Presseinformation

Press Release

Information Presse

Oberderdingen, Germany, 23 May 2017

Fiscal Year 2016 of the BLANCO Professional Group

Foundations Laid for Future Growth

The Blanco Professional Group – a system supplier in the B2B sector for commercial kitchens, medical facilities and industry – achieved a consolidated turnover in the fiscal year 2016 of 119.8 million euros with 682 staff members. This equates to a growth of 3.6 percent compared to the previous year. The corporate group, based in Oberderdingen in Germany, has therefore established a sound basis for future growth.

The primary focus is on a product portfolio that is geared to the respective target groups and the creation of more efficient processes based on a clearly defined and agreed operational structure. In both fields – boosting efficiency and target group orientation – the four business units made great progress in 2016. This applies in particular to the increasingly important focus on customer requirements.

For example, the Catering business unit is taking an important step towards more efficient target group communication with its "Blanco Cook 2017 Promotional Package" with interlinked offline and online measures. The Industrial business unit has continued to drive forward the development of individual system solutions throughout the entire customer portfolio. The products range from components for tank systems in the automotive sector to assemblies for irrigation technology. In 2016 the Medical business unit continued concentrating on mobile furniture. In the Railway business unit, handling of the large Siemens and Hitachi orders took centre stage.

Alongside organisational realignment, more focus is to be placed on the development of a powerful, independent corporate brand – Blanco Professional. The central aim is to become a unique, solution-oriented system supplier for comprehensive solutions with regard to both content and design. The most important pillars of this development through to a strong corporate brand for Blanco Professional are and will continue to be the company’s employees. The creation of an attractive employer brand is therefore also one of the most important priorities over the next few years.

In light of limited growth potential on the traditional European markets, CEO Roland Spleiss is following a comprehensive internationalisation strategy. At the same time the company will maintain its presence in Europe. In spite of the wide-ranging tasks that have to be mastered, Spleiss is looking optimistically to the future: "We are facing a double challenge: On the one hand we are undergoing an in-depth cultural change, on the other we are realigning our business model at the same time. We are approaching this task systematically. Initial successes have already been achieved that encourage us to continue along the road ahead. The future starts now."

In 2016, investment was made in the press line at the Oberderdingen facility to strengthen it in the long term. On the basis of a supplementary collective agreement negotiated several months ago with employee representatives, further investments will follow over the next few years. These measures are aimed at establishing the foundations for a sustainable site with safe jobs that is geared to the future.

Blanco Professional is active in the B2B sector. The group produces high-quality capital goods for commercial kitchens and medical facilities and is a supplier to industry. The Blanco Professional Group achieved a consolidated annual turnover of 119.8 million euros with its 682 employees (fiscal year 2016).

In addition to its headquarters in Oberderdingen (Baden-Württemberg), the group has subsidiaries in Germany, Belgium, France, the UK, Austria and the Czech Republic. It also has sales offices in Switzerland, Spain, Russia and Asia.

Blanco Professional is a separate company affiliated with the household sink and kitchen fittings specialist Blanco.

The Blanc & Fischer family holding has a majority share in both Blanco and Blanco Professional. BLANCO Professional stands for a living, value-based corporate culture.

More background information

The BLANCO Professional Group

With its four business units, BLANCO Professional stands for high-quality solutions in the B2B sector for commercial kitchens (Catering business unit), hospitals and medical practices (Medical business unit) and as a supplier for industry (Industrial and Railway business units).

With around 682 employees, the group achieves a consolidated annual turnover of 119.8 million euros (fiscal year 2016). In addition to its headquarters in Oberderdingen (Baden-Württemberg), the BLANCO Professional Group has subsidiaries in Germany, Belgium, France, the UK, Austria and the Czech Republic. It also has sales offices in Switzerland, Spain, Russia and Asia. There are production facilities in Germany and the Czech Republic. BLANCO Professional stands for a living, value-based corporate culture.

In 1925 Heinrich Blanc founded Blanc & Co., which primarily manufactured stainless steel products for private and commercial kitchens, as well as for medical functional areas. In 2007, the B2B business units active in the capital goods sector were combined in an independent group, known today as the BLANCO Professional Group.

The division for private domestic kitchens (sinks, fittings, waste separation systems) continues under the name of BLANCO GmbH + Co KG. Both companies operate as autonomous affiliated companies, and the BLANC & FISCHER family holding has a majority share in both.

The four business units of the BLANCO Professional Group.

The Catering business unit manufactures products and systems for professional commercial kitchens, e.g. in hotels, canteens, hospitals and schools. This includes systems for storing food, portioning, transporting, keeping food cold or hot and front cooking (show cooking) with food presentation.

The Medical business unit is a supplier of medical functional furniture for clinics, hospitals, medical practices and outpatient departments. The product range includes functional trolleys, ISO transport trolleys and mobile furniture for operating theatres.

The Industrial business unit manufactures individually-made precision parts from stainless steel, aluminium and synthetics for industry, for example components for laboratory technology, white goods (electrical household appliances) and automotive parts.

The Railway business unit produces individual stainless steel components and complete systems for the food service technology of rail vehicles, for example space-saving water system concepts and completely integrated galley kitchens for high-speed trains.

Photos and possible captions:

File BLANCO-Professional_PK-2017_1

The Managing Directors of Blanco Professional GmbH + Co KG (l. to r.), Michael Huber, Chief Technical Officer (CTO), and Roland Spleiss, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), in front of the newly installed press line. In 2016 approximately 3.6 million euros were invested in the Oberderdingen site, especially in renewing machinery.

Photo: Blanco Professional

Files Blanco-Professional_PK-2017_2, 3

The most important pillars for the development of a strong corporate brand for Blanco Professional are the employees.

Photo: Blanco Professional

For further information, please contact:

BLANCO Professional GmbH + Co KG

Flehinger Strasse 59

75038 Oberderdingen, Germany

Phone +49 7045 44-81900

Fax +49 7045 44-81481

www.blanco-professional.com

Press contact:

BLANCO Professional GmbH + Co KG

Mareike Fischer

Marketing and Communication

Flehinger Strasse 59

75038 Oberderdingen, Germany

Phone +49 7045 44-81428

Fax +49 7045 44-81245

www.blanco-professional.com

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