HIMA recorded turnover growth of 15% for the 2011 business year. The number of employees increased by 10% compared to the previous year. The annual result for 2011 and the success in the Q1 2012 indicate that HIMA is still on the path to growth.
In the 2010 business year HIMA had overall turnover of €75.7 million, which increased by 15% to €87.2 million in 2011. In 2012 turnover is expected to increase even further. In the first quarter of 2012 a record number of new orders were made, 23% higher than the amount for the previous year.
The more than 60 new jobs created in 2011 increased the number of employees by 10%. HIMA now has 720 employees globally as of Q1 2012 thanks to the new hires. Further hiring is planned for the current business year.
The world-wide expansion is moving forward continuously. Already more than 30,000 HIMA systems are now installed around the world. In the past business year, 72% of total turnover came from outside of Germany and more than 46% came from outside Europe thanks to the global positioning with group companies and representatives in over 50 countries. In 2011 new group companies were established in Oman and Columbia. A group company is being set up in Brazil. Expansion of distribution and engineering services are now being planned globally, with a focus on the Middle East. However, the products are still developed, produced and tested exclusively in Germany.
One of success factors in the company's growth is the multiple development activities and product innovations for the process industry, railway industry as well as machine safety. At the headquarters in Bruehl near Mannheim, Germany; one-third of employees work solely in research and development.
But also the development of holistic solutions, which include complete hardware and software (including certified function blocks) as well as lifecycle services (services throughout the complete safety lifecycle), have contributed to the success of the company. The HIMax safety system, launched in 2008, provides such solutions for turbo machines and compressors (FlexSILon TMC), burner control and boiler protection (FlexSILon BCS) as well as the management of gas and liquid fuel pipelines (FlexSILon PMC).
Other success factors behind the high growth rates include the efficient autonomy and economic independence of the family-owned and operated company.