Revenue

Revenue in the KION Group amounted to €4,677.9 million, an increase of 4.1 per cent on the 2013 figure of €4,494.6 million. After a subdued start to the year, revenue growth gathered pace markedly with the Group generating an 8.2 per cent increase in revenue in the second half of the year. The LMH and STILL brand segments both shared in the growth. The acquisition of the majority stakes in the dealers Arser (August 2013) and Willenbrock (end of 2013) also contributed to the improved consolidated revenue, although the restructuring of the heavy truck business did lead to a modest loss of revenue.

Revenue by product category

The trend in new trucks business in the second half of the year was encouraging. The Group was able to make up for the deficit in the first six months of the year in full, so that ultimately the revenue for the year amounted to €2,533.0 million, which was actually slightly higher than the prior-year figure of €2,519.6 million. Higher unit sales of warehouse technology products and electric forklift trucks more than offset the slight drop in revenue from diesel trucks and the negative impact from the heavy truck business.

In the service business, the KION Group generated a significant increase in revenue of 8.6 per cent to €2,144.9 million (2013: €1,975.0 million). This substantial rise was partly attributable to the dealer Willenbrock, in which the KION Group had acquired a majority stake. There were increases in revenue from the spare-parts business and from servicing and maintenance work. The rental business and the used truck business also registered significant year-on-year gains. The proportion of the KION Group’s total revenue generated by the service business grew to 45.9 per cent (2013: 43.9 per cent). > TABLE 016

Revenue by customer location

In western Europe, the KION Group increased revenue appreciably and made up in full for the loss of revenue incurred in 2013. Significant gains in Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom more than compensated for a drop in revenue in other areas, notably France. Strong growth in eastern Europe was based primarily on the expansion of business in Poland and the Czech Republic and the Group therefore did not feel an impact from the loss of revenue in Russia and Ukraine as a consequence of the geopolitical situation there. In Brazil, the KION Group was unable to escape the effects from the negative trends in the market, but revenue in Asia was slightly up year on year. Of the total consolidated revenue, 73.9 per cent was generated outside Germany, with growth markets accounting for 24.8 per cent (2013: 25.3 per cent). > TABLE 017