Summary of business performance

Sales markets

The global market for industrial trucks continued to expand rapidly in the third quarter of 2017. Overall, the number of new trucks ordered in the first nine months of this year was up by 16.8 per cent compared with the prior-year period. The total number of trucks ordered across all regions and product types was 1,026.6 thousand (Q1 – Q3 2016: 878.9 thousand).

The EMEA region (western Europe, eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa) generated growth of 11.0 per cent. In western Europe (growth of 9.0 per cent), growth in the volume of orders was particularly strong in France and Spain, whereas Germany and Italy saw more moderate rises and the UK market was stable. The increases in orders in the key markets in eastern Europe (growth of 22.4 per cent) were well into double digits. Orders in North America, Central America and South America (Americas region) were up by 6.8 per cent overall, with South America’s growth mainly being driven by the upward trend in Brazil. The APAC region (Asia-Pacific) advanced by a total of 29.0 per cent in the first nine months of the year, primarily because of further dynamic growth in China.

In terms of volume increases, the biggest rise was attributable to IC trucks, which were up by 21.1 per cent in the first nine months of the year after benefiting from strong demand in China. Sales of electric forklift trucks were up by 13.5 per cent globally and were the fastest-growing product segment in Europe, while sales of warehouse trucks advanced by 14.5 per cent overall. > TABLE 01

The rapid expansion of e-commerce and the increasing use of Industry 4.0 technologies continue to shape the market for warehouse systems and automation solutions. Many businesses are currently investing in the expansion and optimisation of their warehouse capacities and in automated warehouse systems that include not only solutions for individual processes, such as picking and packing, but also fully integrated end-to-end solutions.

Business performance in the Group

The companies in the KION Group continued to expand their business activities in the third quarter. In the Industrial Trucks & Services segment, Linde Material Handling began selling electric forklift trucks with more powerful lithium-ion batteries in the fast-growing two to three tonne load capacity range. A new solution for palette handling and order picking in narrow aisles was also brought to the market. STILL expanded its product range with new ride-on pallet trucks and pallet stackers that will increase handling capacities.

In September, Dematic signed a global agreement with the Norwegian warehouse systems provider AutoStore^®, thereby expanding its range of integrated omni-channel solutions with an ultracompact goods-to-person warehouse order picking system. Around the world, Dematic will be offering a system solution as well as extensive services. Further supply chain projects were realised within the KION group of companies. For example, STILL and Egemin worked with Audi to produce a design for a fully automated smart factory. The integration of Egemin and Retrotech into the Dematic Group proceeded according to plan in the third quarter and will be completed by the end of 2017. Now that it includes Dematic and Egemin, the KION Group is one of the world’s largest suppliers of automated guided vehicles.