Sennheiser 2012 Annual Report Download - page 33

6564
CONSOLIDATED MANAGEMENT REPORT 2012
CONSOLIDATED MANAGEMENT REPORT 2012
In summer, the new fully digital Digital 9000 wireless microphone system was officially unveiled at the Inter-
national Broadcast Conference (IBC) in Amsterdam. The launch was accompanied by premiere events worldwide.
The technically outstanding D 9000 system provides a high-end addition to Sennheiser’s portfolio of professional
wireless link products. It offers uncompromising digital radio transmission with excellent sound quality and the
ability to take advantage of nearby radio frequencies for particularly efficient use of the available frequency
range. Our customers in broadcasting, theaters and equipment rental have welcomed D 9000 with open arms.
They appreciate the system’s excellent sound quality, ease of use and robustness.
We also unveiled the new MKH 8090 and MKE 600 microphones at the IBC. The MKH 8090, with its super-cardioid
pick-up pattern, was designed for special applications and is perfect for orchestral recordings, expanding the
range of uses of the successful MKH 8000 product family. The sound design was developed in close cooperation
with experienced sound engineers and technicians. In contrast, the MKE 600 shotgun microphone was designed
with freelancers and hobby filmmakers in mind. The MKE 600 offers this growing segment the right combination
of excellent audio quality, simple use and robustness at an attractive price.
With the KH 310 studio monitor, Georg Neumann has provided a larger three-way model for its successful
KH 120 studio monitor. In doing so, Neumann is addressing both the need for conventional stereo applications
as well as the attractive segment of larger surround systems. We unveiled the KH 310 in October 2012 at the
AES Convention in San Francisco, where the organizers of the event, the international Audio Engineering Society
(AES), gave the studio monitor its “Best of Show Award.” The monitor went into production ramp-up during the
first quarter of 2013.
SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT
Turnover at our production site in Wennebostel, Germany, increased significantly in 2012. This is mainly attribut-
able to demand for wireless microphone systems, which continued to grow, thanks in great part to the estab-
lished ewG3 systems and the professional 5000 series. In the year under review, we also created high-quality
jobs for the assembly of the new Digital 9000 wireless microphone systems and for the HDVA 600 and HDVD
800 headset amplifiers.
Activities at the Wennebostel site focused on increasing production stability and efficiency, which was achieved
by way of closer cooperation with the development departments within the business divisions. The year 2013
will be marked by consolidation of the growth seen in recent years and by paving the way to future opportunities
for growth.
The Sennheiser plant in Tullamore, Ireland, recorded significant year-on-year sales growth. Both finished head-
sets and acoustic transducers posted major increases. The new premium headsets played a major role in this
growth. The Tullamore site operated at full capacity in the year under review. Since we expect demand to increase
in 2013, we invested in the enlargement of production capacities.
The Sennheiser site in Albuquerque, USA, recorded stable turnover throughout 2012. Activities at the site
focused on continuing LEAN management efforts, which resulted in improved material flow and optimized
warehousing of finished goods in close cooperation with Sales.
The trend towards lower inventories at key suppliers led to longer yet overall stable delivery times in 2012. The
fact that the increase in prices for so-called rare earth elements, with China as the main market behind price
developments, has ended for the time being can be seen as positive. The second-source strategy, launched a
few years back, has been stepped up, especially for professional microphones.