Sales

No increases in sales volumes were achieved in the Group in the reporting year, but price increases were implemented. Detailed information on these figures can be found in the section on earnings.

In the area of outbound logistics, an improvement in container availability was observed on all supplied routes by summer 2023. This contributed to our customers being supplied faster and more reliably. The improved availability also had a positive effect on freight prices after several years of tension. At the end of the year, the container market was once again burdened by uncertainties resulting from the further deterioration of the geopolitical situation. Due to these uncertainties, it is necessary to adjust container routes depending on the situation, for example as a result of increased piracy in the Red Sea. The shortage of drivers in Europe in the previous year eased in 2023 due to the weakening European economy. By putting national transport services from Ulm out to tender, we were able to secure stable prices in the future and drive forward the digitalisation and sustainability of our transport operations. The tender and the associated change of service provider will also compensate for the toll increase relevant to all transport operations in Germany. In the outbound logistics of the French production company, delivery performance to the south of France was improved due to the favourable market situation. The commissioning of the plant in Waco resulted in a significant reduction in the average distance to the customer, thereby saving costs and CO₂.

Procurement and production

In order to meet the constantly increasing requirements in terms of product and packaging diversity, three new filling systems for adhesives were put into operation at the Ulm site in the reporting year. Furthermore, a roller pallet stacker was replaced in the logistics centre in order to continue to ensure the necessary technical availability and performance. In addition to the investments in production, several photovoltaic systems with a total output of 194 kWp were installed. The expansion of e-mobility was promoted by installing additional charging stations.

After an intensive planning, construction and installation phase, the second dry mortar plant in the USA was commissioned in April 2023. It is located in Waco, Texas and has two production lines, which differ mainly in the area of filling. The filling line at the Polish production company Uzin Polska Produkty Budowlane Sp.zo.o. was modernised in 2023. The filling line, which after modernisation includes an 8-spout Roto packer, a palletiser and a bonnet spreader, was put into operation in July. At the beginning of August 2023, heavy rain in Slovenia led to flooding, which also affected the Slovenian production company Uzin Utz Slovenija d.o.o. In addition to the warehouse and parts of the administration, production was also flooded. Production activities could be resumed by the end of August. Uzin Utz Nederland B.V. invested in an additional 1C production facility, which was commissioned in the fourth quarter of 2023. At the site of Uzin Utz Tools GmbH & Co. KG in Mettmann, renovation work began in the last quarter of 2023 on premises that will be used in future as a craftsmen's training academy for the sustainable use of products. The theory room was completed in 2023, while the practice rooms are scheduled for completion in the first quarter of 2024.

The pandemic emergency response team set up in previous years was dissolved in 2023 as a consequence of the transition from pandemic to endemic. In this context, all previously existing operational measures were also cancelled. However, tests were still made available to employees and the experience gained from the pandemic will continue to characterise everyday working life in the future.

The 2023 financial year was characterised by significantly improved availability on the markets. This led to a reduction in inventories in the industry, which significantly shortened our suppliers' delivery times. The supplier industry responded to the lower demand by adjusting production capacities at an unusually fast pace. The output volume of the plants was significantly reduced and in some cases plants were completely shut down. As a result, prices were only adjusted downwards very slowly. There were clear differences within the raw material segments in terms of the downward price trend. The trend of slightly falling prices increasingly came to a standstill in the fourth quarter. This development is partly due to the significant rise in inbound logistics costs, for example as a result of the increase in toll costs.

In 2023, Uzin Utz SE was certified in a surveillance audit with regard to certification according to DIN ISO 9001 and DIN ISO 14001. Uzin Utz Tools GmbH & Co KG was also certified in 2023 in a surveillance audit for DIN ISO 9001:2015. The purpose of this systematic quality management is the continuous improvement of the company's performance, which was again fully certified for the audited companies.

For us, sustainability also continues to play a decisive role in the topic of waste disposal. Our own waste disposal department at Uzin Utz SE ensures that we meet the demand for economic efficiency combined with ecological and social responsibility. In digital training courses, our employees at the Ulm site are trained in the professional and sustainable handling of waste disposal. These standards are passed on to affiliated group companies.

In the financial year 2022, the Group produced at the production sites in Ulm, Würzburg, Ilsfeld, Mettmann, Buochs (Switzerland), Sursee (Switzerland), Haaksbergen (Netherlands), Dover (USA), Legnica (Poland), Soissons (France), Shanghai (China), Ljubljana (Slovenia) and Jakarta (Indonesia). The overall capacity utilisation of all Uzin Utz plants was around 78.7%, and thus fell by around -4.7  percentage points compared to the previous year (83.4). Capacity utilization therefore fell slightly compared to the previous year, as forecast in the 2022 Annual Report. The reasons for this were the lower production volumes due to lower demand and the increase in capacity as a result of investments.

Personnel

The average number of employees in the Group as a whole, excluding apprentices, rose to 1,480 (1,466). Of these, 781 (776) worked in Germany and 699 (690) abroad. In addition, 44 (47) young people were offered apprenticeships. This means that we were once again able to maintain our apprenticeship programme at a high level and offer young people prospects for the future. At the same time, in-house training offers the opportunity to develop skilled personnel ourselves and thus counteract the shortage of skilled workers.

For the proportion of women in the first two management levels, the Executive Board at the Ulm site has set targets until June 30, 2027. A share of 10% (target quota: 15%) was achieved in the first management level (division managers) and a share of 23.3% (target quota: 25%) in the second level (department managers). The target rate for the first and second management levels was therefore not achieved.

The target ratio for the Executive Board was set at 0% until June 30, 2027.

For the Supervisory Board, the Supervisory Board set a target for the proportion of women of 16.67% by June 30, 2027. This is achieved by the appointment of Amelie Klußmann and Michaela Aurenz Maldonado as a member of the Supervisory Board (33.3%).