[Gen-AI Analysis] Schaeffler AG Business Report FY ended 2012 - MarkLines Automotive Information & Gen-AI Platform

Schaeffler AG Business Report FY ended Dec. 2012

Business Highlights

Financial overview

(in million euros)

	FY ended Dec. 31, 2012	FY ended Dec. 31, 2011	Rate of Change (%)	Factors
Overall
Sales	11,125	10,694	4.0	-
EBIT	1,413	1,689	(16.3)	-
Automotive
Sales	7,663	7,157	7.1	1)
EBIT	998	1,074	(7.1)	-

Factors
1) Automotive
-In 2012, the increase results primarily from new customer projects and production start-ups, and also from the favorable impact of currency translation.

-Revenue growth for 2012 was primarily driven by the Asian (+21.9 %) and North American (+21.2 %) regions. While a slight increase in revenue was also still generated in Europe (+1.7 %), revenue in South America declined (-11.8 %).

Awards

-The Company has received the "Global Quality Award" from Nissan for the production quality of its engine components and dual mass flywheels. In 2011, the Company also received the "Global Innovation Award" from Nissan for the engine-side separating clutch developed by LuK for Nissan's fully-hybrid Fuga vehicle. (From a press release on August 1, 2012)

R&D

R&D Expense

(in million Euros)

	FY ended Dec. 31, 2012	FY ended Dec. 31, 2011	FY ended Dec. 31, 2010
Overall	593	495	467

R&D Structures

-Over 6,000 employees at 40 development locations worldwide, including 16 R&D centers, were employed in developing new products and processes.
-In 2012, the Company registered 1,832 patents in Germany.
-The Company and the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for a collaborative research project. They will collaborate in the research, development, and early industrialization of hybrid and all-electric drive systems. The Company will be present on the KIT Campus EAST and will deploy employees in the "Schaeffler E-Lab at the KIT". (From a press release on July 31, 2012)

Product Development

Sensor detent
-Developed a new sensor detent, a sensor element for detecting neutral gear. It reliably detects the selected drive position and sends this information to the control units incorporated in the vehicle. Schaeffler's new detent combines an existing detent with a sensor for measuring lift. The Schaeffler sensor detent functions as follows: The forced stroke of the detent that occurs during gearshift operations is recorded and processed in the gearshift unit using the sensor on the detent and the relevant signal is sent to the integrated connector. The sensor detent positions the gearshift unit in neutral in all shift gates and simultaneously detects this position. This ensures high accuracy. The Schaeffler sensor detent is already in volume production and is available for start-stop applications. (From a press release on November 28, 2012)

Transmission selector hub
-The Company is focusing on new lightweight technologies as an important component for strategies for reducing CO2. Schaeffler developed a new transmission selector hub made of sheet metal. The company can now facilitate reductions in weight of up to 25 percent compared with a conventional solid sintered metal version. Schaeffler's new hybrid gearshift forks, which can replace more traditional and conventional steel gearshift forks, have bodies made of aluminum. Costly recasting and complex reworking of the assembly are not necessary. This mixed construction not only reduces the weight of Schaeffler hybrid gearshift forks compared with that of conventional solutions, but also makes them more compact. The mass of Schaeffler's i² shift mass module has been reduced by up to 70 percent compared with that of conventional components. However, the i² shift mass module's lower inertia level is increased using a gearbox. The Company's new lightweight concepts enable reductions in weight of up to 1.2 kg to be made in transmissions. (From a press release on August 7, 2012)

Thermal management module
-Developed a new thermal management module which optimizes the temperatures of internal combustion engines. This module is the key to reducing fuel consumption and CO2 emission by up to four percent. The new module controls the temperature conditions in the vehicle precisely and enables operation in the optimal temperature window in the fastest possible time. The opportunities for precisely controlling temperature range from both the engine and heating to the transmission and turbocharger. Controlling the temperature of alternators, hybrid modules and batteries is one of a range of possible tasks that can be performed by this sensor controlled component. (From a press release on January 9, 2012)

Investment Activities

Capital Expenditure

(in million Euros)

	FY ended Dec. 31, 2012	FY ended Dec. 31, 2011	FY ended Dec. 31, 2010
Overall	827	846	386
Automotive	617	630	284

Investment Outside Germany

<Russia>
-The Company will establish a manufacturing plant in Ulyanovsk, Russia. This plant for industrial and automotive components will be built on a site measuring 22 hectares. The investment in this project is worth around 2 billion rubles, approximately 49 million euros, and it will create 450 new jobs in the next five years. Construction is scheduled to start at the beginning of next year and the start of production is planned for the beginning of 2014. (From a press release on December 18, 2012)