KION CEO sees further potential from Dematic acquisition

KION Group CEO Gordon Riske believes the acquisition of Dematic adds potential for further growth, with the creation of a company whose products and services encompass the entire supply chain.

“Our product portfolio is unique and ranges from forklift trucks to fully automated material handling solutions,” said Riske.

The new CEO of Dematic, John Baysore, highlighted the market potential offered by the megatrends of digitalisation, urbanisation and increasing convenience for consumers. “Dematic’s automation solutions are needed by customers who are adapting to changing consumer requirements and want to maintain their competitive advantage,” said Baysore. He added that the driving factors in retail included the boom in online business, rising labour costs, the trend for smaller stores and the resulting shift of inventory from stores to distribution centres.

As a result of the transaction, the KION Group will start managing its business and reporting financials by three segments in December 2016: Industrial Trucks and Services, Supply Chain Solutions and Corporate Services.