Segment Access Solutions DACH

Sales growth, higher profitability

Operational performance

The segment AS DACH generated total sales of CHF 863.0 million in the period under review. Organic sales growth was 2.8% compared to the previous year. The segment reported an EBITDA of CHF 153.6 million, which is 3.6% higher than previous year. The EBITDA margin increased from 17.4% to 17.8%. The effects of higher sales prices, post-merger integration synergies, cost efficiencies, and higher volumes overcompensated the negative effects from raw material and labor cost inflation, foreign exchange, and lower EBITDA contribution from some of the German production plants.

With the successful relocation of the production of certain standard door closers from Germany to Asia, the segment has achieved its targeted post-merger synergies for the financial year 2018/19 and expects final cost synergies to materialize in financial year 2019/20.

Market development

There was good growth compared to the prior-year period in Germany and Switzerland, and most pronounced in Austria. With regard to Product Clusters, there was particular good growth in Door Hardware – especially door closers – as well as in Services. Sales in Mechanical Key Systems were in line with last year, whereas Interior Glass Systems sales were below previous year.

Entrance Systems contributed to growth driven by several new projects. For example, the business has won contracts for the equipment of several cruise ships, not only installing Entrance Systems products but also cross-selling products from other Product Clusters like Door Hardware and Services.

The Electronic Access & Data (EAD) business continued to improve based on a good order intake, however as there were more smaller projects compared to the previous year, it needs more time until revenues are realized. The segment is in the process to strengthen its market approach for EAD for the project driven businesses and expects to foster growth by allocating additional sales and marketing resources to the attractive multi-housing business.

Outlook

AS DACH expects continued growth in financial year 2019/20 driven by stable underlying demand.

The segment is in the process to improve its competitiveness with a performance-based program throughout the entire organization to sustainably improve profitability. The segment aims to improve its cost efficiency, to further execute on strategic pricing measures and on optimized purchasing, to strengthen its marketing efforts and to invest into an optimized IT infrastructure.

AS DACH started to address the unsatisfactory profitability contribution of some of its German plants, particularly at its site in Ennepetal. Measures will include the improvement of the whole supply chain, further modernization and automatization of production as well as flexibilization in all areas. This will be supported by the realization of the remaining cost synergy potential of the post-merger integration in Germany, which will help to improve the overall cost base.

In addition, the segment intends to increase its competitiveness and sales with new products including its innovative half-height sensor barriers Argus (HSB), which are used to manage people flow in areas such as corporate entrances and lobbies. Argus combines an attractive design with a modular and configurable architecture. Additionally, it enables simple integration of biometric recognition devices and cost-efficient production. This new product line has been launched in financial year 2018/19 and already contributed positively to the result by gaining several major orders.

Key figures - segment AS DACH

 
Segment sales (in CHF million) - AS DACH