Nuova Gidue contributes to Bobst sales increase

Bobst Group, the Swiss-based worldwide supplier of equipment and services to the packaging and label industries, achieved consolidated sales of 1.3 billion CHF (1.3 billion USD) in 2015, an increase of 31 million CHF, or 2.4 percent, compared to 2014.

The acquisition of Nuova Gidue contributed 27 million CHF (27 million USD) to Bobst's sales increase

Adjusted for currency effects and acquisitions, organic sales were up 6.8 percent in 2015. The acquisition of Nuova Gidue, since rebranded as Bobst Firenze, contributed 27 million CHF (27 million USD) to the sales increase. Negative currency effects reduced sales by 84 million CHF.

Sales reached 806 million CHF in the second half of 2015, compared with 525 million CHF in the first six months of the year, and to 740 million CHF in the second half of 2014. Sales of sheet-fed products increased by three percent to 658 million CHF. Demand for products for the corrugated board industry was very strong, supported by a ‘satisfying demand’ for products for the folding carton industry. Sales of web-fed products increased by 4.9 percent, reaching 297 million CHF for the year 2015. The demand for special machines and complex lines remained at a low level. Sales of services and spare parts reached 375 million CHF, a decrease, due to the negative currency impact, of 0.7 percent compared to 2014.

Sales in Europe increased by 51 million CHF, with a significant improvement in some countries, including the UK, Spain, Germany and Italy partly eroded by lower sales in Eastern Europe. Sales in the Americas increased by five million CHF. The positive momentum of growth in the US continued, but sales in Brazil decreased again. Sales in Asia suffered mainly from the general slowdown in China and decreased by 17 million CHF.

Bobst Group started 2015 with a slightly higher backlog of orders than the year before. Both machine business units recorded higher order entries in 2015 than the previous year, which supported the increase in sales. The group finished the reporting year with a higher backlog than in 2014. The sheet-fed business unit started 2016 with a good backlog, whereas the web-fed business unit saw backlog at the start of this year lightly below the previous year.

Bobst has previously said that it expects to reach sales of 1.3-1.35 billion CHF in 2016. The company has stated that its group strategy to strengthen its technological lead and to enhance customer satisfaction has made the company more resilient to external influences.

‘Bobst Group continues to strengthen its technological lead and to enhance customer satisfaction,’ the supplier said in a statement announcing its 2015 full-year results. ‘Price pressure remains, but thanks to nine product novelties that will be presented during the drupa and K exhibitions in June and October, we are confident of creating strong demand in the market.’

Read a comprehensive preivew of label and package printing technology to see at drupa 2016 in L&L issue 2, 2016

Related content