Family business, fischer Group, based in the Northern Black Forest Region of Germany, reached a record high turnover of €988 million in 2021. Despite Coronavirus and other pressures fischer not only increased production and turnover but also increased staff numbers by 200.
The largest division of the company, fischer fixing systems, has traditionally contributed disproportionately to group growth and in 2021 it saw an 18% year-on-year increase in turnover. This was due to innovative new products and a growth of services to various fixing customer groups.
It is well known that automotive companies have suffered with the shortage of semi-conductors and fischer’s Automotive division was no different, with a reduction of 4% year-on-year.
Looking to the future, fischer customers in China will benefit from planned expanded production capacity there in 2022.
Awards
Toys, education and other industry divisions saw fischertechnik’s turnover grow by 14%. Several awards for fischer products have helped this growth. The German Association of Toy and Game Retailers selected fischer’s H2 Fuel Cell Car as one of its top ten toys of 2021 while the Green Energy Construction Kit and the Animal Friends Construction Kit both won the German Toy Award, one of the most coveted and prestigious awards in the industry.
Expansion
Internationally fischer divisions have manged to achieve significant turnover growth in most of the 38 countries in which fischer is represented.
A new Automotive facility built in Serbia opened in June 2021 and another is being planned. This should enable fischer to be less reliant on Far East suppliers in the future.
Another new fischer fixings factory in Vietnam is now operational as of the first quarter of 2022.
Innovation and Digitalisation
The future has always been a consideration at fischer and the company continues to develop its digital services like the Plug-finder App, for fixings users, while the Building Information Modelling service is far more comprehensive, involving inputs at all levels from planning buildings to their operation.
Staff, Sustainability and the Future
Fischer is noted for its work on active environmental management and sustainability and staff are encouraged to contribute to the minimisation of waste and maximisation of efficiency via the fischer ProcessSystem. Personal development of all staff is encouraged and the company’s 103 apprentices and dual degree students regard themselves as lucky to be part of the fischer system.
2022 Outlook
With the proviso of taking into account the current uncertainties in the world, fischer is still expecting another increase in turnover in 2022 by doing what it always does – innovation and modernisation to suit the green demands required by the future.
