Corporate | 11 December 2008 07:30
H.P.I. Holding AG / Interim Report
Release of a Corporate News, transmitted by DGAP - a company of EquityStory
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The issuer / publisher is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
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Letter to Shareholders – First Nine Months of 2008
+++ Upbeat development at wholly-owned subsidiaries Zimmer + Kreim and
Berger Group
+++ Zimmer + Kreim: Investments for increasing capacity finalised; positive
EBT
+++ Berger Group records sales of EUR 35 million and EBT of EUR 1.63
million
Munich, December 11, 2008: H.P.I. Holding AG (WKN: 600190; ISIN:
DE0006001902) uses its letter to shareholders as an opportunity to provide
an update on the business activities of both its wholly-owned subsidiaries.
In addition, the Group also reports on unconsolidated figures for the first
nine months of the 2008 fiscal year, when internal aims were achieved,
despite the increasingly difficult economic environment.
Berger Group was able to increase sales in the first nine months of the
2008 fiscal year to EUR 35 million, after being reported at EUR 34.5
million in the same period of the previous year. EBT totalled EUR 1.63
million, an almost identical figure to the EUR 1.64 million generated in
the first nine months of 2007. The subsidiary, a producer of clamping rings
and components used to seal all types of barrels, was also able to
consolidate its 70% European market share against its competitors.
Sales at the second wholly-owned subsidiary Zimmer + Kreim, a developer and
manufacturer of eroding machines, handling systems and software solutions,
totalled EUR 9.45 million for the first nine months of the 2008 fiscal year
compared to EUR 10.3 million in the same period of the previous year. EBT
amounted to EUR 0.03 million, down from the previous year’s value of EUR
0.06 million, although investments in the capacity increase have to be
taken into account when viewing this figure. To guarantee high product
quality, precision work on the technologically demanding machines had to be
suspended for a few weeks during the construction phase.
'We are satisfied with the development of both subsidiaries – both
nationally and internationally. Berger Group was able to exploit economies
of scale compared to the competition and consolidate its market leadership
in Europe. We have also positioned further product versions of the new
handle on the market. We are therefore also optimistic for the period
beyond the 2008 fiscal year. At Zimmer + Kreim, we recently took another
major order from Eastern Europe. Even in the context of the current
economic slowdown, we still see opportunities for increasing demand for our
high-class machines which make production processes in the industry more
efficient. We would also like to expand our services in the next fiscal
year – in training for example – and in doing so tap new sales and earnings
potential,' emphasises Jörg Rafael, CEO of H.P.I. Holding AG.
The Chairman
About H.P.I. Holding AG:
H.P.I. Holding AG focuses on acquiring majority stakes in specialised SME
manufacturing companies. The holding invests in SME niche operators, which
have established a leading position in their respective market segment. The
value of these companies is to be increased by strategically developing
them in a long-term commitment and by introducing know-how in the fields of
controlling, cost management, investment, finance and expansion. Currently
H.P.I. Holding AG holds two major stakes. These include August Berger
Metallwarenfabrik GmbH – a European market leader in the field of clamping
rings which are mainly used to seal barrels – and Zimmer & Kreim GmbH & Co.
KG – a developer and manufacturer of eroding machines, handling systems and
software solution for the tooling and injection-moulding industries. Zimmer
& Kreim is the technological world leader in the segment systems providers,
i.e. networking eroding machines and handling systems with software. H.P.I.
Holding AG is listed on the Open Market of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange.
Company contact:
H.P.I Holding AG
Mannhardtstrasse 6
D-80538 München
Phone: +49 (0)89 - 45 220 980
Fax: +49 (0)89 - 45 220 9822
info@hpi-holding.de
www.hpi-holding.de
Investor relations contact:
GFEI Gesellschaft für Effekteninformationen mbH
Carl Bosch Haus
Hamburger Allee 26-28
60486 Frankfurt am Main
Phone: +49 (0)69 - 74 303 700
Fax: +49 (0)69 - 74 303 722
ir-hpi@gfei.de
www.gfei.de
11.12.2008 Financial News transmitted by DGAP
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Language: English
Issuer: H.P.I. Holding AG
Mannhardtstr. 6
80538 München
Deutschland
Phone: 089 / 45 22 098 - 0
Fax: 089 / 45 22 098 - 22
E-mail: info@hpi-holding.de
Internet: www.hpiholding.de
ISIN: DE0006001902
WKN: 600190
Listed: Open Market in Frankfurt
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