Record year for Grenzebach: 2022 exceeded all growth expectations

06.04.2023 - 2022 was a challenging but very successful business year for Grenzebach.

Income orders 71 percent above the year, planning exceeded by 64 percent, growth in Asia, Europe, and America
Reasons: growing need for automation, strong demand, and customer proximity in the core areas of glass and building materials as well as special technologies, service, global production capacities and partnerships.
Continuous investments in research and development in the future areas of energy efficiency, circular economy, and renewable energies.

HAMLAR/Germany. 2022 was a challenging but very successful business year for Grenzebach. The internationally active Grenzebach Group, headquartered in Hamlar, Germany, even surpassed 2021, previously considered one of the most successful business years in the company’s history.

Financial figures for 2022 exceed expectations

The figures presented by Dr. Steven Althaus, CEO of the Grenzebach Group, show that all business areas of the group of companies contributed to positive development and exceeded expectations.

The figures in detail: The Grenzebach Group recorded 597 million euros, the highest order intake in the company’s history. Compared to the already strong 2021, incoming orders increased by 71 percent. The company target was exceeded by 15 percent compared to the previous year. The turnover of the entire group also exceeded 2021 and was 14 percent above the last year at 365 million euros. The operating result (EBIT) was above expectations, too. Added to this is the continued solid equity ratio. As of the balance sheet date, it was more than 60 percent. The cash flow from operating activities was again clearly positive.

“Grenzebach is showing signs of continued growth. We are proud to have surpassed the record in incoming orders, especially under framework conditions such as Covid, the Ukraine crisis and delivery bottlenecks. The successes of the past financial years show that our strategic global orientation and investments in key technologies and strong partnerships have paid off. Our expertise and proximity to the customer are crucial to our success.”

Dr. Steven Althaus CEO Grenzebach Group

For more than 60 years, the global group of companies has been supporting customers across all industries with automation technologies and solutions.

Increased order intake in the core markets

As in the past years, Grenzebach once again benefited from the great demand for glass technologies and solutions for photovoltaic systems. This area recorded a growth of 29 percent. The world market leader was also successful with innovations such as a new annealing lehr for improved energy efficiency and glass quality. The range of products has been expanded to include state-of-the-art product lines and sustainable technologies.

There was also a 29 percent increase in orders in the building material sector. The reason for this was the brisk investment activity across the entire building materials industry. This resulted in increased demand for calcining and gypsum plasterboard systems as well as for individual components – such as additional dryers. In addition, there was increased global demand for energy optimization solutions such as low-temperature dryers or electric melting furnaces. Althaus: “Grenzebach’s quality standards and expert knowledge were the keys to reacting quickly to these market requirements and customer demands. Together with our customers, we focused on the right topics.”

With a growth of over 44 percent, Grenzebach is now also one of the major providers in the intralogistics market. The automation sector, in particular, recorded strong sales. In addition, Grenzebach increased its market presence as an intralogistics system provider in the field of “customized intralogistics” and recorded strong demand worldwide.

War in Ukraine and the consequences

Grenzebach was also affected by the war in Ukraine and the associated sanctions by Russia and Belarus. For example, through restrictions in payment transactions, delivery services and assembly and business trips. Dr. Steven Althaus: “We are following the war in Ukraine with great concern and have responded accordingly. We always act together with our partners and customers. Considerate and forward-looking.”

Continuous expansion of the service business

The corporate group continuously expanded its services in 2022. It was worth it because this area grew by 23 percent. Althaus: “With Grenzebach, our customers find a reliable journey partner throughout the entire life cycle of their systems and solutions.

In cooperation with Xinfa Group, Grenzebach has carried out a project of superlatives in China: Stucco is produced at a rate of 100 tons per hour correlating to an annual output of 120 million square meters of plasterboards.

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Groundbreaking Iasi, Romania Grenzebach Group

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Global locations, sustainable technologies, and investments

The Grenzebach Group invested ten million euros in research and development in the 2022 financial year as in the previous year. The group sees potential in energy efficiency in production processes, circular economy, and renewable energies.

Therefore, Grenzebach intensified the development and advancement of products and technologies in 2022. In Germany, for example, the company supplied production lines for the world’s largest fiber insulation board plant and demonstrated its expertise in the manufacturing of organic insulation materials from renewable raw materials. The group of companies also took further steps to achieve the company’s own goal in sustainability and climate neutrality.

The opening of the production facilities of the Grenzebach Envelon GmbH in the Bavarian town of Hamlar is further evidence that the commitment to “Made in Germany” and the promise to offer sustainable and innovative solutions for the energy transition is lived out in reality. Numerous awards speak for the spirit of innovation and the sustainability of solar-active building envelopes that offer aesthetic, functional and economical solutions and promote autarky.

Grenzebach has also taken another step towards progressive regionalization in Europe. The production capacities of the location in Iasi, Romania, which has belonged to the Grenzebach Group since 2019, are currently being doubled. The expansion officially started in 2022 with a groundbreaking ceremony. Completion is planned for autumn 2023. Around 100 new jobs will be created in manufacturing & engineering.