"In the past fiscal year, we once again significantly strengthened our international market position," says Björn Kemper, CEO. "The demand for effective occupational safety in metalworking continues to grow – and KEMPER is responding to the increasing demand with smart solutions".

Booming international business

One of the success factors is the strong European business. In the UK, the manufacturer has been benefiting from stricter health and safety regulations since February 2019, which is fuelling demand for welding fume extraction systems. This is due to the reclassification of welding fumes by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). It no longer only classifies hazardous substances as carcinogenic when welding stainless steel, but also when welding mild steel. KEMPER has the world’s most comprehensive portfolio of extraction systems for protection against carcinogenic welding fumes.

Last year, the manufacturer from the Münsterland region founded a subsidiary in Russia, repositioned its original equipment manufacturer (OEM) business and strengthened all business areas with new personnel. Sales also increased significantly in the services segment, in particular thanks to the restructured after-sales services. With Frederic Lanz, a proven welding technology expert and industry insider joined the KEMPER management team, who has been actively shaping the development of the company since January 2019.

Further growth targeted

"The course is set for further growth in the coming years – both structurally and in terms of personnel", says Frederic Lanz, Managing Director Marketing & Sales at KEMPER. "Our solutions offer significant added value beyond pure extraction". This is exemplified by the new KEMPERbeats extraction hood with integrated Bluetooth speaker.

In addition, the continuing shortage of skilled workers and increasing health awareness among welders remain important growth engines for KEMPER. Metalworking companies are increasingly focusing on "soft" factors when recruiting employees, such as a pleasant working atmosphere and a healthy working environment. This sends positive signals to applicants. "Discussions with our customers show quite clearly: clean factory buildings and a high level of occupational safety are an absolute must", says Lanz.