The latest data from Trumpf (www.trumpf.com) shows that the group significantly increased its profits in the 2016/17 fiscal year (to 30 June 2017).

Income before taxes rose by 11.3% to 337.2 million euros (from 303.1 million euros the previous fiscal year), while its net operating margin amounted to 10.8% (the same as before).

Trumpf also recorded “robust growth” in sales and orders received. Sales rose by 10.8% to 3.1 billion euros (up from 2.8 billion euros) — marking the first time in the group’s history that sales exceeded 3 billion euros.

Orders received increased by 21.0% to 3.4 billion euros (up from 2.8 billion euros).

Once again, Germany was the largest single market, with sales of 622 million euros, followed by the USA (421 million euros) and China (404 million euros).

Business boomed in South Korea, where sales rose by 58% to 211 million euros, making this country Trumpf’s fourth-largest market world-wide. Markets in Western Europe also performed well, with year-on-year sales growing by 28% in Italy and 55% in the Netherlands.

The group-wide workforce grew to 11,883 employees in 2016/17, of whom 6,023 were employed in Germany (a 7% year-on-year increase). At the end of June, Trumpf had 427 apprentices.

Meanwhile, expenditures on R&D rose by 7.5% to 318.3 million euros for the 2016/17 fiscal year, which means the company’s R&D ratio in relation to sales was 10.2%.

Trumpf CEO Nicola Leibinger-Kammüller says political developments world-wide have had little impact so far on business in Europe, Asia and the Americas.

“The prevailing strength of the global economy has been outweighing potential impediments to investing — including pledges of protectionist measures, the Chinese government’s approaches to disseminating information, and the UK’s exit negotiations with the European Union.

“All the same, we do forecast ‘clouds’ over the investment landscape in the medium term.”

Dr Leibinger-Kammüller added that Trumpf had pressed ahead with its digital business pursuits and the “architectural expansion” of some company sites.

Investments rose by 45.6% to 200.4 million euros, with half of this sum used to construct buildings.

Despite some turbulent geo-political circumstances, Trumpf expects orders received and sales to rise in the current fiscal year as well.

“The first quarter certainly got off to a promising start, and we are optimistic that
we can once again reach a higher single-digit percentage increase in sales this fiscal year.”