(2016/05/016):Bad Neustadt a. d. Saale, Germany. Preh GmbH continues to grow. Last financial year the automotive supplier  and  automation specialist increased sales revenues by 25 percent to a new record of EUR 763 million (2014: EUR 611 million). Preh’s major market success is reflected in an order intake of around EUR 828 million, which was a 28 percent increase on the previous year. In addition, profitability was further increased in 2015 despite continued heavy investment to ensure that the company remains competitive. Earnings before interest  and  taxes (EBIT) were around 28 percent higher than the previous year’s EUR 54.5 million. They too set a new record of EUR 69.9 million. A positive factor was, again, that Preh had invested in the sustainability of both lines of business  and  locations. The company also benefits from its high equity ratio of over 40 percent  and  from correspondingly low interest costs. Fueled by successful business development, new hirings continue at all locations. At the end of 2015 Preh had a worldwide payroll of around 4,900 employees,16 percent more than the previous year (2014: 4,200). The upward trend continues at the company’s Bad Neustadt headquarters,for the fourth year in succession since the acquisition by Joyson in 2011 around 100 new jobs were created, taking employee numbers in Bad Neustadt at the end of 2015 up by around 7 percent to 1,636 (2014: 1,534). The outlook for the current financial year is also positive. In the first quarter of 2016 Preh continued to achieve double-digit sales growth,  and  for the full financial year the management, headed by new CEO Christoph Hummel, expects further dynamic growth. 

Preh anticipates an additional boost from two acquisitions completed at the end of April 2016. For one, Preh’s automotive business was lastingly strengthened by the purchase of TechniSat Automotive (now Preh Car Connect). Preh Car Connect GmbH is active in the car infotainment, connectivity  and  telematics segments  and  with 1,200 employees reported sales of around EUR 400 million in 2015. For another, the Preh subsidiary Preh IMA Automation (PIA) bridged a strategic gap  and  entered the North American market by acquiring the automation specialist EVANA (now Preh IMA Automation Evansville Inc.). PIA’s new U.S. company has 50 years’ experience in special machinery construction  and  with around 100 employees totaled 2015 sales of USD 24 million. 

Presenting the balance sheet figures for the first time as the new Preh CEO, Christoph Hummel said “2015 was an extraordinarily successful year for Preh. All key performance indicators are on the increase  and  have set new records. In addition, the new financial year has gotten off to a highly promising start. Our continuous investment is bearing fruit. Furthermore, the acquisition of TechniSat Automotive  and  EVANA have taken us into a new dimension  and  lastingly strengthened our market position in both the automotive  and  the automation business. This makes it clear yet again that our partnership with our Chinese investor Joyson is a genuine.