StarragHeckert reports most successful year with more to come

Order intake was CHF 328 million (£158 million) while sales were CHF 244 million (£117 million) - up 29 per cent on the previous year. The order backlog more than doubled, reaching doubled and reached CHF 165 million (£80 million) - 103 per cent growth. The growth in bookings significantly exceeded budgeted expectations and action to increase manufacturing capacity was taken in 2007. A capacity expansion at the Chemnitz plant (Germany) and full use of the Geneva assembly space helped to increase turnover in the second half of 2007, said the company. A plant expansion at the Rorschach location (Switzerland) was started in May and commissioned on time in November 2007. All combined capacity expansions, together with the increased headcount in permanent and temporary staff will support further sales growth in 2008. New products introduced in 2006 and 2007 significantly accelerated the pure organic growth, reports the company. The energy, precision machinery and transports market were the main growth engines in 2007. Significant orders were also received from major players from leading aerospace companies in Europe and in USA. StarragHeckert’s says its growth rate outpaced its major German and Asian peer group in 2007 by a wide margin.