Orona moves ahead with its European expansion with new acquisitions

Orona, the fifth largest European group in vertical mobility solutions for people, with its headquarters in Hernani (Gipuzkoa), held its Annual Members' Meeting today in San Sebastian. During the face-to-face meeting held at the Anoeta velodrome, the 2021 accounts were approved and the strategic priorities for tackling the current difficult geopolitical situation were reviewed.

Orona figures in 2021

The company's sales in 2021 totalled 832 million euros, 4.1% higher than the previous year's result, and all this against a complex backdrop still affected by the socio-economic effects of the pandemic and the tension in supply chains, which has led to escalating prices for raw materials, energy, logistics and semiconductors. In this difficult climate, Orona has achieved an EBITDA of 139 million euros, outperforming previous years.

In addition, its investments in this financial year amounted to 26.6 million euros, which represents an increase of 63% over last year's figures. In terms of the number of employees, Orona ended the year with a total of 5,507 workers, a figure which, despite the crisis, has increased for the fourth consecutive year.

In the words of Aitor Azkarate, the group's general director, "faced with a global situation that is becoming more and more complicated each year we are convinced that it is essential to continue shaping a sound and competitive social and business project so that we can face the challenges of the future with confidence. In this scenario, competitiveness will play a key role thanks to the commitment of our people and our investment in innovation and digital transformation". In terms of the results obtained, the director affirms that "they are very positive, as we have managed to increase our turnover and order intake levels in an exceptional year as was 2021, affected by the difficult social and healthcare situation, in the second year of the pandemic, and the tension in the supply chains after the economic recovery". In conclusion, Azkarate emphasised that "thanks to the group's capacity to adapt and respond, together with the efforts of our human team, we have completed a truly exceptional year that makes us strong in an increasingly demanding environment, and the commitment of everyone will be the key to facing future challenges".

Orona EU 2030: consolidation of the group in Europe

The 2021 financial year also marked a further step in the consolidation of Orona in Europe thanks to the addition of the Elco group of elevators in Spain and Lift Rzeszów in Poland, together with the formation of Orona GmbH in Germany. The group thus encompasses 13 countries and has a comprehensive role in the entire value chain. These new additions are also part of the Orona EU 2030 project, the objective of which is to achieve a turnover of around 1,200 million euros in this same year and to provide employment for 7,500 workers in the European territory.

Furthermore, at the end of April, Orona is scheduled to participate in Augsburg (Germany) at Interlift, the world's leading lift trade fair. Orona will showcase the features of Orona Next, its upcoming Product and Service Platform designed for all the market segments.

Social-business commitment

The Annual Members' Meeting also highlighted the cooperative's work and commitment as a social enterprise. In this regard, Orona joined the UN Global Compact last July to halve its global emissions by 2030 and reach net zero by 2050, an initiative that forms part of the Climate Ambition Accelerator programme, promoted by the international organisation to tackle climate change. The Group, which has ratified its commitment to the 10 Principles of the Global Compact year after year since 2006, continues its roadmap to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set out in the 2030 Agenda.

With the aim of bringing people together and shortening distances between them, Orona wanted to share its efforts in two emblematic buildings. Firstly, the Amare - Den Haag site, the largest educational and cultural complex in the Netherlands, which has been equipped with nine state-of-the-art lifts to facilitate the mobility of all those who pass through this building, popularly known as the home of dance and music, located in the heart of The Hague. The second building is the headquarters of ESB (Electricity Supply Board), Ireland's national electricity company in Dublin, where 10 lifts have been installed: 6 in sextuplex and 4 in simplex, equipped with Easyflow, Orona's own traffic management and destination pre-selection system, which facilitates the flow of people with the shortest waiting time.

As part of its commitment to social cohesion, Orona Fundazioa continues to work towards the inclusion of groups at risk of social exclusion, seeking to stimulate the local collective's sense of belonging and connection. Proof of this has been the financial contribution made for the production of the documentary film, Aita Mari, which narrates the Salvamento Marítimo community project, along with the support for the Hernani Rugby Elkartea women's rugby team, conceived as a welcoming space for all people regardless of gender, age or function.

Moreover, at the beginning of this year, Orona Fundazioa received the 5th Baserritarron Laguna Prize, awarded by the agricultural organisation ENBA, in recognition of its work in incorporating sustainable and healthy food into consumer habits.

About Orona

Orona is a leading European business group in sustainable vertical mobility for people. As a global operator, it delivers value to its customers through its comprehensive product and service platform that offers innovative, pragmatic and relevant technical transport solutions in all market segments.

A commitment to people and environmental sustainability runs throughout Orona's value chain and extends to its network of qualified distributors. Its manufacturing sites have the largest production capacity for complete lifts in Europe, where 1 out of every 10 new lifts is an Orona lift, with a fleet of around 300,000 installed lifts and a production capacity of 30,000 machines per year.

With a presence in more than 100 countries around the world, the group of companies transports over 25 million people to their destinations. At the end of 2021, it achieved a turnover of 832 million euros.