Jungheinrich's business performance
At 67,000 trucks in the first half of 2019, the number of incoming orders in new truck business, which includes orders for new trucks and trucks for short-term hire, was on par with the same period last year (67,400 trucks) despite the significant decline in the core market. At EUR 2,065 million, the value of incoming orders, which includes all business areas - new business, rental and used equipment as well as customer service - exceeded the previous year's figure of EUR 1,946 million by six percent in the reporting period.

The order backlog for new business reached EUR 1,015 million as at June 30, 2019 and was therefore EUR 118 million or 13% higher than the previous year's figure (EUR 897 million). At 58,800 vehicles, the number of vehicles produced in the first six months of the current financial year was roughly the same as in the previous year (58,900 vehicles). At EUR 1,956 million, Group sales in the first half of 2019 were 10% higher than in the same period of the previous year (EUR 1,784 million).

However, market momentum continued to slow in the second quarter of 2019 compared to the first quarter. This is due to the deteriorating macroeconomic conditions and the associated current decline in the market for industrial trucks. In view of this development, the Executive Board has adjusted its forecast for the current financial year: Order intake is now expected to be between EUR 3.80 and 4.05 billion (previously: EUR 4.05 to 4.20 billion). Group turnover is still expected to be within the previously forecast range of EUR 3.85 - 4.05 billion.

Jungheinrich continues to place a special focus on strategically important areas of activity and is investing in lithium-ion battery technology, for example. To this end, Jungheinrich was the first intralogistics provider to establish a competence center for the production and remanufacturing of lithium-ion battery systems together with Triathlon at the beginning of 2019: "JT Energy Systems". Capacities are being massively expanded even before the start of operations. The former Solarworld plant in Freiberg near Dresden has now been taken over for this purpose.

"Overall, the first half of 2019 went well for Jungheinrich. However, after a strong start to the current financial year, we have recently noticed a significant decline in customer investment activity. The uncertainties arising from the ongoing trade conflicts are therefore also affecting our industry. We have therefore updated our forecast for 2019 at an early stage and anticipate a slightly lower trend in incoming orders and EBIT," says Hans-Georg Frey, Chairman of the Board of Management of Jungheinrich. as