Uniwheels ends 2016 with record sales volumes

A 12.2 per cent increase in sales during 2016 lifted Uniwheels AG’s overall sales volumes to more than 8.77 million wheels last year, and the recent completion of expansion work at its facility in Poland will push capacity beyond 10 million units this year. Demand from OEM customers continues to grow, and as a result, Uniwheels is now looking to set up a fifth plant as well as a further expansion of its operation in Poland.

According to the aluminium wheel manufacturer, the final three months of the 2016 fiscal year was a record quarter, with sales of 924,300 wheels in October making the month the best in the firm’s history. A further 709,100 wheels were sold in November, setting a record for Uniwheels’ Automotive segment. Total sales within the company’s Automotive segment increased 12.2 per cent year-on-year in 2016, while Accessory segment sales rose 11.75 per cent.

“We are optimistic about 2017,” states Uniwheels AG chief executive officer, Dr Thomas Buchholz. “Demand from car producers remains healthy and growing. The new plant in Stalowa Wola, which is fully on schedule, should achieve significant economies of scale, and management forecasts no further ramp up costs for 2017. Therefore we expect a substantial increase in earnings, assuming constant aluminium prices.”

“One of the reasons for our optimism is the fact that the second and final expansion phase of our new plant in Stalowa Wola, Poland has gone online. We have brought this step forward by one year – from early 2018 to early 2017,” adds Dr Wolfgang Hiller, the company’s chief operating officer. “This allows us to reach the full additional capacity of 2 million wheels annually this year, which raises total yearly group capacity to over 10.3 million wheels from 2017.”

Uniwheels’ chief financial officer, Dr Karsten Obenaus, has confirmed the company’s guidance for the 2016 and 2017 financial years. He adds that this year will be “characterised by the decision-making process with regards to an international location for a fifth plant and the planning for a further expansion of the Stalowa Wola site to create an extra capacity of 1 million wheels from first half of 2019 on.”

Further information regarding full-year 2016 performance will be contained within the Uniwheels AG 2016 Annual Report, which will be published on 23 March.