Earnings before taxes (EBT) were EUR 40.6 million, the second-highest in the company’s history (previous year: EUR 40.4 million). The return on sales was 3.4 per cent, as in the previous year, and the equity ratio of 41 per cent is at a very high level (previous year: 42.2 per cent). The operational cash flow of the HOYER Group was increased to EUR 75.2 million (previous year: EUR 65.3 million). Thomas Hoyer, Chairman of the Advisory Board of the HOYER Group, comments “More than 6,400 employees worldwide ensured a result in 2017 that is again above the sector average. We are very pleased with this closing figure.”
The HOYER Group pursued consistent internationally aligned growth in 2017. As a result of the takeover of a French competitor, and with a fleet of more than 43,100 Intermediate Bulk Containers HOYER is one of the leading companies worldwide in this segment. The logistics company has also strengthened its operations in the North American and Asian regions and has locations in over 115 countries.
HOYER focused in the past year on further development of the company’s own digitalisation strategy. The central element is the Smart Tank, which enables products in tank containers to be monitored by using innovative sensors. Equipping the tank container fleet with the complex telematics was driven forward decisively in 2017. In the past fiscal year, the Hamburg logistics specialist invested a total of around EUR 90.0 million in innovations (previous year: EUR 102.2). Ortwin Nast, Chief Executive Officer of the HOYER Group, says “We see innovation as an opportunity to fulfil our customers’ wishes better than others, and to design our processes to be more efficient, secure and economical. HOYER sees itself as a customer-oriented, innovative-thinking company for which quality, safety and security for mankind and the environment have topmost priority. As a pioneer for intelligently networked logistics, HOYER is already working on tomorrow’s digital solutions today.”