Hamburg, April 5, 2019 - 2018 was a very good fiscal year for the Eppendorf Group. The globally operating Hamburg-based life sciences company increased its Group sales by 5.6% (organic growth in local currencies +8.2%) to €729.2 million (previous year: €690.3 million). Income from operations (EBIT) rose by 5.6% to €153.7 million (previous year: €145.5 million). This corresponds to an EBIT margin of 21.1% (previous year: 21.1%). All major product groups and all market regions contributed to this positive development.
"Eppendorf achieved a very good result in 2018 in a dynamic market environment. It is particularly pleasing that we have once again grown faster than the market environment," says Thomas Bachmann, President and Chief Executive Officer of Eppendorf AG. "The company developed positively in all markets and thus consistently continued its profitable growth course. We achieved the targets we had set ourselves and at the same time pushed ahead with the strategic realignment of Eppendorf. This is a very good performance by all employees worldwide."
In North and South America, sales growth in local currencies amounted to 9.0%, the average industry growth in the region was clearly exceeded. North America in particular contributed to Eppendorf outperforming the market. Europe also posted very good growth rates with sales growth of 5.7% in local currencies. The strongest growth of 11.1% in local currencies was recorded in the Asia/Pacific/Africa region. All countries in this region contributed to the very good business development, with growth rates in China and India being particularly noteworthy.
In 2018, numerous measures, projects and initiatives in the areas of market development, portfolio management, infrastructure and corporate culture were implemented as part of the realignment of Eppendorf. They set the course for the company's successful future and put the new global organization into effect. This will enable Eppendorf to gear itself even better to the needs of the various markets and customers in the future. This also includes a comprehensive innovation initiative, within the framework of which numerous pilot projects for the product development have been carried out. In 2018, as in the previous year, Eppendorf significantly increased its expenditure on research and development. At €45.3 million (previous year: €36.5 million), these reached a new record level.
