"We have done our homework. The course for our organization is still set for growth," says Managing Director Frank Nonnenmann. "Last year, we completed the realignment of our development and production network and concentrated our production at the two major production sites in Hungary and China. We are continuing to systematically develop our company headquarters in Neuhausen into a center of innovation and expertise." As of December 31, 2021, Balluff employed 3,600 people at 38 locations worldwide, four percent more than in 2020.

Balluff was able to increase sales in its core sectors - the automotive industry, robotics and mechanical and plant engineering - last year. "We realized several major projects last year and thus expanded our volume business," explains Nonnenmann. Balluff is also continuing to drive forward its diversification: turnover with customers from the packaging, food and beverage industries rose by 27 percent. Electromobility, in particular battery production, is also a growth driver with a 50 percent increase in sales.

Balluff accompanies its customers on the path to digitalized production. "But the digitalization of our customers' production not only holds enormous growth potential for us," explains Managing Director Florian Hermle. "We are also looking at our own processes and strengthening networked, global collaboration. With our Strategic Incubation Programs (SIPs), we are accelerating innovation and testing business ideas such as the Smart Reordering System or the Portable Condition Monitoring System with our customers." The company also wants to achieve the goal of a completely digital product life cycle from the parts list to the digital twin by 2025. Another successful example of consistent digitalization at Balluff is the web store, which generated 10 percent of total sales last year. "Thanks to the store, we are available to our customers seven days a week, 24 hours a day. Orders are automatically forwarded to our global goods distribution center in Neuhausen and delivered the next day. Thanks to digitalization, every customer is just a 'mouse click' away from us," says Hermle.

Despite all the challenges, the successful year 2021 has created a good starting position: incoming orders at the end of the last financial year were 44% higher than in December 2020 and global demand for sensor and automation solutions from Balluff remains high. The company plans to further expand production capacity at its major series production sites. In addition, the global supplier base is to be expanded and the logistics and transportation network aligned even more closely with the regional needs of the markets.

"We are operating in a time of great uncertainty. The war in Ukraine - a country in the middle of Europe - is affecting us all," explains Stegmaier-Hermle. Due to the global supply bottlenecks for electronic components, the war in Ukraine, its impact on the global economy and the unclear further course of the pandemic, the management remains cautious with specific forecasts. "We will do everything we can to react to the situation as flexibly as possible and in the interests of our customers," says Hermle.