Autoneum Holding Ltd. (Formerly Rieter Automotive) Business Report FY ended Dec. 2016
Financial Overview |
(in million CHF) |
| FY ended Dec. 31, 2016 | FY ended Dec. 31, 2015 | Rate of change (%) | Factors | |
| Net Sales | 2,152.6 | 2,085.9 | 3.2 | 1) |
| Net Profit | 133.8 | 68.7 | 94.8 | 2) |
Factors
1) Net Sales
-In the fiscal year ended December 31, 2016, the Company’s net sales increased by 3.2% to CHF 2,152.6 million. Efficiency enhancements in production and the globally diversified customer base, net sales and profitability reached new highs. While the growth in net sales was particularly driven by the Asia region, Business Group Europe made a significant contribution to the increase in profitability.
2) Net Profit
-The Company’s net profit for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2016 was CHF 133.8 million, a increase of 94.8% from the previous year. As well as operational improvements, the gain from disposal of the UGN business in Chicago Heights contributed to this distinctive upturn.
Restructuring
-The Company announced that UGN, Inc., a U.S.-based joint venture of Autoneum and Japanese automotive supplier Nihon Tokushu Toryo (Nittoku), has sold its business in Chicago Heights, Illinois, USA, to an affiliate of the private investment firm Angeles Equity Partners. UGN has produced dampers for vehicles at its plant in Chicago Heights since 1986. At the remaining five production plants in the USA and Mexico UGN will continue to produce components for acoustic and thermal management for Japanese automobile manufacturers. (From a press release on February 2, 2016)
Awards
| Car maker | Awarded Facility | Name of Award |
| GM | - | Supplier Innovation Award |
| PSA | Katowice, Poland | Best Plant Award |
| GAC Fiat | Taicang, China | Excellence Supplier Award |
| Hyundai | Behror, India | Appreciation Award |
| Honda | Monroe, US | Honor of Distinction |
Outlook
-For the fiscal year ending December 31, 2017, the Company anticipates net sales growth in local currencies of 4% to 5% in line with its mid-term financial targets. The Company expects to maintain the EBIT margin achieved in 2016.
-The Company is aiming to achieve sales of CHF 2,600 million by 2020. In addition, by 2020, the Company expects to have emerging markets comprise at least a 20% share of its net sales, and an EBITDA margin of 12%.
R&D Expenditure |
(in million CHF) |
| FY ended Dec. 31, 2016 | FY ended Dec. 31, 2015 | FY ended Dec. 31, 2014 | |
| Overall | 64.5 | 60.7 | 57.1 |
-The Company invests in innovative materials and products, and in new efficient production technologies to support vehicle manufacturers in meeting challenging targets in acoustic comfort, fuel consumption and environmental emissions.The focus of the Company is in the development of lightweight and acoustically efficient solutions for vehicle engine bay, underbody, interior floor and body treatment.
R&D Facilities
| Country | City | Facility Type |
| Switzerland | Winterthur (HQ) | -Acoustics Center -Center of Excellence |
| Sevelen | -Development Center | |
| France | Aubergenville | -Acoustics Center -Development Center |
| Germany | Rossdorf-Gundernhausen | -Acoustics Center |
| Poland | Katowice | -Development Center |
| U.S. | Farmington Hills, Michigan | -Acoustics Center -Development Center |
| Tinley Park, Illinois | -Acoustics Center -Development Center |
|
| Brazil | Sao Bernardo do Campo | -Acoustics Center -Development Center |
| China | Shanghai | -Acoustics Center -Development Center |
| Japan | Kita-ku, Tokyo (JV with Nittoku) | -Acoustics Center |
| Shizuoka (JV with Nittoku) | -Acoustics Center |
Product Development
Lightweight underfloor systems made of the textile material Ultra-Silent
-The Company has developed a special version of its lightweight underfloor systems made of the textile material Ultra-Silent for sport utility vehicles (SUV). They are up to 50 percent lighter compared with equivalent components made of plastic. At the same time, it absorbs sound and in doing so reduces the vehicle noise by up to two decibels. In addition, underfloor systems made of Ultra-Silent enhance the aerodynamics of SUVs by reducing their air resistance by around eight percent. This improves fuel consumption and thereby reduces CO2 emissions. (From a press release on May 24, 2016)
Capital Expenditure |
(in million CHF) |
| FY ended Dec. 31, 2016 | FY ended Dec. 31, 2015 | FY ended Dec. 31, 2014 | |
| BG Europe | 32.7 | 27.5 | 25.3 |
| BG North America | 74.7 | 61.2 | 48.2 |
| BG Asia | 19.0 | 14.4 | 9.9 |
| BG SAMEA | 6.5 | 13.2 | 13.7 |
| Corporate | 5.5 | 4.4 | 4.9 |
| Overall | 138.4 | 120.7 | 101.9 |
Investments Outside Switzerland
-The Company's executives broke ground on June 6 on the new facility at its automotive manufacturing plant in Aiken, South Carolina. "Today marks a milestone for the Aiken facility, which has been in existence since 1980," Lipka said. This USD 35 million investment in new equipment and infrastructure will triple the size of the existing building and create approximately 40 jobs. Autoneum North America is a producer and developer of automotive components and systems for acoustic and thermal management. The company is headquartered in Winterthur, Switzerland, and operates 50 global production sites. (South Carolina Economic Development Partnership release from June 6, 2016)
-The Company announced that it has inaugurated a new plant in San Luis Potosi, Mexico, its third in the country. From early 2017, carpet systems, inner dashes and floor insulators will be produced at the new plant. From the plant measuring 27,000 square meters, Autoneum will supply U.S. and German OEMs producing locally for the North American market. The foundation stone was therefore also laid for the second Autoneum plant in San Luis Potosi. Underbody systems, carpets and heatshields for German, U.S. and Japanese OEMs will be produced on an additional 19,000 square meters from 2018. Autoneum will create 430 new jobs at the two plants in San Luis Potosi by 2020. (From a press release on August 31, 2016)
-The Company has brought into operation the world's third production line for manufacturing the semi-finished material of Ultra-Silent at its German production location in Gundernhausen, Hesse. With its lightweight underbody components made of the textile material Ultra-Silent, Autoneum makes a decisive contribution to the weight and noise reduction of vehicles. This simultaneously serves to improve aerodynamics and reduce fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. (From a press release on November 4, 2016)
-The Company announced that it is expanding its presence in China with the opening of its seventh plant for the production of lightweight acoustic and thermal management components in the eastern Chinese city of Yantai. The 6,600-square-meter facility will produce inner dashboards and carpet systems for approximately 250,000 vehicles annually beginning in the summer of 2017. The new facility in Yantai will use sustainable production processes similar to all Autoneum locations, in which polyester or mixed fiber fleece will be recycled and re-used to manufacture new components. In addition to the three fully owned plants in Chongqing (since 2006), Taicang (2010) and Shenyang (2011), Autoneum jointly operates Chinese production locations with Japanese automotive supplier Nittoku in Guangzhou (2003), Tianjin (2004) and Wuhan (2013). (From a press release on December 12, 2016)