11 April 2005

Bürkert at the Hanover Trade Fair 2005

This year's Hannover Trade Fair stands for Bürkert Fluid Control Systems under the heading of system solutions in process pneumatics. There are special highlights from the field of automation technology: The automation system FreeLINE 8645 is a world first, providing a high protection class without a control cabinet. Bürkert will be presenting another innovation in the shape of the AirLINE EX 8650, the first automation system for explosion-hazard areas.

This year, Bürkert is placing an emphasis on its system solutions and the associated benefits to customers, because according to Director Heribert Rohrbeck: "Many customers have perhaps not yet considered a system solution, because maybe the way to achieving this seemed too complex or they have not yet noticed the unity of what we offer". So the trade fair stand itself bears the motto of a systematic idea: It illustrates the way towards achieving a tailor-made solution based on individual development steps, the "stations on the way to a system". Visitors are shown how such a system can be realised. With this range of products, Bürkert is according to Rohrbeck setting itself clearly apart from the market, because the solutions are available from a single source.

Positive company development in 2004
In the business year just ended, Bürkert was able to significantly increase its sales: Turnover (consolidated) increased by 7 per cent (previous year: 3.5%) to 240 million Euros (225 million). "We are very satisfied with the result that we have achieved despite the economic uncertainties - unfavourable Euro-Dollar exchange rate and material price fluctuations," says Rohrbeck. The positive company development is mainly attributable to the development of innovative products and concentration on system solutions, and it will now be present at the Hannover Trade Fair with the two new types of automation system AirLINE EX and FreeLINE. Further new developments are scheduled for the coming year, and the company is expecting "organic, profitable growth".
 In 2005, the company's activities will be concentrated on gas handling, because mass flow controllers are becoming increasingly important. In addition, this year Bürkert wants to continue its "innovati-on strategy" and develop more new products and solutions for 2006. Foodstuffs and luxury items, biotechnology, medicine, micro-mechanics and fine chemicals remain the most important target markets. Besides its involvement in Europe, the company is planning to boost its sales activities mainly in the USA and Asia. To this end, a subsidiary company Burkert Contromatic PVT Ltd. was founded last year in India.

Greater investment in training and further training
Bürkert is investing heavily in the company's own training and further training, firstly from tradition - the training rate has been around 10 per cent for years - and secondly there is a shortage of suitable workers. The new program includes not only trainee programs but also master and management training programs, MBA programs with the University of East London and internal further training to the position of system engineer. Employee and customer training is also provided at the training centre opened in 2003, providing above all knowledge and additional information about the various areas of use for Bürkert solutions.

"Our intention is to have a "colourful", future-orientated workforce in which many different nationalities, young people and older people, the disabled and able-bodied profit together from the work," says Rohrbeck. For this reason, the company is also involved in the "Diversity" project, which was initiated by the Federal Ministry of Research and Education for the purpose of researching and promoting employee structures that extend across all generations.