Wilo remains on sustainable growth course
2022 was marked by the Wilo Group’s 150-year company anniversary. Celebrations also took place at the Wilopark in Dortmund. Image: WILO SE
Dortmund. The Wilo Group has had a successful financial year in 2022. The multinational technology group generated a new record turnover of around 1.9 billion euros in the year marking its 150th anniversary. Wilo thus increased its sales revenues by 14.2 percent. The company’s earnings before tax (EBITDA) rose by 8.6 percent to 196.7 million euros. Despite big global challenges and uncertainties, the Wilo Group continued its profitable and sustainable growth course.
“The coronavirus pandemic, which we still haven’t fully overcome, as well as Russia’s war of aggression in Ukraine, rising energy and material prices, supply bottlenecks in already highly strained supply chains and high rates of inflation have challenged our market partners and us in the past year”, explains Oliver Hermes, President & CEO of the Wilo Group. “Our good financial performance shows how important risk-conscious, forward-looking and flexible business practice is in times of crisis. The Wilo Group is heading resiliently into the future, not least thanks to the exceptional commitment of all employees”, Oliver Hermes continues.
“The Wilo Group is heading resiliently into the future”, explains Oliver Hermes, President & CEO of the Wilo Group. Image: WILO SE
Oliver Hermes: “We remain in close contact right now”
The Wilo Group chose the motto “Building Bridges – We stay connected” for the last financial year. The group thus emphasises its commitment to moving forward resolutely despite numerous crises, increasing protectionism and decoupling trends, and upheavals caused by megatrends such as climate change. Wilo thus aims to contribute to safe energy, water and food supply in the long term.
“We remain in close contact with our employees, customers and partners across the globe right now, for example through the consistent implementation of our region-for-region approach”, Oliver Hermes goes on to explain. With this strategy, Wilo aims to satisfy regional customer needs with regionally produced products. “We must not have an isolationist response to the challenges of our time. Our answer has to be diversification.”
Only in August, Wilo opened a regional headquarters for the Americas region in Cedarburg, Wisconsin. The group is consolidating and expanding its manufacturing capacities there for the US growth market. Wilo also acquired four companies specialised in flood control and wastewater treatment last year. With the Chinese companies Mating (Shanghai) Membrane Technology Co., Ltd. and Guhong (Shanghai) Environmental Engineering Equipment Co. as well as the German companies FSM Frankenberger GmbH & Co. KG and WSM Walower Stahl- und Maschinenbau GmbH, Wilo is expanding its portfolio specifically for water management as well as its manufacturing capacities and strengthening direct market access in China.
A financial year in the spirit of tradition and innovation
The past financial year was marked by the Wilo Group’s 150-year anniversary. Five entrepreneurial generations developed the copper- and brassware factory “Kupfer- und Messingwaren-Fabrik Louis Opländer”, which was founded in 1872, into one of the world’s leading premium suppliers of pumps and pump systems. The company’s employees, customers and partners celebrated the special anniversary throughout the year with events at numerous sites across the world. “Wilo stands for tradition but also for innovation. We don’t just settle for what we’ve achieved. That’s why we’ve also repeatedly shown in our anniversary year what sort of answers Wilo has to the challenges of the future”, emphasises the President & CEO of the Wilo Group.
Just like in September. As part of an international industry conference attended by high-ranking guests from politics, business and science, Wilo opened the specially developed H2POWERPLANT at the Wilopark together with the French electrical engineering group Schneider Electric. The hydrogen plant lays the foundation for a self-sufficient, decentralised and regenerative energy supply network. Wilo considers the innovation one of the key technologies to support achieving the Paris climate goals.
Wilo’s innovative spirit was honoured several times last year. In August, the independent rating agency EcoVadis rated Wilo’s sustainability platinum. Only one percent of the 90,000 companies assessed worldwide by EcoVadis achieve this rating. In November, the Smart Factory in Dortmund was awarded “Factory of the year 2022” in the “Excellent transformation: digitalization” category. Wilo thus received one of Europe’s most prestigious industry awards.
