Business performance

The key events for the technotrans Group in the 2017 financial year included:

• A successful start to the new financial year of 2017 and consistently strong revenue and profit growth in all markets.
• A successful development in the first year after the acquisition of gwk. The newest group company confirms the successful growth pathway in the plastics processing industry.
• Highly promising projects in electric mobility: from mobile battery cooling for buses, rail vehicles and automated guided vehicles (AGVs) to the static quick-charging station for cars.
• The acquisition of a plot of land at the Termotek GmbH location in Baden-Baden in connection with the establishment of technotrans Grundstücksverwaltungs GmbH. technotrans AG holds 100 percent of the shares.
• The presentation of a large number of new products at numerous technology shows
• The upgrading of the annual targets for 2017 and the presentation of new medium-term targets (2018-2020) for the technotrans Group.
• The impressive continuation in the upward trend of the technotrans share price in 2017. On December 29, 2017 it closed at € 44.30, up more than 93 percent on the start of the financial year (€ 22.90). Market capitalisation and the average trading volume of the shares therefore showed a positive upward movement as expected.

The 2017 financial year progressed highly successfully for technotrans. With revenue jumping to € 205.1 million and EBIT climbing to € 17.4 million, the group achieved the best result in the history of the company.

At the time the plans for 2017 were drawn up, the Board of Management expected revenue of between € 185 and 195 million for the technotrans Group based on a stable development in the world economy in conjunction with various new projects involving both existing and new customers. With the publication of the Interim Financial Report, the Board of Management upped the targets for the year to consolidated revenue of € 203 to 208 million and EBIT in the range of € 16.0 to 17.0 million. In realising this revenue and profit performance, technotrans therefore confirms its most recent expectations.

Equity improved in absolute terms by € 7.9 million to € 69.8 million (previous year: € 61.9 million). The equity ratio climbed to 55.7 percent (previous year: 51.0 percent), continuing to represent a high proportion of the balance sheet total, and was therefore above the target level of 50 percent.

In the 2017 financial year, the group achieved its original target of again generating a positive free cash flow.