Kistler Group, a manufacturer of automotive measurement technology, reports that it closed its 2021 financials with slight growth, despite the continuing pandemic and some major delays in global supply chains. Sales rose by 14% year on year, reaching CHF 411 million (US$444m). According to the company, a key part in the group’s business success was played by strategic reorientation measures it introduced in 2020 and continued into 2021.
“This positive performance gives grounds for optimism about the current year,” said the company in a statement. “Order intake in January was significantly above expectations, easily reaching the highest level in the company’s history. A major staffing increase is also planned in 2022.”
The company responded to the worldwide shortage of electronic components (including semiconductors in particular) by building up stocks so that it could meet its delivery commitments. With regard to the current financial year, Kistler is optimistic that it will continue the trend set in 2021 and will soon return to its pre-crisis level of two years ago. The signals are good, says the company: based on the positive order inflow to date, its target of EUR 450 million (US$504m) is now within reach.
“Last year put the effectiveness of our new structures to the test in a difficult global situation, with the ongoing pandemic, crises affecting suppliers and rising raw material prices. The year-end result and orders already received prove that we are on the right track,” stated Kistler Group CEO, Rolf Sonderegger.
A staffing increase of 150 jobs is included in Kistler’s planning for 2022, with the goal of bringing the headcount to around 2,100 by year end. The new positions are mainly being created in research and development, production, logistics, and international sales and service teams.
Around 8% of the group’s sales revenues – the highest development budget in the company’s history – are reinvested in research and technology, with the current focus being on identified growth areas of digitalisation in the automotive industry and industrial automation.
