technotrans Annual General Meeting: all operational and strategic targets achieved

“With the Future Ready 2025 strategy, we have put the technotrans Group on course for a successful future. This is a strategy that focuses emphatically on the market. A strategy that is divided into two phases. In the current phase 1, we wanted to shore up stability and profitability. We impressively achieved that. We turned things round in the very first year of the measures,” declared technotrans Chief Executive Officer Michael Finger at this year’s Annual General Meeting. Because of the pandemic, the meeting was conducted under a virtual format for the third time. The CEO asserted the strategy had made technotrans even stronger and enabled a positive development in extremely challenging times. Finger thanked the more than 1,400-strong technotrans workforce for its high commitment: “Only by working together as a team was it possible to handle such a year successfully. Throughout this unprecedented time you have demonstrated resilience and huge dedication.”

The past financial year saw the technotrans Group post the second-highest revenue figure in its history, at € 211.1 million. The EBIT margin, ROCE, free cash flow and equity ratio equally showed a marked improvement on the previous year. The thermal management specialist maintained its path of profitable growth in the first quarter of the 2022 financial year: revenue, consolidated operating profit, EBIT margin and book-to-bill ratio were all up year on year. The order backlog even reached a new all-time high of € 85 million on March 31, 2022. In addition, technotrans managed to complete its umbrella brand strategy sooner than planned with the merger and renaming of its companies.

Change of line-up for Supervisory Board

The resolution on the distribution of a dividend of € 0.51 per share was passed by a majority – this payout is around 42 % up on the previous year. The distribution rate is 50 % and therefore in line with the technology group’s dividend policy. Those eligible to vote also elected Sebastian Reppegather as new member of the Supervisory Board. Reppegather is currently an Administrative Board member of SNP Schneider-Neureither & Partner SE in Heidelberg, as well as Senior Investment Director & Head of Listed Investments at Luxempart S.A. in Leudelange, Luxembourg. Dr Norbert Bröcker announced his intention to step back for personal reasons and left the Supervisory Board of technotrans SE with the close of this year’s Annual General Meeting. Dr Bröcker served as Supervisory Board member for 15 years, including as its Deputy Chair for some 12 years.

Confident outlook and focus on innovations

Peter Hirsch, Board of Management member for the Technology & Operations areas, used his speech to highlight the Group’s technological strength: “technotrans possesses a unique breadth of application knowledge. That is what makes us the leading development partner and solution provider for our customers. With our innovative capability and cross-industry expertise, we develop thermal management systems of the highest calibre and performance for and with our customers,” stated Hirsch. Hirsch, whose contract was extended by the Supervisory Board the previous day to December 31, 2025, also stressed the high priority that technotrans gives to sustainable action. For Hirsch, sustainability begins with all the company’s research and development activities and with the design process for its products. These are configured for maximum possible energy efficiency and low global warming potential, and as such actively help to shrink the carbon footprint of technotrans customers.

The Board of Management also reasserted its medium-term targets. For the current 2022 financial year, it expects revenue in the range of € 220 to € 230 million and an EBIT margin of between 5.0 % and 6.0 %. technotrans’ target for 2025 is organic revenue growth to between € 265 and € 285 million and an EBIT margin in the range of 9.0 % to 12 %. Further pandemic-related disruption, knock-on effects of the war in Ukraine and acquisitions are not built into these projections. Although the geopolitical situation remains tense and the coronavirus pandemic is not yet over, continuing demand from the focus markets and the high order backlog make the Board of Management’s optimistic that it should be possible to maintain profitable growth in 2022. “We have a clear strategy and are methodically putting it into action. Our assumptions have been borne out and we are emphatically on track,” summarised Michael Finger.