The Dürr Group closed 2023 with record sales and increased its operating earnings. While sales increased by 7.3% to € 4,627.3 million, EBIT rose by 20.8% to € 280.4 million. The Group recorded earnings growth in all five divisions. The strong demand for systems for the production of electric cars and systems that contribute to the climate-friendly transformation, such as CO2-free automotive paint shops, resulted in the strongest growth.
Decline in incoming orders
However, order intake decreased by 7.8%. At the Group subsidiary HOMAG, orders fell by 18.2% as demand for woodworking machinery cooled significantly. With the job cuts at HOMAG announced in November, the Group incurred extraordinary expenses of € 89.0 million. As announced, around 600 of almost 7,500 jobs at HOMAG are to be cut, 350 of them in Germany. Business with the automotive industry provided compensation. The machine and plant manufacturer was able to repeat the high order level of 2022. The trends towards more climate-friendly production technologies and e-mobility contributed to this.
Sales growth through acquisition of BBS
BBS Automation, the automation specialist acquired in August, contributed € 107.1 million in sales and an above-average EBIT margin before special items
CO2-free automotive paint shop
In 2023, production technologies for electric cars accounted for over €1.1 billion and thus more than 50% of incoming orders. Another focus was on systems that contribute to the climate-friendly transformation of automotive production. Dürr is currently completing the first completely CO2-free automotive paint shop for a customer in Europe. "The painting process accounts for over 40 percent of the energy required to produce a car. With our sustainable technologies, we are therefore an important partner on the road to climate-neutral vehicle production," said Dr. Jochen Weyrauch, CEO of Dürr AG. The Group is also benefiting from the ongoing automation of industrial processes. Dürr achieved record incoming orders of € 719.8 million (+10.1%) in the painting robot business.
Easing of supply chains
Overall, the Group benefited from the easing of supply chains and the lifting of pandemic-related restrictions. Sales growth was strongest in the Americas at 20.0%, while the increase in Germany amounted to 17.6%.
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