Witron increased sales 20% from 2011 to 2012

For 2013, the general contractor anticipates a further increase. The basis for its success is a strong customer focus, the continuous development of existing technologies, and new innovations that have been quickly established in the logistics market.

"The percentage increase in sales was 20% from 2011 to 2012," says CEO Helmut Prieschenk, in the course of this year's press conference held at the headquarters in Parkstein. "For 2013, we also expect an increase in the double-digit range, so we can look very positively into the future. Our motivation is to provide our customers in every project a solution with maximum cost-efficiency and effectiveness. Therefore, we do not sit back and relax, but keep on working hard and consistently."

Recent contract wins include for Finnish customer INEX Partners Oy. This order represents the largest single project in the history of both Witron and INEX. When complete, it will be one of the largest food retail logistics centres in the world. The 1,528,475 square foot logistics center in Sipoo will supply some 40% of all Finnish people with food from the dry goods assortment, the perishable area, as well as frozen goods. On a peak day, Witron's modules OPM, DPS, ACS, and CPS will pick over 1.4 million units store-friendly onto pallets or roll containers.

Scandinavia has become a very attractive market for Witron in recent years based on their intense focus on ergonomic work processes. 

"Our goal is to cover the entire chain of added value for trade with integrated logistics solutions. Regardless of whether that supply chain is food retail, spare parts, drugstore, cosmetics, or pharmaceutical sectors", said Walter Winkler, founder and owner of Witron. "As general contractor, we offer systems with high optimisation potential for all industry sectors – including a broad range of customer services even up to the daily operation of a logistics plant."

And E-Commerce will become a greater focus in the future. For example, Witron is currently in the ramp-up phase of an ultra-modern E-Commerce logistics center for the online retailer ATP, Auto-Teile-Poellath Handels GmbH, in Pressath (Germany). New Multi-Channel solutions are currently being developed based on concrete customer demands. 

Subsidiary FAS triples production area

Witron's strategic decision to buy FAS (Foerderanlagen Systeme GmbH) some years ago for the in-house production of mechanical components has paid off.  

"This is the only way to ensure our ambition in terms of speed of innovation, quality, and availability for a system used 24 hours a day, 7 days a week", explains Winkler. "The fact that our customers rely on this high quality is demonstrated by the constantly increasing demand of Witron solutions worldwide".  

Witron is building a new production plant which will triple the FAS production area to a total of 516,666 square feet starting in summer 2013. FAS revenue tripled from 2010 to 2013 - from 24 million Euros to 85 million Euros. 

Generally "multi-functional" mechanical components play an important role for Witron. Pallets, roll containers, and insulated containers are transported on patented conveyor systems at the same time. Mechanical tote stackers are designed in such way that these totes with different heights and sizes can be stacked one above the other in a store-friendly manner. "Even the demanding requirements for the mechanised stacking of fruit and vegetable cartons in different sizes and with various packaging qualities can be managed", according to Prieschenk.