Medical textiles maker Hartmann H1 sales rise 1.7%

Organic growth excluding exchange-rate and acquisition effects was 2.4%. Investments in product ranges and markets, which support the growth of the company for the coming years under the BENCHMARK program, had a slightly negative impact on the results.

Strongest sales growth in the Infection Management segment

In the Wound Management segment, HARTMANN increased sales revenues by 2.3% to EUR 239.9 million in the first half of 2013. Growth impulses came from the modern wound care products and postoperative dressings. Sales of the negative-pressure wound therapy system offered under the Vivano brand continued to be positive.

In the Incontinence Management segment, sales revenues were EUR 313.1 million as at June 30, 2013, a slight decrease of 1.0%. This development was mainly due to deliberate withdrawal from unprofitable sales through tenders in some markets. With regard to products, HARTMANN benefited from sales growth of MoliMed incontinence pads and the Menalind skin care range.

The Infection Management segment recorded the strongest growth in the HARTMANN GROUP in the first half of 2013. Sales revenues in this segment increased by 4.5% to EUR 198.6 million. Especially in the product categories surgical sets, hand and surface disinfectants as well as disposable surgical instruments, the company achieved strong sales growth.

The share of the medical core segments in total sales was 84.5% as at June 30, 2013.

Other Group Activities recorded sales revenues of EUR 137.2 million in the first six months of the fiscal year, an increase of 2.8% compared to the previous year. The NOGE Group particularly contributed to this growth.

Investments in markets impact EBIT and consolidated net income

In the first half of 2013, HARTMANN launched a series of measures to support growth of the company for the coming years under the corporate BENCHMARK program. This includes, for example, building and expanding sales activities in the field of negative-pressure wound therapy and modern wound care, as well as for hand and surface disinfection. With continued high prices for raw materials and traded goods, investments in the market impacted results.

EBIT decreased by 2.4% to EUR 50.3 million as at June 30, 2013 compared to the previous year. Consolidated net income decreased by 3.9% to EUR 31.5 million.

Continued high equity ratio

The equity ratio was 52.4% at the end of the first half of 2013. At June 30, 2013, net debt of the HARTMANN GROUP was EUR 118.5 million compared to EUR 137.3 million in the previous year.

Number of employees increased

On June 30, 2013, the HARTMANN GROUP had 10,372 employees, an increase of 152 employees compared to the end of 2012. This change is mainly based on the expansion of staff in Russia in preparation for opening the new production and logistics site near Moscow as well as on the expansion of production capacities in the Czech Republic.

In addition, the number of employees in customer-facing functions in Germany as well as in the CMC and NOGE Groups increased. At the end of the first half of 2013, 39.1% of the employees were working in Germany, 60.9% in foreign operations.

Hartmann