Ratos: Export prize for Hägglunds Drives
Ratos's subsidiary Hägglunds Drives today is awarded the prestigious "Export Hermes 2006" prize.
At the prize-giving ceremony, to be held today at 3.30 pm at the Stockholm Chamber of Commerce in conjunction with World Trade Day, the prize will be handed over to CEO Per Nordgren by King Carl XVl Gustav.
Hägglunds Drives, with its head office in Mellansel, near Örnsköldsvik in Sweden's Norrland region, had sales of approximately SEK 1.2 billion in 2005, of which exports accounted for 90%. Hägglunds Drives' hydraulic drive systems are used worldwide in industries such as mining and materials handling, marine and offshore, pulp and paper, sugar, recycling, and rubber and plastics. The group has some 600 employees, half of whom work at one of the 15 sales companies around the world.
- Hägglunds Drives CEO, Per Nordgren, says: "Having our own people in all key markets is definitely one explanation for our success. Another is naturally the properties of our unique drive systems which provide our customers with a competitive edge."
- Ratos CEO, Arne Karlsson, comments: "It is gratifying to see the significant export efforts of Swedish companies being recognised in this way. In 2003 our subsidiary Haglöfs received the Hermes Prize in the small companies class and this year we are happy to see Hägglunds Drives getting a prize in the large companies class. We know how much this award means, in particular to the employees of these companies."
For further information, please contact:
Anna-Karin Celsing, Head of Corporate Communications Ratos, +46 703 99 62 39
Per Nordgren, CEO Hägglunds Drives, +46 660 870 01, +46 70 398 16 06
Interim report January-September 2006 10 November 2006
Year-end report 2006 22 February 2007
Annual General Meeting 11 April 2007
Hägglunds Drives is a global market leader within hydraulic drive systems intended for heavy applications that require high torque, low speeds and variable revolutions. Production is concentrated to Mellansel, Sweden, and the company has a global sales organisation with its own sales companies in some 15 countries. The sales breakdown is as follows: 30% in Asia/Australia, 24% in Europe (outside the Nordic region) 23% in the Nordic region, 23% in North and South America. Hägglunds Drives has some 600 employees and 2005 sales totalled approximately SEK 1.2 billion.
Export Hermes - a prize awarded by the Stockholm Chamber of Commerce - was established in 1981 and is awarded to Swedish companies which have conducted successful export launches. The prize is awarded to companies which have a well-planned marketing strategy and export products manufactured in Sweden. The company must have had a positive export trend for at least three years with a continuously improved operating profit.
Ratos is a listed private equity company. The business concept is to maximise shareholder value over time by investing in, developing and divesting primarily unlisted companies. Ratos thus offers stock market players a unique investment opportunity. The equity of Ratos's investments is approximately SEK 9 billion. Ratos's holdings include Alimak Hek, Arcus, Anticimex, Bisnode, Bluegarden, Camfil, DIAB, Gadelius, GS-Hydro, Haendig, Haglöfs, HL Display, Hägglunds Drives, Inwido, Jøtul, Lindab, Superfos and Other holdings.