MT recently announced the Maakindustrie top 100 again. This lists the 100 most successful manufacturing companies in the Netherlands. What stands out about the list this time?
In any case, it is clear that the manufacturing industry is benefiting considerably from the good economic situation in our country, with the total turnover of the 100 companies in the list growing by 6.1 per cent. But not only did they earn more, they also worked more. Despite the rise of robotics, employment increased by 3.1 per cent, MT.nl reports in a summary report.
The maakindustrie 100 is a list of the 100 most successful manufacturing companies in the Netherlands with a turnover of less than €500 million, compiled for the sixth time this year by Corporate Finance International (CFI) on behalf of Management Team.
"These companies are often less well known than the well-known big concerns like Philips, AkzoNobel and ASML, but play at least as big a role in our economy," MT states. They employ a total of more than 60,000 people (53,073 FTE), many of them in the Netherlands. And despite hearing many reports these days that robotisation is causing jobs to disappear, the number of FTE at major manufacturing companies is still growing: 3.1 per cent in 2017.
Average turnover per employee
There is a new number 1 this year: Verder Groep. MT says about this ranking: "On average, this family business managed to score best on our criteria, namely highest turnover, average turnover growth, profit growth and return on investment over the past five years. Further makes high-tech laboratory equipment and a wide range of pumps and mixers for industrial applications. Turnover has doubled over the past five years, reaching EUR 272 million. The company employs over 1,397 people in 25 countries."
Striking shifts
There are some shifts in the list, as is always the case. The top five includes no less than two new names: Moba (191 mln.turnover) and Christiaens Groep (83 mln.)
The number 1 of both 2017 and 2016, Roermond-based SIF Group, has dropped way down in this year's list. "The listed builder of foundations for offshore wind farms, among other things, saw its turnover drop sharply partly due to delays in contracting projects and is therefore in tenth place this year."
Total turnover
For years there has been a trend for more and more manufacturing companies to be owned by private equity parties. In the meantime, one in three companies in the top 100 is in the hands of a venture investor. And while PE often has a reputation for staying in companies for a short time and plucking them dry in the meantime, at least in the manufacturing industry that does not seem to be the standard recipe. Trespa, the facade laminate manufacturer, has been owned by HAL since 1996 and has a healthy EBIT margin of 18.5 per cent.
Malaise in offhore
You won't find the fastest growers in high-tech, but in traditionally strong sectors such as Food, Agro and metal. Many fewer are still doing so in the maritime and offshore sector, where not only SIF, but another former number 1 is struggling. Huisman, manufacturer of equipment for the oil and gas industry, has been struggling with declining sales for years. Shipbuilders still manage to grow, but much less spectacularly than other sectors.
Eastern and southern Netherlands in particular
The composition of the list also provides immediate insight into the distribution of the manufacturing industry across the Netherlands. By far the most manufacturing companies are in North Brabant, followed by Gelderland and Overijssel. Close to the main sales market Germany, in other words, or near the port of Rotterdam.
The full list can be found here .
Source: MT.nl
