call for networking and digitalization. We meet precisely these requirements with scalable, highly flexible automation solutions that enable companies to react quickly to changes and increasingly individual customer requirements while also saving costs. Project successes in 2017 confirm this and there are already concrete signs that the Stöcklin Group will continue to expand its market position. Quality and continuity are differentiating features that set Stöcklin Logistik apart from the competition. As an owner-managed company with more than 80 years of history, we bundle expertise and offer everything from mechanics to IT from a single source, without having to take detours via integrated, specialized profit centers.
Stow: further growth targeted
After two extremely successful financial years, we are very confident about the new year. In addition to the excellent economic forecasts, we are encouraged by the fact that we already have a number of promising projects in the pipeline. Overall, we also see the entire industry on the upswing, as all companies are now focusing on optimizing their material flow. With our range of static and dynamic shelving systems, we believe we are well positioned for the coming year and we will continue to offer our customers comprehensive advice in their search for the most efficient storage solution. Our focus here is on space-saving and future-oriented technologies, such as pallet shuttle systems. However, "classic" racking systems are also indispensable for many industries. We therefore continue to focus on customized storage solutions that are individually tailored to the respective customer requirements.
SW-Paratus: further development of the successful product
After a solid market launch of our new product at LogiMAT 2017, we were able to record a good order intake and many inquiries. Due to the unique selling point of our pallet sliding device (PSV) and the communication with our customers, we are very confident that we will increase the order level in 2018. In addition, we will be presenting our further development at the upcoming LogiMAT, which will particularly benefit the chemical/pharmaceutical and food industries. We continue to see a positive economic trend in our sector for 2018, as companies are increasingly achieving stabilization and savings effects through process optimizations. The logistics market in particular will continue to grow. The continuing upward economic trend is also reflected in the lack of logistics space - the manufacturing industry lacks its own storage capacity and is increasingly relying on external storage space. We will also focus on this area in 2018 and offer storage space with logistics processing.
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