BERNER Group donates three raised beds and a herb snail to Waldenburg's Kleeblatt kindergarten
Highest monthly sales in the company’s history
- Half-year sales reach previous year’s level
- Online sales increase by 21%
- Caramba Group has double-digit growth
- BTI sales increase by 4%
The Berner Group is continuing the race to catch up in the 2020/2021 financial year. After sales slumped by up to 30% in April and May as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, the Group has nearly closed this gap within just four months. At around EUR 517 million, Group sales are now approximately 2% lower than comparable figures for the first half of the previous year. In September, the family business achieved the best month in its history with sales of more than EUR 105 million. “We exceeded our expectations between June and September because customers have been able to rely on us from day one. Our online shopping channels and a strong sales force complemented each other perfectly. And because purchasing and logistics were also prepared for the new conditions, our customers knew immediately that we would be able to deliver ordered goods quickly, even during the pandemic. Not only did our customers praise us for this, they have also requested our products and services more and more from month to month, which makes us particularly happy. We have gained a significant level of new customers in the first half of the year,” said Christian Berner, CEO of the Berner Group.
Things went particularly well for the Berner Group in the Specialty Chemicals area. The Caramba Group closed the first half-year with an increase in net sales of around 15% (EUR 76 million). Here, the early production changeover to disinfectants paid off.
In the Omnichannel Trading business unit, the Group and its brands Berner and BTI were about 5% (EUR 441 million) behind the first half of the previous year. This is partly due to the fact that the high-revenue Region South with France, Spain and Italy suffered much more under coronavirus restrictions. In the Region Central, which includes Germany, Berner reached last year’s level (approx. - 1.5%).
The private construction sector in Germany has been relatively unaffected by the pandemic in recent months. Berner Central grew here by around 2%. The subsidiary BTI is one of the leading specialists and direct distributors for the building trade with a range of more than 100,000 items for professional tradesman in the segments tools, chemicals, fastenings, sanitary/heating/air conditioning, workwear/work safety and plant equipment. BTI made very good use of the positive economic conditions and closed the first half of the year with a sales growth of 4% for more than EUR 61 million.
The trend of customers making greater use of the Berner Group’s online services was reinforced in the first half of the year. Through electronic shopping channels such as web shops, a net sales increase of +21% was achieved in comparison to the first half of 2019/20.
“We have digested the deep hit that Corona and the industry lockdown brought us in the spring, but it is not yet clear whether there will be further setbacks. Although we are prepared for this, we remain very cautious with our forecasts. I know that all our employees are working hard to close the financial year with a sales increase,” said Christian Berner.