Wilo reports achieving record sales

DORTMUND, Germany, 21 April 2022: The Wilo Group reported that it ended the fiscal year 2021 with record sales of nearly EUR 1.7 billion euros. Despite persistently difficult conditions, the Group said, it increased its sales revenue by 13.8%.

Earnings before taxes (EBITDA) also reached an all-time high of EUR 181.1 million, the company said. This represents an increase of more than 30%m, it added. “The pleasing results speak a clear language: The Wilo Group is ideally positioned to achieve sustainable, profitable growth, even in difficult times and under unfavourable economic conditions,” said Oliver Hermes, President and CEO, Wilo Group.

 Wilo said the unforeseeable situation in the middle of Europe and the Coronavirus pandemic, which has been ongoing for over two years, also intensified the global decoupling tendencies in the past financial year.

Multinational alliances are being called into question, economic cooperation structures are being dissolved, supply chains are being subject to sanctions and embargoes are being imposed, it said. “More and more, German and European companies are getting caught between the fronts of geopolitical disputes,” Hermes pointed out.

Wilo said it specifically has been encountering these developments for years and, to this end, further expanded its global presence in the past financial year. Among other things, Wilo said, it invested more than EUR 170 million in the construction and expansion of sales and production locations in the modernisation and expansion of production facilities, acquisitions and takeovers.

Wilo said that in line with the “region-for-region” approach, it strengthened the American market, among others. North America, in particular, has become one of the most important sales markets in recent years, it said, adding that the acquisition of QuantumFlo, Inc., a specialist in booster sets and intelligent pump systems, completed in fiscal 2021, consolidated its market position. In addition, new state-of-the-art production and administration buildings were, and are being, built in the United States, China and India, it said.

Today, Wilo said, it has a presence around the globe, through its global network of more than 80 production and sales companies. Hermes said this is another reason for the robust success in the past financial year.

In 2021, Wilo said, it also received awards for its commitment to combating climate change. Among them are the German Sustainability Award 2021, the Ecovadis Sustainability Rating in Gold, and the title of “Climate Pioneer” (Handelsblatt), which it said, are proof of its innovation leadership.

Wilo said it is regarded in the industry as one of the pioneers in climate protection and has set itself the goal of saving 50 million tons of CO₂ by 2025, thus making a substantial contribution to reducing emissions. Hermes said: “Wilo is also leading the way as a pioneer in the hydrogen era: As part of the implementation of our dedicated hydrogen strategy, the “H₂ Powerplant” will be open at the Wilopark in Dortmund. This will serve as a self-sufficient, decentralized, and regenerative solution for secure energy supply.”

Armstrong launches medium-range line of permanent magnet pumps

LAS VEGAS, Nevada, 31 January 2022: Armstrong Fluid Technology introduced a new size range of design envelope permanent magnet pumps that are engineered to deliver 20% lower operating costs than variable-speed pumps with standard induction motors.

Making the announcement through a Press release, Armstrong said the new pumps are available with motors ranging from 15 hp to 50 hp, and operate at NEMA ultra-premium efficiency levels that exceed the efficiency targets of the US Department of Energy and the European Union.

“Better performance at higher RPMs means that in some cases, a smaller design envelope permanent magnet pump can deliver the same flow and pressure as a larger, more expensive competing model,” said David Lee, Offering Manager, Armstrong Fluid Technology. “These new pumps also feature smaller dimensions and are less expensive to purchase and install, because permanent magnet motors offer a substantial reduction in both size and weight.”

According to Armstrong, beyond the motor efficiency, a number of additional design innovations make the new design envelope pumps more energy-efficient and cost effective…

• Armstrong’s patented Parallel Sensorless Control stages multiple pumps and regulates output for best efficiency across the entire pump array, saving 10-30% in operating costs
• Adjustable design points and setpoint, based on the actual on-site conditions
• A quadratic pressure control curve that provides more efficiency than a linear pressure control curve
• A constant-flow function for maintaining a desired flow rate in recirculation applications
• Advanced connectivity via Armstrong’s Pump Manager, a cloud-based performance tracking service, provides industry-leading analytics and insights along with alerts, alarms and data storage

Armstrong promotes Mike Fischer to Global Commercial Director

TORONTO, Canada, 20 December 2021: Armstrong Fluid Technology said that Mike Fischer has been promoted to Commercial Director, Global Building Business, reporting directly to the CEO, Todd Rief.

Making the announcement through a Press release, the company said Fischer joined Armstrong in 2020 as the Commercial Director for the USA and Latin America, bringing over 30 years of experience from his work with Honeywell, Johnson Controls and Siemens.

Immediately prior to joining Armstrong, he was Vice President, Global Service Sales at Honeywell Building Solutions, where he led a global sales team responsible for selling software and services, it added.

At Honeywell, Fischer also led the Global Sales Excellence Team for Honeywell’s Building Products Business, where he introduced a disciplined sales operating system, including new sales tools and training, the company said.

In Armstrong’s global sales leadership role, Fischer will be responsible for executing Armstrong’s global strategy, enabling the sales organization to achieve both order and revenue growth targets, it added.

Fischer, it said, has an MBA from Texas Christian University, and a Bachelor of Science degree from Central Michigan University.

Chris Markert, the company said, is taking on the role of Commercial Director, USA. It described Markert as a highly experienced business executive with a 30-year career of extensive global management and sales experience in the HVACR industry. His business experience, it said, includes senior management positions with Honeywell International and Johnson Controls, where he had responsibility for major business units in North America, Latin America and the Asia Pacific region.

Markert, the company said, had also owned and operated an HVACR contracting and service company, as well as an Internet start-up focused on technology for the HVACR industry. Immediately prior to joining Armstrong, the company said, Markert served as Director of North America Service Sales with Honeywell, managing five regions. Markert, it said, holds a bachelor’s degree in engineering from the University of Notre Dame.