Dometic: Reports Strong Year in EMEA for OEM Marine Business

Increasing demand for tailor-made air-conditioning and sanitation products plus improved consumer confidence fuels growth for leading marine equipment manufacturer

Dometic is targeting further growth for its OEM marine segment in EMEA this year following a positive 2015 for the company in which global net sales across its businesses increased by 30 per cent.

In the EMEA region, the world-leading equipment manufacturer and HVAC specialist reports a growing demand for its customised marine products such as air conditioners and sanitation due in part to improved market optimism coupled with low interest rates.

Dometic also secured two major contracts in 2015 which contributed to the strong results. The company won a record order to supply the largest air-conditioning systems Dometic has ever produced to an Italian yacht builder and also announced that Finnish boat designer Axopar is the first boat builder in the EMEA region to introduce Dometic’s MasterFlush 7000 toilet series to its boat production.

This year, Dometic aims to boost its stronghold in the commercial and leisure sectors in EMEA with the launch of its new Titan series of chillers, with titanium condenser coils, built for the harsh marine environment and providing customers with increased reliability and a longer warranty.

Further areas targeted for growth include the company’s engine room ventilation offerings and watermakers, with particular emphasis on the introduction of larger and more robust products for the commercial and offshore sectors including the high-capacity CX Sea Xchange watermaker developed for offshore conditions.

“The Marine OEM segment has finally stabilized after some rocky years,” the company says in the EMEA section of its annual report. “There are fewer boats being built than in the past, but the size of the mega-yachts is increasing and with that comes growing demand for our tailor-made products like air conditioners and sanitation products.

“The markets in France and Italy showed good growth during the year while the traditionally strong UK boat market suffered on exports due to a strong British currency.

“Our commercial workboat segment was negatively affected by reduced demand for workboats in the oil industry due to lower oil and gasoline prices.”

New products launched by Dometic in 2015 for the EMEA marine market included the VARC 48, which introduced variable speed technology for marine air conditioning, the DAME Award-winning CRX refrigerators with patented removable freezer compartment and the Eskimo Cup, a thermoelectric cup cooler.

“The EMEA core markets are finally recovering from the financial downturn and Dometic Group experienced a very good year in 2015. The positive results are also due to growing consumer confidence in leisure products,” said Joachim Kinscher, President EMEA, Dometic, in the company’s annual report. “Market optimism coupled with low interest rates had a positive impact in the OEM market for RVs, boats and cars, making it easier for consumers to make bigger purchases. Hot sunny weather in central and southern Europe in the summer of 2015 also had a positive impact on demand for our products — especially cooling boxes and air conditioners.

“We expect the good spirit we see in most of the business areas to continue into 2016 as our main RV and marine customers have full order books that will reflect positively on Dometic Group. This will be stimulated further with some significant new product launches. “

Across all business areas - Recreational Vehicles (RV), Marine, Commercial and Passenger Vehicles (CPV) and Other (Lodging, Retail and Medical) - net sales in the EMEA area, which represented 40% of sales in 2015, recorded SEK 4,548 million which is a sales increase of 6% compared to 2014. Total net sales totalled SEK 11,486m.

On November 25, Dometic Group was listed on Nasdaq Stockholm.

Dometic products supplied to the marine market include cookers, sinks and ovens, cup coolers, water heaters, mobile coolers, water purifiers, air conditioners, holding tanks, water makers, toilets and sanitary additives, inverters, transformers, generators, battery chargers, refrigerators, central vacuum cleaners and engine room ventilation.

For further information, please contact:

Dometic
Julien Le Feuvre
Tel: +33 (0)344 633519
Email: julien.lefeuvre@dometic.com