Baggage Handling Systems at Airports

CEO Govert Hamers: “There is evidence that this year marks a breakthrough. The consistent policy we have pursued in the last few years is producing sustainable growth and results.”

• Vanderlande’s order book is worth over 1 billion euros
• EBIT has risen by 49%
• Order intake (sales) has risen by 26%

Veghel – Vanderlande, a supplier of automated material handling systems, generates a net turnover of EUR 790 million in the 2014 financial year. Last year’s growth trend will be prolonged by focusing intensively on customers and the market and by international expansion. Vanderlande has further extended its position as a leading player in a growing market. Trends underlying this growth include rising passenger numbers throughout the world in the market for baggage handling systems, cost-cutting, increase in efficiency and the strong growth of the e-commerce market in the warehouse automation and postal & parcel markets. In addition, there is evidence of substantial growth in the number of service contracts. Service now constitutes 20% of Vanderlande’s turnover.

Following the first clear signs of recovery in the 2013 financial year, there is now evidence of continuing growth and strong market recovery. Sales rose by 26% to EUR 938 million and for the first time in the company’s history, the order portfolio is now worth over EUR 1000 million. EBIT grew by 49% to EUR 36.1 million. One of the ways in which Vanderlande is confirming its market leadership in the baggage market in 2014 is through implementing systems for airports for the Olympic Games in Russia and the FIFA World Cup in Brazil. Breakthroughs have been achieved in the postal & parcel market in Australia and the United States, where the company has also gained a leading position. Warehouse automation has also made a significant contribution to its strong growth in Europe, where it occupies a top-three position.

“Consistency is now producing sustainable, profitable growth,” according to CEO Govert Hamers. “We are working in fast-growing markets for an increasing number of customers. For competitive reasons, customers particularly appreciate discretion. They have confidence in our systems and increasingly prefer long-term partnerships. We are seeing a global recovery in our markets, although regional differences remain. In addition, we have a very solid basis for success, which is formed by our loyal customers and, last but by no means least, a highly motivated group of employees who guarantee our reputation.”

Promising outlook
CEO Govert Hamers: “The market’s potential, our position as market leader and the record-breaking volume of our order book are every reason for us to carry on working consistently in the coming years, confident that we will achieve our strategic goals. These goals comprise sustainable, profitable growth, further internationalisation, continued innovation and intensification of partnerships. One thing this does require is an adjustment of our organisational structure. The Management Board has recently been enlarged with the addition of a Chief Technology Officer and a Chief Operations Officer.

Both executives, Vincent Kwaks and Gert Bossink, have worked for Vanderlande for a long time. They will contribute to clarifying our vision for our technology and system development as well as further professionalising our internal processes. And ultimately, this will benefit our customers.”

A good employer
Vanderlande’s growth is underlined by the fact that its employee numbers have risen by 7% to 2,896. Vanderlande has once again been voted one of the best employers in the Netherlands in the influential employee satisfaction survey conducted by Effectory.

Hamers: “Our service activities continue to grow, as does the implementation of projects that we conduct in some 100 countries all over the world. This requires an ongoing inflow of talented employees, such as project engineers, software engineers and supply chain engineers. Recognition that we are one of the best employers in the Netherlands demonstrates our employees’ engagement and helps us to recruit talent on the labour market, which is crucial for us to achieve our ambitions for growth. In a world of technology, we believe in people.”