LIQUI MOLY Grows U.S. Revenue by Nearly 40 Percent
LIQUI MOLY, in its first year as part of the Würth Group, has chalked up a new record annual revenue tally. But the growth has been more subdued than previously. The German oil and additive specialist recorded a revenue of $618.56 million, just 2 percent more than the previous year.
“International trade disputes, the hot summer and increasing costs, especially the dramatically increased crude oil prices, have all contributed to the significant slowing down of our earnings growth,” said Ernst Prost, LIQUI MOLY CEO.
Meanwhile, the development of the subsidiary LIQUI MOLY USA, which handles business in the U.S. and Canada, posted a revenue increase of 39 percent in 2018 compared to the previous year.
“This strong growth was no coincidence,” the company stated in a news release. “LIQUI MOLY invested heavily in personnel, in order to offer its customers a comprehensive service.”
While previous years were noted for their high growth rates by LIQUI MOLY, 2018 was an exception with much more moderate growth. October was the most successful month in the company’s more than 60 year history, with a revenue of almost $61.4 million and 34-percent growth.
A range of factors prevented there being a similarly high rate of growth across the whole year, according to the company. Latent global trade disputes had an impact on LIQUI MOLY. Business with China, for example, decreased by a third. And trade with Russia, a significant export market for the company, has also decreased rapidly over the last two years due to the substantial devaluation of the ruble.
“Such changes cannot help but have an impact,” said Salvatore Coniglio, LIQUI MOLY export manager. “These setbacks in China and Russia would have had a much greater impact if we were not active in 150 countries. We can offset the reduction in turnover in some countries by opening up new markets in others.”
The dents in export performance did nothing to cushion the fragile growth in the highly competitive German market.
“In present circumstances, a two percent growth in Germany and Austria is a huge success,” said CEO Günter Hiermaier, “after all, the number of competitors has increased but the pie to be shared is still the same size. And so, the competition is correspondingly fierce. We continue to rely on a combination of marketing packages and sales power.”
At the same time as turnover growth has reduced, the company’s costs have dramatically increased. On top of investment in additional inventory control strategies, new software and an additional tank storage facility of around $12.5 million, increasing raw material prices added additional costs of around $6.8 million.
The weather also had an impact. The prolonged period of high temperatures over the summer restricted the use of the Rhine in Germany and made it unnavigable at times which, in turn, increased the transport costs for raw materials and finished goods, according to LIQUI MOLY.
“Overall, our freight and logistics costs increased by some $1.4 million. All in all, a cold shower. Of course, a double hit like this, higher costs and lower than planned turnover, has brought our performance to its knees. But that is how it goes in life, and in business, you have to adapt to new circumstances or you’re out of the running. And no two years are the same,” Prost said.
Spending on marketing and on research and development have also increased, but this was planned. In 2017 LIQUI MOLY invested $22.6 million in brand awareness, and almost a million more in 2018. The biggest coup of all is undoubtedly the endorsement contract with the Chicago Bulls, according to the company. The basketball team claims to have 175 million fans.
“No other professional team in the USA can top this,” said Peter Baumann, LIQUI MOLY marketing director.
Another figure that has led to increased costs is the number of LIQUI MOLY employees. Twenty-four jobs were created in 2018. A total of 848 people are now employed in Ulm, Saarlouis and the international subsidiaries.
“We are more than happy to be spending this money, it is always a pleasure to be creating jobs. We are also happy to pay the additional one million euro for the new wage agreement from the industrial mining, chemistry and energy union, as it benefits people in the LIQUI MOLY family,” Prost said.
Since the CEO sold his shares to the Würth Group at the turn of the year, many have been fearing radical change at the oil and additive specialist. “The opposite is the case,” Prost said. “My business cards now just say CEO instead of managing partner and our long-standing sales director Günter Hiermaier has risen to be our second CEO, but otherwise it is business as usual.”
