Linde grew faster than US market

News Story
- 9 Mar 2006 ( #250 ) - WIESBADEN, Germany
2 min read
Linde CEO Wolfgang Reitzle
Linde CEO Wolfgang Reitzle
Linde AG improved growth in all business areas to post group sales totalling EUR9.501 billion (USD11.319 billion) for fiscal year 2005, up 7.3 per cent from 2004's EUR8.856 billion (USD10.551 billion).

Linde's gas business increased sales 10.9 per cent to EUR4.438 billion (USD5.287 billion). Its engineering business increased sales 2.7 per cent to EUR1.623 billon (USD1.934 billion) and its materials handling business increased sales 7.6 per cent to EUR3.628 billion (USD4.322 billion).

Operating profit for Linde materials handling increased 14.9 per cent to EUR223 million (USD277.6 million) and the new GO program, replacing the TRIM.100 program, was one reason for the increase. TRIM.100 was Linde's process optimisation program from 2003 to 2005, credited with enabling the company to achieve cost savings (Forkliftaction.com News #203). The GO program is aimed at improving cost structures and opening new growth areas.

In Asia, the industrial trucks market grew 7.8 per cent and Linde achieved a 2.5 per cent increase in sales to EUR162 million (USD193 million).

Linde launched a second forklift brand, OM Pimespo, in China in 2005 and part of its marketing strategy in China is to expand production at the Xiamen plant. A new electric counterbalanced truck is expected to come from Xiamen this year.

"In the first 12 months, we completed local production of the XD-25/30 diesel forklift and established an efficient dealer network. We have already received around 400 orders," Linde said in a statement.

Linde achieved sales of EUR3.157 billion (USD3.761 billion) in Europe, its most important forklift market, with "above-average" growth in Eastern Europe and "slight growth" in the rest of Europe. To capitalise on Eastern Europe's strong market growth, Linde expanded its marketing operations in Poland, Slovakia and the Czech Republic. Linde said the European forklift market grew 3.9 per cent in 2005.

Its North American business saw sales jump 28 per cent to EUR143 million (USD170 million). "We grew faster than the [US industrial truck] market, which rose 6.4 per cent in 2005," Linde said.

Twenty-three per cent of Linde materials handling's 2005 truck sales came from Germany, 61 per cent from "other Europe", 4.5 per cent from Asia, 3.9 per cent North America, 3.1 per cent Australia/Africa and 1.5 per cent from South America.

In 2005, Linde sold 71,562 Linde forklifts, up 3.2 per cent from 2004's 69,337; 36,859 Still forklifts, up 6.6 per cent from 2004's 34,593; and 16,765 OM Pimespo forklifts, up 7.2 per cent from 15,646.
Interroll completes Indian acquisition
Interroll completes Indian acquisition 12 Sep 2024 - Sant'Antonino, Switzerland - 1 min read
Doosan Bobcat announces global brand strategy
Doosan Bobcat announces global brand strategy 16 Mar 2023 - Seoul, Korea, Republic Of - 1 min read
Narrow Aisle delivers record turnover
Narrow Aisle delivers record turnover 16 Mar 2023 - Tipton, United Kingdom - 1 min read
Previously about:
LogiMAT records 43% increase in exhibitors from China News Story - 3 Apr 2025 - Stuttgart, Germany - 4 min read
Geopolitics and macroeconomics large concerns for materials handling sector News Story - 20 Mar 2025 - Stuttgart, Germany - 3 min read
Caterpillar financial results News Story - 7 Nov 2024 - Woking, United Kingdom - <1 min read
Do you have materials handling news? Submit your news here

PREMIUM business

Yale Lift Truck Technologies
Yale offers a full line of forklifts to help customers adapt to today's demanding supply chain.

It’s the year 2000. You’re in front of a boxy beige desktop waiting for the screeching ramblings of your dial-up to reach its finale. You go to Yahoo!, MSN, or maybe AOL, and start the mind-numbing process of finding your very specific needle in the digital haystack. And with web pages loading one image at a time, patience isn’t just a virtue – it’s a requirement!

As clumsy as this early iteration seems now, this technology was the great enabler that allowed Forkliftaction to connect to the industry across the globe.  

To everyone who has connected with Forkliftaction in the past 25 years, thank you for your contribution to our success! We feel deeply touched by your words of encouragement.

What has Forkliftaction meant to you? Drop us a line.

Words of support …

At Linde Material Handling, we appreciate Forkliftaction for its competent and informative reporting and its global perspective. Forkliftaction is one of the few industry media with a transnational readership.

Heike Oder, Head of Trade Press

Are you recruiting? Find your ideal candidate among a diverse range of materials handling professionals:

Forkliftaction's JOB MARKET

It’s the year 2000. You’re in front of a boxy beige desktop waiting for the screeching ramblings of your dial-up to reach its finale. You go to Yahoo!, MSN, or maybe AOL, and start the mind-numbing process of finding your very specific needle in the digital haystack. And with web pages loading one image at a time, patience isn’t just a virtue – it’s a requirement!

As clumsy as this early iteration seems now, this technology was the great enabler that allowed Forkliftaction to connect to the industry across the globe.  

To everyone who has connected with Forkliftaction in the past 25 years, thank you for your contribution to our success! We feel deeply touched by your words of encouragement.

What has Forkliftaction meant to you? Drop us a line.

PREMIUM business

Cascade Corporation (World HQ)
Leading manufacturers of attachments, forks and related technologies for forklifts and AGVs.

Are you recruiting? Find your ideal candidate among a diverse range of materials handling professionals:

Forkliftaction's JOB MARKET

Are you recruiting? Find your ideal candidate among a diverse range of materials handling professionals:

Forkliftaction's JOB MARKET

Since July 2000, Forkliftaction News has been your guide to the developments that are shaping your industry.

Starting today we are also looking back on some of the key news stories from our extensive news archive.

In the news email and on the website, you'll see links to stories that were 'leading our news' multiple years ago, with topics spanning world-first products, big acquisitions, and major industry shifts.
We hope you enjoy this unique insight into the materials handling industry!