Ceepackaging

Corporate

Substantial growth for Optima

By NEWS SYSTEM
Published: February 8th, 2008
Related tags: checking, coffee, consumer, engineering, nonwoven, optical, pharma, software

Under good cyclical conditions, the Optima Group from Schwäbisch Hall could close the 2007 business year with a substantial growth. The consolidated sales of the company increased 15% to 170 m. Euros when compared to the previous year. The Optima Group currently has 1,180 employees, 180 staff members, and 1,000 in Germany (state: end of December 2007). The Optima Group manufactures innovative filling and packaging machines for the Pharma, Consumer and Nonwovens sectors. Combined manufacturing and packaging machines for Medicare products as well as MES software and optical checking systems complement the product range.

The concentration of the Optima Group on the Pharma, Consumer and Nonwovens sectors in the past years has turned out to be the correct decision. In all three sectors, the sales in the business year, which ended in December 2007, have achieved a substantial level.

Business activities by sectors

The filling and packaging technology for the pharmaceutical sector saw tremendous growth. The strong focus in research within pharmaceutical companies, utilizing the latest filling and packaging technologies has been reconsidered. This opens up a new rationalization potential, increasing at the same time the process and product safety. For the Optima Group Pharma, the investment into the freeze-drying specialist Klee pays off. In combination with the numerous innovations in the up- and downstream process, the company is in the meantime considered to be one of the leading front-runners. The Optima Group Pharma is thus a worldwide partner in turnkey line business.

The pharmaceutical sector expects the highest growth potential today in the field of biotech pharmaceuticals. With innovations such as the 100% in-process check, Optima Group Pharma confirms that facing the specific requirements of this segment with new ideas opens up numerous saving potentials.

The Optima Group Consumer sector offers trend-setting packaging solutions for the chemical, food and cosmetic industries. This sector operates on an extremely high level and has already achieved in the past years to reach a leading position with the manufacturing and packaging machines for coffee portion packs. The trend towards coffee portion packs is internationally unbroken. This and other novelties, such as the second generation of the softcan production machines – plants for the production and filling of Cyclero® softcans, will be shipped in spring 2008 and promises continued growth. The chemical and cosmetic machines also have a very good reputation. With the presentation of new machine concepts combined with top performances in output and flexibility, the Optima Group Consumer offers its customers interesting technical solutions.

The Optima Group Nonwovens sector focuses on a broad base of packaging machines for paper hygiene articles. Optima as a leading specialist, followed by the Italian and French affiliates, Amotek as a supplier in the medium and lower price segments, and Sierem as a supplier of product buffering and stacker systems, cover this segment. The new presentation of the Optima Rainbow machine allows for a positive sales forecast for 2008 as one example. With this machine model, Optima has succeeded to further increase the market-leading output and flexibility of the former top model, while at the same time decreasing the price.

Medicon continuously expands its range of manufacturing and packaging machines. A current innovation being the four-edged sealed bag machine that can be installed as either a module in converting machines or as a separate packaging unit. Despite it’s young age, the Medicon company, within a short period of time has acquired a good name and is involved in projects with large Medicare companies. Autocon offers MES and SCADA software to the Pharma, Consumer and Nonwovens sectors, providing for transparency and efficiency in both the converting and packaging processes. Since the fall of 2007, this product range has expanded in the area of optical check systems. Autocon offers solutions designed for the gigabyte range, permitting faster and more precise measurements. Autocon is represented in projects throughout the group.

Business activities by regions

As an individual nation, the USA was the most significant market for the Optima Group in 2007. However, in looking at the European Union as a single market, this region represents with approx. 50% the largest share in overall sales. As far as growth markets are concerned, Eastern Europe turned out to be virtually dynamic. And with regard to the sales growth of the Optima Group, Asia and South America were on the same level as Europe as a whole.

Events, inaugurations and expansion

Significant activities and events shaped the 2007 business year. Taking the lead was the Pharma Forum, attended by numerous international authorities in industrial research and technology. These authorities took the lead by conveying to the participants, customers of the Optima Group Pharma, a wealth of experience in two days of sessions. The Pharma Forum took place in the new facility of the Optima Group Pharma at the Schwäbisch Hall site, where already one day later, on June 22, the inauguration of the building was celebrated. This building activity doubled the existing office and manufacturing areas. No more than four months later, the Optima Group Pharma inaugurated another new building in Gladenbach/Mornshausen. The building technology has especially been designed for the manufacture of pharmaceutical freeze-dryers.

In October, the Brazilian subsidiary Optima do Brasil celebrated its ten years of existence. This site, with engineering and manufacturing capacities, has been established at an early phase in the South American market. International expansion in China: Having been represented in the Chinese market only through representatives, the Optima Group set the course for its own subsidiary with manufacturing capacities in 2007. The legal foundation of the company is nearly completed, buildings have been rented, and managerial staff has been hired to allow the start of regular business operations in the first half of 2008.

Another important event in November was the Cosmetic Forum, which appealed to numerous international guests who traveled to Schwäbisch Hall. Also here, the exchange of experience concerning topics of this sector was the main emphasis. The forum was followed by the inauguration of the third building of the year for the Optima Group. The new company building of Kugler Kosmetik GmbH and SF Vision GmbH, the latter one being a premium partner of the Optima Group, represents a doubling of the surface area when compared to the previous one.

Outlook

The continuously positive macroeconomic situation shows various, though not yet predictable risks that could have an impact on the business development of the Optima Group: The prices for raw materials and energy will probably remain at a high level, which, however, will affect the cost situation of all packaging machine manufacturers. The same applies to the foreign exchange risk of the dollar: Since the competitors of the Optima Group are nearly all housed in Europe, no foreign exchange-related price differentials are to be expected. Apart from that, the Optima Group has a subsidiary directly located in US market, which grants certain flexibility. To be further safeguarded against foreign exchange risks, the company has made currency-hedging transactions with banks. To reduce the currency risk on these international markets, contracts outside Europe and the USA were increasingly concluded in Euros.

Decisions on current investments from the customer’s side will most probably be made after the Interpack 2008, the worldwide leading exhibition. With numerous innovations in the sectors Pharma, Consumer and Nonwovens being presented at the Interpack 2008, the Optima Group has positioned themselves for a very good starting position to conquer additional market shares, which will take their effects in the 2008 and 2009 business years.