2022: Diehl Group back at pre-crisis levels in sales and earnings after a successful year:
All corporate divisions prospered in 2022 and have invested significantly in future growth
2023: Diehl is confident that it will continue on its profitable growth path despite persistently difficult general conditions.
The Diehl Group's corporate sales rose to €3,505.7 million in the reporting year, and thus were €338.3 million or 10.7% above the previous year‘s value (€3,167.4 million). EBIT increased by €147.1 million to €166.5 million, a disproportionately high increase compared to sales growth. As an internationally positioned and broadly diversified company, Diehl has resiliently weathered the various crises of recent years and is now back at pre-crisis levels, focusing on further profitable growth. Diehl Metall was able to continue its successful overall performance; the corporate division sees itself as being on the right path, not just in the field of electromobility. Diehl Controls was able to further increase sales despite noticeable burdens of end-customer demand, especially in the second half of the year; rising demand in the new field of inverters for heat pumps also contributed to this. The serious changes in the European security situation are reinforcing the stable growth path of the Defence Corporate Division. For Diehl Aviation, 2022 marks the turning point in the aviation market after the Corona crisis given the rising volumes. Diehl Metering was able to continue the previous year's growth despite persistent material bottlenecks and successfully expand its position as a solution provider in the field of water and energy measurement technology.
The number of employees increased by 415 persons – i.e. 2.6 % - to now 16,550 employees, particularly in the Defence (286) and Metall (93) corporate divisions.
Outlook for 2023 and further development
As an internationally positioned and broadly diversified company, Diehl has come through the crisis in a stable manner and is currently back at pre-crisis levels. All corporate divisions were able to prosper again significantly in 2022 itself, and this growth path will continue and even intensify in 2023 and subsequent years. The war in Ukraine and the associated economic slowdown in 2023 are still noticeably affecting the Metall and Controls corporate divisions, for example through a significant increase in energy costs. Overall, however, as a company with strong know-how and competencies in materials technologies, mechatronics, electronics and measurement and control technology, Diehl is excellently positioned to participate in the dynamic growth of future markets that are emerging in the sustainability and electrification sectors. This includes smart meter networks for water or heat in the Metering Corporate Division, power electronics and control technology for heat pumps in the Controls division and mechanical and electronic components for batteries in the Metall, Controls and Aviation corporate divisions. In aviation, the prospects are again looking very good thanks to the resurgence in passenger traffic and full order books of aircraft manufacturers for the coming years, and are reinforced by various innovative solutions that improve aircraft efficiency and that are attracting a high level of interest. In the defense sector, the higher priority given to national defence and increased spending on our armed forces will ensure strong growth in the long term. Diehl has been participating in this growth, in particular with the IRIS-T system that has been so successful in Ukraine. These growth potentials and market opportunities are already leading to significant and long-term personnel requirements. In addition to a broad recruiting campaign, Diehl has therefore also started to further enhance the company's attractiveness for applicants and employees through targeted measures.