Strong First Half Growth for Würth

The Würth Group closed the first half of 2011 with overall sales of 4.78 billion euros, representing 15.1% growth compared with the first six months of 2010.

The Group's preliminary operating result came to 245 million euros in the first half of the year (first half 2010: 196 million euros). Robert Friedmann, chairman of the Central Managing Board, said: "We succeeded in continuing the dynamic growth that we had in the first quarter of 2011, and reached clearly double-digit sales growth also in the second quarter. An important adjusting lever for this success is our consistent orientation towards sales and the activities involved. We plan to grow by double-digit figures also by the end of the business year."

German Würth companies contributed decisively to the positive development, the Group said, increasing sales by 17.3% to 2.1 billion euros (2010 same period: 1.8 billion euros). Companies outside Germany grew by 13.4% and generated sales of 2.7 billion euros. This summer the extension of the logistics centre at Adolf Würth GmbH & Co. KG in Künzelsau-Gaisbach will start. Würth Industrie Service GmbH & Co. KG also invests in extending its European logistics center in Bad Mergentheim, which will be inaugurated this autumn. "These investments will create the basis that is needed to keep the performance promise that we have made to our customers." explained Friedmann. "We can report an excellent business development exactly in Germany. Therefore, it is necessary to make investments into the future."

The Würth Group increased its employees by 3,011 compared to the end of 2010, bringing the total to 65,444 employees at the end of June 2011, of whom 31,761 work in the sales force. In Germany Würth employs 18,399 people.