Weimar, 11 March 2020 - IBU-tec advanced materials AG ("IBU-tec", ISIN: DE000A0XYHT5) has continued its profitable growth in the 2019 financial year. At 48.5 million euros, group sales were four percent above the previous year's sales of 46.6 million euros. This is based on a pro-forma presentation with unaudited key financial figures for 2018. Due to the acquisition of BNT GmbH on 30 June 2018 and its inclusion in the consolidated financial statements from July 2018, a comparison of the key financial figures for 2019 with those for 2018 is only possible to a limited extent. Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) at Group level rose by three percent in 2019 to EUR 7.1 million from EUR 6.9 million. On the balance sheet date, equity was at the previous year's level of EUR 31.8 million, resulting in an equity ratio of currently 57 percent. The audited IBU-tec sales (excluding BNT) for 2018 were around EUR 19.0 million and EBITDA was EUR 4.7 million.
IBU-tec has further expanded its customer base in 2019 and thus positioned itself more broadly in the market. The primary growth drivers of the past financial year were once again in the areas of battery materials for the automotive industry and stationary energy storage, as well as chemical catalysts. This has more than compensated for the continuing downward market trend in catalytic powder materials for the automotive industry.
An important company milestone of 2019 was that IBU-tec secured a valuable supply contract for battery materials in the field of electromobility for a Far Eastern customer. This marks the first time IBU-tec has become not only a producer of battery materials but a deliverer of resources to an important global supplier of e-mobility batteries directly for battery production use. This change represents a significant expansion of the value chain.
The acquisition of BNT has significantly expanded IBU-tec's market position, adding the wet chemical sector to its core service business and addressing new markets with its own products. In 2019, several long-term contracts were concluded with customers in the glass industry at the BNT subsidiary. Another major success was the extension of a supply contract with a Swiss pharmaceutical group providing a positive earnings effect for both 2019 and 2020.
Moreover, IBU-tec continued its organic growth in 2019. One focus of investment in 2019 was the company's own production site at Bitterfeld Chemical Park. The first production orders were executed in the fourth quarter of 2019. In addition, research and development activities were further intensified in order to strengthen innovational capacity.
IBU-tec is cautiously optimistic about future business development based on current macroeconomic conditions. The company is very active in future-oriented areas such as Greentech, electromobility, energy storage and life science. It is well positioned and plans to further expand its market share in the coming years. The European glass coating market also continues to offer attractive market potential. IBU-tec will intensify its sales activities in the current 2020 financial year and continue to expand its production site at Bitterfeld Chemical Park in order to enhance and expand its technological platform.
Due to, among other things, the cautious forecasts of customers in some industries, the effects of the coronavirus and production losses in the range of EUR 5-6 million as a result of a fire at the subsidiary BNT (see ad hoc of 30 December 2019), IBU-tec expects sales in 2020 to be in the lower double-digit percentage range below the previous year's level. The EBITDA margin is still expected to be in the double-digit percentage range.
About IBU-tec
The IBU-tec Group develops and produces innovative materials of the highest quality for industry. It combines unique, partly patent-protected thermal process engineering technology with the process and material know-how of around 250 highly qualified employees.
IBU-tec products are important components of battery materials for electromobility and stationary energy storage, as well as solutions for air purification, resource conservation and the reduction of plastic packaging. IBU-tec is therefore long-termed position to respond to global megatrends – especially those related to climate and environmental protection. The company has an international customer base ranging from innovative medium-sized companies to global corporations.
Further information can be found on the Internet at www.ibu-tec.de
Contact
edicto GmbH Axel Mühlhaus
Eschersheimer Landstraße 42-44
60322 Frankfurt
Tel. +49 (0) 69-905505-52
E-Mail: IBU-tec(at)edicto.de
IBU-tec advanced materials AG Max Narr
Hainweg 9-11
99425 Weimar
Tel. +49 (0) 151 67955683
E-Mail: max.narr(at)ibu-tec.de