Market leader expects sales of more than €2 billion

Schmitz Cargobull joins the van class with ‘VAN BODIES’

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At the presentation unveiling bodies for light commercial vehicles (VAN BODIES), CEO Andreas Schmitz provided a brief overview of Schmitz Cargobull's upcoming annual financial statements. According to his summary, the demand for commercial vehicles in Central and Western Europe continues to grow strongly. In the current business year 2016/2017 (from 1 April 2016 to 31 March 2017) Schmitz Cargobull AG, as Europe's largest trailer and body manufacturer, expects an increase in production to around 56,000 trailers (2015/2016 business year: 49,948 units).

“In terms of production volume and order intake, we have clearly exceeded our target figure of 47,000 trailers,” Schmitz reports. He expects an increase in sales to over €2 billion. Currently the order intake already exceeds 61,000 units.

With the V.KO DRY van box body kit, Schmitz Cargobull's new VAN BODIES business area now joins the compact class (3.5 – 6 tonnes). This means that the commercial vehicle manufacturer now offers trailers and bodies for the complete supply chain from 3.5 to 44 tonnes.

“The van body segment will grow strongly as a result of online retailing,” affirms Schmitz confidently. The movement into this vehicle class (3.5 – 6 tonnes) thus expands Schmitz Cargobull's product range into the light commercial vehicle sector. The van box body kit comes in two standard sizes and can therefore be optimally adapted to the specifications of the vehicle manufacturers. The new production line at the Berlin site is currently designed in the medium term for an annual production of 7,500 van box body kits.
This new product line completes the company's portfolio with high-quality and sustainable transport units to the ‘last mile’ delivery.

Good economic situation bolsters the transport industry

All signs continue to point to further growth in the traditional trailer business with curtainsiders and box body trailers as well. “Curtainsider production is undergoing particularly strong growth,” says Schmitz. Trailer output is forecast to rise by more than 22 percent from 24,516 to 30,000 units in the current business year. According to present estimations, the order intake will even reach 33,000 curtainsiders by 31 March 2017. In the case of reefer semi-trailers, an increase in production of around 14 percent to some 19,000 units (previous year: 16,522) is forecast.

Due to the high production figures, employee numbers have also increased. Around 5,600 persons, including temporary workers, are currently employed by Schmitz Cargobull - some 150 more than in the previous year. In the current business year, sales will increase from €1.779 billion (in the previous year) to more than €2 billion euros.

In the 2016/2017 business year the upswing of the previous year has continued. “Volume markets in Central and Western Europe continue to set the trend and can compensate the low demand from Russia”, says Schmitz by way of a summary. France, Spain, Portugal and the Benelux countries are experiencing double-digit growth. In Eastern Europe, Poland, Hungary and Romania are also booming.

For the new business year 2017/2018, the board of directors expects stable demand in spite of the continuing presence of uncertainties - such as the effects of the Brexit negotiations or the change of government in the USA. Furthermore, with the new product line for light inner-city distribution transport, an additional impetus is to be expected.

“In the 125th year of our existence we want to beat our previous sales record of almost €2.2 billion, which was set in 2007/2008”, declares Schmitz.