Ziehl-Abegg has posted a 12 per cent increase in sales in the first half-year.

“Customers are taking to our energy-saving products extremely well in every market”, says Peter Fenkl, chairman of the executive board of Ziehl Abegg SE, explaining the current sales figures of the Künzelsau-based fan and motor manufacturer. Sales in the first half-year rose by 12 per cent to €268 million. The development in the field of ventilation technology as well as in drive technology contributed towards this result. The industrial company traditionally generates growth organically, i.e. without any acquisitions.  

For Ziehl-Abegg, as an industrial company with such a high degree of vertical integration, this poses a significant challenge. Especially since the order intake has increased by 15 per cent over the previous year. “We are looking forward to the inauguration of our new building for manufacturing energy-saving EC motors and fans,' says Fenkl. The first machines are to be moved a few kilometres away to the production plant in the Hohenlohe Industrial Park by the end of the year. Ziehl-Abegg is expanding its Kupferzell plant in the Industrial Park which is located directly on the A6 European main traffic artery. This will bring additional advantages in terms of logistics and delivery times. A total of EUR 28 million will be invested in buildings and modern machinery. 

The volume of orders means that, despite improvements in production, a significant increase in the number of employees will be needed. However, in view of an extremely low unemployment rate in the region, increasing the size of the workforce will be a slow process. 

Nevertheless, there are already  3,700 people employed in the company; the majority of them working in the production plants in Southern Germany.