KRAIBURG Austria can look back over a satisfactory business year 2017. The Upper Austrian retreading specialist achieved sales figures of 67.9 million Euro last year. This marks an increase of 13 per cent in comparison with 2016 – mainly driven by passing on increased raw material prices. The turbulent cost development in natural and synthetic rubber made various rounds of price increases necessary.
“A decisive contribution to the ultimately positive overall picture was that we achieved growths in the premium hot-cured compounds section again. And we were able to keep sales in the pattern business largely stable,” Stefan Mayrhofer, Vice President at KRAIBURG Austria commented. “We are also very pleased that we were able to achieve a considerable increase in sales in our Ergolastec division which produces many different types of workplace mats, of 25 %.”
Investments in all sectors
In order to keep up with the state of the art and provide the customer with the best possible service, KRAIBURG also invested in the Geretsberg site in 2017. The replacement of an old compounder by a new, highly modern unit with a budget of millions was booked under material investments. On the human resources level, KRAIBURG brought in reinforcements in the key areas of product management and sales. Decisive measures were also taken with regard to the 3PMSF labelling obligation: “By close cooperation with associations on a national and European level, we succeeded in giving our customers optimum support and ensuring a trouble-free changeover to the new year regarding the snowflake label,” Product Manager Christoph Priewasser explains.
Prospects for 2018
“This year we are expecting a number of impulses which will revive the retreading market in Europe. The anti-dumping campaign against truck and bus tyres from China will also play a role that is not to be underestimated. No matter how this ends, it will definitely give our branch which has been going through stormy times for many years, a new boost of confidence,”Holger Düx, Head of Sales Retread Materials at KRAIBURG Austria says. “By the first “Tire Cologne” in Cologne, Germany, we will know more about the enforceability of anti-dumping.”
Further information about KRAIBURG Austria under www.kraiburg-austria.com.
