Bad Soden, Germany,
09
May
2019
|
08:00
Europe/Amsterdam

Messer concludes anniversary year with record results

Birthday celebrated, record results achieved and doubled in size as a result of acquisitions: Messer, the largest family-run industrial gases specialist worldwide, concluded the 2018 financial year – 120 years after its foundation – with a more than positive balance sheet. 

The consolidated turnover of Messer increased by about ten per cent from €1.232 billion in the previous year to €1.350 billion in 2018. At the same time, Messer achieved an EBITDA of €366 million. This equates to an increase of around 26 per cent in comparison with the previous year. The businesses of Messer in China and Vietnam made a significant contribution to growth with an increase in sales of approximately 27 per cent and 18 per cent respectively.

The highlight of 2018 was the agreement with Linde and Praxair to take over businesses in the Americas that had to be sold due to antitrust requirements. In March 2019, Messer together with finance partner CVC Capital Partners, took over a major part of Linde’s activities in the USA, as well as the entire Linde companies in Brazil, Canada and Colombia, and Praxair’s Chilean company. As a result, Messer will double its business volume.

“We have captured new fields of business and markets, invested in growth and supply reliability and focused on the requirements of our customers. This approach in 2018 has given us the best financial year in our company’s history to date,” said CEO Stefan Messer.

Sustainable investment and actions

In the 2018 financial year, the investments of the Messer Group GmbH amounted to approximately €240 million and mainly related to the construction of air separation plants in Vietnam and production facilities in Hungary and China. “Through forward-looking investments, we ensure our self-reliance and independence.By doing so, we provide our employees, business partners and finance partners long-term security in working together,” explained Dr Uwe Bechtolf, Chief Financial Officer of the Messer Group GmbH. In Germany, Messer is constructing a new production facility for atmospheric gases in Speyer, as well as a facility to produce hydrogen in Castrop-Rauxel.Since 2014, Messer has published a sustainability report each year and voluntarily publishes its key performance indicators in the areas of environmental and climate protection, safety, social commitment, sustainable growth, employee and customer orientation. The report follows the standards for the international Global Reporting Initiative (GRI).

The sustainability report can be viewed here:https://jahresbericht.messergroup.com/en