The Aalen-based company is not feeling the effects of the poor mood in the industry. After a good year in 2019, the company wants to continue to grow and create new jobs.
Around one and a half years after the takeover by the investor SFO, there is once again good news from SHW Werkzeugmaschinen. “We achieved our targets in 2019,” says Managing Director Martin Greis. Turnover was around 55 million euros. Shortly after the takeover out of insolvency, SFO CEO Wolfgang Schepp had set a target of 50 million euros. “We are very satisfied with the past year,” says Greis. The start to the latest chapter in the history of the long-established company has been “successful” – SHW WM is not experiencing any signs of the severe dip that many mechanical engineering companies are currently suffering from.
In the past year, Greis has restructured the company considerably. “We have reorganized many processes, increased productivity and established a new corporate culture.” Internal communication is now more open and transparent. “We have also made some adjustments in the operational and commercial areas to make us more efficient.” Employees are also to share in the company’s success. There will be a corresponding bonus for the past year. “We want to create a win-win situation for everyone involved.” Following the departure of Anton Müller last year, Greis is the sole Managing Director of SHW WM.
Targeting China and the USA as growth markets
The fact that the restart from several months of insolvency was successful is also due to SHW WM’s loyal customers. “Many of them waited until the restart to make their investment decisions. That naturally suited us,” says Greis. Just a few weeks ago, the Aalen-based company delivered a traveling column machine to the Swiss company Köppel AG. “SHW WM is a company that accepts and appreciates us as a small medium-sized company,” says Marcel Köppel, the company’s boss, explaining the decision to purchase a machine tool from Aalen.
We would do it again.
Wolfgang Schepp, SFO
SHW WM now generates around 60 percent of its turnover abroad. “However, the focus is still on Germany and Europe,” explains Greis. Beyond the continent, the company has its sights set primarily on the Chinese and US markets. SHW WM has subsidiaries in both countries and plans to continue growing in both in the future. “We want to position ourselves more broadly in order to reduce our dependence on certain markets.” There is great potential in both the USA and China. However, Greis is taking a cautious approach to expansion.
“China in particular is a difficult market for a German mechanical engineering company,” says the Managing Director. One with which the Aalen-based company had bad experiences: among other things, a failed major project in the Middle Kingdom, together with the collapse of the Russian sales region, led to insolvency almost two years ago. The sanctions against Russia are still preventing good business in what was once such an important market for SHW WM. “However, we remain present at the most important industry trade fairs there, even if the embargo does not allow any projects,” explains Greis.
The Aalen-based company has also invested heavily in its subsidiary SHW Bearbeitungstechnik. The company purchased four new machines in 2019, and a fifth will be delivered soon. “We want to further increase our vertical integration,” says Greis. Of course, the company is also focusing on the megatopics of digitalization and Industry 4.0. “We want to make good progress in all aspects of digitalization and its application to machine tools in 2020.” Greis wants to further increase turnover this year. The situation is currently good. “However, the uncertainty factors are increasing,” he explains, referring in particular to the trade dispute between the USA and China and the outbreak of coronavirus, which is disrupting supply chains around the world.
Nevertheless, the company is currently looking for new employees, as the Managing Director explains. Up to 15 new positions are still open. The company currently employs around 270 people, the majority of whom work at its headquarters in Wasseralfingen. This is and remains the only production site, as Greis emphasizes. Incidentally, investor Wolfgang Schepp is also satisfied with the development of SHW WM. “We would do it again,” he says – referring to the takeover almost 18 months ago.
© Wirtschaft Regional 24.02.2020 14:54
