Sales volume pulled in by the Würth Group grows by 7.8 percent: Würth generates EUR 6.4 billion in the first six months of 2017

Künzelsau.The Würth Group, global market leader for trading in assembly and fastening materials, generated sales of EUR 6,391 million in the first half of 2017, which corresponds to an increase of 7.8 percent on last year. In local currency terms, this translates into growth of 7.1 percent. The development in Southern and Eastern Europe is especially pleasing. The German group reports 5.2 percent growth.

“Adolf Würth GmbH & Co. KG, the Würth Group’s parent company, opened its 450th branch office in Horb am Neckar in May. No matter if it is our brick-and-mortar business, our e-shop or our many sales representatives - even the tiniest unit influences the Group’s clout. Our challenge is to show the added value that we offer with each of our distribution channels and to motivate the customer to make use of them,” says Robert Friedmann, Chairman of the Central Managing Board of the Würth Group, to give an example for the strategic orientation of the trading group. The development of the operating result is pleasing. Thanks to growth of 21.8 percent, the Würth Group reports an operating result of EUR 335 million in the first half of 2017.

Employees

In the first half of 2017, the number of employees worldwide increased by 2.5 percent to 73,172 (December 2016: 71,391). The Würth Group employs 32,034 people in the sales force worldwide. The German group has 22,223 employees on the payroll.

CARMEN WÜRTH FORUM

On 18 July 2017, the Würth Group will celebrate two major events. Carmen Würth, the wife of Reinhold Würth, will celebrate her 80th birthday. At the same time, the CARMEN WÜRTH FORUM, named after her, will be inaugurated.

The exclusive convention center located in Künzelsau was designed by the firm David Chipperfield Architects. The multifunctional building, measuring approximately 11,000 square meters, will contain an event hall that can be divided into several rooms, the Great Hall with room for up to 2,500 visitors, and the Reinhold Würth Hall, a chamber music hall large enough for 600 people. In addition, it will feature a foyer and a terrace for get-togethers and evening events. The park in front of the forum offers enough space to host up to 10,000 guests. CARMEN WÜRTH FORM can be used for all sorts of events organized by the Würth Group or can be hired out to third parties.

Right after the opening, two big open air events will take place there – a concert of German rap artist Cro on 22 July 2017 and a concert of Sting on 23 July 2017.

About the Würth Group

The Würth Group is the world's market leader in its core business, the trade of assembly and fastening materials. It currently consists of more than 400 companies in over 80 countries with more than 73,000 employees on its payroll. Approximately 32,000 of them are permanently employed sales representatives.

In the Group's core business, the Würth Line, the sales program for the trades and industry comprises more than 125,000 products: from screws, screw accessories and anchors over tools to technical chemicals and personal protective equipment.

The Allied Companies of the Würth Group, which either operate in business areas related to the Group’s core business or in diversified business areas, round off the range by offering products for DIY stores, material for electrical installations, electronic components such as circuit boards, and financial services. They account for more than 40 percent of the Würth Group's sales volume.