The COVID-19 pandemic has turned the year 2020 into a watershed moment that no one saw coming. Historians will probably only be able to assess the extent of this unparalleled crisis with the benefit of a few years’ hindsight. In any case, there have been considerable economic consequences. Politicians in particular were called upon to set the right course for rapid crisis management by issuing clear directives.

However, it is even more important that society has also reacted to the crisis. Although the discourse on how to contain the coronavirus is not always harmonious, the need for security is strong and the willingness to temporarily restrict personal freedoms for the common good is high.

Public perception of new, digital technologies has shifted from a potential threat to a guarantor of countless jobs. Surprisingly many parts of the economy have been able to use these as a workaround and thus sustain their operations. Modern online communication has enabled efficient collaboration that is free of physical barriers.

From these fragments, we can derive scenarios that favor our industry in general and our company in particular. The topic of security will continue to grow in importance. The public sector will actively drive technological change in the direction of a sustainable economy. And new technologies promise new opportunities for companies that know how to exploit them.

The Rosenbauer Group has come through the crisis well so far, and has even been able to achieve a record year in terms of revenues and earnings.

This is primarily thanks to strict health management. Early travel bans, early company close-downs in April 2020, short-time working to protect employees, comprehensive safety measures in the workplace, and a permanent crisis team have all contributed to largely trouble-free production during the year.

A second reason lies in the industry, in which procurement is predominantly carried out by the public sector. As a result, there were delays on the demand side, but no cancellations.

The Rosenbauer Group’s broad diversification by market and product helped us to compensate for weaknesses in individual segments elsewhere. Our market strength was particularly evident in the main markets of the USA, Germany, and Austria, where excellent order intake was recorded in 2020 despite the crisis.

Technology leadership and innovative strength are Rosenbauer’s forward-looking strengths. Last year, we demonstrated them particularly impressively. The market launch of the Revolutionary Technology (RT), the first emission-free fire truck, was another milestone in our history, accompanied by many other innovations.

I am particularly proud of our employees after the past twelve months. Against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic, they not only demonstrated a high degree of adaptability and discipline, but also made this record year a reality through their commitment and enthusiasm worldwide. A special thank you for this!

Seven years ago, we formulated the revenue billion for 2020 as the “utopian vision” of our growth strategy. A lot has happened since then, and some markets and products have developed completely differently than expected. But we can take it as confirmation of our strategic work that, building on our strengths, we have been able to record more positive than negative deviations from our very ambitious targets and are now able to report that we have achieved them on time.

As our shareholders, you have remained loyal to us in both difficult and successful times, and this deserves recognition. We would therefore like to express our thanks to you with an attractive dividend proposal. Together, we will continue to shape the future with curiosity and confidence.