Business development

In the previous year, we succeeded in extending our market position in all our business segments. Turnover worldwide rose in total by 5% to approx. 2.5 billion euros. The seat adjuster business achieved the greatest growth with a plus of 13%; the closure system turnover grew by 7% and the door system business by 3%.

More than half of the group’s turnover was generated outside Germany with the main growth focus on the regions of North and South America as well as Asia.
 
In 2007, we invested 8% of the business volume in the development of new products and processes, IT and personnel development.
 
The number of production facilities worldwide increased from 27 to 28.
 
With the acquisition of Continental’s electric motor operations, which comprises the business with electric motors for window regulators, anti-lock braking systems (ABS/ESC), heating/ventilation, engine cooling and electric power steering, we will further enhance our expertise in automobile technology.
 
Including the new business segment of “electric motors”, our corporate group will achieve a consolidated business volume of 3,1 billion euros with approx. 15,000 employees at 51 locations worldwide. This will make Brose the fifth-largest family company in this industrial sector.
 
We aim to meet our growth objectives in the upcoming years and intend to achieve this increasingly through acquisitions.