Business trends
- Sales grow by 7.1 percent to EUR 13.6 billion
- Record operating result of EUR 870 million
- E-business share confirms successful multi-channel sales model
The Würth Group achieved a new record for sales at EUR 13.6 billion, representing an increase of 7.1 percent. After adjustments to reflect exchange rate effects, the rate of growth came out at 8.6 percent. The two sales records in June and October, each with over EUR 1.2 billion, are proof of positive trends in sales volume. The individual regions were consistently successful in 2018. Southern Europe and Eastern Europe in particular enjoyed convincing growth rates of over 10 percent. The Electronics and Electrical Wholesale business units posted above-average sales growth in their business segments. In the Würth Line, the Metal division was the first division to generate sales in excess of EUR 2 billion in a single year, thereby increasing its share of the Würth Group’s total sales to more than 15 percent. Growth is thus broadly based overall. The course taken in e-business is having an impact and confirms the successful multi-channel sales model: Sales grew by 24.6 percent in 2018. In 2018, company acquisitions made only a minor contribution to sales growth, contributing 0.7 percentage points.
The Würth Group was able to increase its operating result to EUR 870 million (2017: EUR 780 million), an increase disproportionate to sales. It is the highest result in the company’s history and shows that the Würth Group, with its products and services, is an important partner for customers in trade and industry. The yield for 2018 was 6.4 percent, representing a further improvement on the previous year (2017: 6.1 percent). There are many reasons explaining the encouraging increase in earnings: In addition to increased productivity, favored by very positive economic conditions, successful company reorganization measures and the targeted expansion of multi-channel distribution also played their part in the improved earnings.
In order to implement its planned strategies, the Würth Group is making sustainable investments in its various business areas and markets. Capital expenditure amounted to EUR 635 million in 2018.
The number of employees rose by 2,921, from 74,159 to 77,080 in 2018. As in the past, the majority of the employees are still based in Germany. In 2018, the figure was 23,772, which corresponds to an increase of 5.1 percent. Würth is a sales company at its core. Including sales-related areas, more than 47,000 employees have direct contact with customers, with 33,218 of them working as sales representatives. Thus, the Würth Group remains the biggest employer of salaried sales specialists.
