In defiance of the economic crisis

For many companies, recent years have not been easy. And the manufacturer of briquetting systems RUF has had its fair share of COVID repercussions too, such as deferred investments and supply chain problems. The war in Ukraine then exacerbated in particular the shortage of steel and electronic componentry.

Notwithstanding, 2022 ultimately proved a record year for Ruf Maschinenbau, in terms of both briquetting system sales and turnover. Not only its head office in Zaisertshofen, Bavaria posted top figures. Its subsidiaries in the USA, Slovenia, the UK, and Denmark could also record highly encouraging turnover figures and are now well equipped with beefy incoming orders for 2023.

There are several reasons for this success. For instance, the boost to orders from the wood and energy sectors was fuelled primarily by sustainability issues and fossil energy savings. A growing number of timber processors are seeing in residual woods an invaluable raw material that can provide a profitable sideline.

Also the metals segments are prioritising sustainability. This awareness has grown not least of all from the extreme fluctuations in steel prices: briquetting metal chips for a circular economy minimises the draw on available resources and contributes towards stability.

Yet high incoming-order levels alone are no safeguard of high turnover: their fulfilment is far from easy owing to the lack of components and unpredictable material and energy prices. The proprietors and managing directors of the family-run Ruf Maschinenbau think over the medium and long term, as they have been doing since the very outset. This too represents a key success factor.

In other words: the generous stockpiling of semifinished products and other components can better compensate for supply and price fluctuations and maintain shipping capacities. And just as important: thanks to its large PV installations covering all buildings in Zaisertshofen, in combination with a CHP plant, the central RUF location is independent of fossil fuels.