At the end of year accounts meeting during May, STILL GmbH of Hamburg gave a positive prognosis for its new business year: Compared to the previous year the company is expecting an improved result with increased sales turnover and order receipts. During the first quarter turnover has already increased by 4.6% and orders by 5.2%. This upward trend has continued into the second quarter. Large orders have been received from essential European markets.
Service is becoming increasingly important for STILL, having accounted for 37% of business in 2003, and expecting to rise to 40%. "This area is an important factor for our growth and financial result, and we are continually expanding it", says Rolf Karg, the new chairman of the board at STILL. The range we offer is continually being reinforced and already stretches from repairs and renovations, through various financing models, to fleet management.
Flexible services with the PartnerPlan.
An important services tool is PartnerPlan, with which STILL can be extremely flexible in its response to customer's wishes. This is obviously popular: business in used and rental trucks has grown by 30% in Germany. Another great success in this area is the takeover of the fleet at MAN, involving up to 1600 trucks and units across the STILL range.
New products are also factors in our success, equally impressive in function and design. This includes the RX50, with a distinct growth in its sales - its predecessor was the most successful in its class. Futuristic inovations continue to be the focus. Our fuel-cell trucks created a furore and is pointing the way forward. This joint project is important due to the use of hydrogen, which is seen by many experts as the fuel of the future, being environmantally friendlier.
Marketing is being strengthened.
The international marketing network is being expanded. This is why STILL dealers in Italy and Great Brittain have been taken over, and our own company founded in Slovenia. A decision will soon be made on how to proceed in Russia, where STILL has maintained a sales office. "In the long-term there's no getting round Russia," says Jens Reinecke, Marketing Director at STILL.
In the last business year, STILL, with 6170 employees, built a total of 32,900 forklift trucks and warehouse handling equipment in its four plants in Germany, France and Brazil. The group turnover in 2003 reached €1,028.9 million. |
