open spaces - mhikse Åstorp sweden 100 % knapp italia s.r.l. kit milan italy 100 % knapp benelux...

Open

spac

es2013|14

InternationalThe GroupKNAPP AG (KAG)Hart bei Graz

Austria96 % KWF Betriebsanlagenverwaltungs GmbH

KWFHart bei Graz

100 % KNAPP Systemintegration GmbH

KSILeoben60 %

KNAPP IT Solutions GmbH

KISGrambach bei Graz

100 % YLOG Industry Solutions GmbH

YISDobl

100 % KNAPP AS

KNOSandvika

Norway

100 % Dürkopp Fördertechnik GmbH

DFTBielefeld Germany

100 % KNAPP A/S

KDKNæstved Denmark

100 % KNAPP AB

KSEÅstorp

Sweden

100 % KNAPP Italia S.R.L.

KITMilanItaly 100 %

KNAPP Benelux B.V.

KNLRoermond

The Netherlands

100 % KNAPP Deutschland GmbH

KDEHeusenstamm

Germany

99,67 % KNAPP Benelux BVBA

KAGSint Niklaas

Belgium0,33 % KWF KBE

100 % KNAPP Logistics Automation

Systems (Beijing) Co., Ltd.

KCNBeijing

China

100 % KNAPP Logistiksysteme GmbH

KCHZofingen

Switzerland

100 % KNAPP Logistic South Africa (PTY) LTD

KZAKosmosdal

South Africa

100 % KNAPP Logistica Automatización Ibérica, S.L.

KIBMadrid

Spain

80 % KNAPP Montajes Industriales, S.L.

KMIMadrid

Spain

100 % KNAPP Polska Sp. z o.o.

KPLWarsaw

Poland

100 % OOO KNAPP

KRUMoscow

Russia

100 % KNAPP Logistics & Automation, Inc.

KUSKennesaw

USA

100 % KNAPP U.K. Limited

KUKLong Crendon

England

70 % KNAPP Sudamérica Logistica e Autom. LTDA

KSASao José dos Pinhais

Brasil

100 % KNAPP France SARL

KFRLognes France

100 % KNAPP AUSTRALIA Pty Ltd

KAULindfield Australia

Key indicators at a glance 2013/14 Change 2012/13

Turnover 383,752 1.1% 379,499

EBITDA 23,428 4.7% 22,381

EBITDA margin 6.11 % 3.5% 5.90%

EBIT 15,430 5.2% 14,666

EBIT margin 4.02 % 4.0% 3.86%

EBT 14,238 6.7% 13,345

EBT-Margin 3.71 % 5.5% 3.52%

Equity 60,257 12.1% 53,737

Equity ration 23.5 % 3.0% 22.9%

Return on equity 23.6 % -4.8% 24.8%

Return on assets 5.6 % -1.8% 5.7%

Backlog 330,048 24.4% 265,352

Employees 2,444 8.3% 2,256

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Open spacesAnnual Report and Sustainability 2013|14

6 | KNAPP AG KNAPP AG | 7

Open spacesContents

08 Project: future10 Innovation and progress 14 Recipe for success18 A strong supplier network 19 Service with enthusiasm

26 Company 27 Supervisory board report 28 Room for creativity – interview39 Controlling bodies40 KNAPP in motion46 Company profile 48 The history of KNAPP AG

54 Activities and projects 56 Apologistics 60 Grene64 Basiq Dental68 Migros72 Brax76 MSG80 LAS Solutions84 In retrospect

90 Generations and growth92 Shouldering responsibility96 Apprenticeships with future prospects100 The Second Chance 102 People in intralogistics108 Elements for success113 Generations under one roof 120 Generation management for systems

124 Facts and figures126 Economic environment 131 Consolidated financial statement

KNAPP AG | 9KNAPP AG | 9

Project: futureOpen spaces

The dynamics of progress lies in research and development. It does,

however, only count as progress, if the customer also accepts the

innovation. This year, we managed to achieve this once again.

Franz Mathi, COO KNAPP AGProje

ct: fu

ture

KNAPP AG | 11KNAPP AG | 11


Not only in tune with the latest developments, but always a step ahead. Research, development and innovation have always ranked high in the tradition of KNAPP. In more than 60 years of company history, KNAPP has been making a significant impact on intralogistics. These ground-breaking innovations include the SDA autopicker, the OSR Shuttle™ automatic storage system or the first UNIX-based software applied in industry. KNAPP’s newest developments, such as the KiSoft Vision technologies, the KNAPP-Store or the Pick-it-Easy Robot for robotic picking, address the current trends such as the zero-error strategy or same-day/next-day delivery, and forge the way into the new era of intralogistics.

Innovation and progress

The start of a new era The industry is poised at the

beginning of a new era – Industry 4.0. After the past three industrial revolutions – first steam power, on to assembly line production and then the digital revolution – the era of cyber-physical systems and the Internet of Things now begins. The networking between man and machine is at the centre of the Industry 4.0. The goal is the intelligent, networked factory. Or in KNAPP’s case – the intelligent, networked intralogistics system.

One aspect is the use of industrial robots. Robotics is still a recent topic in intralogistics, with tremendous potential for growth but also posing significant challenges. For years, it was thought that the reliable process of bin picking could not be automated. The demands on the robots and sensors are very high. Object recognition and the pick process are highly complex and many components must

Anton KienreichPrototype Constructions

“A new challenge waits for me each day, which

is what really fascinates me about my work in prototype

construction. Experience and knowledge are naturally important

for realizing new requests, but above all, one needs good intuition.”

12 | KNAPP AG KNAPP AG | 1312 | KNAPP AG KNAPP AG | 13

Project: futureProject: future Open spaces Open spacescoordinate harmoniously for this process to be successfully implemented.

Why rely on robots at all? The potential these technologies tap into is tremendous. Where the human reaches the limit of his capacity, the robot can take over. A robot can, for example, perform very monotonous and strenuous actions over a long period with unchanging quality and performance. Because of this characteristic, robots are particularly applicable for use in shift operations with high throughput and low error tolerance. Especially current and future legal requirements, quality assurance and the tracking of articles along the supply chain can be realized with the help of robots.

In 2010, a core interdepartmental team of about 15 KNAPP employees was formed for the development of a picking robot, especially for the use in the pharmaceutical supply chain. The development of the first generation picking robot was completed in 2012.

Leaving familiar territory It is not always apparent right from the start

that a path is leading in the wrong direction but we can learn from the experience, turn around and take the right path. Such a realization requires courage but is also the basis that makes success possible. KNAPP, therefore, subjected the first version of the picking robot to a new validation and a redesign shortly before it was ready for production, which had effects on the components used as well as on the robot processes. Next, development expertise for the gripper components was acquired – this led to two patent registrations for the articulated arm robot and robot gripper. Furthermore, several grippers were developed that are automatically changed to handle a wide variety of articles. Integration competence was established in-house as well. In order to realize the customized image processing technologies and applications as envisioned, KNAPP brought two highly-specialized suppliers on board.

The processes were optimized from the logistical point of view, which provided the system with more flexibility. The new generation now makes it possible to pick several items per line and to pick from a container until it is completely empty. KNAPP was, thus, able to find a solution for a task that the industry had been coping with for many years. The Pick-it-Easy Robot was ready for production and presented at the CeMAT 2014. The first Pick-it-Easy Robot also started operation in 2014 for the KNAPP customer Basiq Dental.

Future-oriented technologies The Pick-it-Easy Robot is an important step

towards a new era of intralogistics – the picking robot unites high performance with maximum flexibility and error-free picking in one system. The robot has become a co-worker of man – better distribution of the work load and up to a fourfold increase in productivity are possible thanks to the Pick-it-Easy Robot. One of the robot’s great advantages is that it can be retroactively integrated into existing intralogistic systems. With the development of Pick-it-Easy Robot, KNAPP has not only hit an important milestone in intralogistics, but has also added a valuable solution component to the zero defect warehouse - the warehouse of the future, where errors are a thing of the past.

“I openly face new challenges with the idea that I can overcome them. In

my 37 years at KNAPP I have certainly faced quite a few difficult undertakings.

Knowledge, experience and a fine touch, combined with the courage to move in

new directions and to think in new ways have allowed me to find a solution for

every task I have faced so far. ”

Anton KienreichPrototype Construction,

at KNAPP since 1977


Project: futureProject: future Open spaces Open spaces

For 75 years, the pharmacy cooperative NOWEDA eG has been making an important contribution to the supply of medicines. NOWEDA is involved with 16 locations in Germany, a location in Luxembourg as well as a share in Switzerland for the provision of owner-operated pharmacies. NOWEDA is very successful in their sector and has been relying on their partnership with KNAPP for more than 20 years.Kajo Paulweber, head of the department Organization, Technology, IT and Quality Management at NOWEDA talks about the advantages of a long-term partnership and the future challenges.

Recipe for success

NOWEDA and KNAPP are connected by a partnership of more than 2 decades: What are the advantages of cooperating with the same partner for so many years? What were the special moments or the highlights from your perspective?

Kajo Paulweber: Commercial enterprises generally discriminate between customers. It is easy to understand that a 100 percent customer and long-term partner is treated differently than a C or D customer. For NOWEDA, the availability of a technology plays a very important role. The goal is customer satisfaction and technical failures simply do not help us reach this goal. Since we are a 100 percent customer and a long-term partner, we benefit from the high degree of attention that we unquestionably receive from KNAPP.

In a long-term partnership, it’s not about selling something, but about generating added value and not endangering a valuable partnership. In a tender procedure, the tenderer must reckon with the fact that despite performance up front, he may eventually not

get the contract. The details of the contract must be worked out, checked and agreed upon in advance. Tender specifications and cost calculations must be generated and communicated. For all these efforts the tenderer must include a markup (risk) in his offers.

With a 100 percent customer, the risk associated with doing the preliminary work for an order and then not getting it is almost zero. Accordingly, the offers can be more favourably figured. Moreover, there are cost degressions effected in projecting, service and maintenance if similar or, even better, identical systems are being used.

Success is made by people. In communication, the meaning does not really lie in what is actually said but rather in what the other person understands. If you want to be heard, you simply must have the attention of your partner. And here we have come full circle because a 100 percent customer will always enjoy a different level of attention than a so-called smart shopper.

Founded:

1939 by 7 pharmacists

75 years co-operative of

pharmacies NOWEDA

19 subsidiaries in

Germany, Luxembourg and Switzerland

Today:

Co-operative of 8,600

pharmacists

“We value the people at KNAPP and their commitment and dedication. We appre-ciate the good performance, the mutual trust and the freedom to speak openly.”

Kajo Paulweber, Head of Organization, Technology, IT and

Quality Management, NOWEDA Essen



How was KNAPP able to support NOWEDA on its course of success?

Kajo Paulweber: KNAPP was thoroughly attuned to NOWEDA’s needs. Our requirements were very high because of the demands we made of the technical installation for availability. For the 100 percent customer NOWEDA, KNAPP was and is still ready to go far beyond the beaten organizational paths. Communication beyond all hierarchical boundaries is possible. This brings speed into the picture and switches off filters.

How does such a long, successful cooperation come about? What do you particularly appreciate regarding your cooperation with KNAPP?

K. P.: partnership and long-term economic success must be more important than short-term pecuniary advantages. It must be a win-win situation. We value the people at KNAPP and their commitment and dedication. We appreciate the good performance, the mutual trust and the freedom to speak openly.

Special moments from the partnership with KNAPP cannot be listed so easily. There have simply been too many. There is, however, one experience that we particularly remember:

One of KNAPP's competitors asked for the chance to place a competitive offer. He promised that the price would be considerably different from KNAPP's. His prediction turned out to be true. The price was in fact clearly different, but it was clearly much more expensive. We were speechless because he hadn’t even allowed himself a margin.

Gerald Hofer, today CEO but at the time responsible for sales, made a pithy comment about the whole situation: “Mr. Paulweber, you should by all means ask for an offer from the competitor every five years. Then you will always know what KNAPP does for NOWEDA in terms of pricing.” Even more remarkable was the comment that would not seem to fit the cheapest price: “NOWEDA is our most profitable customer!”

Naturally, we also remember crises caused by technical problems. But that’s mainly because in these situations the KNAPP employees were especially dedicated and did an outstanding job. We could name many names, but we won’t because we don’t want to risk forgetting any of the top people. In Graz there are “NOWEDAners” employed at KNAPP!

What challenges does the future hold that can be taken on together?

K. P.: The cost pressure in our sector will continue and is more likely to increase rather than decrease. Therefore, we need long-term economic solutions. With this in mind, common parts management for parts and an enterprise release of software solutions take on a special meaning.

A technical solution is good if one can easily understand it, meaning that it is simple. Standard solutions should be used where they raise the availability of the technology. They should be avoided in situations where the solutions must be above and beyond the competition.

The fact of past success is no guarantee of future success. With every single order, we must prove ourselves to be the right partner for our customers. NOWEDA will not be able to achieve this without technical support. This is why our partnership with KNAPP is so important to us.



Procurement on a global scale whilst delivering the highest level of quality and a top-class service requires a strong supplier network and a procurement team geared towards the international market. For many years, KNAPP has focussed on developing a global network of strong suppliers and on maintaining ongoing partnerships. One of these long-standing and successful partnerships has been with the Dutch company Nedcon BV, a supplier of the rack systems used in the OSR Shuttle™ which is being installed all over the world.

Think global – buy local

The traditional role of our procurement team has evolved over time. Whereas previously their main job was to supply production with raw materials and products at low prices, today's procurement department takes on a wide range of important tasks. At present, a project is underway to modernize our procurement department in order to give it an integrated, strategy-driven focus and allow it to make a greater contribution to

value creation. Our procurement team forms the bridge that links our customers and suppliers. Negotiating skills and value orientation along the entire supply chain are necessary in order to fulfil the customers' various requirements perfectly and to help realize faster reaction times. True to the motto think global – buy local, KNAPP is committed to relying on a network of branches with local procurement teams that aim to buy

A strong supplier network

“What I find especially exciting is working with people from different cultures in a global supplier market.”

Bernhard Halbwirth:Head of Global Procurement Project & Invest, bei KNAPP seit 1996

What is the recipe for a successful, long-term business partnership?

Mutual trust and a shared goal are the foundation of any long-term partnership. KNAPP and Nedcon decided to break the rules of what a business partnership usually means in order to establish a business relationship based on open communication and an exchange of knowledge, which is geared towards long-term, sustained success for everyone involved.

What do you find particularly interesting about your job?

What I find especially exciting is working with people from different cultures in a global supplier market. We in Global Procurement consider us as internal business partners: we are in charge of a global partnership network in which we organize a complex supply chain with a high focus on value.

What is it that motivates you?What motivates me is realizing complex

objectives in a perfectly coordinated team based on partnership, so that, at the end of the day we have customers who are satisfied with our innovative solutions.

Development of rack systems for the OSR Shuttle™

together since 2010

Nedcon

delivers intelligent rack solutions for the OSR Shuttle™

40 years of experience and expertise in storage system construction

Highlights of the cooperation:

56 projects implemented together worldwide Cooperation with KNAPP since 2000



goods in the regions where they are needed. This benefits not only customers, who can, for example, take advantage of shorter delivery times for replacement parts, but also the environment, as reduced transport times mean lower CO2 emissions.

When selecting suppliers, KNAPP demands the highest standards in terms of price, quality and service, and strives to establish partnerships and long-term collaborations. The intralogistics solutions implemented together with partners are technically very complex. A well-established team consisting of KNAPP employees and suppliers ensures that projects are realized successfully and that optimal service is delivered, thus guaranteeing long-term success and customer satisfaction. When exploring potential solutions, suppliers are involved in the process early on so that workflows and costs can be optimized during the innovation stage.

KNAPP and the Dutch company Nedcon BV have been working together for over 15 years. During this time many joint projects involving automated rack systems have been implemented. In 2010 KNAPP started looking for a partner to assist the company in the development of a new, high-performance rack system for the OSR Shuttle™. Nedcon submitted the best bid in terms of technical experience and flexibility, but what really made a difference was their desire to work together with us to develop a new product that would meet the dynamic requirements of the market.

Nedcon specializes in intelligent solutions for high-performance storage systems and, with over 40 years of experience, it's hard to find another company with as much expertise in the field of rack construction. That is why, when it came to developing a new generation of racks for the OSR Shuttle™ with the required high standards, Nedcon was an ideal partner for KNAPP.

The cooperation resulted in an innovative, well thought-out and extremely economic modular-construction rack system for the storage of containers and cartons which

featured rails for the shuttles and a load capacity of up to 50 kilos. The modular construction and standardized components cut planning, production and construction times and improved cost efficiency. The development teams of both companies cooperated closely to find new and innovative ways to optimize the entire shuttle system.

In recent years, this partnership has seen 56 projects successfully implemented worldwide. However, KNAPP and Nedcon did not stop there. Today they continue to work on developing new solutions in response to the changing market demands and customer requirements. Together they have developed a new rack solution for the brand new OSR Shuttle™ Eco along with a calculation tool that KNAPP uses during sales, thus enabling the project cycle duration to be sustainably improved. Innovation, a solution-based approach, process monitoring, commitment and reliability are and will continue to be the cornerstones of the partnership between KNAPP and Nedcon. A sound basis from which to take on future challenges.

„We drive development!In our mission to find the perfect solution, we have worked together with KNAPP to continuously push the boundaries of technical possibilities, redefining them along the way.“

Michiel NijhoutGeneral Director, Nedcon

1+1 is better than 2

NedconSector Intelligent warehouse solutions

Headquarters Doetinchem, The NetherlandsMain area of

expertise Intelligent, fully-integrated rack solutionsCooperation with

KNAPP since 2000

Employees 400

Turnover 150 million euros



Our service for your success – always keeping this motto in mind, KNAPP has created a wide spectrum of services with the service portfolio System Support 360°+ that can be flexibly adjusted to the needs and goals of each customer. Maximum performance capacity and availability for the life of the system stand in the forefront as well as comprehensive support and training for employees working with the technologies and in the processes. 360°stands for all round care of the system, while the + stands for the individual connections and complementary products that are necessary in between the services to provide a holistic service. With this approach, KNAPP pursues its goal to not only provide service, but to wow customers with its service, the + being that certain something that distinguishes good service from outstanding service.

Service with enthusiasm The best solution is always individual

...because each customer has his own specific requirements and needs, which are based on ideally fulfilling the expectations of the end customer. Therefore, services must always be attuned to the individual requirements, business models and components, and must naturally offer sufficient flexibility to allow the desired synergies to arise and to support operation. With the System Support 360°+ KNAPP offers its customers a comprehensive portfolio of services, tailored to meet individual needs and flexible enough to be adjusted to new demands at any time. With the new service concept, KNAPP is not only solution provider, but also service provider.

Innovative and always at your sideCommunication, transparency

and customer proximity stand in the forefront of customer care at KNAPP. The internationally-oriented customer service comprising 33 subsidiaries and service partners as well as a 24/7 hotline ensure

that customers have a contact person available around the clock guaranteeing prompt response. Additionally, the most modern support systems, such as KiSoft Web Eye, complement the communication with the customer. KiSoft Web Eye is a revolution in customer service which offsets spacial and temporal distances. Through a head-mounted display worn by the service employee of the customer on site, the KNAPP service technician basically sees through the eyes of the employee on site and can give specific instructions, for example, for the replacement of a component. With KiSoft Web Eye, KNAPP opens up a new dimension of communication in customer support.

The service portfolio is rounded out by consulting services and services for the ongoing process optimization, such as the Operation & Logistics Support (O&LS). Here, processes are analyzed and potentials for optimization explored to reach the maximum performance and availability of the system and to accomplish long-term investment security.

24 | KNAPP AG KNAPP AG | 25KNAPP AG | 25


What is your daily routine?Carolína García Tornero: Every

work day demands flexibility and creativity: The optimal performance of the logistical system and consequently the satisfaction of the customer are the goal and define my entire agenda.

What do you find particularly fascinating about your work?

C.G.T.: I approach our customers with respect and interest. It is always a new journey that connects me to foreign cultures and continents. I try to seek an appreciative understanding of the individual requirements in the cultural context with every customer, and try to understand how they perceive the world. For this I need involvement, flexibility and a lot of humour. Since the overall result and the overall impression we make on the

customer does not depend just on my person, but depends on various people and departments in our company, cooperation across the participating departments is extremely important. These daily contacts and interactions are an important part of the success of my work and are also very enriching for me personally.

What is the significance of strong customer service?

C.G.T.: It is not just keeping your customers, but keeping them enthusiastic over the long run that is what I call a one-of-a-kind service. I see all the employees in Customer Service as KNAPP ambassadors: Our attitudes, responses and behaviour significantly influence KNAPP’s image. We, therefore, play an important role for our company as far as customer loyalty is concerned in the long run.

“My personal recipe for success: Openness, honesty and trust. It is essential for me that our customers know that their requests are important to me and that they can trust me. As soon as a customer replaces supplier with partner in his vocabulary, I know that I am on the right path to customer satisfaction.”Carolína García Tornero

Carolína García TorneroService Key Account Manager, at KNAPP since 2001

Carolína García Tornero has been working at KNAPP since 2001. As a Service Key Account Manager, she focuses on the service concerns of some of KNAPP’s key customers. She is a personal, direct contact partner and is, therefore, the interface between the companies. Two of her main responsibilities are the development of tailored service strategies and the further development of the partnership with these strategically important customers.


CompanyOpen spaces

Supervisory board report

In the past fiscal year, the Super-visory Board carried out its duties as set forth by law and by the Articles of Association, advised the Managing Board on a regular basis regarding the affairs of the company management and monitored its activities. The Mana-ging Board provided recurrent, prompt and comprehensive information to the Supervisory Board on the economic position and development of the com-pany as well as on important business cases.

The Supervisory Board conducted four sessions in the fiscal year 2013/14, in which the members of the Managing Board reported on the developments in their business areas as well as on the other companies in the Group, and the Supervisory Board passed resolutions pertaining to current topics. Particularly important events in 2013/14 included the foundation of the YLOG Industry Solutions GmbH, the foundation of a subsidiary in Australia, the construction of an assembling hall on the Hart bei Graz property obtained in the previous fiscal year, and the opening of the com-pany restaurant in Leoben.

The Annual Report and the Group Financial Statements of the KNAPP AG for the period ending March 31, 2014 were provided with the unqualified au-dit opinion by PriceWaterhouseCoo-pers Steiermark Wirtschaftsprüfung und Steuerberatung GmbH. It was fur-thermore determined that the Manage-ment Report of the Managing Board is compatible with the Group Financial Statements.

The Supervisory Board has dis-cussed and checked in detail all the do-cuments for the annual financial state-ments with the auditor and approved them in their present form. Regarding the use of the profits, the Supervisory Board endorsed the proposal made by the Managing Board.

The Supervisory Board wants to thank all the business partners for their trust and all the employees for their hard work in the challenges of the fiscal year 2013/14. The chairperson strongly emphasizes the stability of the compa-ny, the family-dominated owner struc-ture as well as the preservation and expansion of the existing locations.

Hart bei Graz, June 2014

Herbert Knapp, ChairmanCo

mpan

y


CompanyCompanyOpen spaces Open spaces

Room for creativity Successful with a strong team

2013/14 was an eventful fiscal year for the KNAPP Group. It was a year marked by new projects with new and repeat customers, numerous product innovations and new members joining the company group. This success was primarily achieved thanks to the around 2,500 employees, who, as a strong team, strive for customer satisfaction across the globe. The Managing Board trio comprising Gerald Hofer, Franz Mathi and Christian Grabner talk about the past fiscal year and the challenges of the future.

How was the fiscal year 2013/14?

Franz Mathi: The year included numerous highlights for us. We were able to win strategically important projects – and especially good news is that many of our existing customers plan their future with us in the long term. This creates stability and demonstrates that we are on the right track. We also successfully put some lighthouse projects with new system solutions into operation in Europe as well as North and South America.

About 80 percent of all investments are used to strengthen the company locations. This year, for example, the Styrian locations were in the focus with the construction of new production halls in Leoben and Graz, but also with the construction of a daycare facility. We have made

a clear commitment to the Austrian locations, even though the prevailing circumstances are difficult.

One highlight worth mentioning is that we have expanded our shuttle portfolio with the YLOG-Shuttle and are now positioned to serve the production logistics branch. This was accomplished by acquiring technology and by establishing YLOG Industry Solutions (YIS). Also noteworthy are the new technologies and system solutions that we brought on the market in the past year. With the Vision technology, Pick-it-Easy Robot, KNAPP-Store and many other innovations, we have once again brought technologies to the starting line that will have a lasting influence on the sector.

Franz Mathi, COO

at KNAPP since 1999Franz Mathi began his career at KNAPP as project manager. From 2002 to 2007 he was responsible for the area Product Management and Innovation. Starting in 2007 he took over company management for the KNAPP Logistik Automation GmbH (from July 1, 2009 KNAPP AG) and was named Chief Operating Officer on the Managing Board in 2012.

What were the highlights of the year?

Christian Grabner: The fiscal year 2013/14 was very challenging, but also very successful for us. We were able to reach our planned turnover and also to further increase the results. We are at a level of results that allows us to make investments for the future and to remain a long-term and reliable partner for our customers. Our customers place a great deal of trust in us. We are

pleased with the record level of orders – in the past fiscal year we received orders totalling more than 454 million euros. Particularly positive was that we were able to convince both existing and new customers of the advantages of the KNAPP solutions. We welcomed 200 new employees into the company in order to offer our customers the best possible service.

“This year we were able to win strategically important

projects. This demonstrates that we are on the right track.”



Gerald Hofer, CEO

at KNAPP since 1994After joining the company, Gerald Hofer headed sales for Italy and in 1996 became head of the area Marketing & Sales. In 2001 he made the move as Managing Director to the KNAPP subsidiary KNAPP Systemintegration GmbH in Leoben. 6 years later he returned to the management team in Hart bei Graz. In 2010 he joined the Managing Board of KNAPP AG and took on the role of Chief Executive Officer in 2012.

Gerald Hofer: We can mostly say that all the sectors in our focus have developed very well, beginning with the pharmaceutical sector. We serve the entire pharmaceutical supply chain from producers to wholesalers and to the point of sale – the pharmacy. We were also able to introduce solutions with important new developments for the direct-to-patient model.

We were very successful in the fashion and lifestyle sectors and were able to win over very large international brands – we are well beyond the plan in this segment. We are also pleased to have new customers and new solutions

in the foods sector. In general retail we won some of the really big names in Europe and we scored in internet wholesale as well.

With our YLOG Industry Solutions we reach a new customer group in the mid-size range where the trend is for smaller but smart investments. With less than a year behind us we can already point to success in form of several projects.

All in all, we are very proud of the developments of the past fiscal year. As far as sector solutions as well as system solutions are concerned we have completely reached or exceeded our strategic goals.

KNAPP has always been closely connected with the pharmaceutical sector. What are the new challenges for the pharmaceutical supply chain posed by legal changes, such as the GDP guidelines (Good Distribution Practice), and what role do trouble-free and efficient intralogistics play in the fulfilment of these new tasks?

How have the core sectors and markets developed?

Gerald Hofer: The pharmaceutical sector has always had to deal with more than just getting the right goods ready for sale at the right time. Here, we have to consider patient safety, quality, continuous traceability and documentation. Among other things, the GDP guidelines mean that starting in 2017 the serial numbers of pharmaceuticals have to be tracked end-to-end to the greatest possible extent. In addition, further quality assurance measures must now be realized affecting things such as the labelling on the packaging. Thus, GDP poses a challenge for the entire pharmaceutical supply chain.

Our advantage – where we can provide a clear competitive advantage for our customers – is our experience, and the fact that our system solutions cover the entire supply chain. We gained experience in the USA in the demanding field of Direct2Patient, the direct supply from the distribution centre to the end customer. These experiences mean that we have a basis from which we can meet the new challenges which our customers are facing.

Our approach can be summed up with the term zero defect warehouse. In a zero defect warehouse we

can monitor all the manual and automated processes across the entire supply chain. This means we capture data for quality features such as the article serial number in all relevant steps using image recognition and image processing technologies. In the Direct2Patient process we automatically label pharmaceutical articles, provide them with important information for the patients and check whether the packaging has been opened and must be removed from circulation.

With these processes we generate not only the required patient safety but also create a self-learning organization at the same time. Any errors are detected in the respective process step and handled there, providing not only continuous documentation but also a targeted learning behaviour.

We are well-prepared for the concept of GDP as well as for other guidelines outside Europe, some of which are even stricter. I think we are in the position of being THE partner of the pharmaceutical supply chain – our goal was to have the answers for our customers even before they had finished formulating the questions. We can be proud of the fact that we have achieved this goal.

“With the zero defect warehouse we generate precision and create a self-learning organization.”



Franz Mathi: Our comprehensive system competence and process know-how are united in the KNAPP Group as one of our biggest strengths. Every year we also invest about 7 percent of the turnover in research and development and were, therefore, able to develop many of our ideas to be ready for the market in the past years. Above all, our focus is not only on the classic development of applications, but also we have a strong focus on basic technologies. For example, based on our Vision technology, we were able to build up a comprehensive portfolio for various applications. The process of placing new technologies on the market reveals the key factors, some of them unforeseeable, that we are dealing with in this sector. Looking at the development of the OSR Shuttle™ in the past 10 to 15 years, the shuttle technology has developed in dimensions that we ourselves hardly thought possible. I think that, even regarding the trend-setting Vision technologies, application areas will develop that are not yet foreseeable today.

We have, of course, also further advanced our developments in the shuttle area. Most notable are the free-moving Open Shuttle and the YLOG-Shuttle, which now make a 3D matrix in a rack system possible.

New developments often arise from

new market demands. Our Pack2Patient is a successful new solution for direct delivery to the end customer in the pharmaceutical sector but is also a response to the new legal framework. We are particularly glad that we were able to develop the Pack2Patient solution further in order to create stand-alone products.

Our efforts regarding software have been tremendous – thanks to this we were able to achieve great success in the area of warehouse management of complex systems. Through our subsidiary KNAPP IT Solutions (KIS) we were able to roll out our own ERP system in some projects for the first time. Our software competence in the past years has been heavily reinforced and we have outstanding and motivated employees.

We also set another milestone in intralogistics: Our robot solution in connection with Vision technology can now pick different articles from one container and pick all articles from a container until it is completely empty. The industry has actually been working on this concept for more than 10 years. Up to now no one had found a satisfactory solution. However, within the past year, we came up with a good solution – this really sets us apart as a company and clearly demonstrates our innovative power and expertise.

Research and development have been very important at KNAPP. What innovations were brought to the market in the past fiscal year?

Christian Grabner: Developments in the logistics sector are very rapid and diverse. We have identified new requirements in areas such as labour law, ergonomics and energy efficiency as important influencing factors and incorporate them in the design of our solutions.

Investment security is naturally very important to our customers. Our low complexity warehouse concept puts our customers in a position to respond quickly and flexibly to changing conditions and to fulfil new demands easily.

One persistent trend is e-commerce – everything that has to do with online shopping. Consumer expectation in this segment is especially high. Every article must be available at all times and, naturally, at the best price. Our highly

specialized solutions for this demanding business allow us to support our customers in fulfilling these requirements perfectly.

The food retail sector is also experiencing the trend towards automation. Great quantities of goods must be stored, picked and distributed efficiently. We also have a comprehensive portfolio of solutions for these requirements.

Extraordinary quality will more and more become the decisive factor: With the zero defect approach we make error-free delivery and a self-learning organization possible. This is how we raise both customer and employee satisfaction and give our customers a decisive competitive advantage.

Growth sector intralogistics: What developments are foreseeable? What advantages do the KNAPP solutions offer?

“Our solutions offer our customers investment security and the necessary flexibility to respond to the changing conditions.”Christian Grabner, CFO



KNAPP is increasingly positioned as partner to the industry: How does this translate into advantages for KNAPP customers?

Christian Grabner: For us, being an industry partner means responding to our customers’ requirements for both now and the future, understanding them and offering solutions in tune with the requirements. Being an industry partner also means that we are continually and extensively engaged with our core sectors and customers, even when there is no particular project on hand. As can be currently seen from the developments in the pharmaceutical supply chain, these efforts are an important factor in having the system solutions ready at the right time and in best

supporting our customers on their way into the future.

An industry partner also provides optimal care not only during the installation and startup phases, but also supports and accompanies the customer in the long-term. This is why our scope of services includes the service package System Support 360°+. This package enables us to offer customized services based on the customer’s needs, therefore, securing the optimal performance throughout the life of the system and creating success and competitive advantage for our customers.

The KNAPP Group is growing steadily and is now represented in 33 locations worldwide. What steps are planned for the future to strengthen the global KNAPP network?

Franz Mathi: We encounter various situations in the international environment in which we move. Different demands are coming from the saturated European economy in comparison to South America or China, for example. This is naturally very exciting for us, and the North and South American regions are also displaying a tremendous growth potential. Wherever we see potential like this, it naturally makes sense to strengthen our value creation and forces. Strengthening our South American location is an important part of our strategy; for example, we want to further build up our competencies in installation and assembly, and to enrich the market with new products. We have similar plans for North America, whereas here we also want to strengthen the

development competencies. The Asian market is developing very positively. By now this market seems to be ready for the type of solutions we offer. The next logical growth step is to invest in production and assembly competency in these countries. This year we want to promote this to the extent that by the end of the year we are ready to assemble simple conveyor systems and components on site.

It is very important to note here that the decentralization of value creation across the globe naturally strengthens the locations in Austria and Europe, and ensures competitiveness and growth over the long run. Development and production are initially done here and then rolled out to the subsidiaries worldwide, meaning that all the locations benefit.



Work-life balance has become a very important issue: What type of support does KNAPP provide employees to balance work life and private life?

Gerald Hofer: In principle, this is about corporate culture and the question is: “How can we create an environment in which our employees feel comfortable and enjoy working?”

At KNAPP we have set out to create a corporate culture of openness to experience and open communication. We want to promote the specific strengths of our employees. We think that work should be enjoyable. Our employees perform exceptionally, and therefore, we want to create a correspondingly positive environment in which they can develop their strengths. This may be done by creating new space – currently in the Bielefeld, Leoben and Graz locations – or with state-of-the-art workspace design and new communication tools. We also promote social contact between employees whether at the company cafeteria, the daycare centre KNAPP-Kinderwelt or through the sport and exercise programs of KNAPPvital and many other activities.

Today its all about the see-through company, and so it is logical for us to communicate

openly and transparently with our employees, to inform them of problems and to celebrate success together. It is important to us to live and promote this open and appreciative company culture at all levels of the organization. This positive energy, motivation, enjoyment of the work and of our common success keeps us moving forward. Teamwork and the contribution of each individual is very important. Dismantling barriers within the organization is important to us, so that our team spirit is experienced throughout the company, and everyone can draw strength from it. Successes that you achieve together have more value than those you celebrate alone.

A positive side of the international nature of the company is that our KNAPP family becomes more and more multicultural – we can all learn and benefit from each other. Our goal is that the openness and appreciation in our company culture can be seen by the global public and experienced throughout the entire KNAPP group.

What goals do you want to set for the coming fiscal year?

Christian Grabner: We want to use the drive, the international nature and the positive mood in our company and harness it to create further growth. For the next year, we intend to reach a growth in turnover of 10 percent. On the one hand, we would like to achieve this with proven and tested solutions, but on the other hand we would also like to score with new system solutions. We expect our innovations that are on the verge of market entry to contribute significantly these include the Pick-it-Easy Robot, Open Shuttle and the KNAPP-Store. We also expect a positive impulse from our newly established subsidiaries such as KNAPP IT Solutions, as well as from our new subsidiaries in Australia and Russia. Providing

our customers with the best possible care is also the reason why we plan to increase our staff by another 200 employees this year.

It is critical for us as an international company to think locally, to recognize, understand and realize the local requirements of our customers in the best possible way. Therefore, as mentioned previously, we will strengthen our locations in the USA, South America, China and England. There, we will put even more emphasis on value creation to realize and live up to the idea of thinking locally. We have a lot in store and look forward to an exciting and successful new fiscal year.

Christian Grabner, CFO

at KNAPP since 2006After joining the company, Christian Grabner worked for 2 years in Controlling and Cost Accounting and in 2008, headed the division. In 2011 he changed to company management of KNAPP AG and accepted the duties of Chief Financial Officer in the Managing Board of the company in 2012.



The managing board

Gerald Hofer, MBA Chief Executive Officer, CEO

Dipl.-Ing. Franz MathiChief Operating Officer, COO

MMag. Dipl.-Ing. Dr. Christian Grabner Chief Financial Officer, CFO

The management team

Heimo RoboschExecutive Vice President (EVP)

Bernhard RottenbücherExecutive Vice President (EVP)

1 bis 15.01.2014

Controlling bodiesThe supervisory board

Hofrat Dr. Herbert Knapp ChairmanEm. Univ.-Prof. Dipl.-Ing. Dr. Günter KnappDeputy Chairman

Univ.-Prof. Dr. Gunter Nitsche Mag. Helmut Grienschgl Mag. Helga KnappMag. Tanja KnappMag. Friedrich MöstlDr. Peter WengerDipl.-Ing. Eduard Wünscher1

Fumio Kobayashi1

Works council delegates:Ing. Wolfgang SillyIng. Helga StockerHeribert PlieschnigDipl.-Ing. Sandra Hofmann1

Ing. Roland Graf1



Logistics moves the world … and this world is moving faster and faster. We are constantly surrounded by logistics in our daily lives, and if all cogs in the logistics chain fit together perfectly, we barely notice it. The medication we need is available at the pharmacy. The supermarket shelves are always full. Our favourite author’s new novel is available online and a few clicks later a new pair of shoes is also in our virtual basket and only 24 hours later we hold the goods in our hands.

Without efficient, intelligently automated logistics solutions, the vast stream of goods moving around the world daily and the growing demands of our society in terms of product availability could never be managed.

KNAPP drives logistics …and responds to current requirements. KNAPP is committed to precisely this task. As a supplier of all-in-one intralogistics solutions, we see it as our responsibility to sustainably shape and influence logistics worldwide through our work, making the name KNAPP inseparable from the term intralogistics. Our vision therefore is to make KNAPP the byword for logistics!

KNAPP in motionOur main tasks – what we stand for

Innovation and traditionWe have a tradition of

innovation – we have more than 60 years' experience and expertise in the logistics industry, which has been influenced by our innovations time and again. In the future we would like to lead the way in new technologies and offer unique solutions on the market. We, therefore, place great emphasis on research, development, innovation and the development of knowledge.

Our solutions reflect our motto – making complexity simple. In an increasingly demanding logistical environment, we design processes and systems efficiently and optimize their sustainability and profitability by cleverly implementing the right mix of technologies. Our technologies focus on individuals and their well-being. We automate processes in sectors where it is useful and practical, and provide our technologies to assist humans elsewhere.

PartnershipSuccess through strong partnership

– we partner with customers, employees, society, the environment and suppliers, and regularly exchange with them all, which enables us to create unique solutions and facilitates sustainable growth.

Our company is oriented towards sustainability and as a member of society we are aware of our responsibility and look at all of our activities from an ecological, economical and social point of view.



Our principles – how we act We encourage knowledge and progress

Building on our positive company values and expertise, we utilise our knowledge wisely and encourage the systematic advancement of our industry-specific expertise. We are clearly committed to research and development and use our experience to remain at the technological forefront. We encourage knowledge management and transparency within the company – specific specialist knowledge is managed centrally and provides employees with a valuable source of knowledge in their daily work.

The training and further education of our employees is of great importance to us, and therefore, we offer ongoing tailored training courses and modules in-house. We also support employees who undertake further training. In training managers, we provide targeted support in professional and social development. Our employees have a high degree of personal responsibility and motivation. The leadership style applied in the company, management by objectives, provides room for creativity which is necessary for advancing innovation.

We build on strong foundationsThe company values of reliability, courage,

openness, appreciation and creativity form the foundation for sustainable growth and success and span across all our activities, like a network. The company management actively demonstrates these values in its relations with customers, employees and the environment. These company values also shape the actions and decisions of all employees.

We offer complete solutions KNAPP sees itself as a solution provider.

We offer one-stop all-in-one logistics solutions from design to manufacturing, installation and comprehensive service. We concentrate on our core industries, namely pharmaceuticals, fashion, retail & lifestyle and food retail and offer unique goods distribution solutions and services to our customers in these sectors. Reliability throughout projects and the courage to tread unknown paths in order to find optimal solutions distinguish our work.

We assume responsibilityWe contribute towards the

sustainable shaping of intralogistics and endeavour to create environmentally sound, efficient and socially beneficial logistics processes and achieve a balance between economic and ecological efficiency. This is how we can create sustainable corporate values. KNAPP has an integrated management system and is certified in quality management (ISO 9001), occupational health and safety (OHSAS 18001) and environmental management (ISO 14001). Our environmental policy, derived from our company values, continues to be implemented across the company.

Our employees provide extraordinary solutions daily, guaranteeing the success and satisfaction of our customers. Targeted internal measures help us to support our employees in enjoying a good work-life balance.

We engage in open dialogue Listening, understanding,

implementing, improving – constructive interaction is highly valued in our relations with customers and employees as well as with society and the environment. As an internationally orientated company, we are open to other cultures. We engage in open dialogue with all our partners and interact with mutual respect and esteem. Mutual trust creates the basis for bold new solutions.


CompanyCompanyOpen spaces Open spacesMake KNAPP the

byword in Logistics

Objectives and aims

PartnershipCustomers

EnvironmentSociety

EmployeesSuppliers

making complexity simpleunique solutions

Solution Providerknowledgeexperienceknow how

research + developmentwork life balance

the Missionhow we act

reliable, open,appreciative,

creative, courageous

strong foundation comprehensive solutions

open dialougestakeholder

Responsibility

the Visionwhat we stand for

Innovation and traditiion

KNAPP2020constantly getting better

Our aim – what we want to achieve Constantly improving

The future holds new challenges. A noticeable trend on the market is the need for all-in-one service providers that offer consulting and services in addition to implementing intralogistics solutions. KNAPP has developed the group-wide KNAPP2020 program in order to support our customers in future challenges in its capacity as a reliable partner and to offer our employees a stable work environment.

Looking into the futureThe KNAPP2020 program has several

focal points that serve to ensure group-wide growth and long-term success. The company has set clear goals for the year 2020 and is working towards implementing these on an ongoing basis.

The vision make KNAPP the byword for logistics is also the central theme of KNAPP2020. Our aim is to further expand

our world market leadership in selected industries and strengthen our position as a partner to industry. A strong partner is an economically successful partner and we, therefore, aim to double our turnover by 2020. Innovation and development are keys to sustainable, forward-looking automation solutions and continue to be encouraged. Optimum processes in project management and transparent communication enable us to provide a crucial competitive edge to our customers and create added value and investment security. The KNAPP network spans the globe. Targeted measures serve to bring all members of the Group closer together in order to improve communication, responsiveness and service and to make use of synergies.

The path to success requires the commitment and motivation of each individual employee. We accept the challenges of the future together and use them to help us to improve and grow.

sustainable solutionsstrong partner

Innovation and developmentadded value and security of investment

Core industries:

Pharmaceuticals, fashion, general retail & lifestyle, food retail and tools & spares

KNAPP AGIncoming orders 2013/14:

454 EUR millionTurnover 2013/14:

384 EUR million

Employees worldwide:

2,450Employees in Austria:

1,800Headquarters: Hart bei Graz

Subsidiaries: 19Representative offices: 13

Research and development:

7 % of total turnover

Certifications: ISO 9001

OHSAS 18001ISO 14001



The success story continuesKNAPP AG operates internationally in the

field of warehouse automation and warehouse logistics and is a world market leader among suppliers of all-in-one intralogistics solutions and automated warehouse systems. As solution provider, KNAPP provides tailored, comprehensive intralogistics solutions. Its core competencies include development, planning, installation, after-sales support and ongoing consulting.

The company received orders worth EUR 454 million and generated a turnover of around EUR 384 million in the 2013/14 fiscal year. Consequently, KNAPP AG remains on its path of continuous growth. As planned, the previous year's result has been surpassed and the company’s turnover has again reached a record high. Incoming orders increased by 15 percent as compared to the previous year.

Industry focus The core business areas of the company

include pharmaceuticals, fashion, general retail & lifestyle, food retail and tools & Spares. Particularly customers from the pharmaceutical supply chain with especially high expectations regarding quality, flexibility and speed have trusted KNAPP AG’s expertise in providing solutions for decades. KNAPP was, for example, able to gain unique experience and expertise in the challenging environment of the pharmaceutical industry as far as single item picking is concerned

which can also be applied to other industries and sectors such as the growing e-commerce sector. Numerous innovations such as the OSR Shuttle™ that were originally developed for the use in the pharmaceutical supply chain are now also successfully used in all other core industries. The KNAPP subsidiaries Dürkopp Fördertechnik in Bielefeld, Germany, and KNAPP System Integration in Leoben, Austria, also have specialist expertise in the fashion and food retail industries. The startup of YLOG Industry Solutions in Dobl, Austria allowed KNAPP AG to expand its shuttle portfolio and incorporate an autonomous shuttle which is primarily suitable for the use in production environments and small and medium-sized companies (SMEs).

International orientationFrom its headquarters in Hart bei Graz,

Austria, the KNAPP AG network spans the globe with 19 subsidiaries and 13 representative offices. Around 2,450 employees – around 1,800 of them in Austria – work every day towards fulfilling the company’s vision to- make KNAPP the byword for logistics. The year's highlights include the foundation of two new subsidiaries to strengthen the KNAPP network: OOO KNAPP in Russia and KNAPP Australia Pty. Ltd. in Australia.

KNAPP AG is present on all inhabited continents. Europe, North and Latin America continue to be significant markets but the company has also been able to further

Company profilestrengthen its presence and gain important new clients in Asia, Australia and Africa.

The international orientation of the company and its focus on a few core industries has a stabilising effect on the entire company, compensating for economic fluctuations in individual markets. KNAPP AG aims to stay ahead of the competition in the existing markets and core industries but also plans to continually tap into new markets.

Innovation – a success factorNot only in tune with the latest developments,

but always a step ahead KNAPP AG focuses intensively on current and future trends in the intralogistics industry and consumer needs and incorporates this knowledge into product innovations and developments. Innovation, research and development, thus, play an important role in the company, with around 7 percent of the turnover being invested in research and development annually. More than 400 employees across the company work in research and development, playing an active part in shaping the future of intralogistics.

Taking on responsibility Being oriented towards sustainability,

KNAPP is aware of its responsibility towards customers, society and the environment, and remains in regular exchange and dialogue with all stakeholders. KNAPP also has an integrated management system. The company

regularly undergoes audits for certification and is certified in quality management (ISO 9001), occupational health and safety (OHSAS 18001) and environmental management (ISO 14001).

Industry partner In addition to structural measures such

as the expansion of its headquarters and the strengthening of its subsidiary network, the continuous expansion of its service portfolio and dialogue with customers are paramount, as they enable KNAPP to better address the needs of customers and to reinforce its position as a preferred partner of the industry.


CompanyCompany

The company moves to Hart bei Graz, Austria, where the group headquarters is still located.

The first WMS goes into operation for a customer in Germany.1995

1996 KNAPP starts to expand: the first international subsidiary is founded with KNAPP Italia S.R.L.

1999 KNAPP acquires the companies LOGIM and SYSLOG and develops its software competencies.

2002KNAPP recruits its 1,000th employee.

KNAPP treads new paths in the field of automated small-parts warehouses with the development of the OSR Shuttle™. The idea to separate horizontal transport from vertical transport by using shuttles and lifts linked to levels brings about a paradigm shift in intralogistics.

The first OSR Shuttle™ goes into operation at Richter Pharma in Wels, Austria.

Open spaces Open spaces

The History of KNAPP AG

KNAPP's first customers include Herba Chemosan, Stiefelkönig and Kastner & Öhler.

Günter Knapp has not given up on his idea of an automated picking system for the pharmaceutical wholesale trade.

Engineer Günther Knapp founds a company for special machinery in the workshop in the cellar of his private home. The company has two employees. 1952

Günter Knapp is well ahead of his time with his idea to build an automated picking system for the pharmaceutical wholesale trade. The company primarily builds milk pumps, doughnut-filling machines, lifts and small conveyor systems at the time.

1960er

1972KNAPP receives its first order from Germany from the pharmaceutical wholesaler Krey & Figener.

1980

1983Now the time has come – the first automated picking system is developed. KNAPP, thus, sets new standards in intralogistics and distribution.

The first ejector of the SDA automated picking system is installed at OCP Melun in France.

1988

The first order from the USA with a focus on software signals the development of internati-onal markets.1990

Automated picking systems, such as the SDA-2000, are state-of-the-art.

2000


CompanyCompany

The 1,000,000th SDA ejector is installed at the customer Kehr in Brunswick, Germany.

2005

2007 The 4th generation of the successful SDA ejector for automated picking systems comes onto the market. This generation sets the technological standard on the market and offers a wide range of functions, alongside the innovative ACS automated system controller.

2008

KiSoft Command is first put into operation. KiSoft Command has since shaped the appea-rance of the KiSoft product series. 2004

KNAPP expands into Scandinavia by acquiring the logistics company MOVING AB. The building of the new Corporate Headquarters and Development Centre in Hart bei Graz begins. .

KNAPP presents a new product idea with KiSoft Vision at CeMAT 2008 in Hanover. A prototype for picking glasses with augmented reality technology is presented the following year.The next generation of the KiSoft WMS for the high-performance sector is brought into use at the customer JLP in the United Kingdom.

2009


On July 1st, 2009 the company appears under its new name, KNAPP AG.

400 customers visit MOVE – the 'Month of Visitors Event' – at the Styrian headquarters.

2010KNAPP acquires the market leader for fa-shion logistics systems, Dürkopp Fördertechnik.

The Corporate Head-quarters and Develop-ment Centre in Hart bei Graz is opened.

The OSR Shuttle™ goes into operation at Her-mes in Haldensleben, Germany and is, at the time, the largest shuttle system worldwide.

2011

The John Lewis Partnership multichannel solution wins the Award of Excellence from the CILT Institute in the Materials Handling Equipment and Technology category.

The pilot installation of the visual picking technology, KiSoft Vision, is presented at the customer Magnum Medical in Tallinn, Estonia as part of the GIRP meeting.

At CeMAT 2011, KNAPP exhibits under the motto intralogistics and sustainability.

For the first time the company has more than 2,000 employees.

KNAPP is certified according to the environmental norm ISO14001.

The first customer service networking event takes place in Athens.



As part of the Site2020 project comprehensive site expansion is undertaken at the headquarters in Hart bei Graz and at KNAPP Systemintegration (KSI) in Leoben, Austria.

2012

The 10,000th shuttle is sold to the shoe manufacturer Clarks US at the start of the year.

2013

YLOG Industry Solutions based in Dobl, Austria, becomes a new member of the Group.

The YLOG-Shuttle expands the existing shuttle portfolio.

2014KNAPP is awarded the Grocer Gold Award and the Supply Chain Excellence Award for its innovative automation solution at Boots UK.

KNAPP establishes the Styrian Service Cluster together with other Styrian companies. Future customer-orientated, innovative services are the company's focus.

A low complexity warehouse is implemented at the German full-service healthcare provider ProServ centring on the OSR Shuttle™.

Worldwide, 2,500 employees are now working for the company. The annual turnover amounts to around EUR 384 million.

KNAPP makes the 63rd place among the Top 100 Ideal Employers 2014 and receives an award for being the most family-friendly company in Styria.

Subsidiaries are founded in Australia and Russia.

Developed and refined to meet the requirements of the time, the 40,000 ejectors sold on average each year are testament to the importance and scope of the idea that Günter Knapp had many decades before.

KNAPP is the world market leader in shuttle technology with 12 years of development and expertise. More than 200 OSR Shuttle™ systems with more than 15,000 shuttles are active worldwide.

Numerous innovations such as the Pick-it-Easy Robot, the KNAPP-Store and the easyUse control concept are introduced.

The easyUse control concept is the default for all KNAPP user interfaces and facilitates simple, intuitive operation.

KNAPP showcases a range of innovations at CeMAT Hanover, including its comprehensive Vision portfolio, the picking robot Pick-it-Easy Robot, and the KNAPP-Store.

The picking robot, Pick-it-Easy Robot, goes into operation at the customer Basiq Dental in Oisterwijk, Holland.

The KNAPP-Store goes into

operation at Apologistics in Markkleeberg, Germany.

2020 Who thinks of intralogistics, will think of KNAPP.

The KNAPP Group leads the way in the intralogistics industry and achieves a total turnover of EUR 700 million.

Projects are implemented efficiently and to the highest customer satisfaction. KNAPP leads the way in the field of innovation and technology.

KNAPP AG | 55

Open spacesActivities and projects

Activ

ities a

nd pr

ojects

For us, being an industry partner means understanding our customer’s

requirements for both now and the future, and offering solutions in tune

with the requirements. Christian Grabner, CFO KNAPP AG

KNAPP AG | 57

Open spacesActivities and projects

Pioneering spirit and innovation are part of Apologistics' everyday business. As an online pharmacy, Apologistics works within a new, fast-growing area of the pharmaceutical supply chain – e-commerce. One glance at Apologistics' track record will offer proof of just how fast this segment is growing. While some 50 orders were delivered every day in the founding year 2004, the number of deliveries has sky-rocketed to 8,000 deliveries per day in 2013 – successful growth that went hand-in-hand with a process of gradual automation. Apologistics has trusted in KNAPP automation technology since 2006. As a future-oriented company, Apologistics relies on innovative ideas and opted for the new KNAPP-Store in 2013.

Successful with a pioneering spirit

Apologistics

“Flexibility and solution-oriented thinking are important requirements when working in Field Engineering. Even so, the installation of the KNAPP-Store at Apologistics was a particularly exciting challenge. We had nothing to compare it with and no empirical values from other projects and a few special functions also had to be realized in order to tailor the system to the customer’s wishes. Meeting challenges like these successfully is very motivating, and I am really proud of our work.”

Oliver Nemejc, Software Field Engineer, at KNAPP since 2006

1 Flexible: Scalable rack line system

2 Durable and versatile: 2-arm gripper system can process a wide range of articles

3 Accurate: Buffer box places articles on central belt

4 Intuitive and precise: Goods-in work station; optionally with future technology KiSoft Vision

5 Efficient: Reliable registration of articles and automated goods-in process

6 Safe and low-maintenance: Access plan and maintenance walkways

2

2

1

1

3

36

4 5

4 5


Open spaces Open spacesActivities and projectsActivities and projects

Key data Apologistics Cooperation and trust as the key to

success In order to use the available resources

and cost margins efficiently in the current economic climate, which is characterized by increasing order volumes, a growing article range and high demands in terms of quality and delivery time, it was important to further expand the company’s automation processes by implementing a KNAPP-Store. This proved to be a key step in Apologistics’ success story. Within three months the project, which comprised not only the KNAPP-Store itself but a number of mechanical and software upgrades, had been integrated into the existing warehouse operations. The cooperation between Apologistics and KNAPP was very positive. The project proceeded harmoniously and was marked by mutual understanding and the shared goal of getting the first KNAPP-Store up and running. KNAPP and Apologistics’ close collaboration and open dialogue culminated in the successful integration of the KNAPP-Store into real-time operation on February 2, 2014 as scheduled.

Investing in the futureThe KNAPP-Store provides Apologistics

with a flexible solution for the automation of a wide range of articles on an individual item basis, and also offers the highest storage density at low rack position costs. One particular area which could be optimized was the costly and time-consuming processing of slow-moving articles, which previously had to be registered and picked manually. Returns handling could also be processed more efficiently. The KNAPP-Store also made it possible to automatically process articles that usually present challenges, such as cream jars, articles wrapped in cellophane, or articles with different expiry dates and lot numbers. Before being placed in the KNAPP-Store, all articles are consistently registered, giving users an accurate overview and maximum transparency with regard to current stock levels and expiry dates, for example. The two-arm gripper system, which controls the automatic placing and removal of articles from the Store, delivers the highest level of availability, flexibility and picking quality.

Consequently, the KNAPP-Store fulfils all of Apologistics’ requirements in terms of performance and storage density, and significantly increases the degree of automation and efficiency of the warehouse in addition to lowering the costs. In e-commerce, a sector characterized by high volumes of small-quantity orders, the advantages of the KNAPP-Store are especially prominent when compared to manual picking; orders can be processed more quickly, with less effort and virtually error-free, which has a positive effect on the end customer’s satisfaction.

height

Storage capacity:

32,000 articles per

KNAPP-Store

Sector:

Pharmaceutical wholesale,

E-CommerceLocation:

Markkleeberg, Leipzig, Germany

17m length

2.5m widthincl. cental belt

2.5m

Storage:

Multiple-deep with glass

shelves

Advantages:

ROI within less than three years

low storage costshigh storage densitylow space requirements

greater quality and efficiency

intuitive operationsimple maintenance

Article range:Rectangular-shaped,

cylindrical, cellophane-wrapped,

pack units

Sector

Pharmaceutical wholesale, E-Commerce

Location Markkleeberg, Leipzig, Germany

Warehouse size 6,000 m2

Deliveries per day Approx. 8,000

Technologies

KNAPP-Store, central belt system with SDA and

UPD ejectors, manual picking stations,

automatic carton erector and carton closer, automatic invoice

insertion, weighing station, automatic advert insertion,

photo station, KiSoft WCS



25,000 m²

Technologies: OSR Shuttle™ Open Shuttle KiSoft WMS KiSoft WCSSort & Pack

Articles in stock:

100,000+700,000

special articles

Deliveries per day:

2,000 parcels

250 pallets

Activities and projectsActivities and projects

SectorTools, Retail,E-Commerce

LocationSkjern, Denmark

“Partnership and mutual respect, open communication and the courage to strike new paths are highly valued within our company. In KNAPP we have found a partner who shares and lives by these values. By realizing the automation solution, we succeeded in creating a platform for future growth and success, which enables us to offer our customers even better services and an increased service quality.”Sean Ammentorp, CEO Grene

Wanted: A flexible solution Grene delivers to about 4,000 customers –

about 2,000 parcels and 250 pallets leave the central warehouse in Skjern every day and are delivered to Scandinavian customers. Online mail order already plays an important role for distributors of agricultural and industrial spare parts. Reflecting this, about 90 percent of the orders for agricultural spare parts are online orders at Grene. Grene opted for an automation solution by KNAPP in order to achieve the highly-efficient warehouse processes needed to handle the stock of about 100,000 articles and 700,000 special articles, and to optimize the level of service and quality for their customers. Implementing a comprehensive software solution was a central requirement for the solution. KiSoft WMS completely replaces the existing warehouse management system. For the control, monitoring and optimization of all the warehouse processes, KiSoft WCS is on the job. The project was realized in several phases to ensure undisturbed warehouse operations. A particular challenge was transferring data from the existing system to the KiSoft WMS and the KiSoft WCS during on-going operations. In addition, the startup phase of the distribution centre was staged in the peak time of the season. Therefore, the DC had to be available immediately at a 100 percent.

Warehouse size:

© G

rene

© G

rene

© G

rene

© G

rene

© G

rene

Grene, headquartered in Denmark, is the leading supplier of spare parts for the agricultural and industrial sectors. Grene merged in 2013 with Kramp – together they are represented in 22 countries worldwide and seen as the market leader. Partnership and mutual respect are very important to Grene. Partnership with customers, employees, suppliers and with society is a central pillar in the company philosophy and an important building block for success. Grene selected KNAPP as partner for modernizing the Skjern distribution centre.

Partnership for successGrene



Grene


Open Shuttle

Innovation meets proven technology

FactsOpen Shuttle

Free-moving The Open Shuttles ensure intra-company transport and supply of the work stations.

Fast response Detects humans and structural or moving objects, vehicles navigate based on contour; intelligent route adaption.

Integrable Easy integration without structural modifications.

Flexible and reliable

Error-free handling of complex transport orders; trays, containers, cartons, pallets.

ScalableLow startup costs and easily expanded shuttle fleet.

Making the storage process simpler and more efficient was a challenge. Using KiSoft WMS, the goods are integrated into the system with only a few clicks and are then pushed over to the take-away conveyor at the work stations which are now all located directly by the conveyor system. Thanks to this measure, the work process became much easier, far more efficient and ergonomic for the staff members, saving valuable time and greatly reducing the travel paths in the warehouse.

An OSR Shuttle™ with connected ergonomic Pick-it-Easy work stations is available for picking the most popular

articles. The OSR Shuttle™ stands out with its modular and scalable structure and can be expanded by further rack lines as necessary. The system features energy-efficient operation – a rack line of the system requires hardly more energy per hour than two fully-automatic coffee machines. For Grene, the OSR Shuttle™ guarantees maximum performance and flexibility and using the shuttle system significantly enhanced throughput and service quality.

A mini-load system with 7 stacker cranes, an existing system, ensures picking for the range of slow-moving articles and for the OSR Shuttle™

overstock area. This system and further existing systems were integrated fully and seamlessly into the new automation solution in the course of the retrofitting process.

E-commerce orders typically have a high variety of articles and low quantities with fast delivery as the key to success. For this reason, special sort and pack stations are available for processing the e-commerce orders efficiently. The articles for several customer orders are picked together and then distributed according to the individual orders at the sort & pack stations where they are packed and shipped.

The innovative Open Shuttles are the absolute highlight of this solution. The intelligent, autonomous transport systems

create a flexible transport network at Grene, transporting individual parts for further assembly (kitting) or transporting sample models for staff members. In addition, they deliver the ordered goods to customers, who want to pick up their order directly at the warehouse.

The automation solution combines a technological mix of proven technologies and new, innovative solutions, allowing Grene to expand their export areas, to make their internal warehouse processes more efficient and environment-friendly and to minimize the strain on staff as well as to offer their customers even better services and reduce delivery times.

“With this project we were able to give customers in Scandinavia a perspective on the continuous further

development in logistics infrastructure and, thus, on their competitive edge. In this sense, Grene is striking a new path together with KNAPP. A special challenge was the integration

during on-going operation. Every day, Grene covered 100% of its deliveries, despite the substantial expansion. The

cooperation with Grene was extremely open and cooperative, making it possible to solve difficult phases in the project

quickly and satisfactorily.“

Wolfgang Ferk Head of Sales System Development & Consulting,

at KNAPP since 2001



“We decided on KNAPP because for us, this was

the most modern and practical solution, which still involved an attractive level of investment. The collaboration

with KNAPP far exceeded our expectations and the

automation solution offers us a host of advantages both in day-to-day business and in the long term. The workload is better distributed and this

has helped to significantly reduce the time pressure. We

were able to decrease staff working hours while at the

same time improving quality. All in all, the new automation

solution has increased our efficiency and strengthened

our professional image.”

Bart van Eijndhoven, Owner, Basiq Dental

“Being involved and contributing your own ideas to the development and realization of such an innovative solution as the Pick-it-Easy Robot is very motivating. It was particularly challenging to bring the complex individual components together into a finished product. As member of a very motivated team, I worked with the Pick-it-Easy Robot from the prototype phase until it was finally ready to go into production. This was quite a special experience. Basiq Dental was, for us, the ideal partner with whom we could realize the first Pick-it-Easy Robot. Basiq Dental is itself a very innovative company and wants to convey this to its customers. This was optimally achieved with the Pick-it-Easy Robot. The cooperation functioned very well and by continuously consulting with one another, it was both flexible and transparent.”

Bernhard Gütl, Head of Mechatronics Development, at KNAPP since 1997

Basiq Dental, based in the Netherlands, supplies dentists throughout Europe with its comprehensive range of high-quality dental equipment. As a customer-orientated company, Basiq Dental always strives to provide even better for its customers through innovative services, and is always one step ahead of the competition. This is why outstanding customer service and superior quality are a priority for Basiq Dental. In KNAPP, Basiq Dental has found a partner to support the company on its path to success with innovative and high-performance automation technology. In 2014, KNAPP equipped the Oisterwijk distribution centre with a combination of the tried-and-tested shuttle technology and the brand-new robot technology.

Innovation with bite Basiq Dental



Basiq Dental


Flexibility as the key to successGrowth is a clear objective for Basiq

Dental. In order to be adequately equipped for future growth, scalability and flexibility were two of the main requirements for the new storage and picking system. Furthermore, the comprehensive and constantly growing product range needed to be stored safely in a space-saving manner. Another requirement was to reduce staff costs and increase quality and efficiency. The modular OSR Shuttle™, which is scalable in size and function, offers Basiq Dental the desired flexibility and storage density. As the inventor of shuttle technology, and with more than 10 years of experience and expertise, KNAPP offers the best of both worlds with the OSR Shuttle™ efficiency and flexibility combined with quality and safety. Thanks to the innovative picking robot Pick-it-Easy Robot, Basiq Dental is breaking new ground in intralogistics and is investing in a reliable, high-performance and economic picking system.

Technologies:OSR Shuttle™ Pick-it-Easy HealthPick-it-Easy Robot KiSoft SRC

Deliveries per day:

up to 13,000 order lines and

und 2,400 cartons

Sector:Pharmaceutical wholesale, dental supplies

Location: Oisterwijk

Warehouse size:

1,485m² Picking and packaging ares

3,130m² pallet storage ares

Keeping a finger on the pulse of timeIn the Oisterwijk distribution centre, manual

and automatic processes blend together seamlessly: the dispatch cartons, available in two sizes, are channelled through the warehouse on the shortest path, depending on the content of the order. For picking, three manual workspaces are available with paperless RF picking, as well as the ergonomic Pick-it-Easy work station for the OSR Shuttle™ and the picking robot Pick-it-Easy Robot. Once the order is processed, the cartons are closed and sealed using a semi-automatic carton sealer, and loaded directly onto the transport vehicles via two dispatch ramps.

A key element of the Basiq Dental automation solution is the combination of the OSR Shuttle™, Pick-it-Easy Health and the Pick-it-Easy Robot. The shuttle system is composed of four aisles and due to the use of subdivided containers it offers the greatest possible storage density, with around 12,800 storage locations, thus meeting the requirement to make the best possible use of the available space. The special design of the Pick-it-Easy Health goods-to-person work station enables efficient, error-free

Ideal for areas with a demand for consistently high quality and Performance over

a long period of time. Use in multi-shift operations, delicate items.

FlexibleServes one or several work stations

Efficient Consistently high performance

ReliableLow error rate, high delivery quality

EconomicShort ROI

Pick-it-Easy RobotScope of application:

zero defect warehouse

Advantages:

performancereliability

quality

and ergonomic manual working processes, thus contributing to improved quality and efficient use of resources. Around 1,200 order lines are processed per hour during peak periods. One particular highlight of the solution is the newly-developed Pick-it-Easy Robot picking robot, which is used for the first time at Basiq Dental. The picking robot is able to work over a long period of time while still maintaining a consistently high throughput rate and a high level of quality and, therefore, helps to reduce the staff costs despite growing order numbers and to improve delivery quality.

The collaboration between Basiq Dental and KNAPP was friendly and highly professional throughout the entire course of the project. The use of state-of-the art automation technology, like the Pick-it-Easy Robot, immediately convinced Basiq Dental that, in KNAPP, they had found the innovative and reliable partner the company had been looking for in order to attain its objective. Further automation of the distribution centre in Oisterwijk is currently being planned in collaboration with KNAPP.



The Migros Cooperative is the largest Swiss retail company and about 60 percent of the yearly turnover comes from grocery wholesale. The Migros Cooperative Zurich operates a total of 98 points of sale, 32 specialty markets and 47 food service locations in the Cantons Zurich, Glarus, St. Gallen and Schwyz, and is one of the most important employers in the region with 8,600 employees. Since Migros and KNAPP are connected by a long, successful partnership, Migros naturally trusted the KNAPP solution providers with the modernization of the Zurich DC.

Irresistibly fresh Migros

“The project proceeded from start to finish with the same contact people at KNAPP. The challenges

were approached and mastered jointly on a partnership basis as the project proceeded.

Thanks go to all the project participants for this tremendous success.“

Beat Erb, Facility Services, Herdern area,

Cooperative Migros Zürich

“At the beginning, there were two companies, Migros the customer and KNAPP the contractor. As the project proceeded we became a team: Team Migros Taleg. The re-alization was marked by open, fair dialogue. In this way we were able to fulfil the technical and econo-mical demands to the satisfaction of our customer. I hope to realize more successful projects together with this fantastic team. ”

Alfred Vtic, Project Management, at KNAPP since 2011



Requirements and solutionsEvery day, the Zurich location handles

30,000 trading units such as the internal Migros pool crates, folding containers or cartons with about 400 types of fruits and vegetables. Central to the requirements was the economical design of all processes from goods-in to goods-out and the improvement of the delivery quality to the stores, for example by means of volume-optimized and store-friendly pallet building. Other important aspects to be considered were ergonomics, in order to prevent strenuous manual work, as well as the hygienic and gentle handling of the fresh articles.

The innovative FAST Picking solution (Fully Automated Standard Tray Picking) unites economy and quality with ergonomics and space effectiveness and precisely correspond to the Migros requirements. The project was realized without affecting the ongoing operation of the warehouse and the final acceptance took place in September 2013, one month ahead of time. In the traditionally strong pre-Christmas and Easter business periods, the FAST Picking solution has already impressively proved its strengths. In the future, Migros would like to offer their stores a 24 hour order rhythm by using FAST Picking.

Technologies:FAST Picking*:

4 aisles OSR Shuttle™ special machines for fully automatic stacking and destacking of crates

Daily delivery to:

9847

Warehouse size: 2,000 m²

daily performance about

30,000 trading units

points of salefood service operations

Articles in stock:

around 400 different types of fresh fruits

and vegetables

* FAST Picking (Fully Automated Standard Tray Picking)

KiSoft software solution

KiSoft WCSKiSoft CommandKiSoft TransportKiSoft SRC

Sector:Food Retail; fresh foods

Location: Zurich

Quality improvement by building stacks like Rubic’s Cubes

The fresh goods are delivered in various crates on pallets and are automatically depalletized and unstacked in the goods-in area. The automation of goods-in processes eliminates strenuous and unergonomic manual tasks – also reducing costs for the goods-in processes. Once automatically unstacked, the crates are stored on special trays in the OSR Shuttle™. The shuttle system serves as a storage buffer and allows fast access to all the goods. As soon as shop orders are on hand, a special software tool calculates the stack formation, like the solving of the Rubic’s Cube puzzle: Depending on the different criteria such as stability, packing density or shop layout, the ideal arrangement of the crates on the pallets is calculated to ensure consistent high delivery quality. The crates are retrieved automatically by the OSR Shuttle™ in the correct sequence and conveyed to four stacking machines. The newly developed stacking machines are redundantly designed ensuring maximum availability and performance. They stack the crates on pallets in a calculated, shop-friendly pattern. This ensures that the more than 400 different types of fruits and vegetables that Migros delivers daily to their point of sales and food service operations always arrive crisp and fresh for sale or for the soup pot. Im

Foku

sAutomated palletizing/ depalletizing and stacking/unstacking

The key element of the solution is the fully-automatic depalletizing/unstacking of the crates in the goods-in area and the fully-automatic, shop-friendly stacking/palletizing at goods-out. Strenuous manual tasks in these areas are reduced, and efficiency, quality and economic efficiency are sustainably increased.

Goods-in: Pallets are separated from the crates, the crates are unstacked layer by layer and placed on special trays for storage in the OSR Shuttle™.

Goods-out: The goods are retrieved in the correct sequence. Criteria could be stability, packing density and shop-friendly organization of the goods.

Building stacks:Four newly developed stacking machines form stacks on the pallets that look like Rubic’s Cubes. Different crates can be reliably and securely combined.

Performance• Depalletizing: 80 pallets/hour• Palletizing: 60 pallets/hour• Crate unstacking: 2,000 trading units/hour• Crate stacking 1,800 trading units/hour



With 104 stores and around 1,500 shop-in-shops, Leineweber GmbH & Co. KG is one of the market leaders in premium casual clothing with its labels BRAX, BRAX Golf, Raphaela by BRAX and Eurex by BRAX. Based in the German town of Herford, this company has long placed its trust in the experience of one of KNAPP's subsidiaries, Dürkopp Fördertechnik, for the storage and distribution of its premium materials. The existing warehouse has recently been upgraded with the installation of an innovative pocket sorting system.

The right pocket for every outfit BRAX

“Our product-related core competence lies in the quality of our products, the perfect fit and also in our reliability, which includes reliable delivery. Our customers receive their goods the following day or within 48 hours of placing their order. The pocket sorting system provided by our long-term and trusted supplier Dürkopp is perfectly suited to our logistical needs. The system allows us to achieve high product turnover rates whilst ensuring high process reliability and enabling us to offer fast delivery times to our customers.”

Thomas DalsaßManaging Director, BRAX

Setting trends for 125 years Founded in 1888, Leineweber GmbH & Co. KG celebrated

its 125th anniversary last year. This company has long been synonymous with the highest quality products – and their efforts have not gone unnoticed. In the course of a study of the textile industry this year, BRAX ladies' trousers were awarded first place by purchasers from German retailers for women's outerwear. BRAX has evolved rapidly since the 1990s. True to its slogan Feel good, BRAX now provides its customers with the perfect outfit from head to toe. Since 1998 Dürkopp Fördertechnik, which develops overhead conveyor technology for the textile industry, and Leineweber GmbH & Co. KG have been working together closely.

Keeping up with the latest trends, being able to react quickly to changing market requirements, being able to process ever-increasing goods flows whilst using resources efficiently and still delivering a top service - the demands of the textile sector are growing. In order to be able to respond to them in the best way possible, Leineweber GmbH & Co. KG decided to modernize their distribution centre in Herford with a pocket sorting system.



BRAXActivities and projectsActivities and projects

Right on track with the pocket sorterIn the picking area for flat-packed goods,

items were previously processed in accordance with the person-to-goods principle. This meant that employees had to cover great distances every day in order to retrieve the required stock from a total of 2,700 deep shelves. As the company's stock volume grew to around 2 million items and their article range expanded, the need for extra space became pressing. During the modernization process, the aim was not only to increase storage capacity but at the same time to ensure that the warehouse could be used in the most efficient way possible. The optimization of the picking process presented another challenge because the picking performance was to be increased with the same resources whilst still delivering the same high delivery quality.

The flexible pocket sorting system from Dürkopp is now in place. Conveyors supply packaged flat-packed goods in cartons, such as shirts or sweaters, from a high-bay warehouse directly to the ergonomic Pick-it-Easy Pocket work stations. Employees then remove the goods from the cartons and place them one-by-one into the sorter pockets – the goods are automatically scanned during transfer. The durable sorter pocket is permanently fixed to

Pick-it-Easy Pocket

Pick-it-Easy Pack

Ergonomic loading and pack stations

perfect for flat-packed goods

e-Commerce and

shop modells

Scope of application:

“Brax and Dürkopp have worked together for a number of years, so when it came to the pocket sorter project,

we were able to complete the installation as a well-integrated team. This is partially due to the fact that the contact persons on both sides have remained the same – we know each other, we understand one another and we work together to reach our goals. I look forward to

continuing our partnership with BRAX and to playing our part in helping them remain one of Europe's most

successful premium casual clothing brands.“

Thomas Schnadwinkel, Sales Manager,

Dürkopp Fördertechnik

the overhead conveyor and fitted with RFID technology. This means every item of clothing can be continuously tracked and located at any time. Flat-packed goods are carefully placed inside the sorter pockets, thus saving space, until they are dispatched to fulfil a customer order. For picking, the sorter pockets are called up from storage and directed towards the Pick-it-Easy Pack work stations where they are packed according to the order. By operating work stations in accordance with the 'goods-to-person' principle, the picking process is made more ergonomic, efficient and optimized with respect to errors. At BRAX the loading and pack stations that form part of the Pick-it-Easy line are located directly alongside each other on the same level. This layout allows employees to change their position quickly and easily as and when needed, making sure that resources are used flexibly. The integration of the pocket sorting system has enabled BRAX to respond to the constant growth in volume of goods and order peaks with the same personnel numbers whilst providing customers with the same high-quality and reliable service.

Maximum Performance:

approx. 20,000 items/day in single shift operation Technologies:

Pocket Sorter System type 500/502

6,000m²

Sector:

FashionLocation:

Herford, Germanyfloor space:

High picking performance and picking quality

Advantages:

efficient picking process

ergonomic handling

high employee acceptance von

Advantages:

merging of hanging and flat good flows

at the pack stations

durable sorter pocket

gentle and space-saving Artikelhandling



Mechatronic Systems GmbH (MSG) develops and produces mechatronic components and systems, specializing in components and systems for the automotive sector. MSG's service package ranges from development to complete product series and the customer's individual needs are always the main focus. During the relocation of their production site to Wies, it was decided that the new location should also feature the latest automation technology and consequently MSG opted to use an YLOG-Shuttle system.

Reaching new heights with the YLOG-Shuttle

MSG

“We aim to use the YLOG-Shuttle to initiate partnerships with small and medium-sized companies and to realize innovative, cost-efficient solutions. The YLOG-Shuttle has enabled MSG to optimize their use of valuable space while keeping production

areas completely accessible. As the wheels can be rotated by 90°, the Shuttles are able to service each

work station directly.“

Wolfgang Skrabitz Managing Director YLOG Industry Solutions



MSG


Flexibility and qualityEnsuring flexibility and quality became

the core challenge the team faced at the new production site. Production capacity and production quality needed to be improved and the automated supply of the work stations with production material had to be ensured. Another challenge lay in ensuring the reliable buffering of raw materials, half-finished products and complete products in addition to flexibly linking up individual work stations. By using the versatile YLOG-Shuttle, which can travel both freely and in rack systems, the KNAPP subsidiary YLOG Industry Solutions was able to develop a flexible automation solution for MSG’s production site.

YLOG-Shuttle: Thinking outside the box ... and beyond

Scope of application: Perfect for small and medium-sized companies in the industrial and produc-tion or distribution sector.

YLOG-Shuttle at a glance: • Flexible: Wheels swivel up to 90

degrees; offers different lift options• Scalable: System is easy to ex-

pand, optimal use of space• Economical: Cost-efficient; low

energy usage • High availability: Each shuttle can

serve each rack position• Powerful: 30 double cycles per

hour

Smart automation With wheels that can swivel up to 90

degrees, the YLOG-Shuttle is able to move outside the traditional pathways used in aisle-based article warehouses, thus paving the way for new possibilities in terms of flexible storage and goods transport within areas in close proximity to production. At MSG the YLOG-Shuttles transport various storage containers holding raw materials along track rails from goods-in to the rack systems within the ultra-clean production area. The containers are stored double-deep on six levels – a special lift system transports the YLOG-Shuttles to the required level. The work stations are connected to the shelf system – the YLOG-Shuttles automatically place half-finished products in a specific order so that they are ergonomically accessible, and place finished products back into the shelf system until they are required by the customer. The YLOG-Shuttle has also made it possible to allow for a number of different curing times within the production process; intermediate storage on the floor and forklift truck operation within the production area are now no longer necessary . Flexible interim storage of half-finished products means that various work stations with different cycle times can be connected efficiently. At present, two YLOG-Shuttles are in use at MSG; the shelving system offers up to 700 rack positions – the system's modular set-up means that it can be adjusted at any time to improve performance or to create more space.

Performance:

30 double cycles

per hour

work stations: 6

Sector:Automotive industry; components and systems, actuators and sensors

Location:Wies, Austria

Number of YLOG-Shuttles: 2rack positions:

700 on 6 Levels single-deep and double-deep storage



LAS Solutions (LASS), based in Athens, has been a partner of the KNAPP Group for more than 4 years now. The company, which specializes in tailor-made solutions for airport logistics and consulting, is bucking the trend of the ongoing economic downturn in Greece, whilst impressing with its expertise, professionalism and innovative services. Customers in Greece benefit from the proximity and quick reaction times — in Greece, LASS supports KNAPP AG with sales, planning and the installation of intralogistics solutions, and also carries out customer service. Internationally, LAS Solutions is available to customers of the KNAPP Group as a professional and flexible partner for all service matters.

Working together for successLAS Solutions

Angelos Kiriakidis Managing Director, LAS Solutions

Christos DoukasManaging Director, LAS Solutions

Kajetan BerglesService Development at KNAPP since 2007

Proximity as a key factor In the fast-paced, competitive global

economy there is increasing need for strong partners who are close to the customer in all geographical regions. Clear communication, quick reaction times and a focus on individual customer needs are other key factors for a successful customer support. With LAS Solutions, KNAPP has found a partner that meets these requirements perfectly. LAS Solutions is a sales partner for KNAPP in Greece and a service partner for Greece, Turkey and Israel. LASS cooperates closely with KNAPP starting in the sales phase of projects in order to recognize customer-specific requirements and to find the best solution to fit the requirements, budget and future plans.

In line with the KNAPP slogan making complexity simple, LAS Solutions acts quickly, professionally and reliably on site and ensures that KNAPP customers have a decisive advantage on the market. The philosophy shared by KNAPP and LAS Solutions focuses on customer satisfaction. In order to achieve this, KNAPP offers a comprehensive range of services with the service portfolio System Support 360°+, which is ideally supplemented

Core competencies:

Specializes in automated Airport logistics for

luggage and goods,

Consulting, Service 2009

Founded:

2008Headquarters:

Athens, GreeceCooperation with KNAPP since:

by the innovative thinking and experience of LAS Solutions in the field of airport logistics, where availability and the ability to react quickly are extremely important.

Listen – understand – implement: Other ingredients in KNAPP and LASS’s recipe for success are openness, communication and trans-parency, because only those who really listen can actually understand needs and find and implement the right solutions. With LASS as a partner on location, customers have a professional contact who understands their needs, speaks their language and is able to react quickly.

Range of services: Sales, planning, installation and service for customers in Greece, customer service in Turkey and Israel, international service and installation work, modernizations and upgrades, spare parts management, 24-hour hotline, condition-based monitoring, O&LS, training, maintenance & repair, consulting.



Reliable partner With this mixture of customer proximity,

experience and local knowledge, LASS creates a reliable network for customers and supports them in dealing with their new or updated system in order to ensure optimum system benefits, top performance and the highest level of customer satisfaction. LAS Solutions is also able to transfer its expertise from the airport logistics sector over to the intralogistics sector – the company has special knowledge of condition-based monitoring. In this case, a pre-emptive action plan is produced for each system component based on the current system status and historical data in order to reduce costs and maximize the useful life

LAS S

olutio

ns ar

ound

the w

orld “Every customer is unique and

has specific needs." This is why we focus on the human factor in our work. We support, train and motivate our customers so that they can come to grips with their working environment in the best possible way, achieve optimum performance with their system and, at the end of the day, be confident that choosing KNAPP was the right decision. Project success is very much dependent on successful and appreciative communication, so obviously cultural differences also need to be considered. This is why we place particular importance on clear and open communication in our daily work with our customers and with KNAPP.“

Angelos Kiriakidis, Managing Director, LAS Solutions

and capacity of the intralogistics system.

Around the world, LASS supports KNAPP AG with service and maintenance work and carries out ongoing customer training in order to ensure optimum use of new technologies and processes and, therefore, lasting success. LAS Solutions was chosen as KNAPP Service Representative of the Year during the International Customer Service Meetings 2014 for its exceptional work in the service sector.

Betterway Syfa Customer Service Networking Maintenance Tour & TrainingsLocation Bangkok, Thailand Thessaloniki, Greece Athens, Greece throughout Europe

Sector Retail, Lifestyle, Cosmetics Pharma various various

Mission Increase performance through teamwork and optimum processes

Fit for the future Talking to each other – learning from each other

Proactive maintenance for lasting high performance

Service Operation & Logistics Support (O & LS) Retrofit Customer Service Networking Maintenance, training

Implemen-tation

A new customer in a new market. Together with KNAPP, LAS Solutions took on the task of comprehensively training the customer's employees on site and familiarizing them with the new intralogistics solution.

Within two months, a group of individual employees became a strong and efficient team: Betterway delivers roughly 1,000,000 items per day. Service and employee satisfaction were sustainably increased by using Operation & Logistics Support and thanks to the work of LAS Solutions.

The particular challenge in the case of the pharmaceutical wholesaler Syfa was to carry out a comprehensive modernisation in a 'living' system without disrupting day-to-day business.

Detailed planning and excellent communication between the project teams of Syfa, LAS Solutions and KNAPP ultimately produced the desired result. With cooperation, professionalism and expertise, the distribution centre in Thessaloniki was modernized and made fit for the future.

Communication, trust, transparency and continuous improvement are cornerstones that form the basis of successful customer service.

With Customer Service Networking, KNAPP launched a series of events intended to bring customers together to talk – the centre of this was mutual exchange and learning successful models from each other. The first Customer Service Networking event was held in 2010 by KNAPP in close cooperation with LAS Solutions in Athens..

Since 2012, LASS has been supporting the regular maintenance of numerous KNAPP systems in Turkey, Switzerland, Germany, Poland, Spain and Portugal, thus ensuring long-term availability, investment security and consistently high performance for KNAPP customers throughout Europe.

LASS also carries out modernizations, upgrades as well as targeted employee training and further training for KNAPP customers around the world. Be

st Pr

actic

e

Moving confidently into the futureKNAPP will continue to work closely with LASS

in the future. In spite of the beleaguered economic situation in Greece, it is possible to see signs of improvement – there are new investments being made in the logistics sector. From a geographical perspective, Greece has a unique position allowing it to act as a hub for Eastern European countries, the Balkans and also the Middle East. LAS Solutions is established as a local partner and has been able to position itself internationally with a wide range of services, consulting and training. Consequently, KNAPP is perfectly positioned for supporting new and existing customers with a sophisticated range of solutions in the future with LASS as its partner of choice.



In retrospect Highlights and Important Moments in the Fiscal Year 2013/14

KNAPP-Kinderwelt ground-breakingBalancing family and career – the new company daycare centre, KNAPP Kinderwelt, is a major contribution towards enhancing the work-life balance of the employees at KNAPP AG.

May 2013

Austrian Day of LogisticsAt the 20th Austrian Day of Logistics in the Design Center Linz (Austria), the KNAPP AG software experts present SAP-based integration options for logistics solutions.

KNAPP as world champion of niche marketsIn recognition of its outstanding service to the Austrian export economy, KNAPP AG receives the honour World champion of niche markets in the course of the Export Day on June 20th, 2013.

GIRP – 54th Annual General MeetingKNAPP participates in the Annual General Meeting every year. In 2013, the event is staged in the Bulgarian capital Sofia. GIRP is the European Association of Pharmaceutical Full-line Wholesalers.

April 2013

Customer Service Networking reloadedThe 13th edition of KNAPP's Customer Service Networking event series is staged at Voigt, a trusted KNAPP customer of many years, in the vicinity of Zurich (Switzerland).

June 2013

July 2013Innovation in food retailIn cooperation with a large supermarket chain, KNAPP develops a new solution to enhance quality for picking orders on pallets. The solution ensures consistently high density and maximum article quality on the pallet by using augmented reality technology and a specialized software for pack arrangement calculation.

11th Logistics Summer in LeobenSustainability 3.0 is the theme of the 11th International Logistics Summer held at the Montanuniversität Leoben. KNAPP addresses the topic of enhancing quality in intralogistics, introduces future technologies with KiSoft Vision and the zero defect warehouse and presents new paths and possibilities for future service with the service concept System Support 360°+.

AECOC members visit Migros and LeShopSpanish and Portuguese delegates of the AECOC association visit two KNAPP food/retail installations in Switzerland. The association is dedicated to enhancing sustainable value creation based on the optimized flow of goods and information. Touring the new Migros distribution centre in Zurich and the distribution centre of the online supermarket LeShop.ch is on the agenda. .

KNAPP climbs employer rankingIn the course of the Students First Choice survey, university students vote KNAPP AG on the 13th place of the most popular Styrian employers. Students First Choice is a study on the career concepts of university students. 7,614 individuals participated in the survey and more than 1,000 companies were evaluated based on criteria such as image, career opportunities, popularity or work-life balance.

ECOPROFIT certified – againKNAPP AG has participated in the successful Ecoprofit program of the Environmental Office in Graz for many years now and is one of 45 ECOPROFIT companies in Graz. KNAPP takes comprehensive measures to conserve resources and reduce pollutants and again receives the ECOPROFIT certification for 2013.

August 2013

Summer, sun, professional experienceA total of 150 interns gather important work and career experience at the Hart bei Graz and Leoben locations.


September 2013



Opening ceremony for KNAPP-KinderweltJust in time, before schools start at the beginning of September, the KNAPP Kinderwelt at the KNAPP headquarters in Hart bei Graz begins its services, offering care and a lot of fun and adventure for 55 children. The board of directors at KNAPP celebrate the opening of KNAPP Kinderwelt in an official ceremony at the beginning of October.

KNAPP wins major order from wehkamp.nlKNAPP AG wins a major order from e-commerce specialist wehkamp.nl for automating its new distribution centre in the Netherlands. wehkamp.nl is the leading online portal for fashion, IT equipment, mobile phone accessories, furniture and domestic appliances. Some 200,000 articles will leave the distribution centre every day after it will go-live in 2015. verlassen.

Award for innovative servicesThe ÖVIA (Austrian technical/scientific association for maintenance and plant management) awards KNAPP AG and JCL Fashion Logistics the prize for the most innovative services 2013. The jury is truly impressed by the service package Lifecycle Management 360°+, tailored to JCL's requirements. With this service package, JCL can use the warehouse to its full potential and significantly increases warehouse availability, performance and production.

New subsidiary in AustraliaThe KNAPP network is still growing. KNAPP Australia Pty. Ltd. starts operations in November 2013. The KNAPP Group now has more than 33 subsidiaries and representative offices worldwide in order to provide fast, comprehensive and personal service to its customers.

November 2013

January2014Cooperation with the technical school HTL Villach Logistics rolls into the classrooms. In cooperation with KNAPP, the IT/data processing department of the technical school in Villach (Austria) is expanding its educational program. Students of the 3rd year and higher benefit from the 2D/3D simulation software Enterprise Dynamics provided by KNAPP. The software allows students to develop and fully programme algorithms for simulation models in practical applications. This software not only helps the staff teach complex subject matters in a very fascinating and vivid manner but the practical teaching approach also allows the students to gain valuable hands-on experience for their future careers.

Award for family-friendly policiesBuilding success together – at the beginning of February KNAPP receives the award for Friendliest Business for Women and Families in Styria 2013 in the category large-scale businesses. KNAPP offers its more than 1,500 members of staff at the Hart bei Graz headquarters various programmes for health and well-being, for example KNAPPvital, a comprehensive health and fitness programme, flexible working hours and job location models as well as the KNAPP Kinderwelt, the company daycare centre.

LogiMAT 2014By now, practically a tradition: KNAPP presents its exhibition stand at LogiMAT 2014, this time together with the new corporate member YLOG Industry Solutions. YLOG introduces its autonomous shuttle as perfect addition to the KNAPP AG Shuttle portfolio.


October 2013A new member in the KNAPP GroupYLOG, specialist for smart and cost-efficient solutions, is now a separate company within KNAPP AG. YLOG Industry Solutions carries out its operations from the location in Dobl (Austria) and offers scalable system solutions for small and medium-sized businesses. The free-moving YLOG Shuttle System is especially suited for production applications, assembling companies or for the fully-automatic supply of work stations and is the perfect addition to the existing shuttle portfolio of KNAPP AG.

December 2013February2014



3rd KNAPP Coding Contest Record Participation: 80 pupils, university students and professionals from various provinces face the challenge of solving practical programming tasks using their choice of Java or C# script.

Ranking in the top 10 KNAPP AG hits the top ten. The company climbs up the scale by 2 ranks going from rank 12 to rank 10 in the Modern Materials Handling Ranking of the top 20 system suppliers. And some more good news: KNAPP records an increase by 23 percent and lands the highest increase in turnover of all of the top 10 companies. .

Modex 2014KNAPP is exhibitor at the US-American supply chain trade fair Modex in Georgia, Atlanta (USA), presenting innovations and new products from the world of intralogistics.

Successful first year for Styrian Service Cluster In March 2013 KNAPP founds the Styrian Service Cluster, together with ANDRITZ, AVL List, Binder + Co and FH Campus 02, in order to exchange know-how and experience on customer-oriented business models in customer service. By now the Styrian Service Cluster has 10 members and will have its first joint appearance at ServTec Austria, a forum renowned for its innovative services and new technologies.

Heimo Robosch, Managing Director

At KNAPP since 2001After entering the company in the Europe Northwest Sales Team, Heimo Robosch became the Head of Sales for Great Britain, Ireland and Scandinavia. In 2007 he was appointed head of the business area Integrated Projects, and in 2012 Executive Vice President Sales.

Bernhard Rottenbuecher,Managing Director

After entering the company, Bernhard Rottenbuecher headed the materials handling area, adding areas of production and design to his responsibilities in 2000. Since April 2003 he has been the Managing Director of KNAPP Systemintegration GmbH in Leoben. In October 2012 he was appointed Executive Vice President in the management team of KNAPP AG.From October 2013 Bernhard has also been the Managing Director of the YLOG Industry Solutions GmbH in Dobl.


March 2014

90 | KNAPP AG

Generations and growth

Gene

ratio

ns an

d gro

wth

KNAPP AG | 91

Open spaces

As a company, we ask ourselves the question: How can we create

an environment in which our employees feel comfortable and

enjoy working?Gerald Hofer, CEO KNAPP AG

92 | KNAPP AG

Generations and growthGenerations and growth



Tree plantation 11/12Tree plantation 12/13

Ext

entio

ns o

f com

pany

site

1,140 employees at Hart bei Graz location

Ext

entio

ns o

f com

pany

site



Key figures energy

Key figures airemmissions

Key figures waste

Key figures infrastructure

94.8

9%

3.41

%

0.29

%

1.41

%

94.4

0%

4.36

%

0.26

%

0.98

%

94.3

1%

4.30

%

0.23

%

1.15

%

Available surface: 24,130 m2



Timeframe 11/12 12/13

236,030 Trees

321,138 Trees

321,101Trees

Co2 2,360.85t

10/11

Co2 3,211.38t Co2 3,211.01t

Tree plantation 10/11 Tree plantation 10/11

Co2 3,210.61t

321,101Trees

98.3

8%

0.21

%

0.39

%

1.02

%



KNAPP AG is attempting to use its comprehensive under-standing of sustainability to strike a balance between the interests of all its stakeholders. The different aspects of sustainability can be compared to the view through a kaleidoscope – lots of small colourful pieces are reassembled again and again to create new patterns. One of these aspects involves handling generations and growth in a responsible manner – a look through the KNAPP kaleidoscope reveals a colourful spectrum when it comes to managing different generations.

Certification & corporate environmental policyKNAPP AG has an integrated management system and is certified

in the areas of quality management (ISO 9001), occupational health and safety (OHSAS 18001) and environmental management (ISO 14001). The company’s corporate environmental policy was derived from the company values reliability, courage, openness, appreciation and creativity, and is continually implemented in all areas of the company. The goal of sustainable intralogistics is the creation of environmentally sound, resource efficient and socially responsible logistics processes, as well as establishing a balance between economic and ecological efficiency in order to generate a sustainable going-concern value.

Shouldering responsibility

Environmental controlling & key site figures Since 2010, key figures relating to the

environmental impact have been recorded and the ecological footprint of the company's headquarters in Hart bei Graz has been calculated. The analysis includes the categories energy, air emissions and waste as well as infrastructure and environmental management, and is carried out twice a year. For illustration purposes, the total amount of CO2 emitted has been converted into the number of trees required to neutralize this amount of CO2 (see diagram). The key figures in this analysis show that the major factor in the CO2 emission is energy, whereas air emissions and waste make up a lower proportion.

kilometres vehicles, noise, paper

33.374.476,00Infrastructure in CO2

electricity long-distance heating

gas

power fuel

recovered paper, carton, residual waste, matured timber,

plastic, residual wast

2.239.732.609,00 Energy in CO2

80.414.738,70 Airemissions in CO2

7.323.707,60 Wast in CO2

e

e

Key figures infrastructure

Key figures wast

Key figures airemissions

Key figures energy

94 | KNAPP AG




The continuous growth of the company site and the number of employees did result in a growth of the absolute figures from the 2011/12 fiscal year onwards. However, it is apparent that the extensive range of measures to conserve resources came into effect as of the 2012/13 fiscal year and, despite company growth, the figures in the categories considered continued to decrease consistently. For example, the amount of power consumed per employee decreased by around 4 percent and fuel consumption per vehicle within the KNAPP vehicle fleet by 5.5 percent. There was a clear drop in the waste category, as every employee produced around 1/5 less residual waste. There was even a 26 percent reduction in the proportion of hazardous waste, which had already been low. A particularly positive result was the reduction in factory waste from 700 kilograms to 65 kilograms. In total, the 2012/13 fiscal year, therefore, saw a CO2 emission level of 3,121.48 metric tons, the equivalent of 312,147 trees being required to neutralize this amount. With an increasing number of employees and increasing order volumes, the CO2 emissions in production could be reduced by approximately 1.6 metric tons so that there would be a surplus of 164 trees on our virtual tree plantation.

Developments and trends

Fiscal Year 2013/14 During the site expansion in the 2013/14

fiscal year, the total area of the company site was increased by around 10,000 m2 to approximately 74,500 m2. As a result of new production areas and office spaces being built, along with other factors, the area to be heated increased by around 5,000 m2, to approximately 39,000 m2. Furthermore, the number of employees at the site increased by 132 compared to the year before, to a total of 1,478.

The good news is that the positive developments from the previous fiscal years are continuing. For example, the consumption of power and district heating decreased by approximately 17 percent. The vehicle fleet was expanded and now comprises 53 vehicles. Despite this, the vehicles covered around 200,000 kilometres less during the past fiscal year. This meant that the fuel consumption per car within the vehicle fleet decreased by approximately 22 percent. The reduction in the number of kilometres travelled is also a positive indicator that the measures relating to the organisation of business trips are being implemented successfully. In addition, an increasing number of employees are using public transport, car sharing, cycling or walking, with around 40 percent of the employees already selecting one of these options. It is apparent that over the period under consideration, starting from the 2010/11 fiscal year, the proportion of car drivers has reduced by 20 percent.

There was a considerable increase of around 15 percent in the amount of water consumed. The main reasons for the higher water consumption are the large number of orders and high workload levels in the production area.

CO2 emissions

- 1,6 tfactory waste: - 635 kg

virtual tree plantation: surplus of 164 trees

residual waste per employee:

- 26 %energy consumption per employee:

- 4 %

In the waste category, most of the values decreased further per employee. The values worth mentioning in this area being waste paper (-12 percent), residual waste (-5 percent) and plastic waste (-6 percent).

The result for the Hart bei Graz site for the 2013/14 fiscal year is, therefore, a total CO2 emission level of 3,210.61 metric tons, the equivalent of 45 football pitches and 321,061 trees. Despite the considerable site expansion and a further increase in the number of employees, KNAPP AG was able to slightly improve its level of CO2 emissions compared to the year before and achieves a small surplus of five trees on the virtual tree plantation. The greatest CO2

factor at 98 percent is energy, whereas air emissions, waste and infrastructure account for just 2 percent. Going forward, the company aims to further reduce its level of CO2 emissions, with the main focus on energy, by introducing targeted measures and increasing awareness.

DemographicsOf the 1,478 employees at the Hart bei Graz

site, 82.2 percent are men and 17.8 percent are women. This shows that the proportion of men working in the technical/industrial field is still very high. In terms of age, the largest proportion of employees is between 30 and 50 years old. Within this age bracket, the number of women is around 6 percent higher than the number of men amongst the 30 to 40-year-olds, whilst it is the other way round for the 40 to 50-year-olds, as the number of men in this age group is around 5 percent higher than the number of women. A relatively large proportion of the workforce is aged between 20 and 30, with the number of women outweighing the number of men here too, showing that an increasing number of younger women is being drawn towards intralogistics. By taking specific measures such as participating in Girls’ Day, KNAPP is attempting to get girls interested in pursuing a career in the field of intralogistics at a young age.

1.254 male

40–5

0 yea

rs

30–4

0 yea

rs

+ 50

year

s

20–3

0 yea

rs

> 20

year

s

272 female

40–5

0 yea

rs

30–4

0 yea

rs

+ 50

year

s

20–3

0 yea

rs

> 20

year

s

company site:

+ 10.000 m²

production and office site

+ 5.000 m²

Number of employees

96 | KNAPP AG




Well-trained specialized staff remains in short supply on the domestic labour market. Excellent career and development opportunities, enjoying working with their hands and successfully completing practical tasks, as well as varied and practice-based training are factors which influence many young people’s decision to opt for an apprenticeship. Since autumn 2008, young people across Austria have been able to gain their Higher Vocational Diploma alongside their apprenticeship qualification.

KNAPP has offered a comprehensive and high-quality apprenticeship program for more than 20 years now, and is a federally recognized apprentice training company. There is a constant stream of about 50 apprentices receiving training at any one time. After successful completion of their apprenticeship, they have numerous interesting development opportunities open to them within the company – two thirds of the apprentices remain with KNAPP after their apprenticeship.

Oliver Micheler successfully completed both his mechatronic engineer apprenticeship and Higher Vocational Diploma at KNAPP in 2011 and is now working as a shift manager in the shuttle production. Christoph Zorn is in the 3rd year of his apprentice training to become a mechatronic engineer and is currently preparing for his final apprenticeship examination and his Higher Vocational exams. We invited them both to come and talk about their experiences and how they see their future prospects with the apprenticeships under their belts.

Apprenticeships with future prospects

Why did you decide to do an apprenticeship and the apprenticeship with Higher Vocational Diploma – and why at KNAPP?

Christoph Zorn: I opted for the apprenticeship with Higher Vocational Diploma because I felt it offered the best of both worlds. After the apprenticeship, I’ll have a good education and will be able to enter the world of work straight away, but I’ll also have my Higher Vocational Diploma, which will allow me to go on to university. Why KNAPP? KNAPP provides outstanding apprenticeships and has very committed trainers – they all make an effort to teach us apprentices as much as possible. You also have superb chances of advancement after an apprenticeship at KNAPP.

Oliver Micheler: I realized pretty early on that I wanted to start my career with an apprenticeship. I was keen to stand on my own feet from a young age and wanted to earn my own money. Knowing that I would be able to acquire both theoretical and practical knowledge was a decisive factor which made me realize that the apprenticeship was the right thing for me. By the time the work experience days were over at KNAPP, I knew for sure that the company was just right for me. It was during this time that I got a first impression of how well structured the company is and how much support apprentices are given. KNAPP’s market-leading position was also a key factor for my decision – I realized that I would be learning from the best.

What has your experience been like training at KNAPP?

Christoph Zorn: The training is very diverse; we get the chance to gain professional experience in many different departments. This means that every apprentice gets to find out where their own strengths and weaknesses lie. The weekly manual training with our trainers is very informative and interesting too; this training is always the perfect preparation for vocational college or, as in my case, for the final exam I am preparing for.

What aspects did you like in particular? What was most beneficial for you?

Oliver Micheler: I found the three-and-a-half years of training very interesting and varied. One major plus for me was taking part in internal projects and being seconded abroad, where I was given the chance to put the knowledge I had acquired to the test and pass on my specialist knowledge to younger apprentices. The most beneficial thing for me was being able to do the apprenticeship and also complete my Higher Vocational Diploma at the same time, which is important for my future prospects. I also really liked how much our training coordinator – Jörg Salicites invests in his apprentices and how he supports them.

Apprenticeship 3 1/2 years+ Higher Vocational Diplomaallows access to higher education e.g. university

98 | KNAPP AG



Open spaces Open spacesChristoph ZornMechatronics apprentice, 3rd year of apprenticeship. At KNAPP since: September 2011

Oliver MichelerShift manager of shuttle productionTraining: Mechatronics engineer apprenticeshipAt KNAPP since September 2007

What opportunities and future prospects are there with an apprenticeship in a large company like KNAPP?

Christoph Zorn: I believe the opportunities are huge. We gain experience in a wide range of areas during our apprenticeship, so there is something for everyone. I can imagine it’s hard to get that kind of opportunity in smaller companies. There are also opportunities for professional advancement; it is down to the individual, of course, to work hard and take the initiative.

Oliver Micheler: There are plenty of opportunities and all doors are open after an apprenticeship at KNAPP. As I mentioned before, it is very important to me to be able to gain experience abroad and contribute to projects. Having earned a management position after completing my apprenticeship at KNAPP, I hope that I can show my younger colleagues who are still in training what is possible.

Would you ever opt for an apprenticeship again? What are your hopes for the future?

Christoph Zorn: I have no regrets about my decision to do an apprenticeship. The first thing I need to do is pass the final apprenticeship exam with distinction and pass my Higher Vocational Diploma – I still have two subjects I need to pass.

What the future will bring remains to be seen. I do hope that I’ll be at KNAPP for long time and be successful there.

Oliver Micheler: If I could turn back time and had to decide again, I would certainly still opt for an apprenticeship at KNAPP. I hope that I’ll be able to stay at KNAPP for a good while yet to keep on building on my positive experiences and learn even more. I also hope that apprenticeships remain as important within the company in the future as they are now, and that many more extremely well-trained specialized staff emerges from the apprentice training program at KNAPP.

What interests and requirements are needed for an apprenticeship at KNAPP? What advice would you give young people who are thinking about starting an apprenticeship?

Oliver Micheler: The company values – reliability, courage, openness, appreciation and creativity – are indicators to any potential apprentice of what the company is looking for. From my perspective, these have also turned out to be the key to success. You also need to be aware that you have to invest a lot of time in learning to be successful. The work experience days are one way of working out for yourself which profession is best for you

Christoph Zorn: You really do need to be interested in technical things. As for requirements: You should be hard-working, have brains and be prepared to learn new things all the time

Thanks for talking to us and good luck for the future!

100 | KNAPP AG




„The Second Chance Project enabled me to do what I've always been interested in doing but unfortunately never had the opportunity to do, namely get a training in a metal-related profession ...

… I found the training fascinating and infor-mative: the practical days we spent in other departments were very important; I now see things from a different perspective. I'd like to keep this extra perspective and openness for my work as a group leader and act accordin-gly.“

Anton RadaschitzGroup Leader AssemblingAt KNAPP since 1991

A safe pair of hands. They've worked hard for the company over many years and are eager to gain further training in their field. 14 employees from manufacturing are getting their second chance and the opportunity to prepare for and complete a mechanical engineering apprenticeship over

Further training for professionals The Second Chance Project was launched in the middle of September

2013 with the aim of enabling long-term, committed employees to complete apprenticeships. This training program was initiated and developed under the management of Jörg Salicites, Head of Apprenticeship Training at KNAPP, and the Economic Development Institute Styria (WIFI). Employees do not incur any expenses through the training. The 14 co-workers who are gaining their apprenticeships later in life have many years of practical experience within mechanical engineering and the knowledge they have amassed during this time makes them an important source of knowledge for the company. With 450 theory modules, taught at the WIFI Graz institute, these employees are enhancing their practical knowledge with theoretical content such as plan reading, area and volume calculations, engineering fits and material science. The practical part of their training is conducted in-house alongside regular apprenticeships, as part of the everyday operations.

The Second Chance

Tapping the existing potential The Second Chance Project is

KNAPP's way of encouraging the talent and boosting the motivation of long-term experienced employees and helping them to tap into their full potential. The apprenticeships will result in a higher level of specialized professional qualification for the employees. In other words, KNAPP is counteracting the shortage of specialized staff by encouraging and promoting the further training of its own employees. Especially when new products are launched, it is the wealth of experience and specialist knowledge of the employees that is invaluable to the company. Graduates from the Second Chance usually go on to assume team leader roles and pass on their knowledge and experience to their team and to new employees.

102 | KNAPP AG




People in intralogistics Will machines be in charge in the future?The answer is no, of course. As KNAPP understands it, automation does not mean that people need to be pushed out of processes. Rather, KNAPP believes that its task is to support people with technologies and to provide attractive

man-machine communication enabling them to carry out processes efficiently and cost-effectively. One thing is clear however. Without the clever use of automation technology, it would now no longer be possible to master the varied and demanding challenges of intralogistics. Surrounded by future technology new, exciting roles and attractive workplaces are being created for people in the modern warehouse, such as the zero defect warehouse. This is an aspect which will also be increasingly important for companies in the future, in order to ensure long-term employee retention.

104 | KNAPP AG



Open spaces Open spaces„As an interface between user and

programmer, I have an important intermediary role. I need to know the

user's precise needs and translate these into an interface, which the programmers then implement in

order to complete the software …

With easyUse, we have taken a large and important step, namely designing

all interfaces of the KNAPP software portfolio so that they are consistent

and easy to use. Being involved with this work was a task that brought many challenges and great responsibility, but

it also motivated me and made me proud to be involved. “

Bernhard M. Sihler, Usability Engineer & Interface Design,

at KNAPP since 2011

easyUse – Consistency creates trust Intuitive man-machine communication – those

hearing this term for the first time will perhaps think of people who control and communicate with machines through the power of thought. Even if this is not the reality, the boundaries between man and machine are becoming blurred thanks to the constantly advancing technological possibilities and developments.

Designing ergonomic, intuitive user interfaces for intralogistics is also becoming increasingly important. On the one hand, our expectations are shaped by the daily interaction with electronic devices such as smartphones, and on the other hand easy operation is an essential requirement for efficient and satisfactory work. The task is to create an interface between man and machine that is not only easy and pleasant to use and, therefore, meeting the usability requirement, but that also ensures a positive user experience when dealing with the machine.

With easyUse, KNAPP has created a clear operating concept ensuring a uniform appearance for all KiSoft products. Throughout the design of easyUse the guiding principle was making complexity simple, with a particular focus on reduction and consistency. The easyUse interfaces are clearly structured and deliberately free from unnecessary design elements. Icons, layouts, visualisation and methods of interaction are simplified and harmonized throughout the entire KiSoft product range. Large-scale visualisations which show the current work step are at the heart of easyUse. This means that users are safely guided through complex actions step by step and always have quick and easy access to all the information they need for their work. An immediate sense of achievement increases employee satisfaction and facilitates efficient and error-optimized work.

106 | KNAPP AG




Vision Desk – More than just a table Nowadays, when we buy an item,

whether online or in a shop, we do no longer think in terms of its availability. Accustomed to having everything available at all times, we are simply conforming to modern buying behaviour. Today, the key factors for making a purchase are more the services linked to the purchased item, such as punctuality, traceability, quality and, of course, the costs. With the zero defect warehouse for all the KiSoft Vision basic technology, KNAPP has developed a new approach in order to combine precisely these requirements. One member of the Vision family is Vision Desk. This completely new man-machine operating concept makes Vision Desk unique and offers numerous possible applications, for example, in quality assurance or order picking.

Vision Desk's camera system, image recognition and image processing software recognize various items on a glass plate. Different colours are, for example, projected onto the items or technically speaking, augmented. These items might belong to different customer orders, and in this case one colour would correspond to one order. Another possibility is to identify items which do not belong to an order and to mark them accordingly. This means that customer orders or quality tests can be carried out

without manual intermediate steps, and the employee only needs to pack items that belong together or correct the order. Vision Desk provides a lasting increase in efficiency and quality and, therefore, also enhances the satisfaction of the end customer and reduces the costs for errors and returns. Thanks to the state-of-the-art Vision technology, the attractive workplace design helps companies to achieve employee loyalty. As a consequence, valuable specialist knowledge, which forms the basis for creativity and flexibility in processes remains in the company.

Pioneering – zero defect warehouse Die Vision-Technologie bietet

flexible Vision technology offers flexible applications: throughout the zero defect warehouse KNAPP uses Vision technologies to improve quality and efficiency in each process step from goods-in to dispatch. Quality assurance measures built into the process mean that there is no need for final check areas, which saves space and energy. In the zero defect warehouse a self-learning organisation is established which sustainably reduces error costs and increases customer and employee satisfaction.

“It is fascinating and motivating to be involved in turning

innovative ideas into new products that make work easier

for the user and processes more efficient – this is precisely

what my work is about. For Vision Desk, we developed a

completely new man-machine operating concept in a cross-

departmental development team. In addition to planning and

coordination, my main task in this project was to ensure that

the requirements from the user's side were incorporated into the

development of Vision Desk.”

Christian Zink,Application Manager,

Business Center Vision, at KNAPP since 2013

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In order to prepare the constantly-growing KNAPP enterprise for future challenges, to enhance the collaboration with the subsidiaries and to provide the employees with a continuously stable work environment, the company launched the program KNAPP2020. The project Site2020 is a key aspect of this comprehensive action program. The project focuses on the expansion and modification of the facilities and also on strengthening the group headquarters as well as the subsidiary companies and branch offices. In the past fiscal year, KNAPP AG has successfully realized numerous measures of the Site2020 project.

Elements for success The KNAPP network is growing

KNAPP AG: Headquarters in Hart bei Graz is growingThe expansion of the company headquarters in Hart bei

Graz is an important factor for economic and organizational growth and, therefore, also an important contribution for the long-term success of KNAPP AG. Besides creating the company daycare centre KNAPP Kinderwelt, the company also started the building and modification activities on the newly purchased property, which is directly adjacent to the KNAPP site. Approximately 7,800 m² of new facility buildings and 1,100 m² air-conditioned office space were created within the fiscal year 2013/14. By expanding the company site, KNAPP AG is able to significantly reduce the share of rented facilities in the Graz area. Employees who worked in these external locations, have now returned to the main company site. This means that employees from various departments moved to their new work stations after the expansion was completed and can now enjoy an enhanced work environment.

With these modifications, the company has created a smooth flow of goods along the entire value chain, implementing the so-called pull production principle. Each work area is supplied with only those materials that were requested and that the staff can process immediately. Central picking is the core of this process that centrally stores and retrieves all materials, making it possible to achieve a higher level of productivity with significantly lower error costs and minimal transit times for orders. For the employees this change in processing considerably improves the work environment: work steps are structured more clearly and are also simpler, and the work effort is minimized. This has also brought about a significant reduction of the traffic volume on the company location regarding internal and external transport, also lowering the level of noise and the emissions on site and maximizing pedestrian safety. These measures have not only changed the site structurally, but also brought long-term improvements along the entire supply chain.

Key dataTime taken to build:

April 2013–March 2014

New space: 7,800 m² facility buidling; 1,100 m² office building

Constructional measures: KNAPP Kinderwelt,

new construction of a facility building,

modification and modernization of the existing facility building,

adaptation and modernization of the existing office building, connecting

road between existing and new areas of the KNAPP site.

110 | KNAPP AG




Cranes and building equipment also played their part at the KNAPP System Integration (KSI) site this fiscal year – measures for expanding and modifying the facilities put a clear emphasis on strengthening the location in Leoben and supporting the planned course of growth. The company plans to increase the number of employees from 320 to 500 and also aims to achieve an increase in turnover reaching a total of 100 million euros. Therefore, the KSI in Leoben has a very important position as employer and driving force for the economy in the Upper Styrian region.

Within only eight months, the company created additional space with a two-tier facility building and a company cafeteria, benefiting both employees and customers. The KSI invested 5.4 million euros in the site in Leoben.

The newly created building com-plex with approximately 2,090 m² now offers additional space for storage and dispatch – and also accommodates a test installation facility for testing installations and special applications

for customer-specific projects. With the modern cafeteria on

700 m², the company has created a perfect place to relax and enhance creativity for members of staff as well as for customers and partners. The management has put special emphasis on health and sustainability – the cafeteria offers fresh foods made exclusively from regional ingredients. In order to offer sufficient space for the employees in the future, the new building was designed to allow further expansion. As a consequence the company can add up to three additional office floors to the building whenever this might be necessary.

The new building is highly energy-efficient and environment-conscious and uses energy from ecological resources with a water heating pump. In addition, the building has a modern cooling system that uses the underground water. The outdoor space will provide additional 86 parking spaces, bike racks, a dispatch ramp as well as the required percolation system to drain surface water.

Key datatime taken to build:

October 2013–June 2014

New space: 2,090 m² facility building, 700 m² company cafeteria

Constructional measures: New construction of a facility

building, awning to protect dispatch from the

weather, connection to the inventory facility,

construction of a two-storey cafeteria,

86 parking places for cars, bicycle racks, loading ramp, drainage

structures

KNAPP System Integration – Site in Leoben further strengthened

“As the purchasing agent for Indirect Spend, I was responsible for the entire purchasing procedure for the expansion of the site in Leoben, from furnishing the dispatch facility with racks to selecting the design of the dishes for the new restaurant. It was both an exciting and challenging task, especially in the final stage – I was on site every day and witnessed the various steps first hand. Of course it was a very stressful time, but it was well worth the effort. The completed building has turned out marvellous and will definitely provide considerable additional value for our site. I am very happy that the company has put so much trust in me by giving me such a highly responsible assignment, which is also a big motivation in my daily work.”

Claudia HochfellnerPurchasing, at KNAPP since 2006

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New subsidiaries in Russia and AustraliaKNAPP operates worldwide with an export rate of 98 percent – the

KNAPP Group network includes 33 subsidiaries and representative offices on every populated continent. Their job: providing fast, personal and comprehensive service to the customers. The newest subsidiaries – KNAPP Australia Pty. Ltd and OOO KNAPP – were founded in Sydney and Moscow.

In the past few years, KNAPP expanded its activities in Australia and Russia and won important new customers. In order to provide these customers with the best possible support on site, the foundation of subsidiaries was the next logical step and an important milestone in KNAPP’s growth. Moreover, it is an important statement about the trust that KNAPP has for the future of these markets.

Kick-off for YLOG Industry Solutions in DoblYLOG Industry Solutions (YIS) has been part of the KNAPP Group

since 2013 and complements the KNAPP product portfolio with their scalable shuttle solutions for small and medium-sized companies. YLOG Industry Solutions operates from their company headquarters in Dobl, Styria. In the course of the last year, the company has moved into a production facility and an office building – this new company currently has about 25 employees. The infrastructure and excellent connection to the road network were aspects in favour of the Dobl location, just a few kilometres away from the KNAPP Group company headquarters in Hart bei Graz. This builds a solid platform for the future activities and success of YLOG Industry Solutions.

Dürkopp Fördertechnik in Bielefeld is growingWith an eye on planned growth, the Bielefeld location, headquarters

to the German Dürkopp Fördertechnik who are experts for intelligent logistics solutions for the fashion sector, was expanded during the past fiscal year. The company moved into an additional floor in the existing building, gaining 342 m² of office space. The new office building provides more space for creativity and offers sufficient space to accommodate the planned growth regarding the number of employees.

KNAPP worldwide

KNAPP worldwide

98 % export ratio

33 subsidiaries and represententative offices

KNAPP in Russia:

OOO KNAPPProspekt Andropowa 18

building 6

115432 Moscow Russia

YLOG Industry Solutions

YISLocation: Dobl

Styria, Austria

Employees: 25Dürkopp FördertechnikLocation:

Bielefeld Germany

New office space: 342 m²

We meet the challenges of the demographic shift every day, whether we realize it or not. Companies such as KNAPP AG are faced with the task of finding a responsible way to support their employees when it comes to balancing family and work and to respect the needs, desires and values of the different generations. At KNAPP, people from different generations aged between 0 and 60+ come together under one roof on a daily basis. The numerous interfaces between the generations make for a vibrant company culture and provide an opportunity for lifelong learning.

Generations under one roof All in the family

114 | KNAPP AG




Balancing career and family

Andrea Schögler and her daughter JohannaBuyer Material Management Global Procurement, at KNAPP since 1998

"Nee naw, nee naw, here comes the fire brigade" – the children from the "green" group at the KNAPP-Kinderwelt daycare centre chant and laugh as they make their way to their own dining hall. Today's menu is spaghetti bolognese, provided as usual by the factory cafeteria on the company site. Will any of the parents be able to guess what their children had today?

Opened at the beginning of September 2013, KNAPP-Kinderwelt provides around 50 places for employees’ children. There is a nursery group for children from the age of two months and two kindergarten groups for children up to the age of six. This bright space with a feel-good atmosphere was built in just five months on a plot of land that is approximately 2,000 m2 in size and situated next to the KNAPP AG site in Hart bei Graz, Austria. Childcare professionals from WIKI Kinderbetreuung provide flexible all-day care. KNAPP-Kinderwelt makes it easier for parents to return to work and organize their child care. Andrea Schögler is all too familiar with the challenge of balancing the different roles in her life at home and at work. She is both little Johanna’s mum and well-established in her career as a production materials buyer. She

says: “I am, of course, fully dedicated to being a mum. But my work in Global Procurement is also important to me and I really enjoy it – my job is varied and requires me to take on responsibility. Without KNAPP-Kinderwelt, it would be virtually impossible for me to continue to work in this way. My daughter, Johanna, feels comfortable at nursery and looks forward to new adventures every day. I can rely fully on the WIKI carers, which is a huge relief for me and allows me to coordinate my career and private life more efficiently.”

In recognition of their efforts to help their employees achieve a healthy work-life balance, KNAPP AG was named friendliest business for women and families in the category large company in February 2013. Creating a company daycare centre was also an achievement close to the Knapp family’s heart. Tanja Knapp knows what it means to have good,

reliable childcare: “I am really pleased that by creating KNAPP-Kinderwelt we have been able to make life easier for our employees – this is something we are always trying to do. Anyone who has children themselves will know how difficult it can be to manage the balancing act between work and good, flexible childcare. Nine years ago, I wanted to place my one-year-old son in a nursery in our residential area. Unfortunately, this was not possible as there were not enough places available. We managed to work it out in the end thanks to some helpful family members and a lovely childminder. But not everyone has such a good support system to fall back on. In my job as a psychotherapist, I often encounter people who are under a lot of stress and sometimes just knowing that their child is being well looked after close by would be a huge relief, both emotionally and practically.”

Tanja KnappPsychotherapist, Supervisory Board Member KNAPP AG

116 | KNAPP AG




Learning from each other, improving together A change of scenery to the apprentice workshop where future mechatronics and mechanical engineers work side by side with colleagues and trainers. Once they have completed their training, they will be sought-after skilled workers with excellent career opportunities. KNAPP has been training apprentices for more than 20 years now, mainly in the fields of mechatronics and mechanical engineering but also in IT. There is a constant group of about 50 apprentices receiving training at any one time. As a state-accredited training company, KNAPP offers a varied and high-quality apprenticeship program, which has included Higher Vocational Diploma since 2008.

along with an interest in technology and technical aptitude, of course. We are looking for team players. After all, our apprentices work in a range of departments and with various colleagues. All of our prospective apprentices complete a taster week, during which we can assess how they would fit in.”

It is often during training that the different generations meet, sometimes even two generations of the same family. Christoph Haidic started his apprenticeship at KNAPP in 2005 and his father Alois Haidic also joined the company in 2007. “The experiences of the older generation are worth their weight in gold, whilst the younger generation looks at some challenges from a different perspective. I think a good mix of the two is the recipe for success. It is also really important to me that I keep learning new things all the time and pass on my knowledge to my apprentices to the best of my ability,” says Christoph Haidic. His

“I opted for the apprenticeship with a Higher Vocational Diploma because I felt it offered the best of both worlds. Throughout our training, we are given the opportunity to learn from experienced colleagues and trainers. If you work hard and show some initiative, there will be plenty of opportunities for you in a company of this size once you have finished your training,” states Christoph Zorn, who is in the 3rd year of his apprenticeship to become a mechatronics engineer. Besides the comprehensive specialist training, the program also focuses on promoting a sense of team spirit, creativity and problem-solving skills. It is no surprise that places on the company apprenticeship program are in high demand. Christoph Haidic, who is now a trainer on the program, was once an apprentice at KNAPP himself. He explains what they look for when selecting a new intake of apprentices: “An open mind and honesty are really important,

Christoph HaidicApprenticeship Trainer Mechatro-nics; Apprenticeship Training, at KNAPP since 2005

Alois HaidicPre-Assembling, KNAPP-on-Site, at KNAPP since 2007

father, Alois, also values the mutual exchange of knowledge and skills between colleagues: “I have a great deal of experience and always complete my work in a diligent and professional way. This approach is what helps me cope with new tasks. My colleagues often come to me for advice, knowing that I will always be happy to give them some pointers.”

The Second Chance is a unique project which is all about lifelong learning and appreciating the many years of practical experience gained by employees. It is a

training program which allows long-term KNAPP employees to complete training in a metal-related profession alongside their work and, therefore, opens up new career opportunities to them. “I found the training fascinating and informative: the practical days we spent in other departments were very important; I now see things from a different perspective. I’d like to keep this extra perspective and openness for my work as a group leader and act accordingly,” says Anton Radaschitz.

118 | KNAPP AG




Prototype construction is one of the most interesting departments on the KNAPP site, as this is where new technologies and specialist solutions are built and tested. Employees who work here have many years’ worth of experience and specialist knowledge, an analytical approach, creativity, problem solving skills and a fair amount of MacGyver in them.

sometimes you just have to trust your gut feeling. This requires experience and sound instinct. My work comes easily to me and I enjoy it. If this were not the case, I would hardly have stayed with KNAPP for 37 years,” he

Enjoy work, achieve more

Toni Kienreich’s eyes light up as he talks about his work in prototype production: “There is no danger of us ever being stuck in a rut – we are always dealing with new challenges. However, I like to tinker and I know that

laughs. The skilled machine fitter started off as a mechanic 37 years ago, when KNAPP had just 15 employees. He then moved into the production department before being promoted to his current position in prototype production. His colleagues value his experience, his extensive specialist knowledge, his good judgement and his friendly demeanour. KNAPP specifically focuses on supporting specialist knowledge and sources of such knowledge. In addition to the wide range of options for vocational training and further education at the KNAPP Academy, KNAPP offers an attractive career path for technicians

and experts with the concept of specialist careers. Up a few stairs and in the neighbouring building,

Jusuf Buzimkic is preparing to give a presentation to a customer. His job in project planning for the General Retail Solutions sector is challenging and varied but what he cannot do without is a positive atmosphere and enjoying his work: “It is vital to be highly creative as every project is different. We work hard and constructively to find the best solution, both within the company and with the customer. However, it is not just about working hard; it is very important to be able to have fun, too.”

As KNAPP is an international company with customers from all over the world and an export rate of approximately 98 percent, flexibility and willingness to travel are basic requirements of many employees' job descriptions. Careful planning of business trips and the use of state-of-the-art video and web conferencing tools shall allow employees to provide optimum customer service whilst relieving the strain on the employees and the environment. It is all the more important for people who travel a lot to take the time to just take a deep breath and make the most of their time spent with their family. “My two sons go to KNAPP-Kinderwelt,” says Jusuf Buzimkic. “It is perfect for me as it saves precious time. It takes only a few steps to and from my office to take the children to nursery and pick them up again. Both my family and the company benefit from this. I like to look out of my office window at the nursery every now and then. Bruno and Adrian are really excited when I tell them that I could see them playing. On the way home, the first question is always the same – did you have the same lunch as us today?” Maybe today the answer will be yes – spaghetti bolognese!

Jusuf Buzimkic with his sons Bruno and AdrianHead of Systems Engineering General Retail Solutions, at KNAPP since 2007

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360°+ + Your advantages at a glance

Service Level ManagementKNAPP Academy

Operation & Logistics SupportAdd-on Services

Modernizsation & UpgradesIT ServicesPlant Services

Spare Parts LogisticsHotline

360°+



Shortened transit times, significantly reduced process costs, high process accuracy and reliability count as the most important reasons to decide to automate. In order to keep everything running like clockwork in the long run, coordinated care of the system is required throughout its life. Our service for your success is the KNAPP motto for the high-performance service package System Support 360°+, which offers our customers a comprehensive portfolio tailored to the specific needs of each customer.

Generation management for systems

Effective life cycle management Effective customer service at KNAPP begins already in the sales

phase. Even at this early point, the requirements and goals pertaining to service are coordinated with the customer in order to start the long-term care of the system as soon as the system begins its operation. Personal contact and communication stand in the foreground and every customer has a personal contact person at Customer Service who is available and ready to listen to all concerns.

Do-it-yourself or full service – depending on what the customer can do individually or wants to have done, an ideal performance mix is put together from the comprehensive pool of services available in

System Support 360°+. The goal is to put our customers in a position where they are always able to provide their services to their own customers. Services are categorized according to their necessity for the operations and include: services to ensure the primary technical operation, such as the hotline and spare parts; services that ensure long-term operational security and technical support, such as IT services, modernization or roadmaps; system service as well as operative and technical support, such as training and Operation & Logistics Support. Combining the services requires a fine touch, without which important synergies for cost reduction and increased operational reliability cannot be achieved. Furthermore, the service network is constantly gaining important data that answer key questions regarding the technical and economic areas, and that allow conclusions to be drawn about availability, performance, usability and optimization potential.

Worldwide network integration Listening, understanding, finding

and realizing the right solution – all done worldwide at the same high level of standards. Thanks to its international customer service KNAPP is provided with a stable platform for offering customers from around the world a high-quality service. Starting with a uniform strategy and the System Support 360°+ portfolio, the services are adapted to the local requirements, markets and industries to ensure maximum usability to the customer. Successful customer service is measured in availability and a dense network of subsidiaries and service partners around the globe ensures this availability. Subsidiaries and service partners remain in constant constructive dialogue with the Austrian headquarters in order to use synergies, to exchange know-how and, therefore, to remain close to the needs of the customer and to ensure optimal care. The keys to long-term success are motivation, team spirit and enthusiasm for the work as well as for interaction with the customers.

122 | KNAPP AG




Fine tuning the processesEven if an intralogistics system is

optimally maintained and serviced it can only reach its full performance if the processes are perfectly tuned and if the operators are ideally trained in dealing with the system. With the innovative Operations & Logistics Support (O&LS), KNAPP offers one-of-a-kind consulting and steps into the role of an advisor in order to get the maximum performance from every system. The idea is that ideal performance and availability are not a question of the level of investment but the O&LS experts are on a quest to find hidden potentials. Logistical realities, warehouse processes and demands are compiled and analysed and a tailor-made plan of measures is created for the customer and jointly implemented. Even small changes can often have a great effect. Long-term observation indicates an average increase in productivity of 35 percent after 6 to 12 months. Thus, KNAPP does not only ensure the performance and value of a system for its entire life span but also increases customer and employee satisfaction.

No future without service KNAPP is amongst the top 10 most

innovative companies in Austria and innovation in service naturally plays a crucial part. While focusing on customer satisfaction, KNAPP constantly strives to find new approaches in customer service and to develop innovative service solutions. With the research project Assist 4.0, KNAPP concentrates on moulding the technical innovations of the 4th industrial revolution, which is centred on the network of man and machine, into future-oriented services. Dynamics, mobility, communication and flexibility are the important factors which always centre on the person. With the service support system KiSoft Web Eye, a head mounted display has been already realized that can be equipped with other technologies,

„We are bound to our customers by a long-term partnership. In a partnership, it is important that both partners achieve success. With our service, we ensure not only the long-term success of our parters, but also the advancement of our own company. With a strongly networked international customer service, we increase the satisfaction and personal commitment to our partners, which extends beyond cultural and language barriers. I view each challenge as a mountain, and use my creativity and intuition to reach the peak. The satisfaction of having achieved something gives me the energy for the next day, and for the next peak.“

Michael Lemut Account Manager Customer Service Global Accounts, at KNAPP since 2001

such as augmented reality. Thanks to this head mounted display our perfectly trained service technicians are able to guide a technician on any site around the globe and provide him with the information to carry out the necessary works promptly and they can also cushion resource bottlenecks.

KNAPP strives for service excellence – with this in mind, the Styrian Service Cluster was founded in cooperation with other companies from various industries. Benchmarking, the exchange of knowledge that extends beyond the borders of ones own branch and striving for constant improvement are in the focus – because if one does not strive to become better, one has already ceased to be good.


Zahlen und FaktenOpen spacesFa

cts an

d figu

res

Economic environmentAfter two difficult years, influenced by the financial crisis and and the

corresponding negative growth rates in the eurozone, the last quarters in 2013 showed the first promising signs of recovery and a steady upward economic trend. The economic data for the first quarter in 2014 also confirmed that Europe is emerging from the recession.

In the European markets important for KNAPP AG, Germany, UK, France, Benelux and Scandinavia succeeded in achieving, in part, even considerable economic growth, while Spain and Italy still remained in the recession, though there are reassuring signs that these countries have left the worst of the economic downturn behind them as well.

Even most of the CEE countries that were especially affected by the crisis are also recording an increase in economic output. And likewise, the economy in Latin and South America, which is a very important market area for KNAPP AG, also showed clear signs of recovery.

The economic upswing in the USA, with an increase in gross domestic product of almost 2 percent has turned out clearly higher than in the eurozone, though below the value in 2012 (+2.2 percent) due to a consolidated domestic budget.

The Asian-Pacific economic region, an important future market for the KNAPP Group, has shown a very positive development, with China – just as in the previous years – recording a GDP record of almost 8 percent.

In the European markets important for KNAPP AG:

Germany UK

France Scandinavia Benelux

2% USA

an increase in gross domestic

8% China


Zahlen und FaktenZahlen und FaktenOpen spaces Open spaces

turnover for the year in review solely through organic growth.

With a share of turnover of more than 70 percent, the economic region Western Europe was again the strongest sales region, with a marginal decline due to the slightly lower sales figures in Spain and Italy compared to the previous year. The turnover rates in Germany, UK and France remained on a very high level.

The sales figures of the CEE states slowly recovering from the recession tripled in the past fiscal year, turnover increased from approx. 5 million euros to more than 15 million euros. And the outlook for the coming year is very promising.

The turnover in the North American region sailed to a record high of more than 57 million euros, due to increased turnover rates in Canada. With a share of turnover of almost 1/6, this economic region is very important for KNAPP AG. With an order intake of 100 million dollars, KNAPP AG landed the highest-ever order intake for this region since the company was founded.

The Latin American economic region was the driving force for growth for the KNAPP Group, the share of turnover increased from 8 percent in the previous year to more than 10 percent. Especially improved turnover figures in Mexico contributed significantly to this higher turnover.

The Asian-Pacific market area is becoming more and more important for KNAPP AG in the future, with the turnover remaining stable on the previous year's level of approx. 11 million euros. The company expects an increase in turnover for the coming year.

Sales by geographical region

Western Europe67,0%

North America15,0%

Eastern Europe4,1%

South America11,1%

Others2,9%

TurnoverThe KNAPP Group, as planned, was able

to consolidate its turnover, which was already on a very high level in the past year, achieving a turnover of 384 million euros with an increase in turnover by 1.1 percent compared to the previous year. The company realized this

Country Turnover in euros PercentageWestern Europe 256,975,077 67.0%Eastern Europe 15,820,054 4.1%North America 57,382,108 15.0%South America 42,462,827 11.1%Others 11,111,615 2.9%

Sales by sector

Pharma34%

Fashion24%

Tools13%

Food/Retail16%

Cosmetics6%

Others7%

In the Solutions business segment, KNAPP AG increased its turnover by almost 14 percent compared to the previous year, with the segments Pharma, Tools and Office Supply featuring an above-average growth.

The Integrated Projects segment showed a slight decline in sales, going back to a somewhat lower turnover in the Fashion business sector due to a slight delay in the placement of orders. On the other hand, Food Retail and General Retail as part of this business segment, enjoyed another increase in turnover in the past fiscal year.

The KNAPP Group has concentrated consistently on the Customer Service business area to increase customer satisfaction and customer loyalty. The strategy has again proven successful, increasing the share of turnover to 22 percent of the total revenue (previous year: 19 percent).

Revenue by business segments

2013/14 Turnover in euros PercentagePharma 130,648,394 34%Fashion 92,574,080 24%Cosmetics 22,021,289 6%Food/Retail 62,107,689 16%Tools 48,662,022 13%Others 27,738,207 7%

2013/14 Turnover in euros PercentageSolutions 149,023,405 38.83%Integrated Projects 150,075,531 39.11%Customer Service 84,652,745 22.06%

Solution38,83%

Integrated Projects39,11%

Customer Service22,06%



Auftragseingang und AuftragsstandThe order intake of the past fiscal year

increased by approx. 15 percent compared to the prior year, reaching a record peak of almost 454 million euro in volume. This also involved an increase in order balance by 65 million euros to a total of 330 million euros, and for the most part, the company has already succeeded in assuring the budgeted turnover for the coming fiscal year.

ResultFor the KNAPP Group, the past year has

been the most successful year in the entire history of the company.

The company enjoyed an increase in earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) by 5.2 percent to 15.4 million euros in fiscal year 2013-14, with earnings before taxes (EBT) increasing by approx. 1 million euros to a total of 14.2 million euros, which corresponds to an EBT margin of 3.7 percent (previous year: 3.5 percent).

The result after taxes has increased by more than 15 percent to 11.1 million euros.

Assets, liabilities and financial positionThe balance of the KNAPP Group by

March 31, 2014 featured an unchanged solid capital structure. The balance sheet total of 256 million euros corresponds approximately to the balance in the previous year.

The equity grew from 53.7 million euros to 60.3 million euros in the year in review, the equity ratio of 23.5 percent was above the ratio of the prior year (22.9 percent). The return on equity at 23.6 percent remained fairly stable compared to the previous year and the return on assets also remained at 5.6 percent, the same level of the previous year.

Cash flowThe investments of more than 18 million

euros, of which a large portion went into expanding the business site, were financed from the current cash flow: on March 31, 2014, cash amounted to approx. 42 million euros (previous year: 30 million euros).

“In controlling, it is very important to have a comprehensive overview and to be able to make the cross connections between various business matters. At the same time we deal intensively with detailed requests from all areas so that we can best provide support for their daily work. We work with the entire company, continually handle new and exciting topics and can, therefore, make a contribution to meeting, if not exceeding, the company goals. I enjoy challenges, especially the feeling of satisfaction that comes with success! For new topics, I proceed in an organized manner and create an overview of content and time frame. I can always rely on my team and my colleagues from other departments and together we always find a good solution, even for difficult tasks.”

Bianca StriniControlling KAG, at KNAPP since 2008

Order intake + 15%

past fiscal year increased

454 million euros Order status

330 million euros

result

11.1 million euros

+< 15%



Risk managementThe KNAPP Group has established an

internal controlling system worldwide that identifies potential risks at an early stage and quickly initiates countermeasures as required by the corresponding risk assessment.

Because of its international activities, the Group is exposed to a number of financial risks, especially foreign currency risks. These risks are minimized through the use of derivative financial instruments such as foreign exchange transactions and swaps.

Project risks, especially for large-scale orders, are analysed and evaluated through corresponding risk assessment procedures.

Securing adequate liquidity is the KNAPP Group's top priority, and in this respect, the company is in an outstanding position and has high liquidity reserves. Any cash flow risks are monitored by the centrally-managed Cashflow Reports.

Research and developmentKNAPP AG as solution provider is a

recognized specialist for all-in-one intralogistics solutions.

In the past year, new, highly-integrated system solutions were realized in a variety of strategic target sectors – for picking various product types for orders from different business models. These sectors include, for example, deliveries to wholesalers, branch stores or deliveries directly to the end consumer.

This year KNAPP invested more than 7 percent of its turnover (previous year: 6 percent) – or 27.7 million euros – in research and development.

Due to increasing demands on system design as well as demands from the market, the goal of all of the development activities was to secure the competitive advantage, and with this, securing long-term organic growth.

In the research and development areas of the KNAPP Group, more than 400 people have been working on new and further developments in the past fiscal year.

For the year in review, the emphasis was on:

• Development of software algorithms for the homogeneous combination of sales channels

• Development of new control strategies for applications with the all-in shuttle system

• Expansion of the distribution software based on the emphasized sectors

• Comprehensive expansion of functions in shuttle technology, especially in the rail-guided version

• Further development of components of the new, even higher-performance container conveyor system Streamline

• Innovations in the Open Shuttle technology (free-moving shuttles)

• Further development of new technologies and system solutions in manual and automatic picking based on imaging technology (KiSoft Vision)

• Further development of the new ergonomically designed picking work stations

• Developments in robot picking (Pick-it-Easy Robot)

• Further development of the zero-defect technology bundle

With these developments, KNAPP continued to pursue its goal of strengthening and further expanding its technological lead.



PersonnelOn the reporting date March 31, 2014, the

KNAPP Group had a total of 2,444 employees worldwide (previous year 2,256), with more than 1,800 employees in Austria. This all-time record high resulted from the growth and the required higher level of staff to process upcoming projects due to the high order balance. The large number of academics and graduates of specialized schools or colleges among the KNAPP staff clearly shows the high qualification of the team: approximately 45 percent of all employees have a university or college degree or a specialized school diploma.

OutlookKNAPP AG expects a satisfactory level

of investment in the strategic target sectors for fiscal year 2014/15 in order to realize the planned growth of 12 percent to 430 million euros turnover for the coming fiscal year.

New demands on multichannel warehouses, new work place regulations and new quality requirements will continue to be the key factors for new, replacement and expansion investments.

The further systematic expansion of the product and system solution portfolios, above all in the shuttle technologies, image recognition systems, autopickers, conveyor systems and robot systems as well as existing references from successfully installed projects, will open new opportunities for sales with existing and potential new customers.

In the coming year, KNAPP will also invest substantial resources in new and further development in order to maintain its position of technological leadership.

In the strategic markets and the markets especially relevant for turnover, such as Central and Northern Europe, but also in the USA and Latin America, forecasts predict an increase in growth. KNAPP also expects further growth in the Asian-Pacific economic region, including an upward trend for the previously somewhat sluggish markets in Spain and Italy.

Consolidated financial statements*

Consolidated income statement2013/14

(in EUR)2012/13

(in TEUR)

Revenue 383,751,680 379,499Other own work capitalised 2,530,000 1,938Other operating income 7,736,666 3,890Cost of materials and purchased services (160,359,326) (171,987)Staff costs (150,384,905) (137,120)Scheduled depreciation and amortisation (7,998,135) (7,715)Other operating expenses (59,845,986) (53,425)

Operating profit 15,429,994 15,080

Finance income 735,627 576Finance costs (1,927,540) (1,897)

Finance costs - net (1,191,913) (1,321)

Profit before tax 14,238,081 13,759

Income tax expense (3,128,373) (3,798)

Profit for the year 11,109,708 9,961

Attributable to:Owners of the parent 11,082,327 9,984Non-controlIing interests 27,381 (23)

*) These consolidated financial statements of KNAPP AG as at 31 March 2014 are an abbreviated version.



Consolidated statement of comprehensive income2013/14 2012/13

(in EUR) (in TEUR)

Profit for the year 11,109,708 9,961Items subsequently not reclassified to the income statement

Revaluation of post-employment benefit obligations (505,067) (415)

Deferred taxes from the revaluation of post-employment benefit obligations 159,134 104(345,933) (311)

Items subsequently reclassified to the income statement

Fair value measurement of available-for-salefinancial assets and derivative financial instruments (gross) 303,860 (457)

Deferred taxes from the fair value measurement of available-for-sale financial assets and derivative financial instruments (75,965) 114

Currency translation difference (472,547) 246(244,652) (97)

Other comprehensive income for the year (590,585) (408)

Total comprehensive income for the year 10,519,123 9,553Attributable to:Owners of the parent 10,491,742 9,576Non-controlIing interests 27,381 (23)

Consolidated statement of changes in equity(all amounts in EUR)

Attributable toowners of the parent

Sharecapital

Retained earnings and

other reserves

Fair value reserve

Revaluationreserve IAS 19

Adjustmentitem forcurrency

translation

Non- controllinginterests

Totalequity

Balance 1 April 2012 5,000,000 41,791,520 (1,352,073) 0 706,749 1,874,399 48,020,595

Profit for the year 0 9,984,379 0 0 0 (23,273) 9,961,106

Other comprehensiveincome for the year 0 0 (343,151) (311,071) 246,305 0 (407.917)

Total comprehensiveincome 0 9,984,379 (343,151) (311,071) 246,305 (23,273) 9,553,189Purchase/sale of non-controlling interests 0 1,228,425 0 0 0 (1,064,945) 163,480

Dividends paid 0 (4,000,000) 0 0 0 0 (4,000,000)

Total contributionsby and distributionsto owners of theparent, recogniseddirectly in equity 0 (2,771,575) 0 0 0 (1.064.945) (3,836,520)

Balance 31 March 2013 5,000,000 49,004,324 (1,695,224) (311,071) 953,054 786,181 53,737,264Profit for the year 0 11.082.327 0 0 0 27,381 11,109,708

Other comprehensiveincome for the year 0 0 227,895 (345,933) (472,547) 0 (590,585)

Total comprehensiveincome 0 11,082,327 227,895 (345,933) (472,547) 27,381 10,519,123Changes in consolidation scope 0 0 0 0 0 660 660

Dividends paid 0 (4,000,000) 0 0 0 0 (4,000,000)

Total contributionsby and distributionsto owners of theparent, recogniseddirectly in equity 0 (4,000,000) 0 0 0 660 (3,999,340)

Balance 31 March 2014 5,000,000 56,086,651 (1,467,329) (657,004) 480,507 814,222 60,257,047



Consolidated statement of financial position

March 31, 2014(in EUR)

March 31, 2013(in TEUR)

ASSETS

Non-current assetsProperty, plant and equipment 48,354,896 38,946Intangible assets 22,393,023 20,986Available-for-sale financial assets 363,364 366Deferred tax assets 3,333,440 3,135Total non-current assets 74,444,723 63,433

Current assetsInventories 17,851,204 18,074Receivables from deliveries and services 78,484,226 75,121Amount due from customers on construction contracts 19,636,550 31,029Other current receivables and assets 20,992,907 14,629Available-for-sale financial assets 2,486,857 2,735Derivative financial instruments 134,977 42Cash and cash equivalents 41,874,667 29,926Total current assets 181,461,388 171,556

Total assets 255,906,111 234,989

Consolidated statement of financial positionMarch 31, 2014

(in EUR)March 31, 2013

(in TEUR)EQUITY AND LIABILITIES

EquityCapital and reserves attributable to owners of the parentShare capital 5,000,000 5,000Retained earnings, and other reserves 56,086,651 49,004Fair value reserve (1,467,329) (1,695)Revaluation reserve IAS 19 (657,004) (311)Adjustment item for currencv translation 480,507 953Total equity before non-controlling interests 59.442,825 52,951

Non-controlling interests 814,222 786Total equity 60,257,047 53,737

LIABILITIESNon-current liabilitiesNon-current financial liabilities 17,932,254 19,700Profit participation rights 3,188,269 2,488Post-employment benefit obligations 6,911,500 6,289Other non-current liabilities 1,400,180 1,200Derivative financial instruments 2,171,703 2,593Deferred tax liabilities 8,600,239 7,981Total non-current liabilities 40,204,145 40,251

Current liabilitiesTrade payables 24,292,579 25,821Current tax liabilities 859,489 2,505Current financial liabilities 2,726,936 3,928Derivative financial instruments 78,570 1,929Current provisions 7,846,730 8,232Amount due to customers on construction contracts 73,016,567 58,808Accrued liabilities 46,624,048 39,778Total current liabilities 155,444,919 141,001Total liabilities 195,649,064 181,252

Total equity and liabilities 255,906,111 234,989



Consolidated statement of cash flow 2013/14

(in EUR)2012/13

(in TEUR)Cash flow from operating activitiesProfit before tax 14,238,081 13,759

Adjustments for non-cash itemsand other reconciliations

Financial result 1,191,913 1,321Depreciation and amortisation 7,998,135 7,715Gains/losses from the disposal of non-current assets (160,618) (1)Increase or decrease in post-employmentbenefit obligations 117,044 333Change in other non-current liabilities and provisions 200,230 1,200

Adjustments for non-cash items and other reconciliations 9,346,704 10,568

Changes in net current assetsIncrease/decrease in trade receivables and other assets (480,956) (31,600)Increase/decrease in inventories 223,159 (1,134)Increase/decrease in trade payables and other current liabilities 19,526,322 18,127Increase/decrease in current provisions (384,804) 2,229

Changes in net current assets 18,883,721 (12,378)

Cash flow from operating activities 42,468,506 11,949

Interest received 735,627 576Interest paid (1,833,861) (1,673)Income tax paid - net (4,270,826) (1,335)

(5,369,060) (2,432)

Net cash generated from operating activities 37,099,446 9,517

Cash flow from investing activitiesPurchases of property, plant and equipment (13,969,767) (9,898)Purchases of intangible assets (5,154,100) (2,794)Purchases of available-for-sale financial assets 0 (3)Proceeds from the sale of property, plant andequipment and intangible assets 268,131 35Proceeds from the sale of available-for-sale financial assets 243,575 0

Net cash used in investinq activities (18,612,161) (12.660)

Cash flow from financing activitiesDividends paid (4,000,000) (4,000)Increase in profit participation rights issued 919,324 886Decrease in profit participation rights issued (218,869) (225)Proceeds from non-current borrowings 6,500,000 2,400Repayments of non-current borrowings (8,267,746) (900)Proceeds from current borrowings 0 1,576Repayments of current borrowings (1,201,168) 0Proceeds from the sale of non-controlling interests 0 14Purchases of non-controlling interests 0 (3,500)

Net cash used in financing activities (6,268,459) (3,749)

Net decrease/increase in cash and cash equivalents 12,218,826 (6,892)

Change in cash and cash equivalentsCash and cash equivalents at beginning of year 29,926,233 36,695Net decrease/increase in cash and cash equivalents 12,218,826 (6,892)Exchange gains/losses on cash and cash equivalents (270,392) 123

Cash and cash equivalents at end of year 41,874,667 29,926

Consolidated statement of cash flow 2013/14

(in EUR)2012/13

(in TEUR)


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Publication Details

Responsible for contents: KNAPP AGGünter-Knapp-Straße 5-78075 Hart/GrazAustria

Note on genderFor economy of text and ease in reading, either the male or female grammatical versions are used. Of course these equally refer to people of both sexes.


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