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KNAPP AG is growing globally and is investing in research and development

26.06.2019

A leading technology company for intelligent solutions for distribution and production, KNAPP AG has been growing continuously over the last business year. Its over 4,500 employees around the world have helped to achieve an excellent annual performance.

The numbers speak for themselves: The net turnover rose by 34.5% to 954millioneuros and the order volume exceeded the billion euros mark for the first time in company history. In comparison to the previous year, KNAPP AG’s profit grew by 44.2% – with an EBIT of 65.2millioneuros. The Managing Board of Gerald Hofer, Franz Mathi and Christian Grabner, is delighted at the stable financial success and ascribes it to continuous investment. In the last year alone the company invested over 43millioneuros in buildings and infrastructure, and a further 48million in research and development – an increase of 25%. »Innovation and development remain two of KNAPP AG’s main focuses,« confirmed Franz Mathi, KNAPP COO. »Over the past year we have extended our sites in Leoben and Dobl, and have expanded our capacities in Poland, Slovenia and Croatia to name but a few. In the future we will invest in expanding our subsidiaries in Austria and around the world.«

KNAPP as an active member of society

»We are proud of our success as a corporation. Our headquarters is in Styria and it is here that we pay taxes and together with our employees, make a critical contribution to the public good,« affirmed Gerald Hofer, CEO of KNAPP AG. Each year, the company pays around 136 million euros in payroll tax, social security contributions and tax on profit in Austria. Furthermore, there is considerable value creation within the region. KNAPP sees itself as an active member of society who on the one hand contributes to the prosperity of the latter, and on the other, reaps the benefits of a sustainable society. This being the case, the company invests in sustainable ecological and social development. KNAPP advocates environmental protection in particular, which led it to start the innovative mobility programme »KNAPP goes green« in the last business year as a showcase project. The initiative promotes electric vehicles and making use of public transport. Over 370 employees are now taking part and further initiatives are in the pipeline. Sustainability is also achieved by a photovoltaic system on the roof of the company headquarters, which has a peak performance of almost 200 kWh. This solar energy not only powers the office buildings – it also powers 28 charging stations for electric cars. 1.4 million euros flowed into the »KNAPP goes green« umbrella initiative (public transport tickets, cars, vans, photovoltaic system, charging stations, etc.). Working with alpha nova is also a way in which KNAPP assumes social responsibility. Eight people with disabilities work each day on the premises, carrying out tasks suited to their individual skills.

Employees play a major role in achieving success

The number of employees around the world has grown considerably and is now over 4,500. In total, there are over 700 new employees. »As a company, we’re used to constantly evolving and to re-inventing ourselves in certain areas. One major challenge we face is finding the right employees and integrating them in the company,« explained KNAPP CFO Christian Grabner. »To help us do so, we have invested in employer branding activities in recent years.« Excellent career prospects in an exciting technical and international environment and a positive working atmosphere are fostered through an ultramodern company cafeteria, an in-house fitness programme, nursery and kindergarten, and the KNAPPacademy, which provides opportunities for further training. The values openness, courage, reliability, creativity and appreciation characterize KNAPP’s corporate culture and are reflected in the interaction with colleagues, the environment and society as a whole.

Outlook and trends

»The growth over the last two years was exceptional in terms of business activity,« affirmed KNAPP CFO Christian Grabner. »We are pursuing further sustainable growth for the immediate future and have made corresponding investments including building the new innovation centre and new halls in Hart, as well as expanding our sites in Dobl and Leoben to support this growth. In addition to this we are looking to expand internationally, including with a new headquarters in the USA.«

»The value creation chains for products and services are constantly changing. It’s vital that we change with them and recognize new trends,« added Gerald Hofer. »In the future we will need to work with highly integrated networks that extend from production all the way to the end customer. There are new technological approaches to this trend that we are using as the basis for our solutions,« explained KNAPP COO Frank Mathi on future potential for development.



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