Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG (Heidelberg) will hold its Annual
General Meeting in the Stadthalle Heidelberg tomorrow, Tuesday. The
Management Board and shareholders will look back on the most
successful fiscal year (April 1, 2000 - March 31, 2001) in the
company's history. The key milestones during the year included
the opening of the Print Media Academy in Heidelberg, the drupa
trade fair in Düsseldorf and the successful move into digital
printing.
The company succeeded in further extending its leading
position in the print media industry. The Heidelberg Group achieved
record results in fiscal 2000/2001. Sales rose by more than 15
percent to 5.3 billion Euro (previous year: 4.6 billion Euro).
Orders received also exhibited pleasing growth in all
divisions, standing at around 5.5 billion Euro. This is more than
18 percent up on the comparable figure for the highly successful
previous year (just under 4.7 billion Euro).The rise in profits in
2000/2001 demonstrates the company's potential for growth. The
operating profit rose by around 10 percent from 463 million Euro to
506 million Euro. The Heidelberg Group's profit for the year
increased from 251 million Euro to 283 million Euro after
adjustment and, after accounting for special influences, totaled
342 million Euro.
Heidelberg shareholders at tomorrow's Annual General
Meeting will be invited to vote on six points on the agenda. The
key points will include the dividend of 1.80 Euro for each share
attracting a dividend and a resolution relating to changes in the
Articles of Incorporation. In the first quarter of the 2001/2002
fiscal year (April 1 - June 30), Heidelberg continued to grow.
Heidelberg Group sales rose by around eight percent to 1.1
billion Euro, compared with 997 million Euro in the first quarter
of the previous year. The operating profit over the period under
review rose by just under 22 percent to 45 million Euro. For the
first time ever, Heidelberg also benefited from the tax reform.
This resulted in a significant increase in profits after tax from
21 million Euro to 29 million Euro.
As expected, orders received - some 1.3 billion Euro - were
slightly lower than the record levels of the previous year (1.8
billion Euro), which were heavily influenced by drupa, the
world's largest trade fair. Nevertheless, compared to the first
quarter of the pre-drupa year 1999/2000 (one billion Euro), the
level of orders received rose by 24 percent.
At this year's most important trade fair for the graphic
arts industry, Print 01 (September 6 - 13, 2001, Chicago),
Heidelberg received orders worth 345 million US-Dollars1, of which
more than 50 percent were won by the sheetfed sector. The sales
launch of the NexPress 2100, the new digital color press from the
joint venture with Kodak, was very successful. More than 70
machines were sold in Chicago.
For further information:
Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG
Investor Relations
Dirk Kaliebe
Tel.: +49 (0)6221 92 60 20
Fax: +49 (0)6221 92 60 61
E-mail:
dirk.kaliebe@heidelberg.com