MediaInfo Varied 2012/13 financial year for Banner
3.85 million starter batteries sold Total business area sales revenues of EUR 232 million Strong demand for AGM batteries for start/stop vehicles Exclusive cooperation for DURACELL starter batteries Quality brand strategy underpinned by awards
Linz, April 25, 2013. Banner can reflect on a turbulent 2012/13 financial year. Sales of starter batteries, the most important business area, amounted to 3.85 million pieces, which represented a slight fall of around 4 per cent over the preceding year. This lower figure was due to a current technological change from conventional to start/stop batteries in the OEM segment. Moreover, the marketing of Duracell starter batteries and the latest quality awards provide a positive outlook for the coming twelve months. During the past 2012/13 financial year (April 1, 2012 – March 31, 2013), Banner sold over 3.85 million starter batteries, which meant that it did not quite emulate the figure of the preceding year. Nonetheless, business with automotive manufacturers developed in a positive manner, above all with regard to start/stop vehicle batteries. Banner is currently supplying its innovative AGM battery to Audi, BMW, Mercedes, VW and Volvo. Moreover, as Andreas Bawart, the Banner commercial CEO explains: “The premium manufacturer Porsche became a new addition to our first fitter customers in 2012 and we envisage major potential in this regard.” Replacement batteries continue to constitute the lion’s share of business and sales in the British and French markets developed in a positive manner. Furthermore, the delivery agreement concluded with the leading German automotive part and services supplier, A.T.U., in 2012 meant that sales to Germany, which is the largest European market, also stabilized. However, the declining demand for quality batteries and falling market prices resulted in a downturn in sales revenues in eastern and southeastern Europe. During the past financial year, sales revenues amounted to EUR 232 million (2011/12: EUR 227 m). Andreas Bawart: “In spite of our efforts, we narrowly missed our targets in the 2012/13 financial year and had to accept a slight fall in sales of starter batteries for the retrofitting market, which is our most important business area. In the drive and stationary battery segment, we also suffered a drop in sales of some 8 per cent to around EUR 25 million, owing to the fact that customer investments in this area were withheld.” Contact: Günther Lemmerer, Marketing und Öffentlichkeitsarbeit Banner GmbH Banner Straße 1;4021 Linz-Leonding (A) Tel. +43/(0)732/38 88 – 21550; Fax DW 61550 Mobil +43/(0)676/873 81 550 E-Mail: guenther.lemmerer@bannerbatterien.com www.bannerbatterien.com
MediaInfo As at March 31, 2013, the Banner Group employed a workforce of 760 (unchanged over 2011/12). R&D expenditure also remained unaltered at EUR 7 million and was focused primarily on further developments relating to Banner’s lead-acid batteries for hybrid vehicles. Exclusive rights for DURACELL starter batteries. For Banner, the exclusive cooperation involving DURACELL starter batteries is a source of both satisfaction and optimism. As the world’s leading manufacturer of high-performance alkaline batteries, Procter&Gamble GmbH, has opted for the technical perfection and optimum services provided by the battery specialists from Linz-Leonding. Incomparable longevity, full power in extreme situations and continuous further development constitute attributes of both companies and thus Banner has obtained the sole rights for the marketing of DURACELL starter batteries in Europe, Africa, the Near and Middle East. For the market launch in April 2013, 46 battery types from four product lines have been supplied to The Netherlands, Belgium, Italy, South Africa and Dubai. Awards underpin the quality brand strategy. As a result of its systematic brand strategy, which has been in place for the past 75 years, today Banner is one of Europe’s best-known battery makes. Banner’s excellent third place in both of the latest reader surveys carried out by German specialist magazines “auto motor und sport” (Best Brands - no. 7/2013) and “AutoBild” (“Die besten Marken” – no. 10/2013) bears eloquent testimony to this fact. The basis for the premium quality of Banner batteries is provided by ongoing research work at the Linz-Leonding location and development partnerships with respected automotive manufacturers such as VW and BMW. The newest battery test completed by Stiftung Warentest in cooperation with the German ADAC automobile club in 2012, also demonstrated that these efforts have borne fruit. The P7209 Banner Power Bull was awarded a top “very good” grading (1.4) and was thus the winner among the conventional starter batteries. Environment-friendly production. “Green” production has long traditions at Banner and the company plant in LinzLeonding, Austria currently numbers among the modern starter battery manufacturing facilities in Europe. As a premium supplier, Banner operates in line with an environmental management system, which corresponds with ISO 14001:2004 requirements. During the past ten years, all the environmental protection systems at the Linz-Leonding location have been augmented in order to surpass maximum requirements. In addition, as a founder member of the Starter Battery Environmental Forum (UFS), for the past fifteen years Banner has been ensuring that valuable and expensive raw materials such as lead, sulphuric acid and polypropylene are returned to the production cycle. It should be added that lead offers 99 per cent Contact: Günther Lemmerer, Marketing und Öffentlichkeitsarbeit Banner GmbH Banner Straße 1;4021 Linz-Leonding (A) Tel. +43/(0)732/38 88 – 21550; Fax DW 61550 Mobil +43/(0)676/873 81 550 E-Mail: guenther.lemmerer@bannerbatterien.com www.bannerbatterien.com
MediaInfo recyclability and in Austria has the highest collection quota of any of the recyclable goods on the market. Banner outlook. As far as future developments in the European starter battery market are concerned, Andreas Bawart, Banner’s commercial CEO, paints a differentiated picture: “On the whole, the European starter battery market is characterized by two contradictory trends. In the OEM segment, a large part of the automotive industry is increasingly looking to AGM and EFB batteries for start/stop vehicles with the aim of a sustained reduction in CO2 emissions and fuel consumption. Conversely, the massive rise in mobility costs and the partial mothballing of vehicles in Europe has resulted in stagnation with regard to replacement battery sales.” Nonetheless, Andreas Bawart is convinced that in the coming years Banner will continue to score with top quality and service and thus further consolidate its market position. “Our objective is a sustainable and economically healthy company orientation and in 2013, we will again be able to raise our sales volumes in the European retrofitting market. As far as the OEMs are concerned, this year we also wish to offer an additional product line, which will enable us to secure our innovative start/stop batteries with an even firmer anchorage in this business area.”
Photo captions: Photo 1) Successful launch of DURACELL starter batteries: Shep Gerrish, Direktor New Business Development Duracell (l.); Andreas Bawart, commercial CEO Banner (r.) © Andreas Wenter Photo 2) Banner Running Bull – a complete product programme for start/stop vehicles © Banner GmbH Photo 3) The environment-friendly Banner production plant in Linz-Leonding © Banner GmbH All photos: Reprints free of charge. Specimen copy requested.
Contact: Günther Lemmerer, Marketing und Öffentlichkeitsarbeit Banner GmbH Banner Straße 1;4021 Linz-Leonding (A) Tel. +43/(0)732/38 88 – 21550; Fax DW 61550 Mobil +43/(0)676/873 81 550 E-Mail: guenther.lemmerer@bannerbatterien.com www.bannerbatterien.com
MediaInfo Banner at a glance Banner GmbH is an innovative, steadily expanding producer of top quality starter batteries. The company, which is based in Linz-Leonding, Austria, has been manufacturing batteries for all types of vehicles since 1937. The family-owned firm, which is headed by Andreas Bawart and Thomas Bawart, employs a workforce of around 760 across Europe. Banner produces and sells over 3.85 million starter batteries annually and thus numbers among the oldest, most experienced and important brands in the battery production field. Banner batteries are used for the first fitting of numerous models from Audi, BMW, Caterpillar, Jungheinrich, Kässbohrer, Liebherr, Mercedes, Mitsubishi, Porsche, Skoda, Volvo, and VW. In Austria, Germany, Switzerland, France, The Netherlands, the UK, Denmark, Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Russia, Romania, Bulgaria and Turkey retailer support is provided via a company network of sales companies with a total of 28 branches. Moreover, Banner products are sold in more than 50 European, African and Asian states via direct importers. Future-oriented technology and outstanding quality underline the international reputation of these exemplary products with “buffalo power”, which are also characterized by the Banner logo. Further information is available under: www.bannerbatterien.com
Contact: Günther Lemmerer, Marketing und Öffentlichkeitsarbeit Banner GmbH Banner Straße 1;4021 Linz-Leonding (A) Tel. +43/(0)732/38 88 – 21550; Fax DW 61550 Mobil +43/(0)676/873 81 550 E-Mail: guenther.lemmerer@bannerbatterien.com www.bannerbatterien.com