• Overall: Röchling increased profitability in 2025 despite a slight decline in turnover (–1.7 per cent) – restructuring of the Automotive division and focus on the Industrial business are driving the company’s forward momentum.
• Automotive: Significantly improved operational performance at 1,193 million euros turnover despite declining sales, driven by consistent consolidation and cost optimisation. 
• Industrial: Positive development with revenue of 1,138 million euros (+1.4 per cent) – the composites business offsets market weakness in thermoplastics. The division invests in international expansion. 
• Medical: Professionalisation is progressing, although the challenging economic environment continues to weigh on business development.

Mannheim, 28 May 2026 | The Röchling Group remained resilient in a challenging market environment during the 2025 financial year and increased its profitability despite a slight currency-related decline in turnover. With turnover of 2,547 million euros (–1.7 per cent), the international plastics processor came close to matching the previous year’s level and met its targets.

“2025 was a year of operational discipline and strategic progress for us. In China and Europe, we have consistently developed our structures while simultaneously establishing new priorities in the Industrial division. The fact that we achieved an increase in earnings despite headwinds shows that our transformation strategy is taking effect,” says Raphael Wolfram, Spokesman of the Executive Board of the Röchling Group.

In the Automotive division, revenue of 1,193 million euros (–3.8 per cent) was below the previous year’s level. At the same time, operational performance improved significantly. The integration of Röchling Precision Components and the closure of the plant in Chengdu, China, have optimised the cost structure in the long term, following the closure of three German sites in the two previous years.

The Industrial division once again performed well, increasing revenue to 1,138 million euros (+1.4 per cent). In particular, the composites business performed very strongly in the power generation and distribution, cryogenics and transport sectors. Although the partial decline in thermoplastics prices limited revenue growth, this was offset by the machined components business. Profitability remained strong.

Röchling Medical generated revenue of 219 million euros (–5.5 per cent) and remains in a phase of realignment. Weak order momentum, as well as structural adjustments and the introduction of IT and quality management systems, are weighing on revenue and earnings.

Regionally, Europe excluding Germany proved to be a clear growth region, rising to 703 million euros (+4.4 per cent). In the core market of Germany, revenue fell to 861 million euros (–3 per cent). The Asia region (373 million euros; –4.9 per cent) also saw a decline. Significant negative currency effects were responsible for the decline in the Americas (613 million euros; –4.5 per cent).

The Röchling Group invested 112 million euros in the financial year, primarily in the Industrial division, underlining its strategy. The number of employees was reduced by 280 to 11,401 as part of capacity adjustments in the Automotive and Medical divisions.

In the first quarter of 2026, the company made a successful start to the financial year with revenue of 666 million euros and 11,512 employees. Against the backdrop of ongoing economic tensions, Röchling expects full-year 2026 revenue to be comparable to the previous year and confirms its targets.

“The current challenges underscore how effectively the transformation of recent years has reshaped our market position. The 25 per cent increase in revenue since 2020 clearly demonstrates that the company is now significantly more diversified than we were in 2020. While Automotive remains a strong pillar, the Industrial and Medical divisions have grown disproportionately over the past five years, even if this is not the case for Medical in 2025. We are thus evolving from a strong group into a strong and balanced group. This makes us more resilient,” says Raphael Wolfram.

Röchling Automotive: Consolidation Paying Off

Despite a slight decline in revenue to 1,193 million euros, the Röchling Automotive division also succeeded in improving its profitability in the 2025 financial year. The focus was on increasing efficiency, strengthening global competitiveness and the targeted development of new market potential. The trade policy environment – including tariffs and local trade restrictions – as well as the volatile development of electromobility impacted supply chains and cost structures.

In the Chinese market, weak demand from international and local original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) led to the closure of the site in Chengdu. In Europe, the company responded by integrating Röchling Precision Components to leverage synergies more efficiently and strengthen access to OEMs and Tier 2 suppliers.

With investments of 42 million euros – an increase of 23 per cent compared to the previous year – the automotive supplier reaffirms its strategy and further optimises its global production structure. The number of employees fell by 350 to 5,383, including 67 trainees.

“Adapting the Automotive division to regionally varying challenges is proving effective,” summarises Martin Schüler, CEO of Röchling Automotive.

First Quarter of 2026 and Outlook

In the first quarter of 2026, Röchling Automotive recorded a positive start to the year with revenue of 293 million euros, building on the operational improvements of the previous year. The market environment remains challenging: in addition to uncertainties in international trade, geopolitical tensions in the Middle East are affecting supply chains and leading to rising material and logistics costs.

Against this backdrop, the Automotive division is continuing its strategic development. The focus is on expanding international partnerships and on targeted positioning in growth markets to strengthen global competitiveness.

“We are looking ahead and focusing on translating our advantages into growth, sharpening our international positioning and creating new momentum. At the same time, we continue to develop our processes and structures to sustainably enhance operational excellence,” says Schüler.

Röchling Industrial: Demonstrates Strength Under Pressure – Turnover Slightly Above Prior Year 

Röchling Industrial looks back on a successful 2025 financial year. Despite a challenging market environment, the division increased its turnover and earnings and further strengthened its strategic growth areas. Revenue totalled 1,138 million euros, up 1.4 per cent compared with the previous year.

The market environment remained characterised by intense competition, price pressure and weak demand, particularly for thermoplastics semi-finished products. Following a solid first half of the year, a cautious ordering policy among distributors and falling market prices led to a decline in business momentum. By contrast, the project business performed well. The composites business developed very positively, driven by strong demand from the transport and energy sectors and by investments from global OEMs. The machined parts product line also recorded growth, particularly in the healthcare and electronics segments.

Röchling Industrial invested around 61 million euros in property, plant and equipment in 2025. Investments were channelled, among other areas, into technical improvements and production facilities, the expansion of the Sustainability Centre in Geeste-Dalum, Germany, and the expansion of the plant in Nanjing, China, established in 2024. At year-end, Röchling Industrial employed 4,769 staff, 146 more than in the previous year. With 175 apprentices, the promotion of young talent remains a key task.

“Even in a challenging market environment, we have succeeded in consolidating our position and achieving a very good result. Through targeted investments and a clear strategic direction, we have laid the foundation for further profitable growth. We’ve got big plans!” says Raphael Wolfram, CEO of Röchling Industrial and Spokesman of the Executive Board of the Röchling Group.

First Quarter of 2026 and Outlook

At the start of 2026, the composites and machined parts business units remain key sources of momentum, supported by continued strong demand from the energy sector. Despite persistently high competitive pressure, the thermoplastics and semi-finished products business units also made a strong start to the first quarter, before conflicts in the Middle East led to extremely high volatility in global energy and raw materials markets.

“Especially in challenging environments, it is crucial to act with foresight, seize opportunities and turn ideas into viable solutions – in short, to demonstrate resilience as a company. Despite all the challenges, we look ahead to the rest of the year with confidence, while also preparing for potential uncertainties. The focus is on further expanding our market position, specifically strengthening the composites business, and consistently advancing our internationalisation and ‘local-for-local’ strategy,” emphasises Raphael Wolfram.

Röchling Medical: Tense Geopolitical Situation Slows Business Development

Röchling Medical also faced a market environment characterised by high uncertainty in 2025. Against this backdrop, the company recorded revenue of 219 million euros. The number of employees fell by 72 to 1,195, including 47 apprentices. As in the previous year, investment of 10 million euros focused on expanding automation and machinery.

“The decline in revenue reflects significantly lower customer investment,” explains Dr Daniel Bühler, CEO of Röchling Medical. “At the same time, we are making very good progress in the professionalisation of the division. Business performance must now follow suit, despite the challenging economic situation.”

In particular, volatility in US trade policy, tariffs on pharmaceutical products and announced tariffs on medical devices increased cost uncertainty along value chains and delayed investment decisions. At the same time, regulatory uncertainties and industry-wide staff reductions at OEMs dampened the number of new product approvals and development projects, particularly in the USA. A market recovery originally expected in the second half of 2025 did not materialise; instead, markets relevant to Röchling Medical remained under pressure for much of the year.

First Quarter of 2026 and Outlook

At –15 per cent, revenue in the first quarter remains below the previous year’s level as expected and is close to planned figures. In addition to the strained economic situation, this development can be attributed to the contract expiry for a diagnostic product at the Rochester site, as well as the internal relocation of measurement and control technology at the Waldachtal site and its integration into the industrial division.

In an ongoing challenging environment marked by geopolitical uncertainties and rising energy and raw material prices, the division anticipates subdued demand, hampering recovery in the diagnostics and pharmaceutical markets. Furthermore, upcoming patent expiries are dampening the revenue expectations of major pharmaceutical companies.

The situation in the MedTech sector is more positive: forecasts indicate moderate growth through to 2029, as restructuring and efficiency programmes initiated in recent years begin to take effect. “We are confident about the order intake at our MedTech sites in Germany and the US,” said Bühler.