246 million euros in sales (plus ten percent) and 35 million euros in earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (Ebitda, plus 15 percent): This is how Wintersteiger performed in 2023. “Despite the difficult economic environment, we were able to further expand our strong market position in our niche markets and grow profitably in 2023,” Wintersteiger boss Harold Kostka was quoted as saying in a press release.
Kostka has been at Wintersteiger since 2014 and replaced long-time boss Florestan von Boxberg at the top at the beginning of the year. Von Boxberg moved to the supervisory board of the Innviertel company, which was approved at the general meeting the previous week.
Wintersteiger was founded 70 years ago and the business is now based on four pillars: these are ski service machines, seed machines, wood processing systems and straightening machines. As reported, all divisions were converted into independent companies in the summer of 2023 and combined into an industrial holding company. This is in order to “be even closer to the customer, shorten decision-making processes and become even faster through a focused division of labor,” as the broadcast says.
When it comes to ski service machines, the largest business area, Wintersteiger is growing primarily in the USA because the rental business is picking up there. The seed machinery sector benefits from the global race for climate-resistant seeds.
Wood processing plants had a difficult year due to the construction crisis, but the downturn appears to have been overcome. The acquisition of the German company Hema in 2022 helped Wintersteiger to bridge the timber construction crisis in the tool factory in Thuringia and in the plant construction company in Upper Austria in this division.
400 million euros in sales by 2027
The leveling machines area was reorganized in 2020. The German Kohler Maschinenbau GmbH is continuously in the black, says Thomas Fürkötter, head of technology at Wintersteiger and responsible for this division.
The people of Innviertel are sticking to their goal of increasing sales to 400 million euros by 2027. The aim is to continue to grow organically and through acquisitions. 1200 employees are working, 100 more than in 2022.
Author
Martin Roithner
Economics editor
Martin Roithner
