Sustainably innovative

Linde Material Handling is a global premium manufacturer of forklift trucks and warehouse trucks. As one of the three segments of KION Group AG, Linde Material Handling is the market leader in Europe. In 2014, the segment generated 59% of revenue and 77% of EBIT in the KION Group.

The segment comprises the brands Linde, Fenwick, Baoli and Voltas. Linde as the global premium brand and technology leader is famous for the robustness, user-friendliness and performance of its products. In France, Linde products are marketed under the Fenwick brand. Fenwick-Linde is the biggest national material handling provider. The Baoli brand covers the economy segment in China and in other growth markets in Asia, Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Africa, as well as South and Central America. In China, the brand has been represented by Linde (China) Forklift Truck Corp. Ltd for over 22 years, and it is also positioned in the top segment there as the most important international supplier. Voltas is the brand of KION India Pvt. Ltd. with head office in Pune, India. Alongside KION segment Linde Material Handling, the Company Linde Material Handling GmbH provides operational management for the Linde and Fenwick brands – this forms the focus of this report. There were no significant changes for the company during the year under review.

More than 110 years of experience

Linde Material Handling was founded in 1904 by the entrepreneurs Dr Hugo Güldner, Dr Carl von Linde and Dr Georg von Krauss under the name Güldner Motoren-Gesellschaft. In 1929, Linde purchased all the shares in this company and the Company grew organically and through acquisitions over the subsequent decades. In 1959, Linde switched from diesel engines and tractors to industrial trucks and hydraulic components. The takeover of Baker Material Handling Corporation in 1977 enabled the Company to strengthen its position in North America. Other takeovers included France’s biggest forklift truck manufacturer Fenwick in 1984 and British manufacturer Lansing Bagnall in 1989.

Since 1993, Linde Material Handling has been operating in China with its own production. In 2006, the material handling business was hived off from conglomerate Linde AG and was sold to Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. and Goldman Sachs Capital Partners. The new owners launched it on the stock exchange under the name KION Group AG in an initial public offering. Since September 2014, the KION share has been listed in the MDAX Index. The head office of Linde Material Handling and the biggest plant are located in Aschaffenburg.

Active worldwide

As a company operating on the international stage, Linde Material Handling now has production and assembly plants in all the important regions of the world and a global sales and service network with representative offices in more than 100 countries. During the business year 2014, Linde Material Handling generated revenue of € 3.1 billion* (2013: € 2.9 billion*) with a workforce of just under 14,000 employees* – this represented an increase of 6.8%. EBIT grew by almost 10 % to € 339.6 million compared with 2013*. In 2014, the biggest share in revenue growth was generated by the sale of electric forklift trucks and warehouse technology products, as well as a strengthened service and spare parts business. Europe is the core market for Linde Material Handling. The main markets here are Germany, France, the United Kingdom and Spain. Outside Europe China is the most important sales market. Growth markets in South America, Asia and Eastern Europe are increasingly important.

“Strategy 2020”

The KION Group is pursuing a multi-brand strategy. Within the framework of “Strategy 2020”, the mission of the Linde brand is to strengthen its presence in North America and some emerging markets while continuing to strengthen its leading market position in Europe. The vehicles are produced close to the relevant sales markets within a global production network for these and other brands of the KION Group.