ULM, Germany — In spite of the crisis in a number of export markets, the German motor oil and additive specialist LIQUI MOLY succeeded in further increasing its sales during the past year. It increased slightly by 1 percent to 421 million euros. “This means we have succeeded in steering our LIQUI MOLY ship through all storms,” said Ernst Prost, LIQUI MOLY business manager. In the USA, growth was considerably higher with 21 percent, the company said.
LIQUI MOLY has been particularly successful in the German import car sector, because these cars need motor oils officially approved by the car manufacturer.
In its home market in Germany LIQUI MOLY is so strong in the meantime that further growth is becoming increasing difficult. Here, turnover stagnated during the past year. LIQUI MOLY is sold in more than 110 countries. However these also include several counties making headlines as trouble spots: Syria, Iraq, Libya and Ukraine. At one time Ukraine was one of LIQUI MOLY’s three largest export markets; however in 2014 the turnover dropped by one half. “Compared with the suffering experienced by the people there, this is only a trifle, but, naturally, it has left its tracks in our balance,” Prost said. For this reason the export business was not as strong as planned.
“Failure to meet planning is never good, but turnover without profit is not what we are looking for,” Prost said. “We want healthy growth.” In spite of the reduced growth, LIQUI MOLY has continued to invest in personnel and material. The number of employees increased during the previous year by 50 for a total of 696.
The company is pushing its export business and, in addition to major markets such as the USA, China and India, is also consciously focusing on smaller countries such as Kazakhstan, Uruguay and Cambodia.
