Vanderlande has announced order intakes of €1.2 billion for the financial year 2015 (1 April 2015 to 31 December 2015) – a record amount – and €1.4 billion for the calendar year 2015 (an increase of 40 per cent).
With a highest-ever order book of €1.5 billion at the end of 2015, the company is on track to achieve its strategic ambitions, also reporting a profit of €31.4 million over the nine-month period for the 2015 financial year.
Overall, Vanderlande’s results are strong, and the net-profit figure from the last nine months is indicative of this. The forecasted order intake outlined in the company’s outlook for the 2015 calendar year was realised, whereby Vanderlande’s operational result (EBIT) is 5.8 per cent.
The markets in which Vanderlande operates are encouraging, and it has performed favourably due to promising ongoing developments. The baggage-handling market remains healthy and demonstrates promising dynamics. These include the rise in the number of mega-hubs requiring advanced solutions, changing regulations, and the continued demand from customers for cost-effective systems, which the company has taken proactive steps to address.
Meanwhile, Vanderlande has expanded its position in the parcel and postal market, and is set to further extend its activities in this sector, making it a substantial field of potential growth for the company.
The warehouse-automation market witnessed a breakthrough during the 2015 calendar year in each of its key segments, particularly in food retail. Automation has become more established as an integrated solution in warehouses, and the expansion of e-commerce in the food, fashion and general-merchandise markets remains a major driving force.
There has been an increase in sales of 18.6 per cent in the company’s life-cycle services pro rata, mainly within warehouse automation. Positive activity in this sector stems from a favourable reaction to the company’s new positioning in this market. This growth is expected to continue, based on the increasing number of advanced automated solutions and the trend in baggage-handling for airports to outsource maintenance and ICT services.
"Our financial position is – and will remain – strong," says Govert Hamers, Vanderlande’s CEO. "The markets we operate in are predicted to grow, particularly e-commerce, and we are well positioned to meet this demand. We are confident that we are fit to deliver above expectation in our core business, both now and in the future."
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