Press giant manroland web systems has reported increased profits, and says it achieved a whopping 45 per cent market share in web presses around the world in 2015. Steve Dunwell, manroland Australasia managing director says he is optimistic for the future after the local company exceeded budget figures for 2015. The German based manroland web systems – half of the company that was split up following the GFC – had a profit margin of three per cent in 2015, which increased the print press manufacturer’s result to Euro6.m. The company says its new press business for web offset systems jumped by 45 per cent from 36 per cent the previous year, and says profit is expected to grow even further in 2016.
manroland Australasia’s Steve Dunwell
The company’s incoming orders rose by ten per cent, despite what manroland says was ‘a challenging market’. Dunwell says the company is doing well globally and is pleased with Australasia exceeding budget figures in 2015, despite not taking any new web press orders last year, he says, “manroland Germany are profitable, which is good. It has been a very good year. “From a manroland perspective, increasing market share significantly in a declining market is a very good scenario for us.” Dunwell reports manroland Australasia have placed two sheetfed orders this year, and adds that manroland Australasia is responsible for generating 12 per cent of manroland’s global web system turnover since Germany’s Possehl Group took over in February 2012, “It shows we are an important part of business, so that’s a good scenario for Australia.” The positive news comes after years of strife for the company emanating from the Global Financial Crisis, with all three German press manufacturers hammered and having to dramatically refocus their businesses as orders plummeted permananetly. Further bleak financial performance in 2012 led to a company split, with the German industrial Possehl group purchasing the company’s web system, and Britain’s Langley Holdings taking over its sheetfed systems. With the company now into the black Dunwell says he is looking forward to manroland showcasing its advanced printing and finishing systems at drupa in May – the company is adapting many of web folding infrastructure systems for the new breed of high volume inkjet digital presses.
Comment below to have your say on this story.
If you have a news story or tip-off, get in touch at editorial@sprinter.com.au.
Sign up to the Sprinter newsletter