Corporate Report 2023: Letter from the Management Board | About This Report | Sustainability Management | Corporate Bodies and Management | Report of the Supervisory Board | Now - for the Future | Group Management Report | Products | Safety and Health | Environment | People | Social Commitment | Consolidated Financial Statements (condensed version) | Multi-Year Overview | Global Compact: Communication on Progress (COP) | ALTANA worldwide | List of Shareholdings | Overview | Contact
The year 2023 was marked by challenging external conditions. An overall very challenging economic environment, coupled with ongoing and new geopolitical conflicts, resulted in a decrease in demand. Consequently, ALTANA was unable to match the sales and earnings situation of the previous year. However, comprehensive countermeasures initiated at the beginning of 2023 and progressively expanded throughout the year enabled the stabilization of earnings in absolute terms. The profitability level, specifically the ratio of EBITDA to sales, fell below the previous year’s figure due to the cyclical decline in volumes. Nevertheless, owing to our robust financial situation, we continued substantial investments in the future in 2023. We expanded our research and development, continued to advance digitalization, and executed strategic acquisitions. For instance, the acquisition of the Von Roll Group in September 2023 significantly enhanced our expertise and competitive position for the energy and mobility transition. We confirmed our commitment to ambitious, long-term goals in the areas of occupational safety and sustainability remained steadfast.