German cutting-tool manufacturer Mapal (www.mapal.com) has announced that consolidated group sales rose by around 6% in 2016 (from 540 million euro to 575 million).

The number of employees also increased by 4%, from 4,800 to nearly 5,000 world-wide (around 3,400 of them in Germany).

Company president Dieter Kress said: “The results show that we are on the right path with our projects and the orientation of the company.” According to Mapal, innovation continues to be a key driver behind its success.

Board member Jochen Kress added: “This year, we will be able to offer our customers comprehensive digital tool management based on our c-Com open-cloud platform.”

As well as its spending on R&D, Mapal is also implementing several construction projects at international locations.

For instance, the company is increasing its investments in infrastructure in the USA, China and Mexico.

In addition, it has acquired a majority stake in Adico, a South Korean manufacturer of PCD and PCBN.