The past year was shaped by global crises and political conflicts, making for patchy economic conditions. “2024 was a year of many challenges,” CEO Dr Peter Selders commented at the company’s annual media conference in Reinach, Switzerland. “While Endress+Hauser did not meet all its targets, the company held up well. We made important progress in many areas and have taken our company forward.”
Small and medium-sized markets enable growth
The Group grew its net sales by 0.7 percent to 3.744 billion euros. Organic growth – without currency effects – was 1.3 percent, CFO Dr Luc Schultheiss reported. “The hoped-for economic upturn in the second half of the year failed to materialize,” he said. Sales in all three of the Group’s major markets – the USA, China and Germany – were subdued. This was offset by the company’s small and medium-sized sales centers.
In Europe, sales were down 0.9 percent, mainly as a result of declining numbers in Germany. On the other hand, various individual markets on the continent, including Italy, France and the UK, performed well. Asia as a whole was down 1.9 percent – a result of flagging sales in China. India and Japan, meanwhile, delivered good growth.
In the Americas, Endress+Hauser achieved a 4.2 percent increase in sales overall, driven mainly by growth in Canada, Argentina and Brazil. The USA was only a minor contributor to this positive overall performance despite having been a highly successful market for many years. Africa and the Middle East performed strongly, with growth of 13.3 percent.
Worldwide network
Endress+Hauser invested 349.3 million euros – more than in any other year in its history – in new buildings, equipment and IT. The Group commissioned new production facilities at its campus in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (formerly Aurangabad), India, dedicated a guest house in Arlesheim, Switzerland, and opened regional logistics hubs in China and India. The company is currently implementing investment projects valued at over 550 million euros, the biggest of which is in Maulburg, Germany.
Sustainable performance
Despite making large capital investments and creating additional jobs, the Group maintained profits at high levels, recording net income of 407.9 million euros, only 0.2 percent down from the prior year. This corresponds to a 14.1 percent return on sales. “Commercial success is the foundation that allows us to further drive our company’s sustainability,” Dr Selders emphasized.
In the annual EcoVadis sustainability benchmark, Endress+Hauser scored 78 out of 100 points, its highest rating ever. The Group has thus retained its Gold status, a placing that puts it among the top 5 percent of the 130,000 or so rated companies.
New fields of application and future markets
A strategic partnership with sensor manufacturer SICK in process automation expands the offering in gas analysis and gas flow measurement technology. Endress+Hauser strives to support its customers even better in increasing the efficiency of their plants, protecting the environment and reducing their carbon footprint. “Endress+Hauser is broadening its market base. We are covering new fields of application and tapping into future markets,” said Supervisory Board president Matthias Altendorf. About 800 sales and service employees have transferred from SICK to Endress+Hauser under the partnership. Production and further development of gas analysis and measurement devices has been bundled under the umbrella of Endress+Hauser SICK GmbH+Co. KG, a 50/50 joint venture between the two companies that has around 730 employees across five locations in Germany.
