[Gen-AI Analysis] Benteler International AG Business Report FY ended 2013 - MarkLines Automotive Information & Gen-AI Platform

Benteler International AG Business Report FY ended Dec. 2013

Business Highlights

Financial Overview

(in million EUR)

	FY ended Dec. 31, 2013	FY ended Dec. 31, 2012	Rate of change (%)	Factors
Overall
Net Sales	7,425	7,452	(0.4)	1)
Operating Income	56.7	122.0	(53.5)
Automotive Division
Sales	5,955	5,879	1.3	2)

Factors
1) Net Sales
-The Company had net sales of EUR 7,425 million in 2013, which is around the same level as the previous year. Revenue would have grown by around 2.2% excluding currency effects.

2) Automotive Division
-In 2013, the Company's Automotive division generated sales of EUR 5,955 million, an increase of 1.3% from 2012. After adjusting for currency effects, revenue grew by 4.3 %. The Asia / Pacific and Mercosur regions were the main contributors to this year-on-year growth. Revenue in Europe was down compared to 2012, especially in the Western, Eastern and Southern European regions, due to the difficult business environment.

Chinese Business

-In April 2013, the Company hosted an opening ceremony for its new production plant and Asia Pacific Headquarters, located in Jiading (Shanghai), China. In an area of approximately 45,000 square meters, the new site hosts a press shop for the production of automotive steel stampings, and a welding shop dedicated to the production of chassis parts for local and international OEMs in the automotive business. In addition, the 35 million euro site hosts new home of Benteler Automotive Asia/Pacific Headquarters, including engineering, development and commercial teams. More than 500 employees will work at the site. (From a press release issued in April, 2013)

R&D

R&D Expenditure

(in million EUR)

	FY ended Dec. 31, 2013	FY ended Dec. 31, 2012	FY ended Dec. 31, 2011
Overall	101.0	107.6	106.8

R&D Structure

-The Company has over 1,200 employees working in research and development in 32 locations over 18 countries.

-Research and development activities concentrate particularly on lightweight construction through the development, design and production of composite structural parts and aluminum components.

Investment Activities

Capital Expenditure

(in million EUR)

	FY ended Dec. 31, 2013	FY ended Dec. 31, 2012	FY ended Dec. 31, 2011
Overall	349	444	386
Automotive division	202	335	286

-Out of the EUR 349 million used in capital expenditures, the Company spent EUR 336 million for the purchase of property, plant and equipment, while EUR 13 million was used for acquiring intangible assets.

-EUR 109 million of the EUR 202 million invested by the Automotive division was used for project-specific investments and for production facilities and equipment.