Most Successful Business Year and Growth Initiatives
Düsseldorf (Germany), 9 November 2005 – The year 2005 will go down as the most successful in Gottwald Port Technology’s nearly 100-year history, with the company reporting continuing growth reflected in
•significant organic growth with a record turnover in the financial year 2004/2005
•sustained strong performance in the harbour crane core business
•important milestones in the automated port technologies segment with the first ASC Automated Stacking Crane order and successful launch of the E-AGV series, the diesel-electric version of the well-known diesel-hydraulic AGV Automated Guided Vehicle
•additional growth initiatives through a strategic acquisition in the software segment.
Growth in All Areas – Most Successful Business Year
Gottwald Port Technology concluded the business year 2004/2005 (as of 30 September) with new record figures. Turnover exceeded the previous year’s figure by nearly 22% and achieved a new record high at € 237.3 million. A five-year review shows a 100% organic growth in turnover. “With these results Gottwald further continued its success story and performs in line with industry expectations,” states Dirk Kiessling, CEO and CFO of Gottwald Port Technology. “The organic growth achieved during the past five years is based on our ongoing development of a well-balanced portfolio with a high growth profile, focus on new markets and applications.” And according to Kiessling Gottwald expects the positive growth trend to continue: “Not only that we had a strong start into fiscal year 2005/2006 with harbour crane orders. Keeping a long-term view we have implemented initiatives to foster profitable growth through the acquisition of the majority of our long-standing partner TBA Nederland B.V.”
The positive development is not only reflected in terms of sales figures. During the past five years Gottwald has created some 200 new jobs in Germany. And against the economic trend in Germany also in fiscal year 2004/2005 new jobs were generated, with strong focus on engineers and apprenticeship. As of 15 October 2005, 730 are employed at Gottwald in Düsseldorf.
Strong Harbour Crane Business – Number One in Mobile Harbour Cranes
With some 1,000 cranes sold globally Gottwald successfully maintains its position as worldwide leader in Mobile Harbour Cranes. The comprehensive range of state-of-the art harbour cranes on tires, rails and barge with lifting capacities of up to 200 tonnes remains the major driving force behind Gottwald's success. This is not least reflected in the order overview for the first nine months of the calendar year 2005: Gottwald received orders for 59 harbour cranes compared to 46 units for the same period of 2004. All types of harbour cranes and all geographical regions contributed to the positive performance, reflecting again Gottwald’s capability in tackling diverse fields of applications.
Milestone for Gottwald Port Technology – First ASC Order
Gottwald’s activities on the way to firmly establish the company in the automated port technologies segment developed at a particularly dynamic pace in fiscal 2004/2005. A significant breakthrough, setting new standards for high-performance container terminals, was the first order for Gottwald’s ASC Automated Stacking Cranes. In May 2005, Gottwald signed a framework agreement with Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company (P&O), UK for the supply of cranes of the type ASC for the new P&O Antwerp Gateway Terminal at Deurganckdok, Antwerp, Belgium. The new cranes will allow P&O to operate their entire container storage area fully automatically and to seamlessly link up the ship-to-shore equipment at their terminals to all hinterland storage areas, logistics systems and onward shipping facilities, including long and short sea traffic, inland waterways, road and rail. Gottwald will supply, test and commission the first four ASC for two stack modules by June 2006. Following the successful handover of the pre-series, P&O has set up an ambitious delivery schedule for the following stack modules to be built and put into operation. The framework agreement is also designed to cover possible future projects at other P&O terminals world-wide.
E-AGVs Successfully Launched in Fiscal 2004/2005
Another very positive development was the successful introduction of Gottwald’s new environmentally and economically advanced E-AGV series: a diesel-electric drive AGV Automated Guided Vehicle. The new E-AGVs offer the same handling features as the standard diesel-hydraulic drive AGVs but they use Gottwald’s well-known diesel-electric concept, a design that has already successfully been implemented in Gottwald Mobile Harbour Cranes and that offers a superior degree of efficiency, exceptional reliability and overall cost savings. The first unmanned E-AGVs type CT 60-E will be supplied to HHLA’s Container-Terminal Altenwerder (CTA) in the Port of Hamburg, one of the most modern, fully automated container terminals in the world, over the next year, together with Gottwald’s navigation and management software that can easily be integrated into a host terminal management system. CTA at first ordered 11 E-AGVs including the prototype, and later increased its order to 21.
For more details, please refer to Gottwald’s press release “15 June 2005/Gottwald Launches New E-AGV with Diesel-Electric Drive – First Order from CTA Hamburg, Germany”.
Growth Initiatives – Acquisition of the Majority of TBA Nederland B.V.
In line with the said growing importance of using software in ports and terminals – not only for control and management but also for planning solutions – Gottwald has gradually extended its scope of services in the field of consulting, project management and software solutions over the last decade. Having worked closely with the Dutch-based software company TBA Nederland B.V. in the field of port simulation and emulation applications over the past nine years, Gottwald and TBA Nederland B.V. have now decided to maximise their activities and synergies in this field and to establish a new company under the name TBA B.V.
“Gottwald’s software solutions have become a key element in the present and future activities of the company in the field of semi-automated and fully automated systems as well as in the field of consulting and terminal planning,” says Dirk Kiessling. “The acquisition of the majority of TBA Nederland B.V. fits in with the company’s strategy of boosting its strength in this growing business area. The long-standing successful partnership with TBA Nederland B.V. and our commitment to offering customers a full range of dedicated software products and solutions for port handling systems and terminal planning have been major reasons in taking this step.”
The new software company will integrate Gottwald's know-how in the field of process equipment control software and the knowledge of TBA Nederland B.V in the field of simulation and emulation applications. The use of port simulation and emulation applications offers a range of advantages for customers when it comes to planning and realizing their port and terminal operations and expansion projects. Smart simulation tools help to visualize port operations, analyse the efficiency of a system, identify possible bottlenecks and optimisation potential in a terminal, evaluate solutions and support decisions. These advanced simulation modelling techniques are complemented by emulation tools that allow to test, tune, and train terminal software offline by emulating live terminal operation with real terminal data. Customers benefit from better investment planning, improved risk management, short development times, detailed performance planning and assessment and high quality software. Gottwald’s Chief Technical Officer, Dr. Mathias Dobner, points out: ”Such software applications in the field of terminal planning are not only suitable for large hub terminal operators, also Gottwald's traditional smaller and medium-sized customers in the harbour crane sector will benefit from such applications.”
With effect from 1 January 2006, Gottwald will take over the majority of shares (70%) of TBA Nederland B.V. The remaining 30% of the shares will continue to be held by the two founders of TBA Nederland B.V., Dr. Yvo Saanen and Klaas Pieter van Til. At the same time, TBA Nederland B.V. will be re-named TBA B.V.
Dr. Yvo Saanen and Klaas Pieter van Til will be managing directors of this new company which will be based in Delft, The Netherlands. Dirk Kiessling and Dr. Mathias Dobner, CEO and CTO respectively of Gottwald Port Technology, will be members of TBA 's Shareholder Meeting. TBA B.V. will operate independently on the market, continuing and extending the present operation of TBA Nederland B.V. When evaluating terminal solutions, TBA B.V. will adopt a neutral position. When making proposals for terminal solutions, TBA B.V. will take into account equipment from both Gottwald Port Technology and other suppliers.
To date, TBA Nederland B.V. has generated an annual turnover of approximately € 1.8 million with a lean organisation of 17 permanent staff. TBA B.V. will benefit from pooling personnel capacities, know-how as well as a professional sales and distribution network provided by Gottwald and TBA Nederland B.V. In view of the present project situation, order intake as well as overall market developments, both Gottwald and TBA Nederland B.V. anticipate a dynamic growth.
About Gottwald Port Technology
Gottwald Port Technology GmbH was established in 1906 as a family enterprise in the mechanical engineering business before becoming part of a number of large German industrial groups in the 1980s and 1990s. In 2002, the company was bought by Private Equity Group KKR. Gottwald Port Technology has always regarded itself as a company of continuing growth based on innovative engineering and a highly efficient production in Düsseldorf.
Over the last decade Gottwald Port Technology has gradually extended its scope of supplies and services, to include not only new hardware products and applications such as state-of-the arts harbour cranes on tyres, rails and barge, Automated Guided Vehicles, Automated Stacking Cranes and Wide Span Gantry Cranes, but also consulting services, project management and software solutions.
The company employs around 730 staff in Düsseldorf and maintains a network of sales and service representations world-wide. In fiscal year 2004/2005 (as per 30 September) Gottwald Port Technology generated a turnover of € 237.3 million.
Photo:
Container Terminal Altenwerder (CTA) in Hamburg, Germany – equipped with AGV Automated Guided Vehicles and related software from Gottwald.
Gottwald Port Technology
November 10, 2005
Continuing Success for Gottwald Port Technology –
Most Successful Business Year and Growth Initiatives
Düsseldorf (Germany), 9 November 2005 – The year 2005 will go down as the most successful in Gottwald Port Technology’s nearly 100-year history, with the company reporting continuing growth reflected in
•significant organic growth with a record turnover in the financial year 2004/2005
•sustained strong performance in the harbour crane core business
•important milestones in the automated port technologies segment with the first ASC Automated Stacking Crane order and successful launch of the E-AGV series, the diesel-electric version of the well-known diesel-hydraulic AGV Automated Guided Vehicle
•additional growth initiatives through a strategic acquisition in the software segment.
Growth in All Areas – Most Successful Business Year
Gottwald Port Technology concluded the business year 2004/2005 (as of 30 September) with new record figures. Turnover exceeded the previous year’s figure by nearly 22% and achieved a new record high at € 237.3 million. A five-year review shows a 100% organic growth in turnover. “With these results Gottwald further continued its success story and performs in line with industry expectations,” states Dirk Kiessling, CEO and CFO of Gottwald Port Technology. “The organic growth achieved during the past five years is based on our ongoing development of a well-balanced portfolio with a high growth profile, focus on new markets and applications.” And according to Kiessling Gottwald expects the positive growth trend to continue: “Not only that we had a strong start into fiscal year 2005/2006 with harbour crane orders. Keeping a long-term view we have implemented initiatives to foster profitable growth through the acquisition of the majority of our long-standing partner TBA Nederland B.V.”
The positive development is not only reflected in terms of sales figures. During the past five years Gottwald has created some 200 new jobs in Germany. And against the economic trend in Germany also in fiscal year 2004/2005 new jobs were generated, with strong focus on engineers and apprenticeship. As of 15 October 2005, 730 are employed at Gottwald in Düsseldorf.
Strong Harbour Crane Business – Number One in Mobile Harbour Cranes
With some 1,000 cranes sold globally Gottwald successfully maintains its position as worldwide leader in Mobile Harbour Cranes. The comprehensive range of state-of-the art harbour cranes on tires, rails and barge with lifting capacities of up to 200 tonnes remains the major driving force behind Gottwald's success. This is not least reflected in the order overview for the first nine months of the calendar year 2005: Gottwald received orders for 59 harbour cranes compared to 46 units for the same period of 2004. All types of harbour cranes and all geographical regions contributed to the positive performance, reflecting again Gottwald’s capability in tackling diverse fields of applications.
Milestone for Gottwald Port Technology – First ASC Order
Gottwald’s activities on the way to firmly establish the company in the automated port technologies segment developed at a particularly dynamic pace in fiscal 2004/2005. A significant breakthrough, setting new standards for high-performance container terminals, was the first order for Gottwald’s ASC Automated Stacking Cranes. In May 2005, Gottwald signed a framework agreement with Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company (P&O), UK for the supply of cranes of the type ASC for the new P&O Antwerp Gateway Terminal at Deurganckdok, Antwerp, Belgium. The new cranes will allow P&O to operate their entire container storage area fully automatically and to seamlessly link up the ship-to-shore equipment at their terminals to all hinterland storage areas, logistics systems and onward shipping facilities, including long and short sea traffic, inland waterways, road and rail. Gottwald will supply, test and commission the first four ASC for two stack modules by June 2006. Following the successful handover of the pre-series, P&O has set up an ambitious delivery schedule for the following stack modules to be built and put into operation. The framework agreement is also designed to cover possible future projects at other P&O terminals world-wide.
E-AGVs Successfully Launched in Fiscal 2004/2005
Another very positive development was the successful introduction of Gottwald’s new environmentally and economically advanced E-AGV series: a diesel-electric drive AGV Automated Guided Vehicle. The new E-AGVs offer the same handling features as the standard diesel-hydraulic drive AGVs but they use Gottwald’s well-known diesel-electric concept, a design that has already successfully been implemented in Gottwald Mobile Harbour Cranes and that offers a superior degree of efficiency, exceptional reliability and overall cost savings. The first unmanned E-AGVs type CT 60-E will be supplied to HHLA’s Container-Terminal Altenwerder (CTA) in the Port of Hamburg, one of the most modern, fully automated container terminals in the world, over the next year, together with Gottwald’s navigation and management software that can easily be integrated into a host terminal management system. CTA at first ordered 11 E-AGVs including the prototype, and later increased its order to 21.
For more details, please refer to Gottwald’s press release “15 June 2005/Gottwald Launches New E-AGV with Diesel-Electric Drive – First Order from CTA Hamburg, Germany”.
Growth Initiatives – Acquisition of the Majority of TBA Nederland B.V.
In line with the said growing importance of using software in ports and terminals – not only for control and management but also for planning solutions – Gottwald has gradually extended its scope of services in the field of consulting, project management and software solutions over the last decade. Having worked closely with the Dutch-based software company TBA Nederland B.V. in the field of port simulation and emulation applications over the past nine years, Gottwald and TBA Nederland B.V. have now decided to maximise their activities and synergies in this field and to establish a new company under the name TBA B.V.
“Gottwald’s software solutions have become a key element in the present and future activities of the company in the field of semi-automated and fully automated systems as well as in the field of consulting and terminal planning,” says Dirk Kiessling. “The acquisition of the majority of TBA Nederland B.V. fits in with the company’s strategy of boosting its strength in this growing business area. The long-standing successful partnership with TBA Nederland B.V. and our commitment to offering customers a full range of dedicated software products and solutions for port handling systems and terminal planning have been major reasons in taking this step.”
The new software company will integrate Gottwald's know-how in the field of process equipment control software and the knowledge of TBA Nederland B.V in the field of simulation and emulation applications. The use of port simulation and emulation applications offers a range of advantages for customers when it comes to planning and realizing their port and terminal operations and expansion projects. Smart simulation tools help to visualize port operations, analyse the efficiency of a system, identify possible bottlenecks and optimisation potential in a terminal, evaluate solutions and support decisions. These advanced simulation modelling techniques are complemented by emulation tools that allow to test, tune, and train terminal software offline by emulating live terminal operation with real terminal data. Customers benefit from better investment planning, improved risk management, short development times, detailed performance planning and assessment and high quality software. Gottwald’s Chief Technical Officer, Dr. Mathias Dobner, points out: ”Such software applications in the field of terminal planning are not only suitable for large hub terminal operators, also Gottwald's traditional smaller and medium-sized customers in the harbour crane sector will benefit from such applications.”
With effect from 1 January 2006, Gottwald will take over the majority of shares (70%) of TBA Nederland B.V. The remaining 30% of the shares will continue to be held by the two founders of TBA Nederland B.V., Dr. Yvo Saanen and Klaas Pieter van Til. At the same time, TBA Nederland B.V. will be re-named TBA B.V.
Dr. Yvo Saanen and Klaas Pieter van Til will be managing directors of this new company which will be based in Delft, The Netherlands. Dirk Kiessling and Dr. Mathias Dobner, CEO and CTO respectively of Gottwald Port Technology, will be members of TBA 's Shareholder Meeting. TBA B.V. will operate independently on the market, continuing and extending the present operation of TBA Nederland B.V. When evaluating terminal solutions, TBA B.V. will adopt a neutral position. When making proposals for terminal solutions, TBA B.V. will take into account equipment from both Gottwald Port Technology and other suppliers.
To date, TBA Nederland B.V. has generated an annual turnover of approximately € 1.8 million with a lean organisation of 17 permanent staff. TBA B.V. will benefit from pooling personnel capacities, know-how as well as a professional sales and distribution network provided by Gottwald and TBA Nederland B.V. In view of the present project situation, order intake as well as overall market developments, both Gottwald and TBA Nederland B.V. anticipate a dynamic growth.
About Gottwald Port Technology
Gottwald Port Technology GmbH was established in 1906 as a family enterprise in the mechanical engineering business before becoming part of a number of large German industrial groups in the 1980s and 1990s. In 2002, the company was bought by Private Equity Group KKR. Gottwald Port Technology has always regarded itself as a company of continuing growth based on innovative engineering and a highly efficient production in Düsseldorf.
Over the last decade Gottwald Port Technology has gradually extended its scope of supplies and services, to include not only new hardware products and applications such as state-of-the arts harbour cranes on tyres, rails and barge, Automated Guided Vehicles, Automated Stacking Cranes and Wide Span Gantry Cranes, but also consulting services, project management and software solutions.
The company employs around 730 staff in Düsseldorf and maintains a network of sales and service representations world-wide. In fiscal year 2004/2005 (as per 30 September) Gottwald Port Technology generated a turnover of € 237.3 million.
Photo:
Container Terminal Altenwerder (CTA) in Hamburg, Germany – equipped with AGV Automated Guided Vehicles and related software from Gottwald.
For more information, please visit:
https://edir.bulk-online.com/profile...technology.htm
Attachments
gottwald_news_10.11.05 (JPG)
■