ebm‑papst invests €140 million in R&D and expands global presence

ebm‑papst has announced record investments in research and development and international expansion, underscoring its strategic focus on intelligent air and heating technology. At its annual press conference in Mulfingen, CEO Dr. Klaus Geißdörfer confirmed a €140 million investment in R&D for the 2024/25 fiscal year (April 1 to March 31), the highest in the company’s history.

Despite a 13.1% decline in total sales to €2.098 billion, the company reported a solid order intake since April and expects growth in its core business areas. Industrial air technology now accounts for over 75% of total sales. Demand in this sector has risen, particularly in cooling systems for data centers. However, heating technology sales dropped 27% due to market uncertainty from the German Building Energy Act.

The company continues to scale back operations in automotive, household appliances, and industrial drive technology, now fully transferred to Siemens. Revenue from these segments fell nearly 19% to €275 million. In Germany, sales declined 24% to €376.4 million, while international sales dropped 10.3% to €1,721.2 million.

Around €100 million is being invested in expanding the company's global footprint. This includes €36 million for a new plant in India, €30 million to expand production in China, and €30 million for its Romanian site. An additional €30 million has been allocated to the new E-Drive Solution Labs in Mulfingen.

ebm‑papst has also launched NEXAIRA, a digital ecosystem that enables features like sensor-free filter monitoring and vibration analysis, allowing for demand-based system operation and energy savings of up to 50%. “This fundamentally changes how we plan and think about ventilation systems,” said CTO Prof. Dr.-Ing. Tomas Smetana.

The company is also developing high-speed turbo compressors for refrigeration circuits, and is active at the Innovation Park Artificial Intelligence (IPAI) in Heilbronn. More than 1,200 employees have been trained in AI skills, with the technology expected to increase productivity by up to 40%.

“We see opportunities in the markets of tomorrow and are determined to seize them,” said CEO Dr. Klaus Geißdörfer.