A slight dip in growth after strong previous years

The weak economy, particularly in Europe, and the market slump in electromobility presented the BRUGG Group with difficult conditions in the 2024 financial year. Group sales fell by 2 per cent (0.6 per cent due to currency effects) to CHF 654 million. The order backlog is 9 per cent higher than in the previous year and promises a successful start to 2025.

After five years of double-digit growth rates in some cases, the BRUGG Group has to accept a 2 per cent decline in sales for the 2024 financial year (0.6 per cent due to currency effects). The globally active Swiss company, which offers cable products, pipe systems and networks for infrastructures as well as system and service solutions tailored to these products, had to contend with various inhibiting factors. The weak economy and the uncertain political situation in the important European market put the brakes on investments by both the public sector and private sector customers. In China, the severe property crisis continues to cast a long shadow. And after several years of rapid growth, the triumphant advance of electromobility has stuttered throughout Europe.

The still young eConnect business unit was hit hard by the negative trend in electromobility. It recorded a drop in sales from CHF 36 million to CHF 20 million. Although sales of electric vehicles in Europe are unlikely to recover massively as early as 2025, the BRUGG Group is continuing to focus on electrification as a key technology for environmentally friendly mobility. For example, BRUGG eConnect put the new production hall in Poland into operation in 2024, and the newly achieved UL certifications open up new markets for the business unit – in particular the USA and India.

With sales of CHF 203 million, BRUGG Pipe Systems also closed the year with a decline (previous year: CHF 226 million). Subdued demand in the core markets of Germany and Switzerland caused sales of district heating solutions in particular to stagnate, while demand for industrial solutions remained stable. In this area, cryogenics (liquefaction of gases at very low temperatures) also offers new, exciting areas of application for vacuum-insulated special pipes from BRUGG Pipes.

The BRUGG Group’s business units that offer technologies for high-strength ropes reported higher sales than in the previous year. Fatzer, which specialises in load-bearing ropes for bridges, rope construction and cable cars, for example, achieved a 13% increase in sales (from CHF 55 million to CHF 62 million). The expansion of the range of services to include complex engineering projects and digital rope twins contributed to the positive sales trend. The BRUGG Lifting business unit achieved an even higher increase: its sales rose by 25 per cent from CHF 86 million to CHF 108 million. This growth was achieved despite subdued construction activity in Europe and China, thanks in particular to process innovations, the expansion of existing business relationships and the acquisition of new intercontinental customers.

Business in other business units was calmer. The Geobrugg business unit, whose high-strength steel wire mesh is used to secure slopes, mining and motorsport facilities, has established itself worldwide with its specialisation. Its sales decreased by 2 per cent compared to the previous year and amounted to around CHF 185 million in 2024. The Rittmeyer division, on the other hand, a provider of process control technology for the water, wastewater and energy industries, increased its sales by 3 per cent to CHF 72 million. BRUGG Immobilien AG, through which the Group manages its Swiss site properties, increased its sales from CHF 9.1 million to CHF 9.3 million.

Strategically, the Brugg Group is focussing on products and solutions for the energy transition, sustainability and infrastructure security. Significant investments totalling CHF 56 million (previous year: CHF 40 million) were made in this area last year. All investments were financed from own funds.

The order backlog is 9 percentage points above the previous year’s figure, which indicates a stable order situation at the start of 2025. On the other hand, the BRUGG Group expects the economic and political situation to remain challenging.

Media coverage (in German)