26% increase in sales for Vanderlande Industries

Vanderlande, a supplier of automated material handling systems, generated a net turnover of EUR 790 million in the 2014 financial year. Trends underlying this growth include rising passenger numbers throughout the world in the market for baggage handling systems, cost-cutting, increase in efficiency and the strong growth of the e-commerce market in the warehouse automation and postal & parcel markets. In addition, there is evidence of substantial growth in the number of service contracts. Service now constitutes 20% of Vanderlande’s turnover.

Following the first clear signs of recovery in the 2013 financial year, there is now evidence of continuing growth and strong market recovery. Sales rose by 26% to EUR 938 million and for the first time in the company’s history, the order portfolio is now worth over EUR 1000 million. EBIT grew by 49% to EUR 36.1 million. Warehouse automation has  made a significant contribution to its strong growth in Europe, where it occupies a top-three position. While implementing systems for airports for the Olympic Games in Russia and the FIFA World Cup in Brazil has also helped drive growth for Vanderlande.

“Consistency is now producing sustainable, profitable growth,” according to CEO Govert Hamers. “We are working in fast-growing markets for an increasing number of customers. For competitive reasons, customers particularly appreciate discretion. They have confidence in our systems and increasingly prefer long-term partnerships. We are seeing a global recovery in our markets, although regional differences remain. In addition, we have a very solid basis for success, which is formed by our loyal customers and, last but by no means least, a highly motivated group of employees who guarantee our reputation.”

CEO Govert Hamers: “The market’s potential, our position as market leader and the record-breaking volume of our order book are every reason for us to carry on working consistently in the coming years, confident that we will achieve our strategic goals. These goals comprise sustainable, profitable growth, further internationalisation, continued innovation and intensification of partnerships. One thing this does require is an adjustment of our organisational structure. The Management Board has recently been enlarged with the addition of a Chief Technology Officer and a Chief Operations Officer.

Both executives, Vincent Kwaks and Gert Bossink, have worked for Vanderlande for a long time. They will contribute to clarifying our vision for our technology and system development as well as further professionalising our internal processes. And ultimately, this will benefit our customers.”

Vanderlande’s growth is underlined by the fact that its employee numbers have risen by 7% to 2,896. Vanderlande has once again been voted one of the best employers in the Netherlands in the influential employee satisfaction survey conducted by Effectory.

Hamers: “Our service activities continue to grow, as does the implementation of projects that we conduct in some 100 countries all over the world. This requires an ongoing inflow of talented employees, such as project engineers, software engineers and supply chain engineers. Recognition that we are one of the best employers in the Netherlands demonstrates our employees’ engagement and helps us to recruit talent on the labour market, which is crucial for us to achieve our ambitions for growth. In a world of technology, we believe in people.”