Stable business development in 2017 / Strategic growth pushed onwards / Digital solutions for products and processes
The WAREMA Group has continued its positive development in the 2017 fiscal year. Bolstered by the good economy in the construction sector and the outdoor trend, the market leader in Europe for technical sun shading products has managed to achieve worldwide revenues of EUR 460.4 million. This is an increase of around 3.3 percent compared to last year. Not only was there high demand for the manufacturer's high-grade sun shading solutions, but the plastics engineering and mechanical engineering business units also experienced very welcome growth. The prospects for 2018 also look good.
“The current economic situation is an excellent driver of growth for us,” says Angelique Renkhoff-Mücke, Chief Executive Officer of the WAREMA Group. “We are making use of the very good overall conditions to further develop our business and to offer new products and services to our customers and partners. We view the future positively and are agilely and flexibly adapting to the changing wishes of customers and current trends.”
2017 Milestones
WAREMA has furthered its business success over the last year in a targeted and consistent manner. The focus for this was primarily on language being tailored to the target group and on strategic growth. Among its pursuits, the company launched a new marketing campaign for the “Home Comfort” product range and its website in order to make information just as accessible to all prospective groups.
WAREMA generated growth through activities including an acquisition. Early in the year, Caravita GmbH, one of the leading brands in high-grade parasols and sails, became part of the WAREMA Group. This made it possible to add the perfect complement to the offer portfolio in the outdoor living segment. This year both brands presented their sun shading solutions at R+T, the world's leading trade fair in Stuttgart. What's more, WAREMA has been able to expand its production capacities thanks to the continually increasing interest in its products in 2017. With regards to expanding its product range, WAREMA has development many product innovations particularly for the “Outdoor Living” area, which were showcased at various trade fairs this year.
Digitisation of the world of work
WAREMA operates with a focus on the future in all fields of activity. At the same time, the economically stable environment is shaped by fundamental changes in all fields of work. The sun shading expert is tackling the challenges of increasing complexity and speed with modern approaches. The company is taking the chance to secure its competitiveness and future orientation by incorporating digitisation into its business strategy.
Angelique Renkhoff-Mücke: “We come across buzz words like Industry 4.0, digitisation, globalisation and New Work every day. These aren't just short-lived trends, they are all about the continued development of our working business world. The changes associated with them may seem intimidating to some at first, but we concentrate on the opportunities that they provide. That is why we are constantly working on the forward-thinking implementation of these subjects.
A holistic approach
By digitising its value chain, WAREMA is not only shaping a modern working world for its employees. It is also perfecting the cooperation with specialised retailers and the interaction with the end customers and operators. Among the company's creations are innovative product solutions for the Smart Home, which make it possible to greatly increase energy efficiency at home and in the workplace. Sun shading systems that automatically extend and retract ensure a pleasant climate of well-being with low heating and cooling loads. Applications can be combined with each other and operated by voice command instead of through the app upon request. Digital tools such as the online platform myWAREMA make ordering easier and accelerate processing from the commission through to the manufacture. The WAREMA Designer app provides a virtual preview of the desired awning on the customer's own home.
With this holistic implementation of digital processes from the idea to application by the customer, WAREMA is on a direct route to the future.