Herma predicts strong sales growth

Herma said worldwide demand for self-adhesive materials, labels and labeling machines continues to be strong and that, after a good financial year 2014, the self-adhesive specialist expects to report 'excellent numbers' once again. It is also gaining a firmer foothold in the ‘gigantic’ US market.

‘We will probably crack the magic mark of 300 million EUR (329 million USD) this year, which is considerably more than we had planned,’ reported Herma managing directors Sven Schneller and Dr Thomas Baumgärtner at a recent staff meeting in Filderstadt, Germany. ‘Regarding sales, in 2014 Herma generated sales of 282 million EUR (309 million USD), and planned to increase that number by 3.5 percent. We will probably more than double this targeted growth.’

Herma is already planning expansion of the Filderstadt site, which will in the future house the labeling machines operation. The Deizisau location, where this division is currently situated, will be closed in the medium term, although ‘probably not before 2019’. Herma’s works council will negotiate a reconciliation of interests and a social compensation plan for all employees affected by the move from Deizisau to Filderstadt.

Herma is also ‘stepping up its search for new employees’. ‘Until late 2016, we are expecting to employ a staff of nearly 1,000 in the whole Herma group; compared to late 2014, we will have created a total of about 120 jobs,’ said Schneller.