Transformation pays off; BENTELER closes the 2022 financial year successfully

Salzburg / Paderborn, March 2, 2023. 2022 was a successful year for the BENTELER Group. The international metal processing specialist’s revenue increased to around 9.0 billion euros (previous year 7.3 billion euros). At 703 million euros, the operating result (EBITDA) was significantly higher than in the previous year (332 million euros). Liquidity also improved despite a challenging market environment characterized by the Ukraine war, supply chain problems, and rising energy and material prices.

Ralf Göttel, CEO of the BENTELER Group, says: “The past financial year proves that the BENTELER Group’s transformation, which was initiated at an early stage, has been successful. We have further increased our cost efficiency. Our incoming orders demonstrate that our customers – both established companies and new market participants – trust in the high quality of our products and services. We are working even more flexibly, agilely and closely together worldwide – internally as well as with our partners. In short, BENTELER is well equipped to continue operating successfully in a dynamic market environment and to respond decisively to potential challenges.”

Customer relationships strengthened

BENTELER has again made significant progress in 2022. This enabled the company to strengthen existing customer relationships and acquire new customers. In the automotive sector, BENTELER is represented on almost all the global vehicle platforms of its top customers. These include almost all major automobile manufacturers – the ten largest customers have a combined share of over 60% of global vehicle production. BENTELER supplies these mostly with products that are technology and propulsion-method independent, with which the company generated more than 90% of its automotive sales in 2022.

Product portfolio optimized

With new products, such as battery cooling plates and rotor shafts, the BENTELER Group is also taking advantage of market potential in e-mobility. Other new products include BENTELER SMARTCUT® tubes made from free-cutting steel. These combine the material advantages of free-cutting steel with the geometric properties of a tube and are thus optimized for machining.

Efficiency increased

BENTELER is also working on further increasing its efficiency. The company is, for example, digitalizing its production by integrating all processes, from supply chain management to quality assurance and maintenance, in uniform IT solutions. In this way, customers always receive products of the highest quality – reliably and efficiently.

Sustainability promoted

In 2022, the BENTELER Group further intensified its commitment to sustainability. The company aims to achieve net zero emissions for Scope 1, 2 and 3 (upstream) by 2050. The Steel/Tube Division has set itself the goal of CO2 neutrality as early as 2045. With its "Green Tubes" program, the division is reducing the CO2 footprint of production and products. For example, BENTELER Steel/Tube already produces CO2-reduced steel at the electric steel mill in Lingen, from which seamless tubes are made. These have a significantly lower carbon footprint than tubes made from blast furnace steel.

HOLON exploits autonomous mobility business sector

One of the most ambitious projects, which gained momentum in 2022, is the new BENTELER subsidiary HOLON. It addresses the future-oriented field of autonomous mobility and is developing a fully electric mover: This provides emission-free, safe and comfortable passenger transportation for everyone and is thus the answer to traffic problems in cities. In January 2023, the HOLON mover celebrated its world premiere at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, and a first pilot project with the city of Hamburg will start next year.

Positive outlook for 2023

Ralf Göttel continues: “We are making tomorrow's mobility safer and more sustainable. In doing so, we are flexible, break new ground and seize market opportunities when they arise: HOLON is one of many examples of this pioneering spirit that characterizes the BENTELER Group. We are investing in growth markets, digitalization, innovations and the sustainability of our products and processes. This way, we consistently strengthen our position as a globally relevant partner for our customers in the automotive and steel tube sectors and enable them to develop solutions that accelerate their businesses.”