Integrated Annual Report 2015
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2015 – an eventful year at Geberit.

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Innovation
Partnership
Know-how
Reliability
Quality of life
Company news
For this combination there is no result.

The Geberit Group has a new CEO

Christian Buhl is the new CEO of the Geberit Group. The graduate physicist – who obtained his doctorate in the area of financial market research – is no stranger to Geberit, having previously worked at the company as a strategic planner and as head of the Geberit AquaClean business, before most recently managing the German sales company.

 

A ship is stranded in the European Capital of Culture

The Belgian city of Mons is one of the 2015 European Capitals of Culture. In addition to hosting numerous art and cultural events, the city is also using this opportunity to open several new buildings – including the convention centre “Mons International Congress Xperience”. Reminiscent of a stranded ship, the impressive 12,500-square-metre building houses three auditoriums, a multi-purpose hall and 16 smaller conference rooms.

 

Sydney gets a facelift

Geberit piping specialist Matthew Lloyd is a sought-after man. He explains to plumbers directly on the building site what to watch out for when electrofusion-welding Geberit PE-HD pipes. The sanitary professional is currently being kept very much on his toes by eleven large-scale projects, most of which are in Sydney’s districts of Barangaroo and Darling Harbour. Geberit is playing a major role in these projects, which will change the city's skyline significantly.

 

Planned, executed and tested down to the last detail

Quality has always been a top priority at Geberit. It is no accident that the company’s products are known the world over for their durability and timeless design. While the actuator plate Sigma01 is polished for days on end in order to receive its unmistakeable shine, the AquaClean shower toilets undergo a thorough function test prior to installation. These are just two of countless quality measures in Geberit’s standard repertoire.

Once all the components have been assembled, the finished shower toilet is subjected to a comprehensive function test.

Out of love for ceramics

The right slip composition is decisive for the quality of the resulting ceramic appliances. In Kolo, Bernadetta Kusior therefore keeps a watchful eye on the greyish-brown mixture, which is mainly comprised of clay and china clay, as well as on the glaze that is applied prior to the firing process. Thomas Kronberg knows the pitfalls of this process step. In Ekenäs his trained eye detects even the most minor flaw.

Bernadetta Kusior, Head of Ceramics at the production plant in Kolo, Poland.
Thomas Kronberg, Head of Process Development and Optimisation at the production plant in Ekenäs, Finland.
The freshly cast ceramic appliance is conveyed with great care to the hardening area.

Kolo presents its new products

The Kolo brand, which stands for high-quality bathroom products, has long since been a familiar name in the European market. At this year’s ISH in Frankfurt, Kolo causes quite a stir with an eye-catching truck. Here, it presents the new products from its ceramic appliance line and bathroom accessories. Incidentally, Poland – where the brand is firmly established – is this year’s ISH partner country.

 

Pleasing annual results in a challenging environment

Despite a continued challenging environment, the Geberit Group experienced an excellent 2014. In nearly all markets, impressive sales increases were achieved and market shares gained. Cumulative sales in 2014 increased by 4.9% to CHF 2,404.4 million, corresponding to currency-adjusted growth of 6.4%. Net income increased by 14.4% to CHF 498.6 million, with a return on sales of 20.7%.

 

The wheel keeps turning

Sanitary technology is full of innovations once again this year, with the new products impressing with intelligent functions and a timeless design.

The new shower toilet Geberit AquaClean Mera features high-quality materials, soft lines and flowing transitions.
The Geberit shower channel from the CleanLine series is not only a thing of beauty, it is also easy to clean.
The remote flush actuators type 01, type 10 and type 70 can be placed in the position of your choice.
The new Geberit sanitary flush unit effectively prevents germs from forming in drinking water pipes.
The Xeno2 series includes large washbasins made of the high-quality solid surface material Varicor®.
The bathroom series myDay leaves nothing to be desired in terms of elegance and functionality.

Geberit lands several international awards

The verdicts of the jurors for the Design Plus Award and the Red Dot Award in the Product Design category are unequivocal: both the shower toilet AquaClean Mera and the remote flush actuator type 70 are to receive their coveted awards. The shower channel CleanLine is as well among the Red Dot winners. The Keramag brand also impresses, with Xeno2, Renova Nr. 1 Plan and Option Plus each receiving an Iconic Award.

Thanks to their classic and discreet design, the Geberit CleanLine shower channels fit elegantly into nearly every floor-even shower area.
The bathroom series Renova Nr. 1 Plan’s new design impresses thanks to its gently rounded edges, integrated handles and deeper shelf space.
The Geberit AquaClean Mera shower toilet is timelessly elegant and blends harmoniously into any bathroom environment.
The Xeno2 bathroom series features smooth surfaces and the high-quality, white solid surface material Varicor®.
A gentle tap of the remote flush actuator type 70 is all it takes to trigger the pneumatic flush.
The spacious mirror cabinet Option Plus is available in three versions.

An all-round positive business performance

835 shareholders attend the 16th General Meeting. At the Grünfeld sports hall in Rapperswil-Jona, they are informed that Geberit was once again able to hold its own in a difficult market environment. The proposals of the Board of Directors and the amendments to the Articles of Incorporation are approved by an overwhelming majority.

 

In front of the wall meets behind the wall

Day 1 sees the new Geberit Group – which henceforth combines the areas Sanitary Systems, Piping Systems and Ceramics under one roof – begin to take shape. The schedule for the integration is ambitious. By the beginning of next year, the entire operational side of the business will be reorganised, and sales will operate as a single unit.

 

Aircraft interior innovations

The Aircraft Interiors Expo is held at the Hamburg Messe for the 14th time, with the new Geberit brand Varicor® also featuring at this year’s event. At the booth, visitors are introduced to innovative new products for aircraft sanitary units, including fully automatic waste flaps and fluorescent lettering integrated into the material that becomes visible only when needed.

 

Geberit at Expo 2015 in Milan

The façade of the Swiss pavilion is clad with large letters that read: “Is there enough for everyone?” These words of warning aim to remind visitors of the global food and water shortages. In four specially designed towers, visitors can stock up on Swiss specialities – however, not without consequences. The more people take, the quicker the visitor platforms sink. Geberit is sponsoring this clever project.

 

Global hotel industry, global support from Geberit

Whether in Australia, Singapore or the Caribbean – hotels are springing up right across the globe. However, the green light for such projects is usually given by investors far away from the action. Roland Teo (pictured), Marc Attenhofer, Udit Khattry and Mark Scharff – key account managers responsible for hotels – work together as part of a transcontinental network in order to win contracts for these projects.

 

The winners of the 17th Kolo Design Award

Design a public toilet! Although a seemingly mundane task for budding architects, the quality of the drafts was extremely impressive – particularly from the winners Aleksandra Zalewska, Anna Siwiec and Joanna Ejzler. Their design incorporates the facility naturally into the surroundings of Park Zachodni in the Polish city of Wrocław, thus best fulfilling the competition criteria.

 

Many new faces in Interlaken

The annual management meeting – featuring many new faces thanks to the acquisition of Sanitec – is held in the heart of the impressive Bernese Oberland region of the Swiss Alps. In addition to inspiring presentations, networking with the new colleagues is also an important aspect of the event; the various workshops focus on lively exchanges of expertise and getting to know the new products.

 

A prime example of green building

The Lithuanian capital of Vilnius boasts unique baroque architecture. However, these old buildings have since been joined by several modern structures – including the new office complex “K29”. The green building features bright colours, durable materials and rooms that are flooded with natural light. The double façade protects against noise pollution while also reducing energy consumption.

 

Exemplary market cultivation

Two years of intensively cultivating the hotel segment are paying off: The number of shower toilets in four- and five-star hotels has almost doubled. Having the AquaClean models in top-class hotels makes sense. After all, it is hard to imagine a more relaxed atmosphere in which to enjoy the benefits of hygienic cleaning with water.

 

Working at a dizzying height

Standing at an impressive 4,478 metres, the Matterhorn protrudes from the sea of clouds. Many alpinists have tried and failed to climb this magical mountain. Some 1,000 metres below its peak, two young men are packing their bags. Plumbers David Kummer and Davy Bregy are not heading towards the summit, but finally back down to the valley having completed their work on the new Hörnli hut. Congratulations!

 

On the road with the AquaClean truck

While we know that the AquaClean shower toilets clean gently and thoroughly, the Geberit AquaClean truck is touring throughout Germany this summer to get this message across to a wider audience. In a specially designed AquaClean-themed world, visitors can experience the gentle cleaning with water and the modern design of the shower toilet for themselves. An interactive tour and experts helping out on site round off the successful advertising campaign.

 

Surprise, surprise!

The Geberit AquaClean shower toilets are equipped with a shower spray that is adjusted to the body temperature of the user. The facial expressions of the AquaClean testers (virtually) tell the whole story – from the brief moment of surprise to the outstanding well-being experience just a few moments later. Take a look for yourself!

Oceanography for young and old

Moskvarium – the largest centre of marine biology in Europe – opens its doors to the public in Moscow. Several hundred kilometres away from the sea, you would be forgiven for rubbing your eyes in disbelief at its location. Containing over 8,000 species of sea creatures, the building is expected to be a popular attraction.

 

Under the Mexican sun

Geberit International Sales AG – or GISA for short – looks after developing markets. Technical advisors, such as Andreas Mosebach, are responsible for carrying out training directly on site. Every so often, he can be found on large-scale building sites in Mexico together with independent advisor Santiago Mesa, where he passes on his expertise.

 

Growing importance of sound insulation

In the five-star cinema CineStar Gold Class in the Croatian city of Zagreb, a delegation from the local sales office highlights the importance of sound insulation with an impressive presentation. Some 50 local architects and sanitary engineers are won over by the quality of one of Geberit’s core competencies.

 

A piece of Geberit history

Three finds from the photo archives. Each one recalls a different piece of Geberit history.

From 1918, cisterns and fittings were manufactured in the “Alte Fabrik” (Old Factory).
Already “On Tour” as far back as the 1960s: One of the first mobile exhibition buses at the Paris office.
A factory worker in the old Sphinx plant in the Dutch city of Maastricht removes the burrs that form at the seams when the ceramic moulds are fired.

Geberit product manager meeting

135 product managers arrive for the annual PM meeting in Rapperswil-Jona, which represents the first such meeting for the product managers from the new Geberit brands. A presentation on the latest products is followed by practical workshops, an exchange of information and know-how and some time to mingle and get to know each other better. Games of skill and the subsequent building site party ensure that everyone is in high spirits at the end of the two-day event.

 

Geberit among the top innovators

The renowned business magazine “Forbes” has chosen the most innovative companies once again. Ranked 69th, Geberit is the only company from the construction industry to make the list.

 

Luxury student pads on Klenzestrasse

Students in the German city of Regensburg can look forward to living in 29-square-metre student apartments. Although that sounds fairly small, the functional floor plan and sprinklings of retro orange give the rooms a spacious, bright appearance.

 

Focus on sustainability

Visitors to Sforza Castle for once don’t immediately notice the beautiful ceiling frescos – which is hardly surprising given the five impressive installations dedicated to the topic of water saving that are currently on show until mid-October. These installations are designed to encourage visitors to Water Design to reflect upon water consumption and the possibility of saving water through new design approaches and construction methods.

 

Ekenäs gears up for winter

The Nordic winter is notoriously long and cold. The Baltic Sea can therefore occasionally be covered by a sheet of ice. As a result, the autumn delivery is very important for the ceramics plant in Ekenäs. The ship has just docked, and the valuable material is unloaded and transported to the raw materials warehouse, where it is checked by ceramics process manager Tove Lagerström. Ekenäs is now ready for winter!

 

The Langenfeld–Ozorków axis

A whole host of process optimisations are currently taking place at the production sites in the German town of Langenfeld and the Polish town of Ozorków as part of “Satellite”, a project that also sees three teams of two from Ozorków receive training on the machines in Langenfeld for a period of eleven weeks. Communication problems? No chance! Two colleagues living in Germany carry out the training in perfect Polish, thus ensuring that the transfer of knowledge runs smoothly.

 

Whether image, sound or film – multimedia materials are booming

Multimedia elements are often used in the building industry today for reasons of clarity and comprehensibility. Geberit has already published over 60 short computer-animated films online. These videos, which have no commentary, provide specialists with simple and concise explanations on how to professionally install the various products.

A reshuffling of the cards in France

A further step in the integration of the new Geberit brands is currently taking place in France. Here, specialist sales consultants now look after customers in all regions. The field service employees visit their customers together during a transitional period. This gives the colleagues from the original Geberit and the French ceramics brand Allia the opportunity to exchange expertise directly in order to expand their knowledge of each other’s products. The acid test will take place at Idéobain and Interclima, two important trade fairs in the field of sanitary technology.

 

Cottonlands Primary School receives new sanitary facilities

Thanks to the tireless efforts of eight Geberit apprentices, the pupils at Cottonlands Primary School can look forward to new sanitary facilities with running water. Professionally supported by a local construction company and supervised by a coach and a technical manager, the apprentices are renovating the toilet facilities during their two-week stay in the South African province of KwaZulu-Natal.

An impressive structure

The 632-metre complex in the Pudong district is the second tallest building in the world after the Burj Khalifa in Dubai. Alfred Liu experienced the large-scale building site at first hand, as he was on hand to offer advice in his role as head of the sales office in Shanghai during the planning and construction of the tower.

 

Withstanding the destructive power

When there is a fire, fire protection sleeves delay the spread of smoke and fire to other rooms or floors. To ensure that the fire protection sleeves function perfectly, they are put through their paces at the Materials Testing Institute University of Stuttgart. And lo and behold – at temperatures in excess of 150°C, the material incorporated into the fire protection sleeve springs into action, swelling up and sealing off the pipe opening.

 

Successful cooperation with the Balm Foundation

Be it mailings, dispatch, assembly or mechanical production, about 100 people with a disability work at the Balm Foundation’s industrial workshop in Rapperswil-Jona on a wide range of tasks. The employees appreciate the structured daily routine and the trust that has been placed in them.

 

A good night’s sleep thanks to sound-optimised sanitary products

Noise emissions within your own four walls can be substantially reduced by choosing and professionally installing the right sanitary technology. In realistic tests using state-of-the-art measurement technology, acoustics specialists in the building technology and acoustics laboratory in Rapperswil-Jona record the sound transmitted from sanitary installations. The results are used to optimise existing products and help develop new solutions.