Wittmann sees rise in sales; to expand facilities globally

While some machine makers suffered the brunt of the slowdown as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, injection moulding machine and auxiliary equipment supplier Wittmann Group says it has seen a more than positive development in its business in spite of the economic slowdown in the automotive sector and the restrictions due to Covid-19, and this trend is continuing in 2021. This development has paved the way for further investments. Thus, the company is planning for the current fiscal year for its subsidiaries’ expansions primarily China, Hungary and Bulgaria. The facilities at these locations are to be further extended.

The order intake of the group substantially increased, mainly from the second half of 2020 onwards, and reached a new record level in February 2021. An increase has been registered across all markets and sectors of industry. Michael Wittmann, Managing Director/CEO, states: “Based on the current order backlog and continuing very positive order situation, we are looking forward to a two-digit increase in sales for 2021. From today’s point of view, we expect to reach the figure of 2019 once more and maybe even exceed it.” In this connection, the availability of parts is a challenge, since the industrial production figures are experiencing a global upturn.

The Group’s staffing level of 2,200 associates is currently slightly above that of last year.

Since the end of January 2021, Wittmann in Vienna has now been operating under its new, more international company name Wittmann Technology GmbH. For its two production facilities in Vienna, a major remodeling of its headquarters in Lichtblaustrasse is planned for 2021, together with an extension of the building in Percostrasse. The latter involves an extension of the R&D departments in the areas of mechatronics and software development. An additional 1,050 sq m of office and test lab space will be created.

Another noteworthy investment is imminent at Wittmann Battenfeld in Kottingbrunn. Here, a fully automatic pallet racking system with about 1,500 pallet bays will be built. For this purpose, the construction of an extension to the existing building to provide about 3,000 sq m of additional space will start in May. Completion and commissioning is scheduled for 2023. In addition to the fully automatic pallet racking system, this extension will house a separate storage and order picking area, as well as assembly space for vertical and large machine models and a new electrical workshop.

Michael Wittmann: “With these planned investments we will be optimally prepared for the challenges of the next few years in the areas of development as well as logistics and sales.”

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