17 Jul 2019
Schüco Achieved Significant Growth in 2018, and Will Continue to Implement Its Leading Concepts
Shanghai, China – July 17th, 2019 –Schüco International KG, a global leading system solutions provider for windows, doors and façades (hereinafter referred to as “Schüco”), today announced that it generated a turnover of €1.670 billion in the 2018 financial year. Compared to 2017 (€1.575 billion), this represents a significant increase of around 6%. The increase in turnover is 7.3% when adjusted for currency fluctuations. This encouraging result is attributed to a lot of things, including the innovative products that Schüco has launched, the leading digital solutions it has developed, and its active practices in sustainability and social responsibility. In 2018, an annual average of 5,400 staff worked for Schüco – 500 more than that of the previous year. Around €60 million was invested in technology, service and sale in 2018. The economic capital of the Schüco remained unchanged at around 70%.
Notably, the Metal division accounted for a turnover of €1.410 billion, which is an increase of 6.8% compared to the previous year (€1.320 billion). This division achieved double-digit growth on the Iberian Peninsula as well as in Luxembourg, Italy, Eastern Europe, Kazakhstan, India and Southeast Asia. Following strong growth in the previous year, the business in China achieved an increase in turnover of 5.4%. At €497 million, the share of turnover for Germany was 1.5% above the previous year.
New build and renovation for enhanced services
The largest Schüco newbuild and renovation project is the expansion of the Bielefeld site, in which around €95 million is being invested. In 2018, for example, the Schüco Cube was completed. It allows visitors and employees to find out about the latest construction progress for the Schüco One newbuild. Furthermore, the Digital Hub One on Kammerratsheide has enhanced the Schüco campus as a sustainably renovated office building which follows the principles of New Work.
As one of its largest overseas markets, China has contributed a great deal to Schüco's growth for years. In order to support its strong presence in China, Schüco had its flagship showroom renovated in Shanghai in early 2018, and further expansion is expected to commence next year. Also, Schüco opened additional showrooms in Shenzhen and Beijing last year, with one more to be opened in Chengdu this year, all aiming to address the local market needs. In fact, Schüco is working seamlessly with local partners across North China, South China, and Midwest China, to provide reliable, professional technical services and products for projects and individual consumers.
Acting sustainably, and taking social responsibilities
Sustainability is part of the business model at Schüco. It is especially important in the construction sector that resources are used in managed material cycles that do not harm people or the environment.
Cradle to Cradle is the concept behind this. A product with C2C certification stands for independently tested reliability in the material selection – and now comes as standard at Schüco at no extra cost. C2C products receive additional points in the German Sustainable Building Council (DGNB) and LEED building certification systems.
In the Metal division, Schüco is committed as an active founding member of the ASI (Aluminium Stewardship Initiative) to a sustainable aluminium industry and designing sustainable standards, and also takes responsibility itself as a an important factor in the supply chain.
For Schüco, acting sustainably also means taking responsibility for social issues. At the end of 2018, WWF and Schüco signed a partnership agreement. The focus of the agreement is climate protection and the responsible alignment of raw material supply chains. Schüco is also prepared on many internal levels to reduce energy consumption and hence its carbon footprint too.
Outlook for 2019: bringing impeccable product design to limit
After the foundation stone for the Schüco One newbuild was laid on 6 May 2019, NRW Minister President Armin Laschet took part in the symbolic ground-breaking ceremony for the Schüco Welcome Forum on 1 July 2019. In future, it will be known as the "heart of Schüco" and will be the first point of contact and central meeting place for visitors, who will be able to see the latest product range, machinery for efficient fabrication as well as all solutions in the "digital roadmap".
In January 2019 at the world's leading exhibition for architecture, materials and systems – BAU in Munich – the Metal business division showcased comprehensive solutions for residential and commercial buildings. The event brought together more than 2,100 top suppliers of building materials from over 45 countries, to collectively present their most advanced construction technologies and design concepts, attracting about 250,000 visitors. As one of the largest exhibitors, Schüco, around the theme “Experience Progress”, displayed solutions that tackle important developments such as digitalisation, urbanisation and globalisation. With innovative products and digital services featuring exceptional value, Schüco attracted numerous Chinese visitors from afar.
Focusing on local product R&D
Schüco sees a positive market environment once again for Germany. The booming residential construction situation in Germany is expected to keep investment in property attractive. With its 360° sustainability approach. In China, Schüco is seen as a leader of innovative technologies, and is currently focused on localization to meet the new expectations in China’s construction sector. As a matter of fact, more and more Schüco products are developed for or in the Chinese market. Take MFU 2.0 system for example. MFU 2.0 was jointly developed by Schüco’s head office back in Germany and engineering division in China, and was tested independently in China. It integrates with the Schüco ASE 80 TC sliding system and AWS 114 SG window system as insert unit, providing a perfect combination of functionality and aesthetics. The product is a good example that reflects Schüco’s design concept of localization. According to the 13th Five-Year Development Plan for the Construction Industry issued in 2017, technology innovations will drive industry upgrading. In this context, Schüco will maximize the use of intelligent design, and promote the digitalization of modern workflows, making fabrication more efficient.
“As the Chinese economy continues to grow rapidly, urban elite is seeking for a quality lifestyle, and paying much more attention to intelligent, people-centric product design,” said Günter Strauss, Executive Director, Schüco Greater China. “At Schüco we will tap deeper into the Chinese market by developing products and technologies locally, and providing our customers with the ultimate experiences that Schüco is famous for.”
Schüco – System solutions for windows, doors and façades
Based in Bielefeld, the Schüco Group develops and sells system solutions for windows, doors and façades. With 5400 employees worldwide, the company strives to be the industry leader in terms of technology and service today and in the future. In addition to innovative products for residential and commercial buildings, the building envelope specialist offers consultation and digital solutions for all phases of a building project – from the initial idea through to design, fabrication and installation. 12,000 fabricators, developers, architects and investors around the world work together with Schüco. The company is active in more than 80 countries and achieved a turnover of 1.670 billion euros in 2018. For more information, visit www.Schüco.com.
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Schüco International (Beijing) Co., Ltd.
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