Battery business gives us hope for better times

China's business climate has brightened for the special machine builders embattled Manz. Also the China Factories battery business is becoming the workhorse. "The area is the branch with the highest growth rate at Manz. This positive development will continue further in the years to come", CEO Dieter Manz said Thursday in an interview with the Reuters news agency. So, electric mobility in the United States and China was a big issue. Also the development of energy storage for solar systems is promising.

Already at the beginning of the year, the battery range at Manz took care of rising sales. The Group's sales increased in the traditionally weak first quarter to just under 20 percent to 64.5 million euros. Also earnings reached the profit before interest, taxes and depreciation (EBITDA) with 0.9 million euros again after a fall of 6.4 million in the previous year. Net loss on 3.2 sank (previous year: minus 10.2) million.

Stock market turmoil in China and uncertainty about the country's economic development had throttled 2015 general investment willingness. Manz lost orders for 140 million euros due to cancellations and wrote red numbers. The Board drove against with layoffs and repeated the Chinese Shanghai electric machinery in the boat.

He wants to secure at least 29.9 percent of the company company from Reutlingen in the course of a capital increase Digital Devices Factories. Shanghai Electric to in the future as anchor shareholders provide not only for financial backing, but also facilitate market access to the people's Republic Manz.