Automation supplier increases its turnover again in 2013 and invests in head office – Pilz sets a course for growth

"2013 was characterised by volatility for the whole automation sector. So we can be satisfied that we achieved a 3% increase in turnover, from 227 million Euro in 2012 to 233 million Euro in 2013", says Susanne Kunschert, Managing Partner of Pilz GmbH & Co. KG.

Overall the number of staff at Pilz in 2013 rose by over seven per cent. On 31.12.2013 the group employed 1,807 staff worldwide (number of staff on 31.12.2012: 1,684). 890 of these were employed in Germany on 31.12.2013. At the year end, 800 staff were employed directly at the site in Ostfildern. "We want to continue growing and employ more staff" says Susanne Kunschert. Around 90 additional posts are planned for the current year, particularly in hardware and software development.

In 2013, new subsidiaries were founded in Canada, Taiwan and the Czech Republic, bringing the number of subsidiaries in the Pilz Group to 31. In the last financial year, Pilz’s exports amounted to 68.2 per cent. That's an increase of 0.4 per cent over 2012.

New plants in Germany and China

"China is an important market for us in Asia. Increasing safety awareness and convergence towards European standards provide excellent prospects for us", says Renate Pilz, Chair of the Board of Pilz GmbH & Co. KG. Pilz is currently building its own production site in the Chinese city of Jintan, which will enable it to supply customers in the Asian market more quickly.

At the same time, Pilz is expanding its capacities at its headquarters in Ostfildern, with a new production and logistics centre. The ground-breaking ceremony on the 28 April marked the start of building work on the Peter Pilz Production and Logistics Centre, which will later be incorporated into a self-contained area, the Pilz Campus.

It will take around a year to build; the floor space of the building covers 15,000 m². The building is being constructed to the latest standards and findings in terms of energy efficiency, noise protection and logistics procedures. The aim for the new building is make production and production-related processes even more efficient. The level of investment for both plants in Germany and China amounts to around 25 million Euro in total.

Optimistic for 2014

The company has had an optimistic start to the current financial year. According to Susanne Kunschert: "If the forecasts for the economy are correct, then we are convinced that we can improve again on our economic result of last year."