The segments and their products and services

The KION Group is represented in the market by four international brands – Linde, STILL, Baoli and Egemin Automation – and three national brands, Fenwick (France), OM STILL (Italy) and Voltas (India). While the brand companies have full operational and commercial responsibility within their markets, KION GROUP AG is the strategic management holding company and is responsible for the groupwide strategy and groupwide business standards. > TABLE 011

For internal management purposes, the KION Group has divided its business into operating segments that correspond to the reportable segments, as required by international financial reporting standards (IFRS 8).

Linde Material Handling (LMH) segment

The Linde Material Handling (LMH) segment encompasses the Linde, Fenwick, Baoli and Voltas brands.

Linde is an international premium brand and a technology leader. Among its other selling points, it has decades of experience with hydrostatic drive technology and meets customers’ highest requirements regarding technology, efficiency, functionality and design. The product portfolio ranges from warehouse trucks to heavy trucks and caters to all of the major application areas. Linde has been developing and manufacturing electric drive systems for decades and uses the resulting expertise in a variety of applications. In France, Linde products are sold under the Fenwick brand.

Baoli is the international brand for the economy segment. Building on its base in China and other growth markets in Asia, it has established sales structures in Europe as well as in Central America and South America. Since the fourth quarter of 2015, Baoli has also been represented in North America with a small but growing product portfolio.

Voltas is the national brand company for the Indian market through which the KION India Pvt. Ltd. subsidiary sells electric and IC forklift trucks and warehouse trucks. The company was integrated into the LMH segment with effect from 1 January 2015. Previously the entity was in the Other segment.

STILL segment

The STILL and OM STILL brands are grouped in the STILL segment. STILL is predominantly an international premium provider of trucks with electric and diesel-electric drives. It mainly focuses on the European and Latin American markets, with the national brand OM STILL serving the Italian market.

The segment’s portfolio consists of forklift trucks and warehouse trucks plus associated services. STILL has also positioned itself as a leading provider of intelligent intralogistics solutions, offering trucks and fully integrated warehouse systems, including automation and fleet management solutions.

Financial Services (FS) segment

The Financial Services (FS) segment is an internal funding partner for LMH and STILL, providing finance solutions that promote sales. Its activities comprise the financing of long-term leasing business for external customers of the KION Group, the internal financing of the short-term rental business of the LMH and STILL operating segments, and the related risk management. In the large sales markets with a high volume of financing and leasing, legally independent FS companies handle this business.

When long-term leasing business is being conducted, FS itself acts as the contractual partner to external customers and offers various leasing models.

Operational responsibility for the short-term rental business (short-term rental fleet) lies with the LMH and STILL brand segments. FS acts as the contractual partner to the brand segments, providing the internal financing for this short-term rental fleet.

FS refinances both long-term leasing with end customers and the short-term rental fleet, mostly on the basis of sale and leaseback agreements.

In addition, a substantial portion of sales financing for external customers is offered indirectly, with an external leasing company to which the business is referred by the KION Group acting as lessor rather than the KION Group. The financial services provider purchases the truck from the KION Group and provides the finance to the end customer. The KION Group carries out the majority of the servicing for the truck and, once the financing has expired, may also take on its reconditioning and remarketing.

Other segment

The Other segment comprises holding companies and service companies that provide services such as IT and logistics across all segments. Also in this segment is Egemin NV, the subsidiary acquired in August 2015. Based in Zwijndrecht, Belgium, Egemin NV is a leading provider of automation solutions that specialises in optimising intralogistics processes in warehouses, production facilities and distribution centres. As well as turnkey project solutions using proprietary software, its portfolio also includes automatic guided vehicle systems and in-floor chain conveyors. Egemin Automation has sites in Europe, the USA and China. In 2014, the Other segment had also included the KION India subsidiary, which since the beginning of 2015 has been part of the LMH segment.