Altensteig – In fiscal 2006, Boysen achieved a greater increase in sales than the company actually expected. Information obtained on Friday indicated that the earnings of Friedrich Boysen GmbH & Co. KG in 2006 rose by 13 per cent to 480 million euros. According to the specialist in exhaust systems in Altensteig (Calw district), investments amounted to 45 million euros (previous year: 53 million euros). In the current year, Boysen is again expecting an increase in sales of around 13 per cent to 550 million euros. The supplier to the automotive industry made no comments on the result. The number of people employed by the company rose by around 100 to 1,350.

Boysen managing director, Rolf Geisel, said that last year was a "real challenge", especially in the second six months. Due to the large number of orders, he said, the company recorded monthly sales increases of around 25 per cent. In November, the earnings according to Geisel rose over the 50 million euro mark for the first time in the company's history, primarily due to the production of large series.

Boysen itself says that it wants to expand its development activities and production. In Shenyang (China), the company is to start operating this year with its fourth foreign location after France, India and the U.S. In Plauen as well (Saxony), construction of a new factory has started and will gradually start manufacturing in 2008. In the new factory, Boysen wants to make catalytic converters, silencers and manifolds. In addition, the employees will assemble complete exhaust systems.

Boysen develops and manufactures catalytic converters and complete exhaust systems for cars. The company's customers include automotive manufacturers Audi, DaimlerChrysler and BMW.

Source: dpa/lsw