The German company Heraeus Holding had a reasonable year in 1995, according to chairman Juergen Heraeus. The chairman said almost all areas of business (metals, quartz glass, sensors, dental equipment…
The German company Heraeus Holding had a reasonable year in 1995, according to chairman Juergen Heraeus. The chairman said almost all areas of business (metals, quartz glass, sensors, dental equipment, medical equipment and laboratory equipment) achieved growth rates in excess of 10%. Overall turnover, however, climbed by only 5% or 6% to about DM 5.8 billion, in view of the weaker precious metals trading business. Heraeus said turnover, excluding these activities, was up more than 11%, having risen by 10.7% year-on-year in the first nine months. Growth came, above all, from the subsidiaries abroad. Profit after tax should grow by “at least” 10% to 12% to more than DM 80 million. Heraeus attributed this success to the group“s concentration on core activities. Investment, acquisitions and divestments have reflected this. Over the course of 1995, the group gave up activities with turnover of DM 135 million and 630 employees, but gained turnover of DM 245 million and 890 employees through acquisitions. The net increase in the size of the workforce amounted to almost 600 (to a total of more than 9,900) in 1995, with the growth coming exclusively from activities abroad. Some 50 jobs were lost in Germany. In 1996 Heraeus plans to invest between DM 550 million and DM 600 million in establishing a base for an acceleration in growth.