SFS Group

The SFS Group AG is a company specialised in mechanical fastening systems and precision formed components, headquartered in Heerbrugg, Switzerland. SFS achieved in 2018 a turnover of CHF 1.74 billion with more than 10'000 employees worldwide.[1]

SFS Group AG
Limited company
ISINCH0239229302
IndustryFastening systems and precision formed components
Founded1928
HeadquartersHeerbrugg, Switzerland
Key people
Heinrich Spoerry
(Chairman of the Board of Directors (Switzerland)) Jens Breu (Chief Executive Officer (Switzerland))
RevenueCHF 1.739 bn (2018)
Number of employees
10'231 (2018)
Websitewww.sfs.biz

History

The origin of SFS dates back to 1928 and the Stadler Hardware Store in Altstätten, Switzerland. In 1949 a branch was opened in the near-by village Heerbrugg. Motivated by shortages of supply, Josef Stadler and Hans Huber started the production of screws in 1960 and founded the SFS Presswerk AG. The manufacture was based on the cold forming technology (also known as work hardening)[2]

Both, the retail as well as the manufacturing activities were continuously developed and expanded over the following decades. From 1971 on the company started to build up an international network of market organisations. In 1993 the SFS Group was brought together under the umbrella of SFS Holding AG, in 2014 the name changed to SFS Group AG.[3]

Today the activities are split into the three segments Engineered Components, Fastening Systems and Distribution & Logistics.[4]

While retail and logistics activities stayed focused on the Swiss market (Distribution & Logistics), the manufacturing sector comprises worldwide more than 70 sales and/or production sites (Engineered Components and Fastening Systems ) in 24 countries.[5] Through various acquisitions SFS expanded the competence portfolio by the injection moulding, deep drawing and blind riveting technology (by the acquisition of the GESIPA Group)[6][7]

On 1 September 2012 SFS Group acquired the Unisteel Technology Group, which is based in Singapore and has production sites in Malaysia and China.[8][9] Unisteel manufactures miniature screws and precision metal components (e.g. for smartphones and hard disc drives).[10] Although SFS itself produces precision components of a diameter of 0.5 mm, which belong to the thinnest fasteners in the world, it gradually lost market shares due to the continuous migration of the mobile phone industry. The acquisition of Unisteel Technology strengthens SFS' position in its market segment. With the construction of a new plant in Nansha (CN), SFS increases the production of fasteners in Asia.

Since 7 May 2014 SFS is listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange (ticker symbol SFSN).[11][12]

In 2016 SFS significantly expanded its position in the growing medical device industry through the acquisitions of Stamm (Switzerland) and Tegra Medical (USA).[13]

Since 2018 the claim "Inventing success together" has been introduced as a new summary of the DNA of SFS that has existed since its foundation. In this context the SFS intec and SFS unimarket brands are merging and are now SFS. The concentrated communication as well as the corporate identity further support the focus on our performance promise.

Corporate organisation

The SFS Group consists of three operating segments which represent the three business models:[4]

  • Engineered Components: customer-specific products under the SFS intec, Unisteel and Tegra Medical brands
  • Fastening Systems: application-specific products under the SFS intec and GESIPA brands
  • Distribution & Logistics: market-oriented product ranges and innovative logistics solutions under the SFS unimarket brand throughout Switzerland

The three operating segments are supported by the cross-segment functions Technology and Services.

Based on the core technologies of cold forming, deep drawing, plastic injection moulding and the riveting technology, SFS serves diversified end markets including the automotive, construction/construction supply, electrical/electronics, aerospace and medical components industry.[14]

Facts and figures
2018 (Swiss GAAP FER)2017 (Swiss GAAP FER)2016 (Swiss GAAP FER)2015
Sales SFS 1'738.6 million CHF1'632.7 million CHF1'436.5 million CHF1'376.0 million CHF
EBITDA 332.8 million CHF323.5 million CHF306.2 million CHF267.4 million CHF
Operating profit (EBIT) 243.1 million CHF197.7 million CHF159.8 million CHF129.1 million CHF
Net income 193.9 million CHF159.1 million CHF124.8 million CHF105.0 million CHF
Employees 10231947890217991

Source: SFS Group[15][16]

References
  1. https://www.reuters.com/finance/stocks/SFSN.S/key-developments/article/3544530 Reuters.com, called 21 March 2018
  2. http://sfs.biz/en/web/sfs_gruppe/unternehmensprofil/geschichte/geschichte_1.html Website SFS Group, called 3 July 2015
  3. http://www.google.ca/finance?cid=139108749464456, Google finance, called 29 July 2015
  4. https://www.bloomberg.com/research/stocks/private/snapshot.asp?privcapId=22547847 Bloomberg, called 29 July 2015
  5. http://sfs.biz/en/web/map/map_overview.html Website SFS Group, called 3 July 2015
  6. http://www.handelszeitung.ch/unternehmen/sfs-intec-uebernimmt-niettechnikspezialist-gesipa Newspaper Handelszeitung, called 3 July 2015
  7. http://www.unibolt.dk/SFS_intec465.asp, Unibolt AS, called 29 July 2015
  8. http://in.reuters.com/article/2012/08/27/us-unisteel-kkr-idINBRE87Q03820120827 Reuters, called 29 July 2015
  9. http://media.kkr.com/media/media_releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=702342, Website KKR, called 29 July 2015
  10. https://www.reuters.com/article/2012/08/27/idUS28015+27-Aug-2012+BW20120827 Reuters, called 3 July 2015
  11. http://www.six-swiss-exchange.com/news/overview_en.html?id=sfs SIX Swiss Exchange, called 3 July 2015
  12. http://www.bobsguide.com/guide/news/2014/May/7/shares-of-sfs-group-ag-sfsn-open-at-chf-67-00.html Bobsguide, web resource for financial technology, called 29 July 2015
  13. http://annualreport.sfs.biz/fileadmin/user_upload/redakteure/gb2016/pdf/en/SFS_GB2016_Vollbericht_EN.pdf Annual Report 2016, SFS Group, called 15 March 2017
  14. http://sfs.biz/en/web/sfs_gruppe/unternehmensprofil/unternehmensprofil_1.html Website SFS Group, called 3 July 2015
  15. https://annualreport.sfs.biz/fileadmin/user_upload/redakteure/gb2018/pdf/en/SFS_GB2018_Vollbericht_EN.pdf Annual Report 2018, SFS Group, called 6 June 2019
  16. https://www.reuters.com/finance/stocks/SFSN.S/key-developments/article/3544530 Reuters.com, called 15 March 2017
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