As years go, fiscal 2022 was not at all bad for the Wittmann Group. The company saw a high order intake - well above average, in fact, especially during the first half of the year. However, the tight situation in terms of the supply of purchased parts, particularly electronic components, put any growth in sales on hold. The €376 million achieved in sales for 2022 was roughly on par with the figure for 2021.
For the current fiscal year, Michael Wittmann, president of the Wittmann Group, is expecting a return to growth. From today’s standpoint, a 10% increase over last year is a realistic estimate, in his opinion. The group started 2023 with a high order backlog, while the supply situation is also starting to show signs of improvement. the market beginning to show signs of improvement in the supply situation.
The Group reported considerable progress on its numerous investment and building projects. Not only did Wittmann invest in new machining centres at three of the Group’s production plants, in 2022, but the group also completed the expansion work at Wittmann Battenfeld in Kottingbrunn, Austria and Wittmann Robottechnikai Kft. in Mosonmagyarovar, in Hungary.
The additional production floor space will be used to boost the company’s injection moulding machine production and, in Hungary, to increase the production of new Tempro temperature controllers and robots equipped with R9 control systems.
At Wittmann’s Torrington, USA subsidiary, another expansion project is in progress; this is expected to be completed on schedule within the next two months. Here, more space is being created for automation solutions and complete injection moulding cells.
Moreover, a completely new building is currently being built in Törökbálint, near Budapest, which will house Wittmann Battenfeld Kft, the Hungarian sales and service organisation. Completion is planned for the end of the second quarter of 2023.
Last year, too, saw the opening of a production facility in Dilovası, Turkey. Here, the main focus is on sheet metal and metal processing and complete products from the Wittmann Group’s range of auxiliaries. Series production of the first auxiliaries commenced 1 January 2023. The activities here will steadily be increased over the coming months and years to support the operations of the production plants in Austria and France. Turkey offers the added advantage of a growing labour market that will continue to provide a reservoir of skilled industrial workers to support Wittmann’s needs for future growth.