Sales rise, order intake falls for Rieter

In the Asian countries (excluding China, India and Turkey), Rieter increased sales in the reporting year by 36 per cent to CHF 433.9 million, of which Uzbekistan contributed CHF 144.1 million.

The Rieter Group achieved an order intake of
CHF 868.8 million in the 2018 financial year,
17 per cent down on the previous year period (2017: CHF 1,051.5 million). At CHF 1,075.2 million, total sales were 11 per cent higher than the previous year (2017: CHF 965.6 million). Net liquidity increased to CHF 150.3 million (December 31, 2017:
CHF 130.5 million). The full annual financial statements and the 2018 Annual Report will be published by Rieter on March 13, 2019.

The Business Group Machines & Systems posted
an order intake of CHF 468.3 million, a reduction of
30 per cent compared to the previous year. Demand
in the new machinery business was characterized by uncertainties in Asia and Turkey as well as the tense financing situation for emerging market customers.
Both factors had a negative impact on the investment sentiment in the spinning industry. This was especially evident in the fourth quarter of 2018, which with an order intake of CHF 34.9 million was very weak in all regions.

In the Business Group Components, order intake
was CHF 260.1 million, around 14 per cent above the previous year (excluding acquisition -6 per cent). Due to weaker macroeconomic conditions, order intake in the fourth quarter of 2018 amounted to CHF 55 million
which was lower than in the previous quarters. This decline can be attributed to a low propensity for investments by customers.

With an order intake of CHF 140.4 million, the Business Group After Sales recorded a year-on-year decline of 9 per cent. Order intake of CHF 29.1 million in the fourth quarter of 2018 was lower than in the previous quarters. This is due in particular to the lower order intake for installation services for new Rieter machines.

Group sales in 2018 amounted to CHF 1,075.2 million (2017: CHF 965.6 million), an increase of 11 per cent over the previous year. Rieter achieved increased sales thanks to organic growth in the Business Group Machines & Systems.
In addition, the acquisition of SSM Textile Machinery in the Business Group Components supported this positive development. The Business Groups After Sales and Components were able to maintain the previous year’s levels of sales despite
weaker market dynamics during the second semester of 2018.

In the Asian countries (excluding China, India and Turkey), Rieter increased sales in the reporting year by 36 per cent to CHF 433.9 million, of which Uzbekistan contributed CHF 144.1 million. In 2018, sales
in China fell by 19 per cent to
CHF 148.6 million. With the phasing out of the subsidy program in the western province of Xinjiang, the demand for machinery declined. Sales in India fell by 16 per cent
to CHF 146.2 million. In Turkey, Rieter achieved sales of CHF 154.8 million (+55 per cent) in a difficult market environment, thanks to the introduction of the new ring and compact spinning machines. Sales in North and South America amounted to CHF 108.6 million (-5 per cent). In the Europe region, Rieter increased sales by 3 per cent to CHF 47.3 million. Sales in the Africa region amounted to CHF 35.8 million (+29 per cent).

At the end of 2018, Rieter’s order backlog amounted to about CHF 325 million (December 31, 2017: about
CHF 540 million). Due to the development of the business as described above, Rieter is planning capacity adjustment and cost reduction measures.

Kurt Ledermann is new CFO of Rieter

The Board of Directors of Rieter Holding Ltd has appointed Kurt Ledermann to the Group Executive Committee of Rieter Group as Chief Financial Officer, effective June 1, 2019. Ledermann started his career with SIKA AG in the area of finances after having graduated from ETH Zurich with a degree in electrical engineering and from St Gallen University with a degree in business administration. He has been working at Schaffner Holding AG in Luterbach (Switzerland) as Chief Financial Officer since 2008. Ledermann was born in 1968 and
is a Swiss citizen.

The 2019 Annual General Meeting of Rieter Holding Ltd will take place on April 4 at the Eulach-Hallen in Winterthur, Switzerland. Any proposals regarding
the agenda are to be submitted in writing to Rieter Holding Ltd, Office of the Company Secretary, Klosterstrasse 32, CH-8406 Winterthur, Switzerland
by February 22, 2019 at the latest, accompanied by information concerning the relevant motions and evidence of the necessary shareholdings.

Rieter is the world’s leading supplier of systems
for short-staple fibre spinning. Based in Winterthur (Switzerland), the company develops and manufactures machinery, systems and components used to convert natural and man-made fibres and their blends into yarns. Rieter is the only supplier worldwide to cover both spinning preparation processes
and all four end spinning
processes currently established
on the market. Furthermore,
Rieter is a leader in the field of
precision winding machines.
With 17 manufacturing locations
in 10 countries, the company employs a global workforce of
some 5,150, about 20 per cent of whom are based in Switzerland.