Quarterlytics / Industrials / Industrial - Machinery / Burckhardt Compression

Burckhardt Compression

0qnn.l · LSE Industrials
Claim this profile
Ticker 0qnn.l
Exchange LSE
Sector Industrials
Industry Industrial - Machinery
Employees 1001-5000
← All annual reports
FY2018 Annual Report · Burckhardt Compression
Sign in to download
Loading PDF…
ANNUAL REPORT 2018 ABOUT  US  |  ANNUAL  REPORT  2018  |  BURCKHARDT  COMPRESSION

ABOUT  US

Burckhardt Compression is the worldwide market leader for reciprocating compressor 
systems and the only manufacturer and service provider that covers a full range of recipro-
cating compressor technologies and services. Its customized compressor systems are used 
in the upstream oil & gas, gas transport and storage, refinery, chemical, petrochemical and 
industrial gas sectors. Burckhardt Compression’s leading technology, broad portfolio of 
compressor components and the full range of services help customers around the world to 
find the optimized solution for their reciprocating compressor systems. Since 1844, 175 years 
and counting, its highly skilled workforce has crafted superior solutions and set the bench-
mark in the gas compression industry.

2CONTENTS  |  ANNUAL  REPORT  2018  |  BURCKHARDT  COMPRESSION

3

76 
76 

77  

78  

79  
80  

81  

82  

104 

 Financial report
 Comments on Financial Report, 
Sales and gross profit, 
Operating income
 Financial income and  
tax expenses, Net income, 
Balance sheet, Cash flow 
 Consolidated income  
statement
 Consolidated balance sheet
 Consolidated cash flow 
statement
 Consolidated statement  
of changes in equity
 Notes to the consolidated 
 financial statements

 Financial statements of 
Burckhardt Compression 
Holding AG, Winterthur

114 

 Imprint

 Sustainability report
 Commitment and leadership, 
Economic sustainability
 Social sustainability
 Environmental sustainability

 Corporate governance
 Group structure and  
shareholders
 Capital structure
 Board of Directors
 Executive Board
 Compensation, shareholdings 
and loans, Shareholders’  
participation rights,  
Changes of control and  
defensive measures, Auditors
Information policy

 Compensation report 
 Basis, Compensation policy, 
Organization, duties and  
powers, Compensation system
 Compensation paid with  
comparative figures for the 
previous year 
 Overview of shareholdings and 
allocated/distributed shares
 Transactions with the Board  
of Directors, the Executive 
Board and related parties, 
Motions for the Annual General  
Meeting, Evaluation of the 
compensation system
 Auditor’s report of the  
compensation report

 CONTENTS

2 
3 
4 
6 
8 
10 

12 
12 

13 

14 
15 

16 

22 
22 
24 

25 

30 

31 

32 

33 

38 

39 

40 

46 
46 

49 
51 

54 
54 

55 
56 
62 
65 

66 

67 
67 

69 

71 

73 

74 

 About us
 Contents
 To our shareholders
 175th anniversary
 Milestones 2018
 Figures at a glance

 Our company
 History, Vision and Mission,  
Burckhardt Compression brand
 Guiding principles, Strategy 
and Mid-Range Targets,  
Product development and  
innovation
Main application areas
 Customers, Compressor  
systems
 Service and components  
business

 Review of the fiscal year
 Financial performance
 Capacity, Acquisitions,  
Customers, Research and 
development 
 Brand management

 Review of the fiscal year  
Systems Division
 Financial performance,  
Markets
 Sales/Distribution,  
Infrastructure 
 “Pulling Systems Together” for 
positive change,  Outlook

 Review of the fiscal year  
Services Division
  Financial performance,  
Markets, Sales structures 
strengthened, New service 
centers
 Outlook

4

TO  OUR  SHAREHOLDERS  |  ANNUAL  REPORT  2018  |  BURCKHARDT  COMPRESSION

 TO  OUR  SHAREHOLDERS

DEAR  SHAREHOLDERS

The results for the fiscal year 2018 met our overall expectation we provided during the course of 
the year. Order intake rose sharply, sales were slightly above the figure reported for the previous 
year.  Operating  income  and  net  income  increased  but  have  not  yet  reached  the  levels  we  have 
targeted for the coming years.

Order  intake:  Renewed  rise  at  both  divisions    Group  order  intake  totaled  CHF 658.7 mn  and 
exceeded the prior-year figure by a pleasing 25.4%; excluding currency translation effects, incom-
ing orders were up 25.6%. Orders received reached all-time highs at both divisions. The Systems 
Division  accounted  for  CHF 428.0 mn  of  the  new  orders,  which  represents  an  increase  of  33.8% 
from  the  previous  year.  All  targeted  market  segments  contributed  to  this  order  growth.  Orders 
received in the Services Division rose by 12.3% to CHF 230.7 mn. Spare parts and engineering ser-
vices accounted for much of this order growth.

Sales  at  prior-year  level    Consolidated  sales  for  fiscal  year  2018  edged  0.8%  higher  to 
CHF 599.3 mn;  excluding  currency  translation  effects,  sales  were  up  0.9%  year-on-year.  Sales 
were 6.5% higher in the Services Division and 2.3% lower in the Systems Division.

Operating  margin  improves    Gross  profit  of  CHF 135.7 mn  was  8.5%  more  than  the  prior-year 
figure of CHF 125.1 mn and the resulting gross profit margin was 22.6% (previous year: 21.0%). The 
Systems  Division’s  gross  margin  improved  to  8.1%  (previous  year:  7.1%).  Gross  profit  at  the  Ser-
vices Division rose 7.5% to CHF 105.2 mn, bringing its gross profit margin to 47.0%, slightly above 
the 46.6% margin reported for the previous fiscal year.

Operating income amounted to CHF 44.5 mn or 7.4 percent of sales (previous year: 7.0%) and 
exceeded  the  prior-year  figure  by  CHF  2.8  mn.  Because  of  the  substantial  additional  costs 
incurred in its LNGM business, the Systems Division closed fiscal year 2018 with an operating loss 
of CHF –8.7 mn (previous year: CHF –9.0 mn), while the Services Division increased its operating 
income from CHF 54.4 mn in the previous year to CHF 58.2 mn in fiscal year 2018.

Consolidated net income amounted to CHF 32.2 mn, 10.9% more than in the previous fiscal year. 
As  a  result  of  a  strong  contribution  of  Shenyang  Yuanda  Compressor  (40%  still  owned  by  the 
founder) to the Groups result, the net income per share decreased by 4.2% to CHF 8.15.

Equity remains strong  Total assets on the balance sheet closing date amounted to CHF 848.7 mn, 
an increase of CHF 51.1 mn or 6.4% compared to the previous fiscal year. This increase is mainly 
attributed to invoicing activity in the final quarter of the fiscal year, which led to a considerable 
increase in accounts receivable. The equity ratio at the end of fiscal year 2018 was 40.7% (previ-
ous year: 42.0%). The net financial position at year-end amounted to CHF –49.4 mn, an improve-
ment of CHF 12.7 mn compared to the end of March 2018.

Realization of the projects of the Mid-Range Plan 2018–2022 on track  The execution of proj-
ects detailed in the Mid-Range Plan that was approved in December 2017 is proceeding as planned. 
Having achieved growth in all of its targeted market segments, the Systems Division was able to 
defend  its  leading  market  position.  It  continued  to  successfully  execute  projects  to  lower  its 
operating  costs  and  optimize  business  processes  to  bring  about  the  necessary  improvement  in 
profitability.  The  Systems  Division  replaced  its  formerly  centralized  sales  organization  with  a 
decentralized sales structure so it can process the clearly higher level of inquiries being received 
by customers more efficiently.

 
 
 
 
 
TO  OUR  SHAREHOLDERS  |  ANNUAL  REPORT  2018  |  BURCKHARDT  COMPRESSION

5

The  Services  Division  continued  to  successfully  pursue  its  growth  strategy  and  strengthen  its 
market position, especially in engineering and spare parts. We are effectively leveraging our com-
pressor  manufacturing  expertise  in  the  Services  Division  through  our  engineering  solutions, 
which  are  obviously  appreciated  by  our  customers.  This  valuable  know-how  is  also  opening  new 
windows  of  opportunity  in  the  OBC  (Other  Brand  Compressors)  business,  where  considerable 
growth potential can be tapped.

New factory in Shenyang  Planning for a new manufacturing site for Shenyang Yuanda in China 
has begun. It is scheduled to be operational in the autumn of 2020 and will replace the company’s 
current site. This relocation project can be traced to a decision by Shenyang city officials to con-
vert  the  company’s  existing  manufacturing  site,  which  has  been  completely  engulfed  by  the  
rapidly  growing  city  of  Shenyang,  to  residential  use.  Shenyang  Yuanda  Compressor  signed  an 
agreement  on  the  terms  of  its  factory  relocation  with  local  government  officials  during  the 
period  under  review.  The  consolidation  of  two  separate  sites  at  the  new,  larger  site  and  
the  re design  of  business  processes  in  conformity  with  the  latest  standards  and  best  practices 
will further improve Shenyang Yuanda’s operating efficiency.

Valentin Vogt

Change  in  Board  of  Directors    Hans  Hess,  a  member  of  the  Board  of  Directors  of  Burckhardt 
Compression  Holding  AG  since  2006,  will  not  be  standing  for  re-election  at  the  Annual  General 
Meeting of July 6, 2019. Hans Hess became a director immediately after Burckhardt Compression 
Holding  AG  went  public  and  was  the  listed  company’s  first  chairman  until  2011.  We  thank  Hans 
Hess for his extraordinary engagement for Burckhardt Compression. The Board of Directors will 
propose  the  election  of  David  Dean,  member  of  the  Board  of  Directors  of  Bossard  Group,  to  the 
Board of Directors.

Outlook  for  fiscal  year  2019  We  expect  the  general  environment  in  our  key  markets  to  remain 
positive  in  the  current  fiscal  year  as  customers  maintain  high  levels  of  capital  expenditure. 
 Full-year sales are forecasted to range between CHF 600 mn and 640 mn. Substantial additional 
costs associated with the LNGM business are likely to be incurred for the last time in fiscal year 
2019. Never theless, we expect to report a slight increase in profit margins.

Dividend    The  Board  of  Directors  will  propose  an  unchanged  dividend  of  CHF 6.00  per  share  at 
the Annual General Meeting. This corresponds to a payout ratio of 73.6% of net income per share 
(previous year: 70.5%), which is slightly above the targeted range of 50% to 70%.

Marcel Pawlicek

A  word  of  thanks    We  wish  to  thank  our  2’400  employees  around  the  world  for  their  continued 
hard work and dedication over the past year and our approximately 4’000 shareholders for their 
enduring  support.  We  are  also  grateful  for  the  working  partnerships  we  share  with  our  custom-
ers and suppliers, some of which go back many years.

Yours sincerely,

Valentin Vogt 
Chairman of the Board of Directors 

Marcel Pawlicek
CEO

Winterthur, May 28, 2019

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
6

175TH  ANNIVERSARY  |  ANNUAL  REPORT  2018  |  BURCKHARDT  COMPRESSION

175  YEARS  BURCKHARDT  COMPRESSION

Burckhardt Compression was established as a mechanic’s workshop in 1844 and it is celebrating its 
175th anniversary in 2019. Today, Burckhardt Compression is the world’s leading manufacturer of  
reci procating compressor systems and the only OEM and service provider that can offer the full range 
of reciprocating compressor technology and services.

1883 
FIRST RECIPROCATING 
COMPRESSOR 

The first single-stage, dry-running 
reciprocating compressor is developed 
and sold by the company. The compres-
sor’s discharge pressure is 6 bar. 
Burckhardt Compression has focused  
on manufacturing reciprocating 
compressors ever since.

1969 
SULZER GROUP

Maschinenfabrik Burckhardt is acquired 
by Sulzer Group. The company begins 
operating at two locations in Switzerland, 
one in Basle and one in Winterthur. A few 
years later, Maschinenfabrik Burckhardt 
is renamed Sulzer-Burckhardt AG.

1844 
COMPANY ESTABLISHED

In 1844, Franz Burckhardt purchases his first three pieces of property along the  
Rümlinbach in Basle and sets up his mechanics workshop. Its first products are 
rolling and engraving tools used by the city’s then flourishing textile industry to 
weave silk ribbons. Franz later branches out, manufacturing milling machines, 
gas-powered machinery and even frames and fittings for belfries.

175TH  ANNIVERSARY  |  ANNUAL  REPORT  2018  |  BURCKHARDT  COMPRESSION

7

2015 
STRONG PRESENCE  
IN THE USA

Burckhardt Compression acquires a 
minority interest in Arkos Field Services, 
a US provider of compressor services 
and components to the natural gas 
industry. Arkos Field Services has  
17 strategically located operating sites 
in the US. Acquiring this interest gives 
Burckhardt Compression much better 
access to the US market.

2016 
FURTHER EXPANSION

Burckhardt Compression acquires a 
majority interest in Shenyang Yuanda 
Compressor, the number one manufac-
turer of reciprocating compressor 
systems in China. This acquisition gives 
Burckhardt Compression a local market 
footprint in China and broadens its 
portfolio so it can address a wider range 
of market needs.

2019 
BURCKHARDT  
COMPRESSION  
CELEBRATES 

Burckhardt Compression celebrates  
its 175th anniversary with guests from 
the worlds of business and politics  
as well as science and technology. The 
street at company’s headquarters is 
renamed to Franz-Burckhardt-Strasse  
in honor of the company’s founder.

2002 
MANAGEMENT BUYOUT

A management buyout by five Executive 
Board members in April 2002 makes 
Burckhardt Compression a legally inde - 
pendent company; Sulzer-Burckhardt AG 
becomes Burckhardt Compression AG.

2006 
IPO

Burckhardt Compression Holding AG 
goes public on SIX Swiss Exchange 
(BCHN). The five executives hold 20.9% 
of the shares after the IPO and sign a 
shareholder agreement that has since 
been renewed to this day.

8

MILESTONES  2018  |  ANNUAL  REPORT  2018  |  BURCKHARDT  COMPRESSION

 MILESTONES  2018

Three major projects won in China
Burckhardt Compression was selected 
to provide compressors for three LDPE 
(low-density polyethylene) production 
lines in China during the year under 
review. Hyper Compressors and booster/
primary compressors were ordered. 
Annual production output will be 300 
and 400 kilotons, respectively. LDPE is 
used to manufacture products such as 
foils and films, insulation for electrical 
wire and cable, and floor coverings. 
Hyper Compressors are highly special-
ized high-pressure compressors with a 
discharge pressure of up to 3’500 bar.

→ Page 31

First standard high-pressure com-
pressors sold to a Canadian customer
Burckhardt Compression sold its first 
standard high-pressure compressors 
built by its plant in India to a customer 
in Canada. Canada’s stringent regula-
tions were met despite a tight produc-
tion schedule. The customer was quite 
satis fied with the result and more 
orders have been received from Canada 
in the meantime.

→ Page 26

First compressor order for  
cruise ship
Burckhardt Compression received its 
first compressor order for a cruise ship 
equipped with an alternative liquid 
natural gas-powered propulsion system. 
Natural gas emits virtually no sulfur 
dioxide and CO2 emissions are more  
than 20% lower compared to the equi - 
valent level of engine performance 
using conventional marine diesel and 
heavy fuel oil, so many ship operators 
are transitioning to this innovative 
propulsion system as they seek to 
comply with increasingly strict environ-
mental regulations. The Laby® compres-
sor installed for this contract is ideal 
for boil-off gas applications be cause 
of its high operational efficiency. What’s 
more, routine compressor main tenance 
can be performed by the ship’s crew.

→ Page 31

MILESTONES  2018  |  ANNUAL  REPORT  2018  |  BURCKHARDT  COMPRESSION

9

Compressors built to order in  
record time
A fire at a facility of one of our custo-
mers that produces polysilicon for solar 
cells using a competitor’s compressors 
caused extensive damage and had to  
be rebuilt as quickly as possible to keep 
downtime to a minimum. Burckhardt 
Com pression managed to deliver two 
compressors in record time. Good coordi - 
nation and short decision-making path - 
ways, both internally and externally, 
were instrumental for this successful 
project outcome.

→ Page 26

Training program for customers
The customer training sessions 
 Burckhardt Compression offered last 
year were very well booked. Our 
in-house specia lists are highly familiar 
with compressor life cycles and they 
provided valuable insights into topics 
that most conventional training courses 
do not cover. Our training center  
is equipped with modern technical 
equipment for theoretical and practical 
instruction. It is located right next to 
the compressor manufacturing and 
testing facilities in Winterthur, which 
yields further opportunities to deepen 
our customer relationships.

→ Page 40

Service center in Slovakia opened
Burckhardt Compression together with 
its local partner Sultrade opened a 
service center in Slovakia. Customers  
in the Czech Repub lic, Hungary, Poland 
and Austria are also being served from 
this new fully equipped and modern 
service center, which offers a full range 
of services and repairs for all brands  
of reciprocating compressors, including 
hyper compressor services.

→ Page 39

10

FIGURES  AT  A  GLANCE  |  ANNUAL  REPORT  2018  |  BURCKHARDT  COMPRESSION

 FIGURES AT A GLANCE

ORDER  INTAKE

CHF mn

700

600

500

400

300

200 

100 

0

SALES

CHF mn

6 00

500

400

300

200

100 

0

OPERATING  INCOME  (EBIT)

CHF mn

100

80

60

40

20

0

09  10  11  12  13  14  15  16  17  18

09  10  11  12  13  14  15  16  17  18

09  10  11  12  13  14  15  16  17  18

NET  INCOME

CHF mn

SHAREHOLDERS’  EQUITY

NET  FINANCIAL  POSITION

CHF mn

CHF mn

80

70

60

50

40

30

20

10

0

350

300

250

200

150

100

50

0

160

140

120

100

80

60

40

20

0

–20

–40

–60

–80

09  10  11  12  13  14  15  16  17  18

09  10  11  12  13  14  15  16  17  18

09  10  11  12  13  14  15  16  17  18

SHARE  PRICE
SINCE  IPO

BCHN

SPI

FISCAL  YEAR  2018

BCHN

CHF

500

450

400

350

300

250

200

150

100

50

0

2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018 2019

04/01/2018
CHF 302.20

CHF

500

450

400

350

300

250

200

150

100

50

0

03/31/2019
CHF 271.00

FIGURES  AT  A  GLANCE  |  ANNUAL  REPORT  2018  |  BURCKHARDT  COMPRESSION

11

Sales

Gross profit 

in % of sales

Sales

Gross profit

in % of sales

Sales 

Gross profit

in % of sales

in CHF mn

Order intake:
– Systems Division

– Services Division

Total 

Sales and gross profit:

– Systems Division

– Services Division

Total 

Operating income (EBIT)

in % of sales

Net income

in % of sales

Depreciation and amortization

Cash flow:

– from operating activities

– from investing activities

– from financing activities (incl. translation differences)

Total

Total balance sheet assets

Non-current assets

Current assets

Shareholders’ equity

in % of total balance sheet assets

Net financial position (in CHF mn)

Headcount as per end of fiscal year (full-time equivalents)

Total remuneration Board of Directors (in TCHF)

Total remuneration Executive Board (in TCHF)

Share price as per end of fiscal year (in CHF)

Market capitalization (in CHF mn)

Market capitalization/shareholders’ equity (ratio) 

Net income per share (EPS) (in CHF)

Dividend per share (in CHF)

Number of issued shares

1   Motion to the Annual General Meeting

2017

2018 

Change
2017/2018

 319.8 

 205.4 

 525.2 

 384.4 

 27.2 

7.1%

 210.2 

 97.9 

46.6%

 594.6 

 125.1 

21.0%

 41.7 

7.0%

 29.0 

4.9%

 21.3 

 44.4 

 –17.2 

 –27.0 

 0.2 

 797.6 

 251.8 

 545.8 

 335.2 

42.0%

 –62.1 

 2’214 

 569 

 2’378 

 304.80 

 1’036.3 

 3.1 

 8.51 

 6.00 

 428.0 

 230.7 

 658.7 

 375.4 

 30.5 

8.1%

 223.9 

 105.2 

47.0%

 599.3 

 135.7 

22.6%

 44.5 

7.4%

 32.2 

5.4%

 21.8 

 41.8 

 –7.8 

 –26.1 

 7.9

 848.7 

 250.8 

 597.9 

 345.0 

40.7%

 –49.4 

 2’346 

 569 

 2’557 

 271.00 

 921.4 

 2.7 

 8.15 

 6.001 

 3’400’000 

 3’400’000 

33.8%

12.3%

25.4%

–2.3%

12.1%

6.5%

7.5%

0.8%

8.5%

6.8%

10.9%

2.5%

–5.9%

6.4%

–0.4%

9.5%

2.9%

6.0%

0.0%

7.5%

–11.1%

–11.1%

–13.6%

–4.2%

0.0%

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
12

OUR  COMPANY  |  ANNUAL  REPORT  2018  |  BURCKHARDT  COMPRESSION

 OUR  COMPANY 

HISTORY 

Our  company  history  began  175  years  ago.  On  January  9,  1844, 
founder  Franz  Burckhardt  laid  the  foundation  for  success  by 
purchasing  the  first  company  premises  in  Basle.  In  its  early 
years,  Burckhardt’s  mechanics  workshop  manufactured 
machines  for  the  textile  industry.  Over  the  years,  Burckhardt 
expanded  his  field  of  activity  to  general  mechanical  engineer-
ing.  In  1856,  the  company  started  producing  steam  engines.  In 
1878, the first reciprocating compressor was developed and the 
first sales recorded in 1883. As additional capital was needed to 
finance  the  construction  of  the  new  factory  on  Dornacher-
strasse  in  Basle,  the  “Engineering  Works  Burckhardt  Ltd.”  was 
established  in  Basle  in  1890  by  August  Burckhardt,  who  had 
taken over the company from his deceased father Franz.

Another milestone was achieved in 1913 with the delivery of 
the  first  ammonia  synthesis  compressor  with  an  end  pressure 
of  300  bar  to  BASF  in  Ludwigshafen,  Germany  –  a  customer 
that had purchased one of Burckhardt’s first compressors back 
in  1885.  In  1935,  Sulzer  supplied  the  Hürlimann  Brewery  in 
Zurich with the first Sulzer Labyrinth Piston Compressor and in 
1951,  the  company  received  an  order  from  Imperial  Chemical 
Industries  (ICI)  for  11  Hyper  Compressors  for  the  production  of 
low  density  polyethylene  (LDPE)  with  an  end  pressure  of 
1’500 bar. After several years’ cooperation between Burckhardt 
and  Sulzer,  the  Engineering  Works  Burckhardt  was  taken  over 
by Sulzer and became a subsidiary of the Sulzer Group on May 8, 
1969. In 1982, as part of an intensified cooperation, the recipro-
cating  compressor  activities  of  the  Sulzer  Group  were  consoli-
dated under one legal entity, the Sulzer-Burckhardt Engineering 
Works  Ltd.  In  1994,  the  company  celebrated  its  150th  anniver-
sary.  In  the  process  of  restructuring  the  entire  Group  in  1999, 
Sulzer  decided  to  consolidate  the  activities  of  Sulzer-Burck-
hardt  Switzerland  in  Winterthur.  Activities  in  Basle  were  relo-
cated  to  Winterthur  and  the  building  on  Dornacherstrasse  in 
Basle was sold.

In 2000, Sulzer decided to concentrate its activities on four 
divisions. As Sulzer-Burckhardt did not fit in with this new strat-
egy,  the  decision  was  made  to  divest  Sulzer-Burckhardt. 
Together  with  the  financial  investor  Zurmont  Finanz  AG,  five 
members  of  management  purchased  Sulzer-Burckhardt  Engi-
neering  Works  Ltd.  on  April  30,  2002.  In  the  course  of  separat-
ing  from  Sulzer,  Sulzer-Burckhardt  became  Burckhardt  Com-
pression  in  May  2002.  In  2006,  Zurmont  decided  to  divest  its 
shares  in  Burckhardt  Compression  by  means  of  an  IPO.  Our 
company has been listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange since June 
26, 2006, and at the end of the year under review it was one of 
the  90  largest  listed  companies  in  Switzerland  by  market 
capitali zation.

In  May  2016,  the  Group  acquired  a  60%  majority  interest  in 
Shenyang  Yuanda  Compressor,  the  leading  manufacturer  of 
reciprocating  compressor  systems  in  China.  In  June  2016, 
Burckhardt Compression introduced a divisional organizational 
structure  with  two  divisions,  Systems  and  Services,  which 
enables it to address customer needs even better than before. 
In  December  2017,  Burckhardt  Compression  adopted  the  Mid-
Range Plan for fiscal years 2018 to 2022. This sets the compa-
ny’s  strategic  direction  for  the  next  five  years  and  defines  its 
targets. On January 9, 2019, Burckhardt Compression officially 
celebrated  its  175th  corporate  anniversary  with  distinguished 
guests  from  the  worlds  of  business  and  politics  as  well  as  sci-
ence  and  technology.  Burckhardt  Compression  is  also  showing 
its  appreciation  of  the  efforts  of  its  employees  by  organizing 
internal events that will be held at every company site through-
out the year to commemorate this milestone.

VISION  AND  MISSION

Vision
We  are  our  customers’  first  choice  for  gas  compression  solu-
tions across the entire product life cycle.

Mission
Systems  Division:  We  provide  optimal  gas  compression  solu-
tions for every customer.
Services  Division:  We  build  trust  with  customers  and  depend-
able,  uncomplicated  business  relationships  while  ensuring  the 
reliable, efficient operation of their compressors over the entire 
product cycle.

BURCKHARDT  COMPRESSION  BRAND

Burckhardt Compression and its umbrella brand stand for qual-
ity  and  worldwide  leadership  in  innovative  reciprocating  com-
pressor  systems  and  technology.  Cutting-edge  technology,  a 
vast portfolio of compressors and components and a full range 
of  services  make  Burckhardt  Compression  an  ideal  partner  for 
customers around the world who want highly reliable, custom-
tailored  solutions  for  their  reciprocating  compressor  systems. 
Our collaboration with external and internal customers is dedi-
cated, solutions-oriented and distinguished by genuine enthusi-
asm  for  our  reciprocating  compressors.  The  umbrella  brand 
and  corresponding  logo  in  the  form  of  the  red-blue,  stylized 
compressor valve plate have been internationally registered for 
many  years.  Burckhardt  Compression’s  brand  and  patent attor-
neys will vigorously and steadfastly defend the company against 

 
OUR  COMPANY  |  ANNUAL  REPORT  2018  |  BURCKHARDT  COMPRESSION

13

any  imitations,  counterfeiting  or  patent  infringements.  There 
are  clear  rules  governing  the  use  of  Burckhardt  Compression 
brands and their perception is developed and promoted through 
active  usage  in  our  corporate  and  marketing  communication 
activities. 

expansion  of  its  local  and  regional  presence  to  the  buildup  of 
its maritime services network, to achieve its targets in the Ser-
vices Division.

Furthermore, digitalization will help to create new business 
models and applications in both divisions and optimize produc-
tion processes.

PRODUCT  DEVELOPMENT  AND   
INNOVATION

Innovation management and systematic product development/
management serve to strengthen our competitive position and 
enable us to optimally address new applications for reciprocat-
ing  compressors  by  developing  and  delivering  customer- 
oriented solutions. Burckhardt Compression’s prime objective is 
to  develop  reciprocating  compressors  and  components  that 
optimally  address  customer  needs  and  ensure  its  technology 
leadership  in  the  market  for  reciprocating  compressors.  Qual-
ity,  technology,  materials  and  design  specifications  are  geared 
towards  high  operational  reliability,  optimal  service  intervals 
and  easy  maintenance  –  the  overall  aim  being  to  achieve  the 
lowest  possible  operating  costs.  Burckhardt  Compression’s 
product  development  activities  have  been  guided  by  a  stage-
gate process for many years. This process is first applied in the 
idea  generation  and  screening  phase  and  continues  during  the 
initial evaluation of product viability and market attractiveness 
followed  by  the  elaboration  of  product  performance  specifica-
tions,  market  analysis  and  then  the  actual  development  and 
subsequent  launch  of  the  product.  After  a  product  has  been 
successfully developed and placed into operation, a concluding 
review of the development project is conducted. All stage-gate 
milestones  are  subject  to  approval  by  the  “Innovation  Board,” 
which is headed by members of the Executive Board.

GUIDING  PRINCIPLES

In  response  to  the  Group’s  substantial  growth  in  recent  years 
and  ongoing  internationalization,  Burckhardt  Compression 
issued  uniform  “Values  and  Behaviors”  that  serve  as  the  very 
foundation of our corporate culture. This document is also per-
tinent  in  the  increasing  collaborative  interaction  and  increas-
ingly virtual collaboration between the Group’s subsidiaries and 
sites  across  the  world.  In  this  context,  it  is  vital  that  all  our 
employees  share  a  common  understanding  of  the  values  and 
principles that guide our actions.

STRATEGY  AND  MID-RANGE  TARGETS

Burckhardt Compression is the world’s leading manufacturer of 
reciprocating  compressors.  It  operates  in  two  divisions,  Sys-
tems  and  Services.  Burckhardt  Compression’s  Mid-Range  Plan 
for  the  fiscal  years  2018  to  2022  targets  the  continued  expan-
sion  of  its  market  position  through  organic  growth  and  selec-
tive  acquisitions,  with  the  ultimate  objective  of  strengthening 
its  market  leadership.  No  acquisitions  were  made  during  the 
year under review.

Mid-Range Plan for fiscal years 2018 to 2022
Consolidated  sales  of  around  CHF 700 mn  in  fiscal  year  2022 
are targeted in the Mid-Range Plan with a fairly balanced sales 
mix between the two divisions and an EBIT margin of 10% to 15% 
at Group level.

The  Systems  Division  will  aim  to  improve  its  profitability 
while maintaining its global market leadership. Its sales target 
for  2022  is  CHF  340  mn  with  an  EBIT  margin  of  0%  to  5%.  
A  greater  emphasis  on  global  procurement  and  further  cost 
optimization  will  help  it  to  achieve  these  targets.  The  division 
will also broaden its presence in its targeted market segments 
and introduce new applications.

The  2022  sales  target  for  the  Services  Division  including 
Arkos  Field  Service  is  CHF  360 mn.  The  target  range  for  its 
EBIT margin is 20% to 25%. Servicing the compressors of other 
manufacturers is an important growth priority for this division. 
Burckhardt  Compression  will  launch  further  operational  initia-
tives,  ranging  from  implementing  global  processes  and  the 

 
14

OUR  COMPANY  |  ANNUAL  REPORT  2018  |  BURCKHARDT  COMPRESSION

MAIN  APPLICATION  AREAS

Upstream oil & gas
Despite increasing energy efficiency, global demand for energy 
continues to grow, spurring efforts to discover new deposits of 
oil  and  gas  as  well  as  new  ways  of  improving  recovery  from 
existing  wells.  Moreover,  producers  must  comply  with  increas-
ingly  stringent  regulations  requiring  the  environmentally 
responsible disposal of toxic and non-toxic gases that arise dur-
ing extraction and production.

Burckhardt  Compression  offers  onshore  and  offshore  solu-
tions  for  a  wide  range  of  applications.  High-quality,  low-speed 
reciprocating  compressors  (compliant  with  API  standard  618) 
have  been  developed  for  these  applications,  which  include 
enhanced oil recovery (EOR) methods. EOR is a technique where 
pressurized gas is injected into productive fields either directly 
through  existing  well  bores  (gas  lift)  or  through  separate  well 
bores  (gas  injection),  resulting  in  significantly  higher  recovery 
rates.  Recovery  rates  are  typically  around  30%  using  conven-
tional production methods and can often be increased to more 
than  60%  using  EOR  methods.  Natural  gas  is  used  to  enhance 
recovery  rates  and  it  is  often  mixed  with  other  gases.  EOR 
methods can also be combined with environmentally responsi-
ble methods for disposing of unwanted gases, which in the past 
were usually flared, thereby polluting the surrounding environ-
ment and atmosphere. Burckhardt Compression is an expert at 
building compressors for compressing these gases, which often 
contain aggressive sulfuric components. In deepwater applica-
tions, CO2 injection is also used for EOR methods with pressure 
levels of up to 600 bar. Onsite preprocessing applications in the 
oil  and  gas  industries  offer  additional  opportunities  for  Burck-
hardt  Compression.  In  these  applications  individual  compo-
nents  of extracted gas are separated at the wellhead to facili-
tate  the  subsequent  gas  transport  through  the  gathering  lines 
to centralized points.

Gas transport and storage
Demand  for  environmentally  friendly  natural  gas  will  continue 
to increase over the long term. Replacing the liquid fossil fuels 
of diesel, gasoline and oil with natural gas would reduce global 
carbon  dioxide  emissions  by  about  25%.  That  fact  and  more 
stringent  emissions  regulations,  especially  in  the  maritime 
industry, are additional incentives to switch to natural gas as a 
source  of  fuel.  Liquid  natural  gas  is  increasingly  being  used  as 
propulsion  fuel  for  LNG  tankers,  merchant  ships  and  cruise 
ships. More coal-fired and nuclear power plants will be replaced 
with natural gas power plants in many regions of the world over 
the  long  run  amid  widespread  efforts  to  decarbonize  growing 
economies  and  diversify  energy  supply.  The  development  of 
new  sources  of  natural  gas,  such  as  shale  gas  deposits,  is 

increasing the volume of international trade in natural gas, and 
transport and storage volumes are therefore rising as well. This 
is  especially  evident  in  the  non-pipeline  mode  of  gas  transpor-
tation  via  LNG  tankers,  which  offers  greater  flexibility  and 
avoids the geostrategic risks associated with gas pipeline infra-
structure.

More  than  40%  of  total  natural  gas  transport  volumes 
traded and transported worldwide are liquefied, which reduces 
gas  transport  volumes  by  a  factor  of  600.  The  LNG  process 
chain  begins  with  the  extraction,  purification  and  liquefaction 
of the natural gas, followed by ship loading, transportation and 
subsequent  off-loading,  then  the  storage  and  regasification 
and, ultimately, injection into a gas distribution grid. Burckhardt 
Compression offers unique solutions for compressing and reliq-
uefying  boil-off  gas  (BOG)  from  liquid  gases,  for  gas  injection 
systems  for  two-  or  four-stroke  marine  diesel  engines,  and  for 
recovering  or  storing  natural  gas  and  other  hydrocarbons  at 
onshore or offshore installations.

Refinery
Refineries process crude oil into products such as gasoline, ker-
osene, diesel, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) as well as solvents 
and lubricants. Worldwide demand for these products will con-
tinue  to  grow  over  the  long  term  and  most  of  the  growth  in 
demand  will  stem  from  non-OECD  countries,  especially  China 
and  India.  Additional  factors  encouraging  investment  in  the 
refining industry are more stringent environmental regulations, 
cost-cutting  pressure,  plant  expansion  trends  and  the  need  to 
process  both  lower-quality  grades  of  crude  oil  and,  in  techno-
logically  more  advanced  processes,  heavy  petroleum  by- 
products.  New  refineries  are  being  built  in  areas  where  addi-
tional  processing  capacity  is  needed.  For  state-owned  refiner-
ies, strategic issues regarding location and supply security are 
also  of  considerable  importance.  Burckhardt  Compression 
offers  Process  Gas  Compressors  with  the  highest  possible 
availability and lowest life cycle costs for all relevant oil refin-
ing processes that require gas (mostly hydrocarbon gas/hydro-
carbon mixtures).

Petrochemical/chemical industry
The  production  of  a  vast  range  of  petrochemical  and  chemical 
products  such  as  polyolefins  (polymers),  lacquers,  synthetic 
rubbers,  adhesives  and  dyes,  solvents,  paints,  fertilizer,  deter-
gents or textiles entails, among other things, the processing of 
oil,  natural  gas  and  even  coal.  Demand  for  petrochemical  and 
chemical  products,  especially  for  polyolefins,  will  steadily 
increase worldwide over the long term. In this application area, 
too,  companies  will  continue  their  efforts  to  reduce  costs  by 
replacing  smaller  scale  plants  with  larger  ones,  establishing 
strategic  production  sites,  and  extending  value-added  chains. 

 
 
 
 
OUR  COMPANY  |  ANNUAL  REPORT  2018  |  BURCKHARDT  COMPRESSION

15

An  additional  source  of  growth  is  the  growing  production  of  
natural  gas  from  shale  formations  worldwide.  In  terms  of 
potential, the US is the leading market in this segment. Burck-
hardt Compression offers several product lines with individual, 
reliable and benchmark-setting reciprocating compressor solu-
tions for a broad spectrum of applications.

hot  spots.  The  Laby®  Compressor  is  designed  to  compress 
bone-dry,  dirty,  abrasive  and  other  gases.  The  gastight  casing 
reduces  gas  emissions  and  losses  to  the  environment  to  virtu-
ally zero. The Laby® Compressor easily manages the compres-
sion  of  LNG  boil-off  gas  at  suction  temperatures  of  as  low  as 
minus 160 °C (-250 °F).

Industrial gases
Industrial  gases  such  as  argon,  helium,  carbon  dioxide,  carbon 
monoxide,  oxygen,  nitrogen  and  hydrogen  are  produced  in  air 
separation  or  hydrogen  generation  plants.  The  end  market  for 
industrial  gases  is  quite  broad,  encompassing  industries  as 
diverse  as  metalworking  and  metallurgy,  chemicals,  energy 
technology,  food  manufacturing,  green  technology,  glass,  pulp 
and paper manufacturing, electronics, construction, rubber and 
plastics processing, and healthcare. Growth drivers are regional 
growth  and  industry-specific  growth.  The  production  of  hydro-
gen  for  the  energy  (refineries)  and  transportation  sectors  is 
expected  to  be  a  particularly  strong  growth  driver  in  this  mar-
ket segment. This serves as another example of an application 
area  where  Burckhardt  Compression  is  profiting  from  the 
increased extraction of shale gas deposits, especially in the US. 
Burckhardt Compression’s dependable compressors are used in 
a wide variety of applications to process industrial gases.

CUSTOMERS

The customers we serve include some of the largest companies 
in the world active in the oil and gas industry, the gas transpor-
tation  sector,  the  petrochemical/chemical  industry  and  the 
industrial gas sector, as well as a considerable number of gen-
eral engineering companies that design and construct plants or 
industrial complexes for our end customers.

COMPRESSOR  SYSTEMS

Burckhardt  Compression’s  reciprocating  compressors  are  the 
key  part  of  compressor  systems  which,  in  turn,  are  part  of 
large-scale processing plants.

Laby® – Labyrinth Piston Compressors
The Labyrinth Piston Compressor offers unrivaled reliability and 
availability  thanks  to  its  unique  labyrinth  sealing  system  on  the 
piston  and  piston  rod  gland,  which  enables  oil-free  and  contact- 
free compression. 

The result is a longer service life, which has a positive impact 
on  overall  reliability  and  operating  costs.  This  prevents  piston 
ring debris from contaminating the gas as well as friction-induced 

Laby®-GI Compressors
The  Laby®-GI  Compressor  has  a  fully  balanced  design  that 
eliminates  unbalanced  moments  and  forces,  so  it  can  be  used 
on  offshore  vessels  and  installations.  Strict  guidelines  for  
offshore  applications  regarding  maximum  allowable  vibration 
levels on deck structures must be observed. The Laby®-GI Com-
pressor is mainly used for the compression of LNG boil-off gas. 
The unique combination of labyrinth seal design and tried-and-
tested  ring  seal  technology  makes  Laby®-GI  Compressors  the 
solution of choice for both low-temperature and high-pressure 
applications.  The  proven  technology  is  a  guarantee  for  maxi-
mum  efficiency  and  lowest  life  cycle  costs.  Depending  on  the 
operating conditions, Laby®-GI Compressors can feature either 
lubricated or non-lubricated compression.

Process Gas Compressors per API 618
Process Gas Compressors built by Burckhardt Compression are 
synonymous  with  unrivaled  availability  and  long  operating 
lives.  Optimal  sizing  and  the  use  of  top  quality  compressor  
components ensure low operating and maintenance costs. The 
design,  the  advanced  Swiss  technology  and  superb  quality 
together  with  the  robust  construction  translate  into  excellent 
reliability and very low life cycle costs.

Our  Process  Gas  Compressors  are  built  according  to  indi-
vidual application specifications in accordance with the API 618 
guidelines  (5th  edition).  Burckhardt  Compression  offers  non-
lubricated and lubricated Process Gas Compressors, horizontal 
and vertical. They are especially suited for high-pressure com-
pression of hydrogen, hydrocarbon and corrosive gases.

In  order  to  satisfy  the  demanding  processes  in  refineries, 
Burckhardt Compression has extended its range and now offers 
a complete portfolio of Process Gas Compressors for refineries. 
In addition to our premium product line, which focuses on low-
ering  operating  costs  through  optimized  design  and  high- 
quality  components,  we  now  also  offer  a  robust,  modular  and 
CAPEX-optimized product line. Thanks to Burckhardt Compres-
sion’s  worldwide  engineering  and  service  organization,  we  can 
take ad vantage of the Group’s competence centers all over the 
world, offering a complete solution that is focused fully on the 
needs of the customer.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
16

OUR  COMPANY  |  ANNUAL  REPORT  2018  |  BURCKHARDT  COMPRESSION

Hyper Compressors
The  Hyper  Compressor  is  a  high-pressure  reciprocating  com-
pressor  for  low  density  polyethylene  (LDPE)  plants  with  a  dis-
charge  pressure  of  up  to  3’500  bar.  Burckhardt  Compression 
has established an outstanding track record with up to 60 years 
of  experience  in  building  Hyper  Compressors.  These  compres-
sors are distinguished by a long operational life and high safety 
standards,  which  can  be  traced  to  their  unique  construction 
design  and  Burckhardt  Compression’s  global  one-stop  mainte-
nance and service capabilities.

The  most  powerful  compressor  in  the  world,  driven  by  
a  33’000  kW  electric  motor  and  compression  capacity  of 
400’000 metric tons of ethylene a year, was built by Burckhardt 
Compression  in  2016.  Burckhardt  Compression  is  the  world 
market leader for Hyper Compressors.

Standard High Pressure Compressors
Standard  High  Pressure  Compressors  from  Burckhardt  Com-
pression  are  extremely  robust  and  reliable  reciprocating  com-
pressors with a compact design and low weight. They are deliv-
ered  skid-mounted  with  structural  supports  that  dampen 
vibrations,  so  there  is  no  need  for  a  special  foundation.  Due  to 
the  low-pressure  conditions  per  compressor  speed  range, 
greater piston displacement can be achieved at lower compres-
sion  temperatures.  The  result  is  high  compression  efficiency, 
low  wear  and  less  maintenance  expense.  The  air-  and  water-
cooled  compressors  are  used  to  compress  air,  hydrogen,  nitro-
gen,  helium,  argon,  natural  gas  and  other  non-corrosive  gases 
and  gas  mixtures  at  land  facilities  and  on  ships.  The  Standard 
High  Pressure  Compressors  are  smaller  than  the  other  com-
pressors in Burckhardt Compression’s portfolio of reciprocating 
compressors, with a maximum power of 220 kW, maximum dis-
charge  pressure  of  400  bar  and  suction  volumes  of  up  to 
1’500 Nm3/h.

SERVICE  AND  COMPONENTS  BUSINESS

The  Services  Division  is  a  full-range  provider  of  services  for 
reciprocating  compressors  and  related  engineering  expertise. 
Its  comprehensive  range  of  services  is  backed  by  OEM  parts 
with  high  supply  readiness  as  well  as  vast  engineering  know-
how, from simple modifications to extensive retrofit and revamp 
projects as well as turnkey solutions. Experienced field service 
technicians  ensure  close  interaction  with  the  customer  and 
rapid  response.  Depending  on  the  size  of  the  project  and  site, 
Burckhardt  Compression  also  offers  a  24/7  shift  operation,  so 
production systems can be put back into operation even faster. 
We also provide reliable, expert monitoring and diagnostic solu-
tions as well as advisory services, all from a single source.

Comprehensive engineering, revamp and repair expertise
Reliability,  availability  and  cost-effectiveness  are  crucial  for 
operators  of  reciprocating  compressor  systems,  which  is  why 
they  appreciate  expert  partners  with  extensive  knowledge  of 
such  systems  who  can  offer  them  sound  advice.  Burckhardt 
Compression stands out from other manufacturers and service 
providers  because  of  its  comprehensive  in-house  expertise.  A 
wide  range  of  complementary  services  are  offered  for  all 
brands of reciprocating compressors and their auxiliary system, 
and  even  for  all  types  of  other  compressors.  Our  internal  spe-
cialists come from various technical fields and use proprietary, 
advanced  software  tools  to  model,  calculate  and  optimize 
reciprocating  compressor  performance,  regardless  of  make  or 
brand. They are capable of resolving even highly complex tech-
nical  problems  cost-effectively  and  efficiently.  A  highly  moti-
vated  team  carries  out  revamp  projects  of  any  complexity  to 
the  full  satisfaction  of  customers  and  can  prolong  the  operat-
ing  life  of  older  compressors  by  retrofitting  them  with  the  
latest technology.

Original spare parts for optimal compressor operation
Original  spare  parts  backed  by  Burckhardt  Compression’s  full 
warranty  as  an  OEM  stand  for  superior  quality  and  ensure  low 
life cycle costs as well as the optimal operation of compressor 
systems.  These  top-quality  compressor  components  are  tai-
lored  to  specific  system  requirements.  Compressor  compo-
nents  such  as  valves,  seals  and  packings  are  subject  to  wear 
and  tear,  so  these  parts  largely  determine  the  duration  of  ser-
vice  intervals  and  operational  availability  and,  ultimately,  the 
overall  life  cycle  costs  of  reciprocating  compressors.  Besides 
operational  availability,  Burckhardt  Compression  stands  by  its 
commitment to supply compressor parts and components over 
a  long-term  period.  Burckhardt  Compression  is  methodically 
expanding  this  business  in  close  collaboration  with  numerous 
operators of reciprocating compressors.

 
 
OUR  COMPANY  |  ANNUAL  REPORT  2018  |  BURCKHARDT  COMPRESSION

17

Diagnosis and monitoring for superior operational 
reliability
Preventive  services  and  rapid  response  times,  based  on  online 
diagnostic  data  and  analyses,  play  a  vital  role  in  optimizing 
compressor availability. Reliable condition monitoring and diag-
nostic  systems  for  reciprocating  compressors  and  equipment, 
integrated within the top-level systems for monitoring an entire 
production  facility,  are  effective  tools  for  enhancing  opera-
tional  reliability  and  for  longer  service  intervals.  Continuous 
machine diagnosis detects potential and actual anomalies at an 
early  stage  and  thus  helps  to  avoid  costly  and  unscheduled 
downtime.  Other  advantages  include  the  optimization  of  oper-
ating  parameters  and  central  control  and  monitoring  of  com-
pressors that are in operation at different sites. The diagnostic 
systems made by our subsidiary PROGNOST Systems GmbH are 
designed for use with all types of reciprocating compressors as 
well  as  with  many  other  types  of  rotating  machinery.  They  are 
backed by unrivaled technology and reliability and deliver value 
day after day in the oil, gas and chemical industries.

Field service – close to the customer
Geographic  proximity,  a  local  presence  and  long-lasting  cus-
tomer  relationships  grounded  in  trust  are  another  key  to  our 
success. Having a local presence simplifies interaction with the 
customer,  shortens  the  supply  chain  and  reduces  field  service 
hours. Burckhardt Compression is active in all relevant markets 
through  its  own  subsidiaries  and  its  business  partners.  It  cur-
rently operates 50 service centers around the world and boasts 
a  strong  regional  reach.  It  will  continue  to  expand  this  service 
network going forward.

Customer training sessions
The  training  sessions  we  have  been  offering  to  our  customers 
for many years empower them to make better use of our know-
how.  Theoretical  and  practical  training  courses  for  various 
types of compressors and our own and third-party components 
are  offered  at  our  modern  training  center  that  we  have  set  up 
in Winterthur and we also provide on-site training at customer 
sites  with  the  systems  they  have.  Qualified  technical  special-
ists  instruct  customers  on  a  wide  range  of  maintenance  and 
operational  issues  over  the  life  cycle  of  any  compressor  sys-
tem.

 
18

WE  ARE  BURCKHARDT 
COMPRESSION

175TH ANNIVERSARY – AND FIT FOR THE FUTURE

Founded as a mechanics workshop in 1844, Burckhardt Compression is 
proudly celebrating its 175th anniversary in 2019. This long history 
would not have been possible without a truly innovative spirit, a steady 
focus on the customer and an unwavering passion for compressor  
systems and services. Well-qualified and dedicated employees ensure 
our successful future.

19

20

21

22

REVIEW  OF  THE  FISCAL  YEAR  |  ANNUAL  REPORT  2018  |  BURCKHARDT  COMPRESSION

 REVIEW  OF  THE  FISCAL  YEAR

FINANCIAL  PERFORMANCE 

Order intake: Renewed rise at both divisions
Group  order  intake  totaled  CHF  658.7  mn  and  exceeded  the 
prior-year figure by a pleasing 25.4%; excluding currency trans-
lation effects, incoming orders were up 25.6%. Orders received 
reached  all-time  highs  at  both  divisions.  The  Systems  Division 
accounted  for  CHF 428.0 mn  of  the  new  orders,  which  repre-
sents an increase of 33.8% from the previous year. All targeted 
market  segments  contributed  to  this  order  growth.  Orders 
received in the Services Division rose by 12.3% to CHF 230.7 mn. 
Spare  parts  and  engineering  services  accounted  for  much  of 
this order growth.

Sales at prior-year level
Consolidated  sales  for  fiscal  year  2018  edged  0.8%  higher  to 
CHF 599.3 mn;  excluding  currency  translation  effects,  sales 
were  up  0.9%  year-on-year.  Sales  were  6.5%  higher  in  the 
 Services Division and 2.3% lower in the Systems Division.

Operating margin improves
Gross profit of CHF 135.7 mn was 8.5% more than the prior-year 
figure  of  CHF 125.1 mn  and  the  resulting  gross  profit  margin 
was  22.6%  (previous  year:  21.0%).  The  Systems  Division’s  gross 
margin improved to 8.1% (previous year: 7.1%). Gross profit at the 
Services  Division  rose  7.5%  to  CHF 105.2 mn,  bringing  its  gross 
profit margin to 47.0%, slightly above the 46.6% margin reported 
for the previous fiscal year.

 Operating income amounted to CHF 44.5 mn or 7.4 percent 
of sales (previous year: 7.0%) and exceeded the prior-year figure 
by  CHF  2.8  mn.  Because  of  the  substantial  additional  costs 
incurred  in  its  LNGM  business,  the  Systems  Division  closed 
 fiscal year 2018 with an operating loss of CHF –8.7 mn (previous 
year:  CHF –9.0 mn),  while  the  Services  Division  increased  its 
operating  income  from  CHF  54.4  mn  in  the  previous  year  to 
CHF 58.2 mn in fiscal year 2018.

Consolidated  net  income  amounted  to  CHF 32.2 mn,  10.9% 
more than in the previous fiscal year. As a result of a strong con-
tribution  of  Shenyang  Yuanda  Compressor  (40%  still  owned  by 
the  founder)  to  the  Groups  result,  the  net  income  per  share 
decreased by 4.2% to CHF 8.15.

Equity remains strong  
Total  assets  on  the  balance  sheet  closing  date  amounted  to 
CHF 848.7 mn,  an  increase  of  CHF 51.1 mn  or  6.4%  compared  
to the previous fiscal year. This increase is mainly attributed to 
invoicing activity in the final quarter of the fiscal year, which led 
to  a  considerable  increase  in  accounts  receivable.  The  equity 
ratio  at  the  end  of  fiscal  year  2018  was  40.7%  (previous  year: 
42.0%).  The  net  financial  position  at  year-end  amounted  to 
CHF –49.4  mn,  an  improvement  of  CHF 12.7 mn  compared  to 
the end of March 2018.

Realization of the projects of the Mid-Range Plan  
2018–2022 on track  
The  execution  of  projects  detailed  in  the  Mid-Range  Plan  that 
was  approved  in  December  2017  is  proceeding  as  planned. 
 Having achieved growth in all of its targeted market segments, 
the  Systems  Division  was  able  to  defend  its  leading  market 
position. It continued to successfully execute projects to lower 
its  operating  costs  and  optimize  business  processes  to  bring 
about the necessary improvement in profitability. The Systems 
Division  replaced  its  formerly  centralized  sales  organization 
with  a  decentralized  sales  structure  so  it  can  process  the 
clearly  higher  level  of  inquiries  being  received  by  customers 
more efficiently.

The  Services  Division  continued  to  successfully  pursue  its 
growth  strategy  and  strengthen  its  market  position,  especially 
in engineering and spare parts. We are effectively leveraging our 
compressor  manufacturing  expertise  in  the  Services  Division 
through  our  engineering  solutions,  which  are  obviously  appreci-
ated  by  our  customers.  This  valuable  know-how  is  also  opening 
new  windows  of  opportunity  in  the  OBC  (Other  Brand  Compres-
sors)  business,  where  considerable  growth  potential  can  be 
tapped.

Workforce growth
The number of employees at the end of the fiscal year stood at 
2’346, an increase of 132 from the year-ago figure of 2’214. This 
increase was fairly evenly split between the two divisions. At the 
end  of  March  2019,  738  employees  (32%)  were  employed  in 
Switzer land, 1’130 (48%) in BRIC countries and 478 (20%) in other  
countries.

 
 
 
 
 
REVIEW  OF  THE  FISCAL  YEAR  |  ANNUAL  REPORT  2018  |  BURCKHARDT  COMPRESSION

23

ORDER  INTAKE

CHF mn

SALES

CHF mn

700

600

500

400

300

200

100 

0

6 00

500

400

300

200

100 

0

09  10  11  12  13  14  15  16  17  18

09  10  11  12  13  14  15  16  17  18

EBIT  AND  NET  INCOME

CHF mn

100

80

60

40

20

0

 09  10  11 

12 

13 

14 

15 

16 

17 

18

EBIT
Net income

EQUITY  RATIO

CHF mn

1’000

900

800

700

600

500

400

300

200

100

0

%

100

80

60

40

20

0

50

51

53

55

56

50

50

39

42

41

 09 

10 

11 

12 

13 

14 

15 

16 

17 

18

Balance sheet total
Shareholders’ equity
Equity ratio (%)

24

REVIEW  OF  THE  FISCAL  YEAR  |  ANNUAL  REPORT  2018  |  BURCKHARDT  COMPRESSION

CAPACITY

RESEARCH  AND  DEVELOPMENT

The  Services  Division  partnered  with  Sultrade  to  open  a  new 
service  center  in  Slovakia  during  the  year  under  review.  Petro-
chemical  and  refinery  customers  in  neighboring  countries  will 
also  be  served  from  this  new  location.  In  Thailand,  a  service 
center  for  compressor  valves  was  opened  in  partnership  with 
SPAN Maintenance and Service Co. Ltd. 

ACQUISITIONS

No acquisitions were made during the past fiscal year.

CUSTOMERS

Working  with  customers  in  a  spirit  of  partnership  is  important 
to  Burckhardt  Compression.  Both  divisions  regularly  conduct 
customer  surveys  in  a  bid  to  understand  customer  needs  even 
better,  and  such  surveys  were  carried  out  while  preparing  the 
latest Mid-Range Plan. The survey findings and resulting action 
plans and initiatives were incorporated in the new plan.

Compressor systems for marine applications 
We added two new products to our portfolio of compressors for 
large  LNG  carriers  during  the  past  year.  With  this  portfolio 
expansion we can offer optimal solutions for all our customers’ 
needs in this segment. We continued to adjust our operations to 
the developments in this dynamic market during the year under 
review to meet the needs of our customers going forward.

We also developed new solutions to optimize the operation 
of  the  considerable  number  of  already  installed  marine  com-
pressors.  These  help  to  sustain  the  value  of  our  products  at 
customer installations.

New materials for the Persisto® portfolio
We enlarged and optimized our portfolio of Persisto® compressor 
sealing  systems  materials  during  the  year  under  review.  These 
mostly PTFE-based materials have superior tribological qualities 
and significantly extend the service lives of oil-lubricated and oil-
free  compressors.  Many  of  these  materials  were  engineered  by 
Burckhardt Compression and are also manufactured in-house in 
accordance with our quality management system.

Our  portfolio  of  Persisto®  materials   
for  compressor  sealing  systems   
continued  to  grow  over  the  year.

Optimization of our valve portfolio
We  also  optimized  our  valve  portfolio  during  the  year  under 
review.  We  developed  more  energy-efficient  valves  and  intro-
duced new materials with the aim of extending the service life 
of compressor valves.

Portfolio of refinery and industrial gas compressors
ex panded
As  well  as  constantly  optimizing  our  portfolio  of  process  gas 
compressors, we have added a smaller compressor to the range 
that  specifically  addresses  the  needs  of  refinery  customers. 
This  is  a  commercially  very  interesting  product  that  meets 
standard  specifications  and  creates  more  business  opportuni-
ties  for  us  in  the  highly  competitive  refinery  compressor  
market.

  
 
 
REVIEW  OF  THE  FISCAL  YEAR  |  ANNUAL  REPORT  2018  |  BURCKHARDT  COMPRESSION

25

BRAND  MANAGEMENT

We are constantly striving to optimize and strengthen the inter-
national profile of the Burckhardt Compression brand. Our cor-
porate identity and long-term brand strategy express the orga-
nization’s  values  and  principles  and  highlight  Burckhardt 
Compression’s  position  as  a  unique,  long-term  partner  with  a 
strong Swiss tradition.

In the period under review, various print and online communi-
cations tools were introduced for both divisions and Burckhardt 
Compression’s trade show visuals were improved.

26

SYSTEMS DIVISION

“Burckhardt Compression’s order intake during the past fiscal 
year was higher than ever before and included orders for three 
LDPE lines with Hyper Compressors and the very first order  
for handling boil-off gas on a cruise ship. We also sold our first  
standard high pressure compressors to a customer in Canada,  
a milestone of which all of us in India are rightfully proud.”

Suraj Ghadge, Plant Maintenance, Burckhardt Compression India

27

28

29

30

REVIEW  OF  THE  FISCAL  YEAR  SYSTEMS  DIVISION  |  ANNUAL  REPORT  2018  |  BURCKHARDT  COMPRESSION

 REVIEW  OF  THE  FISCAL  YEAR   
SYSTEMS  DIVISION

ORDER  INTAKE

CHF mn

500

400

300

200

100 

0

SALES

CHF mn

4 00

300

200

100

0

GROSS  PROFIT

CHF mn

100

80

60

40

20

0

09  10  11  12  13  14  15  16  17  18

09  10  11  12  13  14  15  16  17  18

09  10  11  12  13  14  15  16  17  18

OPERATING  INCOME  (EBIT)1

CHF mn

50

40

30

20

10

0

–10

09  10  11  12  13  14  15  16  17  18

FIGURES

in CHF mn

Order intake
Sales and gross profit

Operating income (EBIT)

in % of sales

Sales

Gross profit 

in % of sales

2016 

2017 

2018 

Change
2017/2018

280.6 

 319.8

 428.0

33.8% 

367.2

36.5

9.9%

–1.5

–0.4%

384.4

27.2

7.1%

–9.0

–2.3%

375.4

30.5

8.1%

–8.7

–2.3%

–2.3%

12.1%

Headcount as per end of fiscal year (full-time equivalents)

1’446

1’425

1’506

5.7%

1   Before fiscal year 2015, no EBIT was reported at divisional level.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
REVIEW  OF  THE  FISCAL  YEAR  SYSTEMS  DIVISION  |  ANNUAL  REPORT  2018  |  BURCKHARDT  COMPRESSION

31

FINANCIAL  PERFORMANCE

All-time high order intake
Full-year  order  intake  at  the  Systems  Division  reached  an  all-
time  high  of  CHF 428.0 mn,  which  represents  a  33.8%  increase 
year-on-year. This pleasing growth was largely driven by robust 
market  demand,  as  well  as  by  Burckhardt  Compression’s  lead-
ing position in all key applications in the petrochemical, refinery 
and maritime market segments. Divisional sales of CHF 375.4 mn 
were slightly lower (–2.3%) than in the previous year. The result-
ing  gross  profit  was  up  by  12.1%  year-on-year  but  still  unsatis-
factory  at  CHF 30.5 mn,  which  corresponds  to  a  gross  profit 
margin of 8.1% (previous year: 7.1%). Gross profit was diminished 
by  additional  costs  related  to  the  ramp-up  of  the  LNGM  busi-
ness,  while  further  progress  was  made  in  reducing  other  cost 
items.  More  action  plans  aimed  at  improving  profitability  were 
devised within the scope of the “Pulling Systems Together” pro-
gram. The division’s full-year operating loss of CHF –8.7 mn was 
slightly less than in the previous fiscal year (CHF –9.0 mn).

MARKETS

Burckhardt  Compression  offers  compressor  system  solutions 
for the following application areas:
– Upstream oil & gas
– Gas transport and storage
– Refinery
– Petrochemical/chemical industry
– Industrial gases

Order  intake  at  the  Systems  Division   
topped  the  year-ago  figure   
by  34%  and  set  an  all-time  high.

Burckhardt Compression performed well during the past fiscal 
year  in  the  face  of  unrelenting  competitive  pressure.  In  China, 
for example, we won contracts to supply compressors for three 
LDPE  production  lines,  which  comes  on  the  heels  of  several 
other large orders placed by Chinese customers in the previous 
fiscal year. This represents a renewed strengthening of the divi-
sion’s already strong market position in this segment.

Upstream oil & gas
Overdue  investments  in  upstream  production  were  observed 
during the year under review after several years of suppressed 
capex  caused  by  low  prices  for  oil  and  natural  gas.  This  is  the 
only application area targeted by Burckhardt Compression that 
is impacted by crude oil prices.

Gas transport and storage
The  LNG  (liquefied  natural  gas)  market  clearly  gained  momen-
tum in 2018 after showing signs of a tepid recovery in the previ-
ous fiscal year. The number of new LNG tankers under construc-
tion  showed  pleasing  growth  and  reflects  increasing  global 
demand for greener and more cost-effective sources of energy. 
Operators  of  both  container  and  cruise  ships  must  comply  
with increasingly strict environmental regulations; for example, 
sulfur  dioxide  and  nitrogen  oxide  emissions  will  be  capped  at 
significantly  lower  levels  beginning  in  2020.  Technology  that 
enables different types of vessels to be equipped with environ-
mentally cleaner propulsion systems will further develop in the 
market.  Burckhardt  Compression  introduced  more  solutions  in 
the  year  under  review  to  address  market  demand  and  won  its 
first  order  to  equip  a  cruise  ship  with  compressors.  A  frame-
work  agreement  was  also  signed  with  an  important  Korean 
shipyard for large-scale LNG tankers, and Burckhardt Compres-
sion  is  proud  to  occupy  a  leading  position  in  this  attractive 
 market.  New  orders  for  LNG  terminals  in  China  were  another 
highlight  of  the  fiscal  year  and  will  create  significant  growth 
opportunities in years to come.

Refinery
Business  momentum  in  this  segment  remained  positive  during 
the  period  under  review,  buoyed  by  the  double-digit  growth  of 
the underlying global market volume. Growth has been quality-
driven as all classes of fossil fuels must now be virtually sulfur-
free  in  all  major  world  markets.  Looking  ahead,  the  two  large 
markets  of  China  and  India  are  expected  to  generate  further 
quantitative  growth.  These  positive  trends  in  the  refinery  mar-
ket have also been driven by the long-term strategies being pur-
sued  in  major  countries  to  increase  domestic  value  creation, 
thereby  reducing  their  dependency  on  imported  refinery  prod-
ucts. Our compressor business is benefiting from these efforts. 
Burckhardt  Compression  received  major  orders  for  process  gas 
compressors from customers in the Middle East and, for the first 
time ever, the US. We also note that Shenyang Yuanda Compres-
sor claims a significant share of the refinery market in China.

Petrochemical and chemical industry
Business  in  this  segment  was  pleasing.  Burckhardt  Compres-
sion’s Laby compressors for low-pressure PCI applications sold 
well, particularly in China, Southeast Asia, the Middle East and 
the USA. Orders to supply compressors for three LDPE produc-
tion  lines  in  China  were  received.  Growing  global  demand  for 
plastic  products  represents  a  long-term  growth  driver  for  the 
petrochemical  and  chemical  industries.  The  petrochemical 
industry is adding production capacity at a fast clip due to the 
strong  demand  and  government  policies  to  increase  domestic 
value creation.

 
 
 
 
 
32

REVIEW  OF  THE  FISCAL  YEAR  SYSTEMS  DIVISION  |  ANNUAL  REPORT  2018  |  BURCKHARDT  COMPRESSION

INFRASTRUCTURE

Planning  for  a  new  manufacturing  site  for  Shenyang  Yuanda  in 
China  began  during  the  period  under  review.  The  new  site  is 
scheduled  to  be  operational  in  the  autumn  of  2020  and  will 
replace the company’s current site. This relocation project can 
be traced to a decision by Shenyang city officials to convert the 
company’s  current  manufacturing  site,  which  has  been  com-
pletely engulfed by the rapidly growing city of Shenyang, to res-
idential  use.  Shenyang  Yuanda  Compressor  signed  an  agree-
ment  on  the  terms  of  its  factory  relocation  with  local 
government  officials  during  the  period  under  review.  The  con-
solidation of two separate sites at the new, larger site and the 
redesign  of  business  processes  in  conformity  with  the  latest 
standards  and  best  practices  will  further  improve  Shenyang 
Yuanda’s operating efficiency.

Considerable infrastructure investments were also made at 
various other sites last year. In India, we concluded a project to 
expand production capacity for mid-scale process gas compres-
sors.  Our  Global  Support  Center  in  the  country  was  also 
expanded and, given the increase in order inflow, the headcount 
in  Design  &  Manufacturing  and  Contracting  was  increased  at 
every manufacturing site.

Industrial gases
Given  the  vast  range  of  applications  for  industrial  gases,  this 
segment  also  displayed  good  growth.  We  expect  that  the  vari-
ous  targeted  industries  will  grow  at  least  in  step  with  global 
GDP  growth,  if  not  slightly  faster,  so  demand  for  compressors 
is likewise expected to increase. The very first order for our new 
diaphragm  compressor  designed  for  use  in  the  promising  mar-
ket of hydrogen fuel production was the highlight of the year in 
this segment.

SALES/DISTRIBUTION

In  the  year  under  review,  the  sales  organization  for  new  com-
pressor  systems  was  decentralized.  Responsibility  for  cus-
tomer relationship management and project negotiations (front 
sales) was transferred to the respective regions and offices for 
preparing and processing technical proposals and quotes (appli-
cation  engineering)  were  set  up  in  each  region.  This  process  of 
decentralization is nearing completion and is already providing 
a payback in terms of risk management and quality assurance. 
Furthermore, it has enabled the Systems Division to handle the 
higher  order  flows  within  the  required  timelines  in  close  col-
laboration  with  its  customers.  The  two  geographic  regions  of 
Southeast  Asia  and  Eastern  Europe / Central  Asia  were  estab-
lished  as  autonomous  sales  regions  for  new  compressor  
systems  with  the  corresponding  sales  offices  in  Bangkok  and  
Winterthur.  This  clear  delegation  of  responsibility  gives  us  a 
strong er regional presence.

An  agreement  was  reached  with  our  external  agents  in 
countries where we do not employ our own sales staff to work 
on  a  project-specific  basis,  which  will  make  our  collaboration 
with externals more efficient and effective.

REVIEW  OF  THE  FISCAL  YEAR  SYSTEMS  DIVISION  |  ANNUAL  REPORT  2018  |  BURCKHARDT  COMPRESSION

33

“PULLING  SYSTEMS  TOGETHER”   
FOR  POSITIVE  CHANGE

A  sweeping  process-  and  cost-optimization  program  was  initi-
ated  in  the  Systems  Division  at  the  end  of  2016  to  improve  its 
ability to respond to sudden fluctuations in order volumes and 
to  bring  about  a  significant  and  lasting  improvement  in  its  
operational  excellence  over  the  medium  term.  Approximately 
30 separate projects are being pursued in the “Pulling Systems 
Together”  program  and  they  affect  every  unit  in  the  division, 
including its design, procurement, production workflow, project 
management, logistics and capacity management activities.

Considerable progress was made last year and most of the 
projects  have  been  completed.  Besides  the  aforementioned 
expansion of the Global Support Center in India and the decen-
tralization  of  the  divisional  sales  organization,  the  changes 
made  in  its  procurement  unit  during  the  previous  year  yielded 
further significant cost savings.

OUTLOOK

The  Systems  Division  expects  a  stable  market  environment  in 
fiscal  year  2019.  All  of  its  targeted  application  areas  should 
benefit from this. The strong growth witnessed in the maritime 
business  during  the  past  fiscal  year  should  continue  in  the 
 current  year.  Further  growth  is  expected  in  the  petrochemical 
market given the growing consumption of plastics in China and 
across  Southeast  Asia.  Demand  for  compressors  is  also 
expected to continue growing in the refinery segment, primarily 
fueled  by  demand  for  cleaner  fossil  fuels.  In  the  industrial 
gases segment, a steady increase in overall demand is expected 
thanks  to  the  wide  range  of  consuming  industries,  many  of 
which have historically grown in line with the general economy.

Our  marine  business  should  continue   
to  grow  in  2019.

The top priority of the Systems Division in the current year 
remains  unchanged:  achieving  a  significant  improvement  in  its 
profitability  while  maintaining  its  global  market  leadership. 
Under  the  current  Mid-Range  Plan  for  2018  to  2022,  sales  are 
targeted to reach CHF 340 mn in fiscal year 2022 with an EBIT 
margin of 0% to 5%. This sales figure has already been realized 
in the year under review and will further rise in 2019. The mea-
sures  that  have  been  implemented  to  improve  every  process 
step,  including  the  procurement  activities,  have  already 
improved  the  divisional  profitability  but  the  operating  loss  for 
the  year  was  still  clearly  unsatisfactory.  This  is  attributed  to 
additional  costs  that  were  incurred  to  expand  our  presence  in 
the LNGM business. 

34

35

SERVICES DIVISION

“We are pleased to have continued our growth trajectory and  
to have achieved record high new orders. We also opened  
additional service centers during the past year, bringing us closer  
to the customer, and enlarged our engineering team.”

Raimund Arztmann, Technical Support Engineer, Burckhardt Compression Switzerland

36

37

38

REVIEW  OF  THE  FISCAL  YEAR  SERVICES  DIVISION  |  ANNUAL  REPORT  2018  |  BURCKHARDT  COMPRESSION

 REVIEW  OF  THE  FISCAL  YEAR   
SERVICES  DIVISION

ORDER  INTAKE

CHF mn

250

200

150

100

50 

0

SALES

CHF mn

250

200

150

100

50 

0

GROSS  PROFIT

CHF mn

120

100

80

40

20

0

09  10  11  12  13  14  15  16  17  18

09  10  11  12  13  14  15  16  17  18

09  10  11  12  13  14  15  16  17  18

OPERATING  INCOME  (EBIT)1

CHF mn

60

50

40

30

20

10

0

09  10  11  12  13  14  15  16  17  18

FIGURES

in CHF mn

Order intake
Sales and gross profit

Operating income (EBIT)

in % of sales

Sales

Gross profit 

in % of sales

2016 

2017 

2018 

Change
2017/2018

194.3 

205.4

230.7

12.3%

190.5

94.0

49.4%

53.0

27.8%

210.2

97.9

46.6% 

54.4

25.9%

223.9

105.2

47.0% 

58.2

26.0%

6.5%

7.5%

7.0%

Headcount as per end of fiscal year (full-time equivalents)

649

778

830

6.7%

1   Before fiscal year 2015, no EBIT was reported at divisional level.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
REVIEW  OF  THE  FISCAL  YEAR  SERVICES  DIVISION  |  ANNUAL  REPORT  2018  |  BURCKHARDT  COMPRESSION

39

FINANCIAL  PERFORMANCE

On track for further growth
The Services Division maintained its growth trajectory in 2018. 
Orders  received  amounted  to  CHF 230.7 mn,  which  topped  the 
figure  for  the  previous  fiscal  year  by  12.3%  and  marked  a  new 
all-time high for the division. Sales also rose, by a pleasing 6.5% 
to CHF 223.9 mn, and now account for 37% of the Group’s con-
solidated  sales.  Canada  was  a  strong  growth  driver  thanks  to 
CSM  Compressor  Supply  &  Machine  Works  Ltd,  the  services 
 provider acquired during the previous year, as well as countries 
in  the  Middle  East  and  Eastern  Europe.  Gross  profit  for  the 
 Services  Division  increased  by  7.5%  to  CHF 105.2 mn,  resulting 
in a gross profit margin of 47.0% (46.6% in the prior-year period). 
Operating  income  amounted  to  CHF 58.2  mn,  an  increase  of 
7.0% from the prior year (CHF 54.4 mn).

Incoming  orders  also  reached  an  all-time  high  
at  the  Services  Division  and  were   
up  by  about  12%  from  the  previous  year.

MARKETS

Burckhardt  Compression’s  services  cover  the  following  areas: 
– Spare Parts
– Engineering/Revamp/Repair
– Field Service
– Monitoring/Diagnostics

Major  contracts  were  received  from  customers  in  Singapore, 
China and elsewhere during the year under review. On the inno-
vation front, new sealing materials for piston rings were added 
to the portfolio and new diagnostic and analysis tools and tech-
nology  for  older  compressor  systems  were  developed,  along 
with  guidelines  for  modernizing,  retrofitting  and  overhauling 
such systems.

Spare Parts
There  was  another  pleasing  increase  in  orders  for  spare  parts 
in  fiscal  year  2018.  Customers  are  increasingly  ordering  spare 
parts  for  compressors  made  by  Burckhardt  Compression  and 
other manufacturers with the services we provide. The market 
response  to  our  strategy  of  growing  this  business  to  include 
spare parts for other brands remained positive.

Engineering/Revamp/Repair
The growth trend in large-scale compressor overhaul and mod-
ernization  projects  remained  intact  in  fiscal  year  2018  but 

smaller and mid-scale projects accounted for a larger share of 
the  overall  business  in  this  segment  than  in  fiscal  year  2017. 
Long-term  service  contracts  are  a  sound  platform  for  future 
growth in the Services Division. Major engineering projects were 
acquired in the Middle East and Eastern Europe.

Field Service
Burckhardt  Compression  profited  from  the  commissioning  of 
numerous  new  systems  in  the  US  and  China  last  year  and  LNGM 
vessels  already  in  operation  were  another  source  of  growth.  Our 
preventive maintenance services for Burckhardt Compression and 
other-brand compressors continued to deliver good growth too.

Monitoring/Diagnostics
Sales of new monitoring and diagnostics systems were slightly 
lower year-on-year but the services business continued to grow. 
Demand  was  particularly  high  for  gas  transport  &  storage  and 
petrochemical applications.

SALES  STRUCTURES  STRENGTHENED

The centralized management system introduced in the previous 
year to oversee quote and order processes and the realization of 
service engineering solutions proved its worth in 2018. Regional 
sales structures were strengthened too. Our local Field Service 
Representatives  are  highly  qualified  employees  who  are  also 
responsible for managing customer relationships and assessing 
local market opportunities. A new partnership model to provide 
services as a local player close to customers in smaller but fast-
growing markets was introduced through a limited investment.

NEW  SERVICE  CENTERS

We  continued  to  expand  our  geographic  reach  during  the  year 
under review. In December 2018, Burckhardt Compression opened 
a  new  service  center  in  Slovakia  with  its  local  partner  Sultrade 
Compressor  Services  (SCS)  for  the  Central  Europe  region.  This 
enables  it  to  offer  compressor  operators  in  Slovakia,  the  Czech 
Republic,  Hungary,  Poland  and  Austria  a  full  range  of  services 
and  repairs  for  all  reciprocating  compressor  brands  as  well  as 
Hyper Compressor services. The new location brings Burckhardt 
Compression closer to its customers in the region and enables it 
to respond to customer needs and inquiries more quickly.

Another service center was opened in Thailand in collabora-
tion with local partner SPAN Maintenance and Service. It offers 
compressor valve services and repairs. The new service center 
in  Sweden  was  officially  inaugurated  together  with  our  strate-
gic local partner Kompressorteknik ML AB.

 
 
 
 
 
40

REVIEW  OF  THE  FISCAL  YEAR  SERVICES  DIVISION  |  ANNUAL  REPORT  2018  |  BURCKHARDT  COMPRESSION

In China, Burckhardt Compression expanded its component 
manufacturing capacity at its existing site in Shanghai. Besides 
valves,  it  now  manufactures  rings  and  packings  to  address 
increasing  market  demand  in  China  attributable,  among  other 
factors, to our cooperation with Shenyang Yuanda – customers 
are increasingly ordering Burckhardt Compression’s spare parts 
for their other brand compressors.

OUTLOOK

The  outlook  for  growth  in  our  services  business  remains  
attractive:
–  More  and  more  customers  are  outsourcing  service-related 

operations.

–  The installed base of compressor units continues to grow.
–  Compressor operators are seeking efficiency gains to sharpen 
their competitive profile, which requires retrofit and overhaul 
services.

–  Preventive  maintenance  in  conjunction  with  the  continuous 
condition  monitoring  of  compressor  systems  is  growing  in 
importance.

Therefore  we  believe  that  the  demand  for  a  full  range  of  com-
pressor  services  from  a  single  source  will  grow  more  strongly 
than the spare parts business alone. Customers are increasingly 
expecting engineering solutions, competent onsite advisory ser-
vices and tailor-made maintenance concepts.

Laby®-GI  fuel  gas  supply  compressors,  we  will  establish  a  ser-
vices  organization  that  addresses  the  specific  needs  and 
requirements of the marine business. Digitalization will also be 
used  to  create  new  services  and  applications.  The  main  aims 
here are to improve access to company and customer data and 
the  utilization  thereof,  foster  transparent  communication,  and 
optimize business processes. Stricter cost controls will also be 
imposed.

Last year’s achievements indicate that the Services Division 
is  on  the  right  track.  The  market  response  to  the  expansion  of 
our  service  presence  and  our  engineering  and  project  manage-
ment  resources  was  very  positive.  Numerous  engineering  spe-
cialists  and  sales  staff  were  hired  to  strengthen  this  unit.  We 
also  offered  more  training  courses  and  resources,  not  only  for 
our  own  employees  but  also  for  our  customers’  service  and 
maintenance technicians.

A  large-scale  customer  satisfaction  survey  conducted  for 
the first time in 2018 confirmed that we are moving in the right 
direction with our latest strategic initiatives. The target groups 
of  this  survey  were  our  customers’  service  and  maintenance 
technicians  and  other  employees  with  a  technical  background 
as well as procurement specialists. The survey showed that our 
customers  are  very  satisfied  with  the  competence  of  our  field 
service specialists and the quality of the spare parts we make. 
These findings were evaluated with inputs from all of our coun-
try  organizations  and  specialist  units  and  corrective  measures 
were taken where necessary. This survey will now be conducted 
on a periodical basis.

In  view  of  the  growing  number  of  LNG   
tankers,  we  established  a  services   
organization  that  addresses  the  specific 
needs  of  the  marine  business.

In  our  Mid-Range  Plan  for  2018  to  2022,  we  expect  the  Ser-
vices  Division  to  achieve  annual  organic  growth  of  6%  to  8%. 
Including  the  expected  consolidation  of  Arkos  Field  Services, 
the  divisional  sales  target  for  2022  is  CHF 360 mn.  The  target 
range  for  its  EBIT  margin  is  20%  to  25%.  Growth  priorities  are 
services  for  compressors  made  by  other  manufacturers  and 
people-driven  services.  To  ensure  success  in  this  business, 
Burckhardt Compression has launched operational initiatives to 
strengthen  customer  relationship  management,  for  example, 
and  expand  its  local  and  regional  service  capabilities.  Other 
measures  include  the  expansion  of  its  engineering  and  project 
management resources in the  Services Division and the imple-
mentation  of  global  processes  for  all  service  center  locations. 
In  view  of  the  growing  number  of  LNG  tankers  equipped  with 

 
REVIEW  OF  THE  FISCAL  YEAR  SERVICES  DIVISION  |  ANNUAL  REPORT  2018  |  BURCKHARDT  COMPRESSION

41

42

43

BURCKHARDT COMPRESSION GROUP

“Sustainability is a high-priority topic for us. We’re proud to have 
won the GreenCo Award for a third consecutive year. We also 
were honored with an energy efficiency award and an award for 
the best waste management and recycling project.”

Sneha Panse, Associate Manager, Burckhardt Compression India

44

45

46

SUSTAINABILITY  REPORT  |  ANNUAL  REPORT  2018  |  BURCKHARDT  COMPRESSION

 SUSTAINABILITY  REPORT

COMMITMENT  AND  LEADERSHIP

Burckhardt Compression has made a long-term commitment to 
the economy, society and the environment. Our aim is to create 
the framework for continuing the company’s 175-year history of 
success  on  all  levels.  This  can  only  be  achieved  if  a  balance  is 
found between the different and sometimes opposing interests 
of the individual stakeholders.

We are committed to transparency. Only by knowing exactly 
where  things  stand  can  appropriate  goals  be  set  and  the  right 
measures  initiated  to  achieve  them.  Regular  management 
reviews  and  appropriate  controlling  instruments  ensure  that 
we achieve the goals we set. Burckhardt Compression’s sustain-
ability credentials are evaluated by an external specialist (GAM) 
on  a  regular  basis.  During  the  latest  assessment  in  2018  we 
again  achieved  our  goal  of  exceeding  the  average  rating  for  a 
selected group of comparable Swiss companies.

Burckhardt  Compression  modified  its  occupational  health 
and  safety  management  systems  during  the  year  under  review 
in  accordance  with  OHSAS  18001  requirements  and  introduced 
an  environmental  management  system  in  compliance  with  
ISO 14001, obtaining certification for both standards.

ECONOMIC  SUSTAINABILITY

Objective
Our  company’s  primary  objective  is  to  achieve  our  financial 
goals,  since  failure  to  meet  these  goals  could  have  a  profound 
impact  on  the  future  of  our  company.  The  continued  existence 
of  Burckhardt  Compression  over  the  long  term  is  ensured  only 
if we manage to achieve financial results that at least average 
those of our direct competitors.

As  part  of  the  effort  to  maintain  economic  sustainability, 
Burckhardt Compression regularly produces a Mid-Range Plan, 
usually covering a period of five fiscal years. This is periodically 
reviewed and modified to reflect the prevailing economic, polit-
ical and technological environment.

Investors
We maintain an open and transparent dialog with our investors 
and  interested  parties.  The  aim  of  our  Investor  Relations  is  to 
accurately  portray  our  company  to  enable  a  fair  valuation  of 
Burckhardt Compression’s stock. In an effort to further that dia-
log,  we  organize  Investor  Days,  most  recently  at  the  company’s 
headquarters  in  Winterthur  in  January  2018,  where  we  pre-
sented  the  targets  and  objectives  of  our  Mid-Range  Plan  for 
2018 to 2022.

Our  Investor  Relations  are  evaluated  by  independent  firms 
and receive consistently very good ratings considering the size 
of our company. The leading Swiss business newspaper “Finanz 
und  Wirtschaft”  gives  us  an  A–  rating  (A  being  the  highest  rat-
ing) for Investor Relations and transparency.

In  the  yearly  ranking  of  annual  reports  conducted  by  
HarbourClub  and  the  business  magazine  “Bilanz”  our  2017 
annual report scored a very high 26th (out of a total of 230 com-
panies) in the Value Reporting (Print) category.

In the 2018 survey of company boards carried out by zRating 
in  collaboration  with  the  “Finanz  und  Wirtschaft,”  Burckhardt 
Compression ranked 15th among the 174 Swiss listed companies 
covered by the survey. This excellent ranking is based on 26 cri-
teria pertaining to board organization, independence, transpar-
ency, compensation and sustainability.

Customers
Burckhardt  Compression  seeks  to  establish  lasting  customer 
relationships, given that the average useful life of our compres-
sors is 30 to 50 years. Following the project phase, we provide 
our  customers  with  the  necessary  services  and  components 
they  need  throughout  the  entire  life  cycle  of  the  compressor 
systems.  Our  longest-standing  customer  relationship  dates 
back to 1885, when we supplied BASF in Ludwigshafen with one 
of the first compressors ever built by our company.

The  various  business  activities  of  Burckhardt  Compression 
also call for a variety of tools for measuring customer satisfac-
tion. Here a distinction is made between direct and indirect key 
performance  indicators  (KPI),  which  are  measured  and  evalu-
ated. Customer satisfaction is evaluated during claims and war-
ranties  meetings,  which  are  an  integral  part  of  the  manage-
ment  process  and  are  held  with  the  designated  management 
teams.  Appropriate  measures  are  then  introduced  and  imple-
mented based on the results of the evaluation. In the year under 
review, customer satisfaction surveys were focused on the Ser-
vices Division.

Competition
We are committed to fair competition, in which there is no room 
for price fixing, cartels or other activities that distort competi-
tion. We value our corporate and business know-how, especially 
our  technical  and  commercial  know-how,  and  are  constantly 
safeguarding it against loss or unauthorized access.

Suppliers
A  well-functioning  supply  chain  ensures  our  continual  product 
development  and  manufacturing  activities.  Burckhardt  Com-
pression  buys  its  products  from  various  global  and  regional 
suppliers. We cooperate closely with them as early as the devel-
opment stage and aspire to establish long-lasting partnerships. 

 
 
 
 
SUSTAINABILITY  REPORT  |  ANNUAL  REPORT  2018  |  BURCKHARDT  COMPRESSION

47

by Burckhardt Compression and evaluated by its executives. We 
also  work  with  suppliers,  universities,  institutions  and  advisors 
worldwide  to  develop  and  improve  products  or  processes  in 
areas  where  we  do  not  have  the  necessary  expertise.  Collabo-
ration  with  external  experts  and  specialists  fosters  new  ideas 
and maximizes creative potential, also within the company.

Capital expenditure
Burckhardt  Compression  has  invested  CHF 125.9 mn  over  the 
past  five  years  (excluding  acquisitions).  Most  of  its  capital 
expenditure  during  the  period  under  review  was  spent  on  proj-
ects in Winterthur and at Shenyang Yuanda Compressor.

Value-based management
We  measure  the  value  generated  for  our  shareholders  in  two 
ways:
– Market capitalization as a percentage of equity
– Change in earnings per share

Market  cap  divided  by  shareholder  equity  at  the  end  of  the 
reporting  year  resulted  in  a  quotient  of  2.7  (previous  year  3.1). 
This clearly shows that we continue to generate substantial value 
with  the  capital  of  our  shareholders  (shareholders’  equi ty). 
Net income per share attributable to the shareholders of Burck-
hardt  Compression  for  the  period  under  review  amounted  to 
CHF 8.15  (previous  year:  CHF 8.51).  We  aim  to  increase  this  fig-
ure going forward.

All  acquisition  targets  must  meet  three  specific  criteria:  
1)  The  acquired  activities  must  be  a  good  strategic  fit  for  our 
company; 2) the price must be in accord with our expectations; 
3)  the  corporate  culture  of  the  target  company  must  be  com-
patible with our own.

We adhere to the principles set out in our Code of Conduct and 
ensure that they are strictly complied with in all dealings with 
our suppliers. The Code of Conduct is available to the public and 
can  be  downloaded  at  www.burckhardtcompression.com/
about-us/vision-mission-values.  We  systematically  test  their 
suitability  and  annually  assess  their  performance  by  means  of 
visits and audits, and by measuring key performance indicators.

We  were  honored  to  receive  an  SAP  Gold 
Award  in  the  “Fast  Delivery”  category   
for  our  swift  and  smooth  implementation   
of  SAP’s  Success  Factors  HR  software   
in  fiscal  year  2018.

Procurement  is  an  integral  part  of  Burckhardt  Compres-
sion’s  strategic  management  cycle.  The  relevant  procurement 
managers  report  at  regular  intervals  on  the  most  important 
changes in the global procurement market, such as price trends 
for  raw  materials  and  finished  products.  Decisions  are  made 
together  with  the  divisional  management  teams  to  ensure  a 
smooth  supply  chain.  Every  year,  we  reward  the  best  suppliers 
in  the  various  categories,  to  encourage  them  to  achieve  even 
more.  In  the  year  under  review,  we  organized  a  Supplier  Day  in 
Switzerland and in India to deepen our contact with our suppli-
ers and inform them about various changes and projects.

We  were  honored  with  the  SAP  Gold  Award  in  the  “Fast 
Delivery”  category  in  connection  with  the  roll-out  of  SAP’s  
Success Factors HR software in fiscal year 2018. SAP’s award is 
given in recognition of superb project planning and the fast and 
cost-effective  implementation  of  SAP  software  solutions, 
focusing closely on SAP standards.

Innovation
Burckhardt  Compression  was  named  world  market  leader  for 
reciprocating compressor systems during the year under review. 
The  Global  Market  Leaders  Index  was  developed  by  the  Busi-
ness School of the University of St. Gallen in collaboration with 
the Akademie Deutscher Weltmarktführer. The index lists com-
panies that offer leading technology and outstanding products 
and services.

 Process improvement
The quest for continuous improvement by Burckhardt Compres-
sion’s executives and employees forms the foundation on which 
the company is based.

Every  year,  the  personal  objectives  of  our  executives  and 
employees include implementing continuous improvement proj-
ects. These projects are implemented using methods developed 

 
 
 
 
 
48

SUSTAINABILITY  REPORT  |  ANNUAL  REPORT  2018  |  BURCKHARDT  COMPRESSION

Risk management
As the world’s leading manufacturer of reciprocating compres-
sors, Burckhardt Compression is exposed to a number of risks. 
We have developed a comprehensive risk management plan for 
our  company  and  integrated  it  into  our  planning  and  manage-
ment process.

The Executive Board’s assessment of risks is discussed with 
the Audit Committee twice a year. We distinguish between two 
categories of risk:
1. 

 Internal:  Risks  that  Burckhardt  Compression  can  directly 
influence.

2.   External:  Risks  over  which  Burckhardt  Compression  has 

little or no influence.

The objectives of our risk management activities are:
–  to systematically detect special risks;
–  to establish processes for monitoring, reducing and, in a best 

case, preventing risks;

–  achieving a balance between risks and rewards for our business.

Warranty costs
The  significant  increase  in  actual  warranty  costs  in  the  fiscal 
year 2018 is mainly due to additional costs incurred in the LNGM 
business.

ACTUAL  WARRANTY  COSTS   
AS  A  PERCENTAGE  OF  SALES

%

10  
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18 

   0.7

   1.0

   0.8

   0.7

   0.8

   0.6

   0.8

   1.0

   1.4

NET  INCOME  PER  SHARE

CHF

07  
08
09
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18 

   20.00

   21.46

   16.68

   13.56

   15.22

   16.42
   15.87

   16.93
   16.34

   9.12
   8.51
   8.15

 
 
 
SUSTAINABILITY  REPORT  |  ANNUAL  REPORT  2018  |  BURCKHARDT  COMPRESSION

49

SOCIAL  SUSTAINABILITY

Corporate culture
A  well-founded  and  sound  corporate  culture  is  the  foundation 
of  a  company’s  competitiveness.  Our  “Values  and  Behaviors” 
policy document ensures that all employees at the Group’s var-
ious sites and subsidiaries share the same corporate values and 
principles.  This  shared  understanding  makes  collaboration 
between teams and across borders much easier.

All  employees  are  briefed  on  the  company’s  binding  values 
and code of conduct. Members of the Executive Board have also 
stressed  the  importance  of  these  common  values  and  behav-
iors in video podcasts. These measures help to ensure that our 
employees  are  familiar  with  our  corporate  culture  and  live  up 
to our core values. Our executives are important role models in 
this regard.

Sustainable HR policy
Only  satisfied  employees  are  willing  to  go  that  extra  mile  to 
meet the needs of our customers. That’s why we are committed 
to sustainable HR policies. We actively promote a good balance 
of  employees  in  terms  of  gender  and  age.  High  levels  of 
employee loyalty and identification with the company are con-
firmed by the fact that the typical employee has been with the 
company for 8.4 years. 

Toward the end of the previous fiscal year, Burckhardt Com-
pression  conducted  an  engagement  survey  with  all  employees 
around  the  world.  The  high  response  rate  of  89%  is  another 
reflection  of  our  employees’  commitment.  According  to  GfK, 
which  conducted  the  global  survey,  Burckhardt  Compression 
employee  views  on  the  quality  of  management,  internal  com-
munications and employee focus were better than the average 
industry scores. Cross-departmental collaboration and change 
were two areas where our scores were below the industry aver-
age.  Burckhardt  Compression  therefore  organized  Group-wide 
workshops,  action  plans  and  projects  to  further  improve 
employee satisfaction. This employee survey will be conducted 
every two years to measure changes in employee satisfaction.
We  have  a  responsibility  to  ensure  the  expertise  of  our 
employees  and  promote  the  exchange  of  knowledge.  Our  new 
employee orientation process ensures that new hires are famil-
iarized  with  their  area  of  work  and  our  corporate  culture.  Per-
sonal  development  is  part  of  our  annual  appraisal  and  perfor-
mance  reviews  and  it  is  financed  by  Burckhardt  Compression. 
We  have  developed  an  internal  training  program  with  various 
technical, product-specific and management modules to ensure 
the continual development of our technical and leadership com-
petencies. Training courses for specific skill sets are organized 
for  the  entire  Burckhardt  Compression  Group  several  times  a 
year.

Burckhardt Compression conducts an annual appraisal and 
performance  review  with  every  employee  (MyPerformance@
BC),  comprising  personal  development  goals  and  suggestions 
for  continuous  improvement.  Periodic  reviews  of  the  progress 
made toward performance goals, formal meetings with employ-
ees and goal-setting are part of the (MyPerformance@BC) sys-
tem.

13.8%  of  our  employees  worldwide  are  women  (previous 
year:  13.6%).  We  aim  to  raise  this  percentage  steadily  over  the 
coming years to 20%. Both men and women sit on the Board of 
Directors and the Executive Board of our company. This meets 
one of the recommendations from the Code of Best Practice for 
Corporate Governance published by economiesuisse and we are 
convinced that mixed-gender teams perform better.

Our  employees  are  regularly  informed  about  the  course  of 
business and other corporate developments by their managers. 
Burckhardt Compression employees in Switzerland are informed 
twice  a  year  by  the  CEO  and  the  heads  of  their  divisions.  The 
still  high  employee  turnover  rate  of  9.8%  in  the  period  under 
review  (previous  year: 9.8%)  is  attributed  to  the  good  state  of 
the  global  economy.  We  aim  to  reduce  this  rate  to  a  signifi-
cantly lower level.

Promoting new talent and career development
We  actively  promote  and  support  new  talent  at  all  levels  and 
we  are  committed  to  the  Swiss  system  of  apprentice  training. 
There  are  currently  57  apprentices  in  Switzerland  and  27 in 
India  receiving  vocational  training  in  eight  different  trades.  We 
are a founding member of the initiative launched under the aus-
pices of the Swiss Federal Office for Professional Education and 
Technology  and  the  Swiss-Indian  Chamber  of  Commerce  to 
establish  an  apprenticeship  system  of  learning  in  India  pat-
terned  after  the  Swiss  model  and  we  are  a  corporate  sponsor 
of the AZW Training Center in Winterthur for vocational career 
pathways.  Apprentices  with  a  good  performance  record  are 
generally  retained  by  Burckhardt  Compression  upon  comple-
tion  of  their  apprenticeship.  Burckhardt  Compression’s  annual 
spending  on  apprenticeship  training  programs  (cash  out) 
amounts  to  about  CHF  1.4  mn.  Based  on  the  internal  talent 
review  process,  potential  new  managers  and  specialists  are 
identified  at  an  early  stage  and  offered  selective  talent  devel-
opment  programs.  Vacant  job  positions  at  all  levels  are  also 
advertised  internally.  External  as  well  as  internal  candidates 
must go through a proprietary screening process. The system-
atic evaluation and development of the company’s future man-
agers,  which  we  have  practiced  internally  with  success  for 
many years, enabled us to again fill various management vacan-
cies  during  the  past  year  with  internal  candidates.  If  there  are 
no  suitable  candidates  available  in-house  to  succeed  a  depart-

 
 
50

SUSTAINABILITY  REPORT  |  ANNUAL  REPORT  2018  |  BURCKHARDT  COMPRESSION

ing executive or to fill a new management-level position, we are 
in a good position to recruit well-qualified external candidates, 
not least due to our company profile and image.

GEOGRAPHIC  BREAKDOWN  OF  THE  WORKFORCE,  2018 
100%  =  2’346

Occupational health & safety
Safety  at  work  is  very  important  to  Burckhardt  Compression. 
We  believe  it  is  important  that  all  employees  are  informed  of 
the  risks  involved  in  their  work  and  aware  of  the  accident  pre-
vention  measures.  Regular  training  is  provided  on  the  topic  of 
safety  at  work.  Work  safety  audits  and  safety  inspections  are 
carried out annually by external professionals and the findings 
are implemented accordingly.

The health and general well-being of our employees are also 
important  to  us.  Burckhardt  Compression  acknowledges  that 
physical  and  mental  health  correlates  with  employee  produc-
tivity  and  performance.  An  extensive  range  of  physical  activi-
ties, preventive measures and measures on specific topics help 
to  improve  employee  satisfaction,  health  and  motivation,  and 
to  reduce  absences.  During  the  year  under  review  the  Occupa-
tional  Health  &  Safety  System  introduced  at  all  of  Burckhardt 
Compression’s  sites  received  OHSAS  18001  certification.  Vari-
ous  activities  such  as  more  frequent  or  detailed  risk  assess-
ments, safety tours with managers, and safety training courses 
for employees have had a positive impact on the relevant KPIs. 
At  the  Winterthur  site,  all  workshop  employees  are  now  also 
required to wear protective footwear. 

The average number of working days lost because of illness 
declined to 6.1 days per employee (previous year: 7.5 days). Our 
aim  is  to  bring  this  down  to  less  than  6.0  days.  Measures  were 
taken to achieve this goal.

Environmental management
All Burckhardt Compression sites received ISO 14001 certifica-
tion  in  the  past  fiscal  year.  In  addition  to  compliance  with  the 
applicable standards, activities here were primarily focused on 
environmentally  relevant  aspects,  with  the  aim  of  reducing 
energy consumption. A comprehensive chemicals management 
concept was also drawn up, hazardous chemicals were replaced 
with  less  hazardous  ones  and  our  storage  practices  were  
optimized.

Employees (full-time equivalents) 

Other
20%

BRIC
Countries
48%

Switzerland
32%

GLOBAL  WORKFORCE  BY  GENDER

Employees (full-time equivalents)

   812

   872

   939

   1’072

   1’217

   1’257

10

11

12

13

14

15 

16 

17

18

   105

   111

   139

   160

   168

   175

   277

302

   324

  Men
  Women

EMPLOYEE  TURNOVER  RATIO

%

10  
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18 

   8.0

   7.5

   5.2
   5.0

   4.4

   5.4

   10.2

   9.8
   9.8

   1’830

   1’912

   2’022

 
 
SUSTAINABILITY  REPORT  |  ANNUAL  REPORT  2018  |  BURCKHARDT  COMPRESSION

51

Social environment
We  are  well  established  in  our  social  environment.  We  actively 
cooperate with citizens and the authorities at all locations. Our 
company supports employees who are committed to doing good 
for  the  community.  Therefore,  we  support  the  engagement  of 
our executives and employees in political and charitable aspira-
tions  with  the  aim  of  alleviating  problems  facing  society.  For 
example,  our  Board  Chairman  has  held  the  unpaid  position  of 
chairman of the Swiss Employers’ Association since 2011 and of 
“Check  your  Chance,”  a  Swiss  association  that  fights  youth 
unemployment,  since  2014.  Our  CEO  serves  as  the  honorary 
chair  of  the  Swiss-CIS/Georgia  Joint  Chamber  of  Commerce.  
To  strengthen  local  social  networks,  we  run  programs  at  the 
locations  of  our  biggest  companies  in  Switzerland  and  India 
that  support  local  social  and  cultural  projects.  In  doing  so,  we 
specifically  encourage  our  employees  to  become  personally 
involved in such projects.

ENVIRONMENTAL  SUSTAINABILITY

“We are a company that cares about the environment and that 
strongly  supports  responsible  and  prudent  consumption  of 
energy  and  our  planet’s  finite  natural  resources.  By  exercising 
foresight and prudence, we help to minimize the use of energy, 
water  and  chemicals  of  all  kinds  while  addressing  the  issue  of 
harmful emissions.” (Code of Conduct)

Innovation
Environmental protection starts with product design and devel-
opment. We focus on sustainable and efficient product develop-
ment  concepts,  taking  into  account  the  entire  life  cycle  of  a 
product,  given  that  our  compressors  have  an  average  lifetime 
of 30 to 50 years. Whenever it makes sense, our customers are 
included early on in the development stage of new products, in 
order to find joint innovative solutions and verify ideas.

Products
Highly  functional  products  enable  our  compressor  systems  to 
run  optimally.  The  following  newly  developed  products  and 
solutions  promise  to  offer  customers  greater  benefits  while 
improving our environmental footprint:
–  Laby®-GI  Compressors:  The  dual-fuel  propulsion  system 
developed  for  LNG  carriers  can  be  powered  by  environmen-
tally  friendly  natural  gas  instead  of  marine  diesel  oil.  The 
Laby®-GI  fuel  gas  compressors  by  Burckhardt  Compression 
compress  the  boil-off  gas  from  the  LNG  tanks,  which  is  then 
injected directly into a diesel engine. The dual-fuel propulsion 
system  for  LNG  carriers  significantly  reduces  CO2  and  SOX 
emissions when powered by natural gas.

–  Process Gas Compressors per API 618: These compressors are 
used  specifically  in  industrial  processes  for  the  desulfuriza-
tion of fuels.

–  PROGNOST®-SILver:  Systems  for  monitoring  and  diagnosing 
the  condition  of  reciprocating  compressors  are  key  tools  for 
increasing  operational  reliability,  extending  service  intervals 
and preventing failures.

 
 
52

SUSTAINABILITY  REPORT  |  ANNUAL  REPORT  2018  |  BURCKHARDT  COMPRESSION

Procurement
We draw on the experience of our suppliers to help us continu-
ously  improve  our  products.  Much  of  our  value  creation  is 
dependent on them. Therefore, we place the same high demands 
on  them  as  we  do  on  ourselves.  They  are  integrated  into  our 
environmental  and  quality  policy.  Checks  are  made  on  site  or 
when  goods  arrive  to  ensure  adherence  to  specifications  and 
are verified by reviewing the required audit reports.

Manufacturing and logistics
In  our  efforts  to  transfer  knowledge  and  production  know-how 
between  our  various  production  and  engineering  centers,  we 
are also transferring safe, efficient and environmentally friendly 
production  and  engineering  processes.  We  have  optimized  our 
internal  logistics  processes  and  transportation  operations 
through  the  “PULL@BCAG”  program.  We  are  also  reducing  the 
number  of  transport  runs  by  consolidating  deliveries  and 
deploying  more  container  delivery  solutions.  “PULL@BCAG”  is 
not simply a project but rather a reflection of our basic philoso-
phy  about  the  work  we  do.  Local  procurement  of  machine 
accessories brings us even closer to our customers and allows 
us to reduce transport runs.

Buildings and fixtures
At  the  Winterthur  site,  a  multi-year  project  to  replace  conven-
tional lighting with LEDs in our offices and workshops is under-
way to save energy.

More  investments  were  made  to   
reduce  fine  respirable  dust   
at  our  foundry  operations  in  China.

A new sand mixer was installed for Shenyang Yuanda Com-
pressor’s  foundry.  This  new  machine  produces  a  better  sand 
mixture and thus a more homogenous sand composition, which 
in turn, reduces the required amounts of sand hardeners. Other 
green  investments  were  made  to  reduce  fine  respirable  dust 
caused by the foundry’s operations.

Our  factory  in  Pune,  India,  received  another  GreenCo  Gold 
Award  during  the  year  under  review.  GreenCo  is  an  environ-
mental rating system introduced by the Confederation of Indian 
Industry  (CII)  that  takes  a  holistic  approach  to  measuring  the 
effectiveness of a company’s environmental policies. The Pune 
factory also received a gold award for its energy-saving activi-
ties and an honorable mention for the best waste management 
and  recycling  project.  It  increased  the  renewables  share  of  its 
energy  mix  and  installed  more  roof-top  solar  panels,  and 
reduced its overall energy consumption.

Environmental management, recycling and waste disposal
Hazardous  goods  and  chemicals  are  transported,  stored  and 
disposed of in accordance with applicable laws and regulations. 
We try to recycle as much of our waste as possible. Internal col-
lection  points  help  our  employees  sort  and  dispose  of  waste 
correctly.  This  allows  most  of  our  waste  to  be  recycled.  The 
rest is sent to a nearby waste incineration plant that produces 
district  heat  for  water  and  space  heating  systems.  Specialized 
companies are engaged to ensure that recycled certain materi-
als  (e.g.  metals)  are  recycled  in  the  proper,  most  environmen-
tally friendly way.

The  waste  management  concept  introduced  in  collabora-
tion with external consultants was continued and expanded and 
will lead to even greater separation of waste in the future.

Burckhardt  Compression  reviewed  and  modified  its  chemi-
cals concept at its Winterthur site during the year under review. 
Combustible  chemicals  were  replaced  with  less  flammable 
chemicals,  and  all  storage  containers  were  relabeled.  Oil  stor-
age tanks were retrofitted with spill containment systems and 
special  transport  tanks,  which  improves  our  chemical  safety 
practices and process efficiency. The substitution of hazardous 
chemicals further reduced our consumption of VOC gases (Vol-
atile  Organic  Compounds),  which  have  harmful  effects  on 
human health and the environment.

  These  and  other  measures  are  part  of  the  EOHS  system 
that  is  being  introduced  at  all  Group  sites  in  compliance  with 
ISO  14001  and  OHSAS  18001  standards.  Official  certification 
was obtained in 2018.

 
 
SUSTAINABILITY  REPORT  |  ANNUAL  REPORT  2018  |  BURCKHARDT  COMPRESSION

53

ELECTRICITY  CONSUMPTION

MWh

10  
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18 

   3’717
   3’707

   4’136

   3’672

   5’305
   5’385

   6’773

   6’933
   7’029

WATER  CONSUMPTION

m3

10  
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18 

WASTE

t

10  
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18 

   41’639

   35’040

   28’251

   14’851

   17’792
18’865

   29’157

   24’310

   29’019

   256
   246

   197

   235

   280

   326 

   284

   321

   343

Figures without Shenyang Yuanda Compressor

54

CORPORATE  GOVERNANCE  |  ANNUAL  REPORT  2018  |  BURCKHARDT  COMPRESSION

 CORPORATE  GOVERNANCE

Burckhardt  Compression  is  committed  to  responsible  corpo-
rate  governance.  The  company  adheres  to  the  Directive  on 
Information  Relating  to  Corporate  Governance  (DCG)  issued  by 
SIX Swiss Exchange, where applicable to Burckhardt Compres-
sion, and the “Swiss Code of Best Practice for Corporate Gover-
nance” issued by economiesuisse.

This report is structured in accordance with the DCG’s out-
line  and  numbering.  Unless  otherwise  noted,  the  information 
presented reflects the situation on March 31, 2019.

1.  GROUP  STRUCTURE  AND   
SHAREHOLDERS

1.1. Group structure

1.1.1. Organizational group structure
Burckhardt Compression is managed through a divisional orga-
nizational  structure  consisting  of  two  divisions,  the  Systems 
Division (compressor manufacturing business) and the Services 
Division  (compressor  services  and  components).  The  manage-
ment  structure  of  the  Burckhardt  Compression  Group  is  given 
in the organizational chart below: 

CEO

M. Pawlicek

1.1.2. Listed Group companies
Burckhardt  Compression  Holding  AG,  a  corporation  organized 
under the laws of Switzerland with legal domicile in Winterthur, 
is the only listed Group company. Burckhardt Compression reg-
istered  shares  (BCHN)  are  listed  on  the  SIX  Swiss  Exchange  in 
Zurich  (ISIN:  CH0025536027;  security  number  002553602).  
Its  market  capitalization  as  per  March  31,  2019  amounted  to  
CHF 921’400’000.

1.1.3. Unlisted Group companies
Information on the unlisted companies included in the scope of 
consolidation of Burckhardt Compression Holding AG is given in 
the financial report on page 107, Note 102, “Investments in sub-
sidiaries.”

With the exception of Burckhardt Compression Holding AG, 
none  of  the  companies  included  in  the  scope  of  consolidation 
hold any BCHN shares.

1.2. Significant shareholders
According  to  information  available  to  the  company  from  the 
disclosure  notifications  of  the  SIX  Swiss  Exchange  AG,  the 
shareholders  listed  in  the  following  table  reported  sharehold-
ings of at least 3% of the voting rights as per March 31, 2019. In 
accordance with the company’s Bylaws, the voting rights of NN 
Group N.V., J O Hambro Capital Management Limited and Atlantic 
Value General Partner Limited are limited in each case to 5.0% 
of the total number of BCHN registered shares recorded in the 
commercial register: 

CHRO

S. Pitt

President 
Systems Division

F. Billard

CFO

R. Brändli

Name

Country

%  
of shares

President
Services Division

R. Dübi (from 02/15/2019)

M. Wendel (until 02/14/2019)

MBO shareholder pool
NN Groep N.V.

J O Hambro Capital Management Limited

CH
NL

UK

Atlantic Value General Partner Limited (Mondrian) UK

Ameriprise Financial Inc.

Credit Suisse Funds AG

Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company 
(Oppenheimer)

UBS Fund Management (Switzerland) AG

US

CH

US

CH

12.4
6.9

6.1

5.0

3.5

3.0

3.0

3.0

More  detailed  information  on  the  disclosure  notifications  is 
available on the website of the SIX Swiss Exchange’s Disclosure 
Office  (https://www.six-exchange-regulation.com/de/home/
publications/significant-shareholders.html).

1.3. Cross-shareholdings
Burckhardt  Compression  Holding AG  has  no  cross-sharehold-
ings with any other company or group of companies. 

CORPORATE  GOVERNANCE  |  ANNUAL  REPORT  2018  |  BURCKHARDT  COMPRESSION

55

2.6. Limitations on transferability and nominee  
registrations
No person or entity will be registered in the Share Register with 
voting rights for more than 5% of the issued share capital. This 
entry restriction is also applicable to persons whose shares are 
held, in whole or part, by Nominees. This restriction is also valid 
if  shares  are  acquired  through  the  exercise  of  subscription, 
option  or  conversion  rights,  with  the  exception  of  shares 
acquired  through  inheritance,  division  of  an  estate  or  marital 
property law.

Legal entities and partnerships associated with each other 
by  uniformly  managed  capital  or  votes  or  in  any  other  way,  as 
well as private and legal entities or partnerships which form an 
association  to  evade  registration  restrictions,  are  regarded  as 
one person. 

Individual persons who have not expressly declared in their 
registration application that they hold the shares for their own 
account  (Nominees)  will  be  entered  in  the  Share  Register  with 
voting rights if the Nominee concerned provides proof that he/
she is subject to supervision by an accredited bank and financial 
market  regulator  and  if  he/she  has  concluded  an  agreement 
with  the  Board  of  Directors  concerning  his/her  status.  Nomi-
nees  holding  up  to  2%  of  the  issued  shares  will  be  entered  in 
the Share Register with voting rights without having to sign an 
agreement with the Board of Directors. Nominees holding more 
than  2%  of  the  issued  shares  will  be  entered  in  the  Share  Reg-
ister with 2% voting rights and, for the remaining shares, with-
out voting rights. Above this 2% cap, the Board of Directors may 
have Nominees entered in the Share Register with voting rights 
if they disclose the names, the addresses, the nationalities and 
the shareholdings of the persons for whom they hold more than 
2% of the issued share capital.

2.7. Convertible bonds and options
The company does not have any outstanding convertible bonds 
and has not issued any option rights.

2.  CAPITAL  STRUCTURE

2.1. Capital
The  issued  share  capital  of  Burckhardt  Compression  Holding 
AG amounts to CHF 8’500’000, comprising 3’400’000 fully paid 
registered shares with a nominal value of CHF 2.50 each.

2.2. Details on authorized and conditional capital
The Board of Directors is empowered to increase the company’s 
share capital by a maximum of CHF 1’275’000 at any time until 
June  30,  2019  by  issuing  a  maximum  of  510’000  fully  paid  reg-
istered  shares  with  a  nominal  value  of  CHF 2.50  each  (autho-
rized  share  capital).  The  date  and  amount  of  the  issuance,  the 
time of dividend entitlement and, if applicable, the type of con-
tribution  will  be  determined  by  the  Board  of  Directors.  Partial 
increases  in  capital  are  permitted.  The  transferability  of  the 
shares shall be subject to the registration restrictions set forth 
in  the  Bylaws,  if  any.  The  Board  of  Directors  is  authorized  to 
exclude  shareholders’  subscription  rights,  in  part  or  whole,  in 
favor  of  third  parties  if  the  new  shares  are  used  to  i)  acquire 
companies through an exchange of shares or ii) finance the pur-
chase of companies in whole or part. The Board of Directors is 
also  authorized  to  exclude  subscription  rights  of  shareholders 
if  the  newly  created  shares  are  issued  by  means  of  a  public 
offering. Shares for which subscription rights have been granted 
but  not  exercised  will  be  allotted  by  the  Board  of  Directors  at 
its own discretion. Apart from the above, Burckhardt Compres-
sion  Holding  AG  has  no  other  authorized  and/or  conditional 
share capital.

2.3. Changes in capital
There  has  been  no  movement  in  share  capital  since  the  IPO  in 
June 2006.

2.4. Shares and participation certificates
Voting  rights  may  only  be  exercised  after  the  shareholder  has 
been registered in the Share Register. All shares are entitled to 
full dividend rights. Voting rights per shareholder are restricted 
to 5% of the total number of the registered shares recorded in 
the  commercial  register.  This  does  not  apply  to  shareholders 
who were in possession of more than 5% of the shares of Burck-
hardt Compression Holding AG before the Initial Public Offering 
(IPO). The voting rights of treasury shares – held by Burckhardt 
Compression Holding AG – will be suspended. The company has 
not issued any participation certificates.

2.5. Dividend-right certificates
The company has not issued any dividend-right certificates.

56

CORPORATE  GOVERNANCE  |  ANNUAL  REPORT  2018  |  BURCKHARDT  COMPRESSION

3.  BOARD  OF  DIRECTORS

From left: Urs Leinhäuser, Dr. Monika Krüsi, Valentin Vogt, Hans Hess, Dr. Stephan Bross

CORPORATE  GOVERNANCE  |  ANNUAL  REPORT  2018  |  BURCKHARDT  COMPRESSION

57

3.1. Members and
3.2. Other activities and interests
The  Bylaws  stipulate  that  the  Board  of  Directors  consists  of  a 
minimum of three and a maximum of seven members. At pre s-
ent, the composition of the Board of Directors is as follows: 

Name

Nationality

Function

First elected

Term expires

Valentin Vogt
Hans Hess

Dr. Monika Krüsi

Urs Leinhäuser

Dr. Stephan Bross

CH 
CH

CH/IT

CH

DE

AC = Audit Committee 
NCC = Nomination and Compensation Committee
SC = Strategy Committee

Chairman, non-executive, Chairman SC
Deputy Chairman, non-executive, Chairman NCC

Member, non-executive, member SC, member AC

Member, non-executive, Chairman AC

Member, non-executive, member NCC

2002
2006

2012

2007

2014

2018
2018

2018

2018

2018

Valentin Vogt was CEO of Burckhardt Compression Group from 
the year 2000 until March 31, 2011. No other Board member has 
served  as  a  member  of  the  Executive  Board  of  a  Burckhardt 
Compression Group company. None of the directors have material 
business  relationships  with  a  Burckhardt  Compression  Group 
company.

The  competencies  of  the  Board  members  are  depicted  in  the 
following matrix:

Valentin Vogt

Hans Hess

Urs Leinhäuser

Monika Krüsi

Stephan Bross

Executive competence (>200 FTEs)
Strategic competence

Competence in non-European cultures

Supply chain competence

Competence in BC markets

Technological competencies

Financial competencies

M&A competence

Board-level competencies

CEO coaching competencies

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

The company’s Legal Counsel, who serves as Secretary to the Board of Directors, has a degree in law (Dr. iur.).

 
58

CORPORATE  GOVERNANCE  |  ANNUAL  REPORT  2018  |  BURCKHARDT  COMPRESSION

Biographical  details  and  information  on 
other  activities  and  commitments  of  
the  individual  members  of  the  Board  of  
Directors: 

VALENTIN  VOGT  (1960)

HANS  HESS  (1955)

Education
Lic. oec. HSG St. Gallen, Switzerland

Professional background
Since 2011  self-employed, Switzerland
2000–2011  CEO, Burckhardt Compres-
sion Group, Switzerland
1992–2000  General Manager, Sulzer 
Metco AG, Switzerland
1989–1992  CFO, Sulzer Metco AG,  
Switzerland
1986–1989  CFO, Alloy Metals, USA
1985–1986  Controller, Sulzer AG,  
Switzerland

Duties and responsibilities as a 
director of Burckhardt Compression 
Holding AG
–  Chairman of the Board of Directors
–  Chairman of the Strategy Committee

Education
Master’s degree in Materials Science & 
Engineering, ETH Zurich, Switzerland, 
MBA University of Southern California, 
USA

Professional background
Since 2006  self-employed, Hanesco AG, 
Switzerland
1996–2005  Delegate of the Board  
of Directors and CEO, Leica  
Geosystems AG, Switzerland
1993–1996  President, Leica Optronics 
Group, Switzerland
1989–1993  Vice President, Leica 
Microscopy Group, Switzerland
1983–1988  Head of Polyurethane  
Division, Huber & Suhner AG, Switzerland
1981–1983  Development Engineer,  
Sulzer AG, Switzerland

Other activities and commitments
–  Chairman of the Board, Kistler  

Holding AG, Switzerland

–  Board member, Bucher Industries AG, 

Duties and responsibilities as a 
director of Burckhardt Compression 
Holding AG
–  Deputy Chairman of the Board of 

Switzerland

Directors

–  Board member, Ernst Göhner Stiftung 

–  Chairman of the Nomination and Com-

Beteiligungen AG, Switzerland
–  Chairman of the Swiss Employers’  

Confederation, Switzerland

–  Member of Economic Advisory Board, 

pensation Committee

Other activities and commitments
–  Chairman of the Board, COMET  

Swiss National Bank, Switzerland

Holding AG, Switzerland

–  Chairman of the Board, Reichle &  

De-Massari AG, Switzerland

–  Board member, dormakaba Holding AG, 

Switzerland

–  Chairman, Swissmem, Switzerland
–  Vice President, economiesuisse,  

Switzerland

–  Trustee, Swisscontact, Switzerland
–  Trustee, Technorama, Switzerland

CORPORATE  GOVERNANCE  |  ANNUAL  REPORT  2018  |  BURCKHARDT  COMPRESSION

59

DR.  MONIKA  KRÜSI  (1962)

URS  LEINHÄUSER  (1959)

DR.  STEPHAN  BROSS  (1962)

Education
Engineering degree, University of Braun-
schweig, Germany 

Professional background
Since 2018  Executive Board member 
(CTO), KSB SE & Co. KGaA, Germany
2017  Executive Board member, 
 Technology, KSB AG, Germany
2014–2017  Senior Vice President, 
Pumps, KSB AG, Germany
2007–2013  Senior Vice President,  
Service, KSB AG, Germany
2002–2007  Head Product Management 
and Development Engineered Pumps, 
KSB AG, Germany
1997–2001  Head Development and  
Services Fluid Flow Technical Systems, 
KSB AG, Germany
1996–1997  Head of Fluid Mechanics 
Research, KSB AG, Germany
1993–1996  R&D Engineer, KSB AG,  
Germany 

Duties and responsibilities as a 
director of Burckhardt Compression 
Holding AG
–  Member of the Board of Directors
–  Member of the Nomination and  

Compensation Committee

Education 
PhD in Business Informatics, MBA,  
University of Zurich, Switzerland

Professional background
Since 2003  Partner, MKP Consulting 
AG, Switzerland
2001–2003  Partner, Venture Incubator 
Partners AG, Switzerland
1991–2001  Associated Partner,  
McKinsey & Co., Inc., Switzerland
1986–1990  Credit Suisse, Switzerland

Duties and responsibilities as a 
director of Burckhardt Compression 
Holding AG
–  Member of the Board of Directors
–  Member of the Strategy Committee
–  Member of the Audit Committee

Other activities and commitments
–  Chair of the Board of Directors, 

Repower AG, Switzerland

–  Chair of the Board of Directors,  

ACP, Switzerland

–  Board member, 360°, Switzerland
–  Board member, Otto Suhner AG,  

Switzerland

–  Board member, Signal AG, Switzerland
–  Board member, Technopark Luzern, 

Switzerland

Education
Degree in Business Administration,  
University of Applied Sciences, Zurich, 
Switzerland
IMD Lausanne (SSE)

Professional background
Since 2016  Partner/Consultant 
ADULCO GmbH, Switzerland
2014–2016  self-employed, Switzerland
2011–2014  CFO and Deputy CEO,  
Member of Executive Board, Autoneum 
Holding AG, Switzerland
2003–2011  CFO and Head Corporate 
Center, Member of Group Executive 
Committee, Rieter Holding AG,  
Switzerland
1999–2003  CFO, Member of Group 
Executive Committee, Mövenpick  
Holding, Switzerland
1997–1999  Head of Finance and  
Controlling, Piping Systems Division, 
Georg Fischer AG, Switzerland
1995–1997  Head of Corporate Control-
ling, Georg Fischer AG, Switzerland
1992  Managing Director, Cerberus,  
Denmark
1988–1994  Group Controller, Cerberus 
AG, Switzerland
1986–1988  Tax Consultant, Deputy 
Head, Tax Consultancy Department, 
Refidar Moore Stephens, Switzerland
1983–1986  Tax Inspector, Cantonal Tax 
Department SH, Switzerland

Duties and responsibilities as a 
director of Burckhardt Compression 
Holding AG
–  Member of the Board of Directors
–  Chairman of the Audit Committee

Other activities and commitments
–  Chairman of the Board of Directors, 

Avesco AG, Switzerland

–  Board member, Ammann Group  

Holding AG, Switzerland

–  Board member, Liechtensteinische 

Landesbank AG, Liechtenstein
–  Board member, VAT Group AG,  

Switzerland

60

CORPORATE  GOVERNANCE  |  ANNUAL  REPORT  2018  |  BURCKHARDT  COMPRESSION

3.3. Rules in the Bylaws concerning the number of per-
mitted activities
Members of the Board of Directors may not hold more than ten 
(10) additional board memberships, whereof not more than four 
(4) in listed companies.

3.4. Election and term of office
Each  member  of  the  Board  of  Directors,  the  Board  Chairman, 
and  each  member  of  the  Nomination  and  Compensation  Com-
mittee are elected annually by the Annual General Meeting. The 
members  of  the  Board  of  Directors  shall  be  automatically 
retired  from  the  Board  of  Directors  in  the  year  in  which  they 
reach the age of 70.

3.5. Internal organization
The Board of Directors has the final responsibility for the busi-
ness  strategy  and  the  management  of  the  Burckhardt  Com-
pression Group. It has final authority and defines the guidelines 
regarding  strategy,  organization,  financial  planning  and 
accounting  for  the  Burckhardt  Compression  Group.  The  Board 
of Directors has delegated  executive management responsibil-
ity to the CEO of Burckhardt Compression Group. The Board of 
Directors  appoints  a  secretary  for  the  Board  and  for  the  com-
pany. The Secretary does not need to be a member of the Board. 
This role is currently assigned to the company’s Legal Counsel. 
The Board of Directors meets as often as business requires, 
but  at  least  four  times  per  year.  In  fiscal  year  2018,  the  Board 
of  Directors  and  Board  committees  convened  the  following 
meetings: 

The  Board  of  Directors  has  a  quorum  when  the  majority  of 
the  members  are  present.  Decisions  are  passed  by  a  simple 
majority. In the event of a tie, the Chairman has the casting vote.
The  CEO,  the  two  Presidents  of  the  Systems  and  Services 
Divisions, the CFO, the CHRO and the Legal Counsel, in his role 
as secretary, are regularly invited to attend Board meetings to 
report on developments in their respective business areas. The 
Board of Directors has set up the following committees:

Audit Committee  The Audit Committee advises and supports 
the Board in all matters related to external and internal audits, 
risk  management,  accounting  policies  and  practices  and  com-
pliance  with  accounting  standards  issued.  The  CEO,  the  CFO, 
the  head  of  the  internal  audit  unit  and  representatives  of  the 
external  auditors  also  participated  in  the  Audit  Committee’s 
ordinary meetings. Members are Urs Leinhäuser (Chairman) and 
Dr. Monika Krüsi. 

Nomination and Compensation Committee  This committee 
advises  and  assists  the  Board  of  Directors  on  appointing, 
assessing and dismissing members of the Executive Board, and 
draws  up  proposals  for  the  appointment  or  dismissal  of  mem-
bers of the Board of Directors. Furthermore the Nomination and 
Compensation  Committee  advises  and  assists  the  Board  of 
Directors  on  questions  relating  to  the  compensation  of  the 
directors  and  the  Executive  Board  members.  The  CEO  and  the 
CHRO  also  attend  the  ordinary  meetings  of  the  NCC.  Members 
are Hans Hess (Chairman) and Dr. Stephan Bross.

Meetings

04/27/2018, Board telephone conference
05/23/2018, AC meeting 

05/23/2018, NCC meeting

05/24/2018, BOD meeting

08/21/2018, e.o. AC meeting

08/21/2018, BOD meeting

10/26/2018, AC meeting

10/26/2018, NCC meeting

10/26/2018, BOD meeting

11/23/2018, Strategy Day

12/07/2018, BOD meeting

02/13/2019, Board telephone conference

03/04/2019, BOD meeting

Governing 
body
BOD

AC

NCC

BOD

AC

BOD

AC

NCC

BOD

BOD

BOD

BOD

BOD

BOD = Board of Directors
AC = Audit Committee
NCC = Nomination and Compensation Committee
SC = Strategy Committee

Duration

Valentin Vogt Hans Hess Urs Leinhäuser Monika Krüsi Stephan Bross

1.5 hours

3.5 hours

3 hours

6 hours

1 hour

6 hours

3 hours

2 hours

6 hours

10 hours

7 hours

1.5 hours

6 hours

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

 
CORPORATE  GOVERNANCE  |  ANNUAL  REPORT  2018  |  BURCKHARDT  COMPRESSION

61

Strategy  Committee   The  Strategy  Committee  supports  the 
CEO in developing corporate strategy and advises the Board of 
Directors  in  strategic  matters  such  as  acquisitions  and  divest-
ments. It evaluates the implementation of company strategy on 
a regular basis and submits proposals to the Board of Directors 
if  adjustments  or  other  measures  are  deemed  necessary.  
Members are Valentin Vogt (Chairman) and Dr. Monika Krüsi.

3.6. Definition of areas of responsibility
The Board of Directors has delegated the executive management 
of the company and the Group to the CEO of Burckhardt Compres-
sion Group, with the exception of the following matters:
–  Definition of the Group’s business policies and strategy
–  Definition  of  the  top-level  organizational  structure  of  the 

Group

–  Approval  of  the  periodic  forecasts,  the  Annual  Report  and  of 

reporting and accounting policies

–  Ensuring adequate internal control systems based on the rec-

ommendations of the Audit Committee

–  Determination of the appropriate capital structure
–  Appointment and dismissal of members to and from the Exe-
cutive Board, as well as compensation of the Executive Board
–  Decisions on new subsidiaries, major capital expenditure pro-
jects, acquisitions, financing transactions, the insurance con-
cept and the provision of guarantees if such decisions exceed 
the powers conferred on the CEO. 

The  powers  of  the  Executive  Board  and  of  the  Group  company 
executives  are  listed  in  detail  in  the  delegation  of  powers  and 
duties policy.

3.7. Information and control instruments relating to the 
Executive Board
Financial  reporting  and  planning    Order  intake,  the  income 
statement,  balance  sheet,  liquidity  planning  and  cash  flow, 
headcount, personnel costs and capital expenditure are consol-
idated  and  annotated  on  a  monthly  basis.  A  rolling  forecast  of 
Group  results  for  the  current  and  coming  fiscal  years  is  also 
prepared  and  annotated  four  times  a  year  (April,  July,  October 
and January). Targets for the coming fiscal year are determined 
based  on  the  January  forecast.  The  financial  report  and  the 
forecasts  are  distributed  to  the  members  of  the  Executive 
Board  and  all  members  of  the  Board  of  Directors.  At  every 
meeting  of  the  Board  of  Directors,  the  members  of  the  Execu-
tive Board report on the course of business and on all issues of 
relevance to the Group.

Internal Group Audit and internal control system (ICS)  The 
Internal Group Audit unit reports to the Chairman of the Board 
of  Directors’  Audit  Committee.  Management  responsibility  for 
the unit has been delegated to the Head of Accounting of Burck-
hardt Compression AG, who is also responsible for planning and 
conducting  the  audits.  The  CFO  is  responsible  for  coordination 

between  the  Audit  Committee  and  the  Head  of  Internal  Group 
Audit. The Internal Group Audit team consists of qualified staff 
from  the  Finance  and  Controlling  departments  of  Burckhardt 
Compression AG and several selected financial specialists from 
the Group’s subsidiaries. These employees perform the internal 
audit  duties  assigned  to  them  in  addition  to  their  core  duties 
and  responsibilities  within the  Finance  and Controlling depart-
ments and in this additional capacity they report directly to the 
Head  of  Internal  Group  Audit,  who  in  turn  reports  in  this  func-
tion directly to Chairman of the Board of Directors’ Audit Com-
mittee.  This  efficient  organization  is  tailored  to  the  needs  and 
size  of  Burckhardt  Compression  Group  and  fosters  an  active 
exchange  of  information  and  best  practices  with  the  objective 
of creating sustained value added for Burckhardt Compression 
Group  by  means  of  continual  process  improvement.  The  inter-
nal  auditors  undergo  regular  training  for  the  performance  of 
their tasks. The training received is coordinated by the Head of 
Internal Group  Audit.  The schedule for internal audits is deter-
mined  by  the  Audit  Committee  of  the  Board  of  Directors  on  an 
annual  basis  and  may  be  changed  or  expanded  by  the  Audit 
Committee  as and  when required.  Six  internal  audits were car-
ried out in fiscal year 2018. The internal auditors’ reports were 
distributed  to  the  management  of  the  audited  company,  the 
members of the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors, the 
Executive  Board  members  and  to  the  external  company  audi-
tors.  The  statutory  auditor  assesses  the  effectiveness  of  the 
internal  control  system  (ICS)  in  a  written  report  submitted  to 
the Audit Committee and the Board of Directors once a year. 

Risk management  Burckhardt Compression has an integrated 
risk  management  policy.  In  a  two-stage  process,  key  risks  are 
identified  using  an  anticipatory  approach  and  grouped  under 
one of three risk categories – strategic, financial or operational 
–  that  have  been  defined  by  the  Board  of  Directors.  The  risks 
are  then  evaluated,  managed  and  stringently  monitored, 
avoided,  mitigated  or  transferred  to  third-parties  through  ade-
quate  risk  management  measures.  The  first  stage  of  the  risk 
management  process  entails  a  continuous  risk  management 
process conducted by the two divisions and the major subsidiar-
ies of Burckhardt Compression Group within the scope of a peri-
odic leadership cycle through which potential risks are system-
atically identified and assessed and the appropriate risk control 
measures as well as the corresponding duties and responsibili-
ties  and  implementation  timelines  are  established  and  moni-
tored. Internal and external factors are included in the evalua-
tion of potential risks.

The  second  stage  of  the  risk  management  process  consists 
of a periodic Risk Management Review which takes place twice a 
year at the meetings of the Board of Directors’ Audit Committee. 
To this end, the CEO prepares an overview of the main risks faced 
by  Burckhardt  Compression  Group  and  an  assessment  of  the 
likelihood  of  these  risks  occurring  and  the  effects  they  would 
have. This overview is presented to the Audit Committee together 

62

CORPORATE  GOVERNANCE  |  ANNUAL  REPORT  2018  |  BURCKHARDT  COMPRESSION

with  the  risk  mitigation  measures,  the  people  responsible 
for implementing them, and an implementation timetable. The 
Audit  Committee  then  reports  to  the  Board  of  Directors  about 
the findings of the Risk Management Review.

4.  EXECUTIVE  BOARD

4.1. Members of the Executive Board and 
4.2. Other activities and commitments

Name

Nationality 

Function

Marcel Pawlicek
Rolf Brändli

Sandra Pitt

Fabrice Billard

Rainer Dübi

Martin Wendel

CH
CH

DE

FR

CH

DE

CEO
CFO 

CHRO

President Systems Division 

President Services Division
(from 02/15/2019) 
President Services Division
(until 02/14/2019) 

From left: Rainer Dübi, Fabrice Billard, Marcel Pawlicek, Sandra Pitt, Rolf Brändli

Biographical  details  and  information  on 
other activities and commitments of the 
members of the Executive Board:

CORPORATE  GOVERNANCE  |  ANNUAL  REPORT  2018  |  BURCKHARDT  COMPRESSION

63

MARCEL  PAWLICEK  (1963)

ROLF  BRÄNDLI  (1968)

Education 
Degree in Business Administration,  
HWV Zurich, Switzerland

Professional background 
Since 2008  CFO, Burckhardt Compres-
sion Group, Switzerland
2001–2008  Head of Finance & Adminis-
tration, Sulzer Brasil S.A., São Paulo, 
Brazil; Regional Controller, Sulzer 
Pumps South America & South Africa 
1997–2001  Regional Controller Asia/
Pacific, Sulzer International Ltd.;  
General Manager, Sulzer Hong Kong Ltd., 
Hong Kong, SAR China
1994–1997  Management Consultant, 
OBT Treuhand AG Zurich, Switzerland

Education
Degree in Mechanical Engineering,  
HTL Winterthur, Switzerland,  
MBA Marketing and International  
Business, Fordham University, New York, 
USA

Professional background
Since 2011  CEO, Burckhardt Compres-
sion Group, Switzerland
2008–2011  Head of Design & Manufac-
turing, Burckhardt Compression AG, 
Switzerland
2001–2008  Head of CSS, Burckhardt 
Compression AG, Switzerland
1999–2001  Head Sales and Contracting 
HPI, Sulzer-Burckhardt AG, Switzerland
1989–1999  Project Manager and Mar-
keting & Sales Manager for Burckhardt 
compressors, Sulzer Inc., USA
1986–1989  Design Engineer, Sulzer-
Burckhardt AG, Switzerland

Other activities and commitments
–  President of the Swiss-CIS/Georgia 

Chamber of Commerce

–  Vice President of AZW Winterthur, 

Switzerland

64

CORPORATE  GOVERNANCE  |  ANNUAL  REPORT  2018  |  BURCKHARDT  COMPRESSION

SANDRA  PITT  (1971)

FABRICE  BILLARD  (1970)

RAINER  DÜBI  (1969)

Education
Degree in Business Administration/ 
Business Informatics, Germany,  
MBA International Finance/International 
HR, American University Washington, 
USA

Professional background
Since 2015  CHRO, Burckhardt Com-
pression Group, Switzerland 
2013–2015  Head Corporate HR, AFG 
Management AG, Switzerland
2012–2013  Head Personal Central 
Europe, Holcim (Schweiz) AG,  
Switzerland
2010–2012  Head Personal, Holcim  
(Schweiz) AG, Switzerland
2007–2009  Head Personal BASF Group 
Switzerland, BASF Schweiz AG,  
Switzerland
2006–2007  HR Director Europe,  
BASF AG, Division Europe, Germany
2003–2006  Internal Consultant Perfor-
mance Management, BASF AG, Division 
Personal Global, Germany
2002–2003  HR Coordinator Europe, 
BASF AG, Division Personal Global,  
Germany

Education
Master of Science in aeronautics and 
aerospace engineering, Ecole Centrale 
Paris, France 

Education
Degree in Mechanical Engineering,  
HTL Winterthur, MASBA School of 
 Mana gement, Switzerland

Professional background
Since 2016  President Systems Division, 
Burckhardt Compression Group,  
Switzerland
2015–2016  Chief Strategy Officer, Sul-
zer, Switzerland
2012–2015  Head Business Unit Mass 
Transfer Technology, Sulzer Chemtech, 
Switzerland/Singapore
2010–2012  Head Europe, Middle East, 
India, Russia & Africa Business Unit 
Mass Transfer Technology, Sulzer Chem-
tech, Switzerland
2008–2010  Vice President Business 
Development, Sulzer Chemtech,  
Switzerland
2005–2008  Head Global Customer Ser-
vices, Sulzer Pumps, Switzerland
2004–2005  Strategic Development 
Manager, Sulzer Corporate, Switzerland
1999–2004  Principal, The Boston Con-
sulting Group, Switzerland/France

Professional background
Since February 15, 2019  President 
Services Division, Burckhardt Compres-
sion Group, Switzerland 
2012–2019  Head of Design & Manufac-
turing, Burckhardt Compression AG, 
Switzerland 
2010–2012  Senior Sales Manager, 
Burckhardt Compression AG,  
Switzerland 
2007–2010  Manager Sizing, Burckhardt 
Compression AG, Switzerland 
2003–2007  Sizing Project Engineer, 
Burckhardt Compression AG,  
Switzerland 
2001–2003  Commissioning Lead  
Engineer, Alstom, Switzerland 
1999–2001  Commissioning Engineer, 
ABB, Switzerland

CORPORATE  GOVERNANCE  |  ANNUAL  REPORT  2018  |  BURCKHARDT  COMPRESSION

65

4.3. Rules in the Bylaws concerning the number of permit-
ted activities
Members  of  the  Executive  Board  may  not  hold  more  than  five 
additional  board  memberships,  whereof  not  more  than  two  in 
listed companies.

4.4. Management contracts
There are no management contracts with third parties. 

5.  COMPENSATION,  SHAREHOLDINGS   
AND  LOANS

The  principles  and  elements  of  compensation  paid  to  members 
of the Board of Directors and the Executive Board as well as the 
authority and the mechanisms used to determine such compen-
sation  are  explained  in  the  Compensation  Report  on  pages  67  
to 73.

The shareholdings of the members of the Board of Directors 
and the Executive Board in Burckhardt Compression Holding AG 
are listed in the Compensation Report on pages 67 to 73 and in 
the  financial  statements,  note  103,  “Share  capital  and  share-
holders” on page 105.

Burckhardt  Compression  Group  did  not  grant  any  loans, 
credit or collateral to any of the members of the Board of Direc-
tors or the Executive Board in fiscal year 2018 and there are no 
arrangements of this nature outstanding. 

6.  SHAREHOLDERS’  PARTICIPATION 
RIGHTS

6.1. Voting rights restrictions and representation of voting 
rights
No  person  or  entity  will  be  registered  as  a  shareholder  in  the 
Share  Register  for  more  than  5%  of  the  issued  share  capital. 
This  entry  restriction  is  also  applicable  to  persons  whose 
shares are held, in whole or part, by Nominees. This restriction 
is also valid if shares are acquired through the exercise of sub-
scription, option or conversion rights. This restriction on voting 
rights  does  not  apply  to  shareholders  who  were  in  possession 
of  more  than  5%  of  the  shares  of  Burckhardt  Compression  
Holding  AG  before  the  IPO.  There  is  no  provision  for  measures 
to remove restrictions.

A  shareholder  may  be  represented  at  the  Annual  General 
Meeting  by  the  independent  proxy  holder  or  by  another  person 
with  legal  capacity.  All  shares  held  by  a  shareholder  can  only 
be represented by one person.

6.2. Statutory quorums
A  majority  of  at  least  two-thirds  of  the  voting  rights  repre-
sented is required for changes to the company’s Bylaws.

6.3. Convocation of the General Meeting of Shareholders
None of the applicable rules deviate from the law.

6.4. Inclusion of items on the agenda
Shareholders who together represent at least 10% of the share 
capital  or  shares  with  a  nominal  value  of  at  least  CHF 1.0 mn 
can ask for an item to be included on the agenda of the General 
Meeting. The Board of Directors must receive written proposals 
for items  to  be  included on  the  agenda, specifying the issue to 
be discussed and the shareholders’ proposals, at least 40 days 
before the date of the General Meeting. 

6.5. Entries in the Share Register
The record date for registered shareholders to be entered in the 
Share  Register  prior  to  an  Annual  General  Meeting  will  be 
stated in the invitation to the Annual General Meeting.

7.  CHANGES  OF  CONTROL  AND  DEFENSIVE 
MEASURES

7.1. Obligation to make an offer
Once  a  shareholder  acquires  33⅓%  of  share  capital  and  voting 
rights,  they  will  be  under  an  obligation  to  submit  a  public  ten-
der  offer.  The  Bylaws  contain  neither  an  opting-out  nor  an 
 opting-up clause. 

7.2. Clauses on change of control
There  are  no  provisions  for  special  severance  payments  for 
members of the Board of Directors or members of the Executive 
Board in the event of a change of control over Burckhardt Com-
pression Holding AG.

8.  AUDITORS

8.1. Duration of mandate and term of office of the auditor 
in charge
PricewaterhouseCoopers AG (PwC) has been the statutory audi-
tor  of  Burckhardt  Compression  Holding  AG  since  2002  and  is 
also  in  charge  of  the  audit  of  the  consolidated  financial  state-
ments. The statutory auditor is elected by the General Meeting 
of Shareholders for one year at a time. Burckhardt Compression 
plans  to  tender  its  external  audit  contracts  at  least  every  10 
years and examine all bids received. The most recent invitation 
to  tender  was  issued  during  the  fiscal  year  2012.  PwC  was 
awarded the contract in March 2013 as decided by the Board of 
Directors  and  PwC  was  reelected  as  statutory  auditor  by  the 
General Meeting of Shareholders in 2013. The auditor in charge 
will  be  changed  after  a  maximum  period  of  seven  years.  Beat 
Inauen has served as auditor in charge since the 2013 reporting 
period.  

66

CORPORATE  GOVERNANCE  |  ANNUAL  REPORT  2018  |  BURCKHARDT  COMPRESSION

8.2. Auditor’s fees
Total fees for auditing services provided by PwC worldwide dur-
ing  fiscal  year  2018  amounted  to  TCHF  327  (previous  year: 
TCHF 374).

8.3. Additional fees
The  additional  fees  for  services  provided  by  PwC  worldwide 
during  fiscal  year  2018  amounted  to  TCHF 80  (previous  year: 
TCHF 1).  Additional  services  rendered  by  PwC  pertain  to  the 
implementation of new accounting policies and other issues.

8.4. Information tools of the external auditors
The Audit Committee assists the Board of Directors in monitor-
ing  the  Company’s  accounting  and  financial  reporting.  It 
assesses  the  internal  control  procedures,  the  management  of 
business  risks,  the  audit  plan  and  scope,  the  conduct  of  the 
audits and their results. The Audit Committee also reviews the 
auditor’s  fees.  The  statutory  auditor  is  present  during  the 
examination  of  the  consolidated  annual  and  semiannual  finan-
cial  statements.  Once  a  year,  the  members  of  the  Audit  Com-
mittee  receive  from  the  statutory  auditor  a  summary  of  the 
audit findings and suggested improvements. The Audit Commit-
tee held two ordinary half-day meetings during the 2018 report-
ing period, in which the auditor in charge and another represen-
tative of the auditor took part. 

9.  INFORMATION  POLICY

Burckhardt  Compression  Holding  AG  reports  order  intake, 
sales, operating results, balance sheet, cash flow and changes 
in  shareholders’  equity  on  a  semiannual  basis,  together  with 
comments  on  the  trend  of  business  and  the  outlook  for  the 
future.  Burckhardt  Compression  Holding  AG  provides  price- 
sensitive information in accordance with the ad hoc disclosure 
requirements  set  out  in  the  Listing  Rules  of  the  SIX  Swiss 
Exchange. Burckhardt Compression Holding AG will send poten-
tially price-sensitive information to all interested parties via an 
e-mail  distribution  list.  Financial  reports  are  available  on  our 
website  (www.burckhardtcompression.com)  and  will  be  deliv-
ered to interested parties on request.

Key dates for 2019 and 2020
July 6, 2019
Annual General Meeting 
November 5, 2019
Results for the first half of 2019 (closing September 30, 2019) 
June 2, 2020
2019 Annual Report (closing March 31, 2020)
July 3, 2020
Annual General Meeting 

Details  of  these  dates,  possible  changes,  the  company  profile, 
current share prices, presentations and contact addresses can 
be  found  at  www.burckhardtcompression.com,  where  inter-
ested parties can also subscribe to the e-mail distribution list.

COMPENSATION  REPORT  |  ANNUAL  REPORT  2018  |  BURCKHARDT  COMPRESSION

67

 COMPENSATION  REPORT

1.  BASIS

This Compensation Report describes the policies and system in 
place  for  the  compensation  of  the  Board  of  Directors  and  the 
Executive  Board  of  Burckhardt  Compression  and  it  contains 
information on their annual compensation. This report was pre-
pared  in  accordance  with  the  provisions  of  the  Swiss  Federal 
Ordinance  Against  Excessive  Compensation  in  Listed  Compa-
nies (OAEC), the Directive on Information relating to Corporate 
Governance  (DCG)  issued  by  the  SIX  Swiss  Exchange,  and  the 
Bylaws of Burckhardt Compression Holding AG. 

2.  COMPENSATION  POLICY

Burckhardt  Compression  has  established  a  transparent  and 
long-term-oriented  compensation  system.  The  objectives  pur-
sued  with  this  system  are  to  ensure  that  the  compensation  of 
the  Board  of  Directors  and  the  company  executives  is  market 
competitive  and  to  achieve  a  good  balance  between  the  inter-
ests  of  the  shareholders,  the  directors  and  executive  manage-
ment. Market-competitive pay is a basic prerequisite for attract-
ing  well-qualified  directors  and  executives  and  ensuring  that 
they remain with the company for the long run. 

3.  ORGANIZATION,  DUTIES  AND  POWERS

The  Nomination  and  Compensation  Committee  (NCC)  is  com-
prised  of  at  least  two  members  of  the  Board  of  Directors.  The 
members  of  the  NCC  are  elected  individually  and  annually  by 
the Annual General Meeting and their term of office shall expire 
at the end of the next Annual General Meeting. The Annual Gen-
eral Meeting of July 7, 2018 elected Hans Hess and Dr. Stephan 
Bross  to  the  Nomination  and  Compensation  Committee.  The 
Board of Directors appointed Hans Hess Chairman of the Nomi-
nation and Compensation Committee. 

The  NCC  meets  at  least  twice  a  year.  The  CEO  and  CHRO 
attend  these  meetings  in  an  advisory  capacity,  except  during 
deliberation  of  meeting  topics  that  pertain  to  themselves.  The 
Nomination  and  Compensation  Committee  held  two  meetings 
during the year under review.

The duties and powers of the NCC are set forth in the com-
pany’s  Bylaws  and  Organizational  Regulations.  The  NCC  sup-
ports  the  Board  of  Directors  in  the  performance  of  its  duties 
pertaining  to  the  compensation  and  personnel  policies  of  the 
company and the entire Group as prescribed by law or the com-
pany’s  Bylaws.  The  most  important  duties  and  powers  of  the 
NCC with regard to compensation are given in the table below.

The  Annual  General  Meeting  of  Burckhardt  Compression  
Holding AG casts the following votes in relation to the compen-
sation of the Board of Directors and Executive Board:
–  a  prospective  vote  on  the  maximum  aggregate  amount  of 
fixed compensation for the Board of Directors and the Execu-
tive  Board  for  the  fiscal  year  following  the  Annual  General 
Meeting 

–  a  retrospective  vote  on  the  maximum  aggregate  amount  of 
variable  compensation  for  the  Executive  Board  for  the  fiscal 
year preceding the Annual General Meeting.

Furthermore, the Annual General Meeting casts a consul tative 
vote on the Compensation Report. 

4.  COMPENSATION  SYSTEM 

Burckhardt  Compression  Group’s  compensation  system  con-
sists  of  a  mix  of  fixed  and  variable  components.  In  accordance 
with  the  Bylaws  of  Burckhardt  Compression  Holding  AG,  vari-
able  compensation  can  be  paid  in  whole  or  part  in  the  form  of 
shares,  conditional  rights  to  receive  shares,  or  in  comparable 
instruments of the company. 

Topic

Proposal/recommendation by

Approval authority

Compensation principles and guidelines
Compensation Report

Compensation of Board of Directors

Compensation of CEO

Aggregate compensation of Executive Board

Compensation per member of Executive Board (excl. CEO)

Loans and additional pension benefits for Executive Board (excl. CEO)

NCC
NCC

NCC

NCC

NCC

CEO

CEO

BOD
BOD

BOD

BOD

BOD

NCC

NCC

 
68

COMPENSATION  REPORT  |  ANNUAL  REPORT  2018  |  BURCKHARDT  COMPRESSION

4.1. Compensation system for the Board of Directors
Compensation  for  the  Board  of  Directors  consists  of  a  fixed 
component, 80% of which is paid in cash, 20% in shares; a fixed 
cash  supplement  for  directors  who  serve  on  a  formal  Board 
committee; and a fixed lump-sum for expenses. The number of 
shares awarded is based on the average share price (daily clos-
ing  price  on  the  SIX  exchange)  for  the  period  between  the 
announcement  of  the  full-year  results  and  the  Annual  General 
Meeting.

The fixed cash component amounts to CHF 81’000 for mem-
bers  of  the  Board  of  Directors  and  CHF  134’000  for  the  chair-
man.  The fixed cash supplement for directors serving on a for-
mal  Board  committee  is  CHF  10’000  a  year.  The  lump  sum  for 
expenses  is  CHF  4’000  for  members  of  the  Board  of  Directors 
and CHF 6’000 per year for the chairman of the Board of Direc-
tors. 

4.2. Compensation system for the Executive Board
Compensation of the Executive Board consists of three compo-
nents:
–  a fixed base salary
–  a variable performance- and profit-related annual bonus paid 

in cash

–  a  variable  performance-  and  profit-related  long-term  incen-

tive bonus awarded in the form of free shares.

Base salary  The members of the Executive Board are assigned 
to  so-called  Global  Grades  as  defined  by  a  global  functional 
grading  system (Willis Towers Watson Global Grading System). 
Market  data  for  each  Global  Grade  and  the  results  of  annual 
performance  appraisals  are  taken  into  consideration  when 
determining  the  base  salary  of  the  members  of  the  Executive 
Board. 

Annual Bonus    The  members  of  the  Executive  Board  receive  a 
variable  performance-  and  profit-related  bonus  in  addition  to 
their base salaries. The annual bonus is calculated as the math-
ematical  product  of  Burckhardt  Compression’s  consolidated 
net income and a percentage rate. The percentage rate applied 
for  the  CEO  is  0.28%.  The  percentage  rate  for  other  members 
of  the  Executive  Board  –  depending  on  their  Global  Grade  – 
ranges from 0.08 to 0.16%. In the case of the CEO, the CFO and 
the CHRO, the percentage rate is multiplied by the goal attain-
ment indicator of the Return On Net Operating Assets (RONOA) 
of Burckhardt Compression Group, which serves as an indicator 
of  goal  attainment.  The  percentage  for  the  heads  of  the  two 
divisions  is  multiplied  by  the  respective  divisional  operating 
profit  as  the  goal  attainment  indicator.  The  goal  attainment 
indicator  ranges  from  0  to  1.5.  If  the  defined  goal  is  achieved, 
the goal attainment indicator is 1.0. The annual bonus is capped 
at 50% of annual base salary.

Long-term  incentive  pay    Members  of  the  Executive  Board 
additionally  receive  long-term  incentive  pay  awarded  in  the 
form of free shares. The long-term bonus program is valid for a 

six-year  period  (fiscal  years  2017–2022).  Long-term  incentive 
pay  is  based  on  the  attainment  of  the  Mid-Range  Plan  targets 
for  organic  growth  (sales)  and  net  income  of  Burckhardt  Com-
pression Group for the fiscal years 2018 to 2022 and for the 2017 
fiscal year. 

The  basis  upon  which  the  long-term  incentive  pay  is  calcu-
lated  consists  of  a  fixed,  predefined  amount  per  Global  Grade. 
If  the  sales  and  net  income  targets  set  in  the  Mid-Range  Plan 
are attained by the end of the fiscal year 2022, this fixed amount 
will  be  multiplied  by  a  factor  of  1.0  (0.5  each  for  sales  and  net 
income)  and  awarded  in  the  form  of  shares  (free  shares).  The 
targeted amount of the long-term bonus for the entire six-year 
period  is  CHF  900’000  for  the  CEO  and  between  CHF  405’000 
and  CHF  600’000  for  the  members  of  the  Executive  Board, 
depending  on  their  Global  Grade.  The  sales  target  in  the  Mid-
Range  Plan  (aggregate)  for  the  six  years  amounts  to 
CHF 3’819 mn, the net income target is CHF 300 mn. If the tar-
gets are only partially achieved, the factors will be reduced by 
a  corresponding  amount.  Minimum  financial  targets  have  been 
defined  for  both  cumulative  sales  and  for  cumulative  net 
income.  The  minimum  cumulative  sales  target  is  set  at 
CHF 3’346 mn, minimum cumulative net income at CHF 195 mn. 
If  cumulative  sales  or  net  income  fall  short  of  these  minimum 
thresholds, the corresponding factor will be reduced to zero. If 
the  Mid-Range  Plan  targets  for  sales  or  net  income  are 
exceeded,  the  corresponding  factors  will  be  increased  up  to  a 
maximum amount of 0.6 each (1.2 in total). 

An  interim  evaluation  of  the  attained  targets  will  be  con-
ducted  after  three  years.  Members  of  the  Executive  Board 
whose employment with the company has not been terminated 
as of July 31, 2020 will on that date be awarded a fixed number 
of  free  shares  for  the  fiscal  years  2017,  2018  and  2019.  These 
free shares will be distributed at the end of July 2020. The sec-
ond allotment of free shares for the fiscal years 2020, 2021 and 
2022  will  be  distributed  at  the  end  of  July  2023,  provided  the 
employment contract for the respective Executive Board mem-
bers has not been terminated. Persons subsequently appointed 
to  the  Executive  Board  will  be  entitled  to  long-time  incentive 
pay  on  a  pro  rata  basis.  The  number  of  shares  awarded  will  be 
based  on  the  average  share  price  for  the  periods  from  the 
announcement  of  the  full-year  results  to  the  annual  general 
meetings for the fiscal years 2019 and 2022, respectively. 

All  shares  received  will  not  be  subject  to  any  restrictions 

upon the date of transfer. 

Employment  contract  terms    Employment  contracts  with 
Executive  Board  members  are  entered  into  for  an  indefinite 
period with a notice period of six months. 

COMPENSATION  REPORT  |  ANNUAL  REPORT  2018  |  BURCKHARDT  COMPRESSION

69

Fees

144

91

91

101

91

518

Fees

144

91

91

101

91

518

Social  insurance  
contributions and  
other benefits

17

10

4

10

10

51

Social  insurance  
contributions and  
other benefits

17

10

4

10

10

51

2018

 Total 

161

101

95

111

101

569
5801

2017

 Total 

161

101

95

111

101

569
5801

5.  COMPENSATION  PAID   
WITH  COMPARATIVE  FIGURES   
FOR  THE  PREVIOUS  YEAR
5.1. Compensation paid to the Board of Directors
The  following  aggregate  compensation  was  paid  to  the  mem-
bers of the Board of Directors for the fiscal years 2018 and 2017: 

in CHF 1’000

Name

Function

Members of the Board of Directors
Valentin Vogt

Chairman

Hans Hess

Deputy Chairman

Dr. Stephan Bross

Dr. Monika Krüsi

Urs Leinhäuser

Total

Member

Member

Member

Approved by the 2017 AGM  
for fiscal year 2018

in CHF 1’000

Name

Function

Members of the Board of Directors
Valentin Vogt

Chairman

Hans Hess

Deputy Chairman

Dr. Stephan Bross

Dr. Monika Krüsi

Urs Leinhäuser

Total

Member

Member

Member

Approved by the 2016 AGM  
for fiscal year 2017

1  This amount includes a contingency reserve of CHF 9’000.

The total fixed compensation in the fiscal year under review is 
unchanged  from  the  previous  fiscal  year.  The  Annual  General 
Meeting of July 1, 2017 approved aggregate fixed compensation 
in the amount of CHF 580’000 (gross, incl. social insurance con-
tributions) for the Board of Directors (5 persons) for fiscal year 
2018. The amount of compensation actually paid was CHF 11’000 
less than the approved amount.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
70

COMPENSATION  REPORT  |  ANNUAL  REPORT  2018  |  BURCKHARDT  COMPRESSION

5.2. Compensation paid to the Executive Board
The  following  compensation  was  paid  to  the  members  of  the 
Executive Board for the fiscal years 2018 and 2017: 

in CHF 1’000

Name

Function

Executive Board
Marcel Pawlicek

CEO

Other members of the Executive Board

Total

Approved by the 2017 AGM  
for fiscal year 2018

in CHF 1’000

Name

Function

Executive Board
Marcel Pawlicek

CEO

Other members of the Executive Board2

Total

Approved by the 2016 AGM  
for fiscal year 2017

Fixed base 
salary, cash

Social 
 insurance 
contributions 
and other 
benefits

Total fixed  
compen-
sation (gross)

Variable 
annual 
bonus, cash

Share-based 
long-term 
incentive pay

Total variable 
compen-
sation (gross)

Social 
 insurance 
contributions 
and other 
benefits

2018

 Total 

425

1’117

1’542

116

268

384

541

1’385

1’926
2’1202

84

161

245

105

177

282

40

65

105

229

403

632

770

1’7881

2’558

Fixed base 
salary, cash

Social 
 insurance 
contributions 
and other 
benefits

Total fixed 
compen-
sation (gross)

Variable 
annual 
bonus, cash

Share-based 
long-term 
incentive pay

Total variable 
compen-
sation (gross)

Social 
 insurance 
contributions 
and other 
benefits

2017

 Total 

425

1’066

1’491

116

260

376

541

1’326

1’867
2’1303

64

118

182

75

172

247

29

53

82

168

343

511

709

1’669

2’378

1 This amount includes Martin Wendel’s compensation for the 2018 fiscal year and Rainer Dübi’s pro rata compensation as of February 15, 2019.
2 This amount includes a contingency reserve of CHF 250’000.
3 This amount includes a contingency reserve of CHF 200’000.

The CEO’s fixed base salary for the period under review is com-
parable  to  the  level  from  the  previous  fiscal  year.  The  total 
amount of fixed base salary for the other members of the Execu-
tive Board is CHF 51’000 more than in the prior-year period. The 
Annual General Meeting of July 1, 2017 approved a total sum of 
CHF 2’120’000  (gross,  including  social  insurance  contributions) 
for the fixed compensation of the entire Executive Board for the 
fiscal  year  2018.  The  amount  of  fixed  compensation  actually 
paid  (gross,  including  social  insurance  contributions)  was 
CHF 194’000 less than the approved amount. 

The annual bonus for the Executive Board in fiscal year 2018 
was CHF 63’000 more than in the previous year. This is because 
of the increase in reported net profit, which serves as the basis 
for  the  annual  bonus,  and  because  the  targets  set  in  conjunc-
tion with the Group and Divisional factors described above were 
exceeded.  Personnel  expenses  for  the  Executive  Board’s  long-
term  bonus  were  CHF 35’000  more  than  in  the  previous  year. 
The provision made for the long-term bonus has been adjusted 
for  two  reasons:  firstly,  on  the  basis  of  an  assessment  of  busi-
ness  performance  over  a  multi-year  period;  secondly,  in  accor-
dance with Swiss GAAP FER, the related expenses must be allo-
cated  over  the  program’s  vesting  period,  which  can  lead  to 
adjustments within individual fiscal years.

 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
COMPENSATION  REPORT  |  ANNUAL  REPORT  2018  |  BURCKHARDT  COMPRESSION

71

6.  OVERVIEW  OF  SHAREHOLDINGS  AND 
ALLOCATED/DISTRIBUTED  SHARES

6.1. Detailed overview of allocated and distributed shares
In the fiscal years 2017 and 2018 the following shares were allo-
cated and distributed: 

Name

Function

Shares  
allocated in  
FY 2017

Shares
allocated in 
FY 2018 

Shares  
distributed in  
FY 2017

Shares
distributed in 
FY 2018 

Members of the Board of Directors
Valentin Vogt

Chairman

Hans Hess

Deputy Chairman

Dr. Stephan Bross

Member

Dr. Monika Krüsi

Urs Leinhäuser
Total1

Member

Member

Executive Board
Marcel Pawlicek

CEO

Other members of the Executive Board 
Total2

Total

187

125

125

125

125

687

673

859

1’532

2’219

75

45

45

45

45

255

0

0

0

255

187

125

125

125

125

687

1’295

1’170

2’465

3’152

75

45

45

45

45

255

0

0

0

255

1 The reduction of the number of shares in fiscal year 2018 is a result of the changes in the compensation system for the Board of Directors.
2 The shares from the long-term incentive pay are not annually allocated or distributed.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
72

COMPENSATION  REPORT  |  ANNUAL  REPORT  2018  |  BURCKHARDT  COMPRESSION

6.2. Detailed overview of shareholdings
As per March 31, 2019, the members of the Executive Board and 
the Board of Directors (and related persons) owned the follow-
ing numbers of shares of Burckhardt Compression Holding AG:

Name

Position

Members of the Board of Directors
Valentin Vogt

Chairman

Deputy Chairman

Member

Member

Member

CEO

CFO 

CHRO

President Systems Division

President Services Division

President Services Division

Hans Hess

Dr. Stephan Bross

Dr. Monika Krüsi

Urs Leinhäuser

Total

Executive Board
Marcel Pawlicek

Rolf Brändli

Sandra Pitt

Fabrice Billard

Rainer Dübi2

Martin Wendel1

Total

Total
In % of total shares

1  Member of the Executive Board until February 14, 2019
2  Member of the Executive Board as from February 15, 2019

03/31/2019

03/31/2018

Total shares

Total shares

203’288

5’663

215

985

1’080

211’231

42’111

1’702

278

400

600

n/a

45’091

256’553
7.5%

203’213

5’618

170

940

1’035

210’976

42’111

1’702

278

400

n/a

231

44’722

255’698
7.5%

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
COMPENSATION  REPORT  |  ANNUAL  REPORT  2018  |  BURCKHARDT  COMPRESSION

73

7.  TRANSACTIONS  WITH  THE  BOARD   
OF  DIRECTORS,  THE  EXECUTIVE  BOARD 
AND  RELATED  PARTIES
No other payments or fees for additional services were paid to 
the  members  of  the  Board  of  Directors  or  the  Executive  Board 
or  to  related  parties  during  the  fiscal  year  2018.  No  signing 
bonuses were paid during the fiscal year 2018. At the reporting 
date  no  loans,  credit  lines  or  pension  benefits  over  and  above 
those  provided  by  mandatory  occupational  pension  plans  had 
been granted to members of the company’s boards. 

9.  EVALUATION  OF  THE  COMPENSATION 
SYSTEM

Burckhardt  Compression’s  compensation  system  is  regularly 
reviewed by the Nomination and Compensation Committee and 
the Board of Directors and may be modified if necessary. 

Annual  benchmarking  reviews  based  on  Willis  Towers  Wat-
son’s Global Grading System and the compensation market data 
it  provides  are  part  of  the  company’s  fair  and  integrated  com-
pensation  system.  These  are  conducted  periodically,  most  
recent ly in fiscal year 2018.

8.  MOTIONS  FOR  THE  ANNUAL  GENERAL 
MEETING

8.1. Approval of the maximum aggregate amount of vari-
able compensation for the Executive Board
Fiscal year 2018
The  Board  of  Directors  proposes  that  an  aggregate  amount  of 
CHF 632’000  (gross,  including  social  insurance  contributions 
and  other  benefits)  be  approved  as  variable  compensation  for 
the Executive Board for fiscal year 2018. 

8.2. Consultative vote on the Compensation Report
Fiscal year 2018
The Board of Directors proposes that shareholders approve the 
Compensation Report for fiscal year 2018 in a consultative vote.

8.3 Approval of the maximum aggregate amount of fixed 
compensation for the members of the Board of Directors
Fiscal year 2020
The  Board  of  Directors  proposes  that  a  maximum  aggregate 
amount of CHF 580’000 (gross, including social insurance con-
tributions  and  other  benefits)  be  approved  as  fixed  compensa-
tion  for  the  Board  of  Directors  for  fiscal  year  2020.  The  pro-
posed amount includes a contingency reserve of CHF 11’000. 

8.4.  Approval  of  the  maximum  aggregate  amount  of  fixed 
compensation for members of the Executive Board
Fiscal year 2020
The  Board  of  Directors  proposes  that  a  maximum  aggregate 
amount of CHF 2’120’000 (gross, including social insurance con-
tributions  and  other  benefits)  be  approved  as  fixed  compensa-
tion for the Executive Board for fiscal year 2020. The proposed 
sum includes a contingency reserve of CHF 200’000. 

74

COMPENSATION  REPORT  |  ANNUAL  REPORT  2018  |  BURCKHARDT  COMPRESSION

Report of the statutory auditor 
to the General Meeting of Burckhardt Compression Holding AG 

Winterthur 

We have audited the remuneration report of Burckhardt Compression Holding AG for the year ended  
31 March 2019. The audit was limited to the information according to articles 14–16 of the Ordinance 
against Excessive Compensation in Stock Exchange Listed Companies (Ordinance) contained in the tables 
on pages 69 and page 70 of the remuneration report. 

Board of Directors’ responsibility 
The Board of Directors is responsible for the preparation and overall fair presentation of the 
remuneration report in accordance with Swiss law and the Ordinance against Excessive Compensation in 
Stock  
Exchange Listed Companies (Ordinance). The Board of Directors is also responsible for designing the 
remuneration system and defining individual remuneration packages. 

Auditor’s responsibility 
Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the accompanying remuneration report. We conducted  
our audit in accordance with Swiss Auditing Standards. Those standards require that we comply with  
ethical requirements and plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the 
remuneration report complies with Swiss law and articles 14–16 of the Ordinance. 

An audit involves performing procedures to obtain audit evidence on the disclosures made in the 
remuneration report with regard to compensation, loans and credits in accordance with articles 14–16 of  
the Ordinance. The procedures selected depend on the auditor’s judgment, including the assessment of 
the risks of material misstatements in the remuneration report, whether due to fraud or error. This audit 
also includes evaluating the reasonableness of the methods applied to value components of remuneration, 
as well as assessing the overall presentation of the remuneration report. 

We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for 
our opinion. 

PricewaterhouseCoopers AG, Bahnhofplatz 17, Postfach, CH-8400 Winterthur, Switzerland 
Telefon: +41 58 792 71 00, Telefax: +41 58 792 71 10, www.pwc.ch 

PricewaterhouseCoopers AG is a member of the global PricewaterhouseCoopers network of firms, each of which is a separate and independent legal entity. 

 
COMPENSATION  REPORT  |  ANNUAL  REPORT  2018  |  BURCKHARDT  COMPRESSION

75

Opinion 
In our opinion, the remuneration report of Burckhardt Compression Holding AG for the year ended  
31 March 2019 complies with Swiss law and articles 14–16 of the Ordinance. 

PricewaterhouseCoopers AG 

Beat Inauen 

Audit expert 
Auditor in charge 

Winterthur, 23 May 2019 

Oliver Illa 

Audit expert 

76

 FINANCIAL  REPORT

Burckhardt  Compression  Holding  AG’s  fiscal  year  2018  com-
prises the period from April 1, 2018 to March 31, 2019. 

COMMENTS  ON  FINANCIAL  REPORT

Summary

in CHF 1’000

Order intake
Sales

Gross profit

Operating income (EBIT)

in % of sales

Net income

Total assets

Total equity

Earnings per share attributable to shareholders of 
Burckhardt Compression Holding AG (in CHF)

FTEs as per end of fiscal year

2018

2017

Change  
2017/2018

658’675 
599’280 

135’677 

44’507 

7.4%

32’201 

848’732 

345’034

8.15

2’346 

525’229 
594’574 

125’060 

41’682 

7.0%

29’023

797’583 

335’200 

8.51 

2’214 

25.4%
0.8%

8.5%

6.8%

10.9%

6.4%

2.9%

–4.2%

6.0%

SALES  AND  GROSS  PROFIT

OPERATING  INCOME

Operating income increased by 6.8% to CHF 44.5 mn yielding an 
EBIT-margin of 7.4% (previous year: 7.0%). Selling and marketing 
together  with  general  and  administrative  expenses  increased 
by 7.5% or CHF 6.1 mn due to higher quoting and sales activities 
as well as some one-off consulting fees. Other operating income 
amounted to CHF 4.1 mn, whereof CHF 3.4 mn is attributable to 
the  operating  result  of  the  real  estate  company  in  Winterthur 
(Burckhardt  Compression  Immobilien AG).  Research  and  devel-
opment  expenses  amounted  to  CHF 8.7 mn,  which  is  slightly 
more than reported last year (CHF 8.0 mn).

Sales in the 2018 fiscal year amounted to CHF 599.3 mn, which 
corresponds  to  an  increase  of  0.8%  from  the  previous  fiscal 
year.  While  the  Systems  Division  closed  the  fiscal  year  at  
CHF 375.4 mn,  a  decline  of  2.3%  compared  to  the  strong  prior 
year period, the Services Division grew by 6.5% to CHF 223.9 mn. 
The  growth  in  services  came  from  basically  all  business  
lines,  including  other  brand  compressors  (OBC).  Excluding  cur-
rency  translation  effects,  total  sales  increased  by  0.9%.  From 
a  regional  perspective,  the  growth  was  mainly  driven  by  China 
and Europe, while both North- and South America stood below 
last year’s performance. 

The  total  gross  profit  margin  came  in  at  22.6%  (compared 
to  21.0%  in  the  previous  fiscal  year).  Despite  substantial  addi-
tional  costs  for  LNG  applications  sold  over  the  last  two  years, 
the  gross  margin  in  the  Systems  Division  rose  by  100  base 
points  to  8.1%.  The  gross  margin  reported  in  the  Services  Divi-
sion arrived at 47.0% (46.6% in the previous year).

FINANCIAL REPORT | ANNUAL REPORT 2018 | BURCKHARDT COMPRESSION 
 
 
77

FINANCIAL  INCOME  AND  TAX  EXPENSES

CASH  FLOW 

Cash and cash equivalents totaled CHF 83.0 mn at the balance 
sheet closing date, CHF 7.9 mn above last year. Cash flow from 
operating  activities  decreased  by  CHF 2.6 mn  to  CHF 41.8 mn. 
The  net  cash  outflow  from  investing  activities  was  with 
CHF  –7.8  mn  at  a  lower  level  than  in  the  prior-year  period 
(CHF  –17.2  mn).  Dividends  paid  amounted  to  CHF  20.4  mn, 
CHF 3.5 mn less than last year. The net financial position closed 
at CHF –49.4 mn (prior year: CHF –62.1 mn).

The share of results of associates is entirely related to the 40% 
interest  which  Burckhardt  Compression  owns  in  Arkos  Field 
Services. Although the negative impact was reduced compared 
to  the  previous  year,  we  still  carry  a  proportional  loss  in  the 
amount  of  CHF –1.2 mn  (prior  year:  CHF –1.9 mn),  as  the  local  
service market in the US picked up only towards the end of the 
fiscal  year.  Financial  expenses  rose  by  19.9%  to  CHF 2.2  mn. 
While interest expenses remained at a very low level, the over-
all  financial  expenses  ended  up  CHF 0.4 mn  above  the  prior-
year period due to higher exchange rate losses on intercompany 
loans. The tax rate for the year was 21.6%, almost two percent-
age points below the previous year (23.5%), mainly an effect of 
the higher share of taxable income of countries with lower tax 
rates.

NET  INCOME

The net income rose by 10.9% to CHF 32.2 mn. The correspond-
ing net income margin is 5.4% (previous year: 4.9%). As a result 
of  the  strong  contribution  of  Shenyang  Yuanda  (of  which  the 
founder of the company still owns 40%) to the Group’s result, the 
net income per share attributable to shareholders of  Burckhardt 
Compression Holding AG decreased by 4.2% to CHF 8.15 (previ-
ous year: CHF 8.51).

BALANCE  SHEET

Total assets increased by 6.4% to CHF 848.7 mn. Property plant 
and  equipment  totaled  CHF 191.2 mn,  slightly  below  the  previ-
ous  year,  while  inventories  increased  by  CHF  11.3  mn  to 
CHF  222.0  mn.  Due  to  the  high  volume  of  projects  invoiced 
towards  the  fiscal  year-end,  accounts  receivable  ended  up  at 
CHF  261.1  mn,  CHF  33.4  mn  above  prior  year.  31.5%  of  the 
accounts  receivable  were  overdue  more  than  90  days  as  per 
year-end  (prior  year:  28.1%).  The  majority  of  overdue  positions 
are related to projects in China. The balance between advance 
payments  from  customers  compared  to  work  in  progress  and 
advance payments to suppliers ended the year at CHF –39.2 mn 
(previous  year:  CHF  –42.4  mn).  The  negative  balance  is  also 
related  primarily  to  projects  in  China  with  either  unfavorable 
payment  terms  from  public  bids  or  delayed  project  schedules. 
The equity ratio declined slightly to 40.7% (prior year: 42.0%).

FINANCIAL REPORT | ANNUAL REPORT 2018 | BURCKHARDT COMPRESSION78

CONSOLIDATED  INCOME  STATEMENT

Notes

2018

2017

in CHF 1’000

Sales 
Cost of goods sold

Gross Profit
Selling and marketing expenses

General and administrative expenses

Research and development expenses

Other operating income

Other operating expenses

Operating income
Share of results of associates

Financial income and expenses

Earnings before taxes
Income tax expenses

Net income
Share of net income attributable to  
shareholders of Burckhardt Compression Holding AG
Share of net income attributable to non-controlling interests

Basic earnings per share in CHF

Diluted earnings per share in CHF

599’280
–463’603

135’677
–48’952

–37’589

–8’711

28’651

–24’569

44’507
–1’208

–2’238

41’061
–8’860

32’201

27’644
4’557

8.15

8.15

594’574
–469’514

125’060
–45’341

–35’127

–8’004

25’158

–20’064

41’682
–1’888

–1’867

37’927
–8’904

29’023

28’837
186

8.51

8.51

7

8

8

14

9

10

11 
11

The  enclosed  notes  are  an  integral  part  of  the  consolidated  
financial statements.

FINANCIAL REPORT | ANNUAL REPORT 2018 | BURCKHARDT COMPRESSION 
 
 
 
79

CONSOLIDATED  BALANCE  SHEET

Notes

03/31/2019

03/31/2018

in CHF 1’000

Non-current assets
Intangible assets

Property, plant and equipment

Investment in associates

Deferred tax assets

Other financial assets

Total non-current assets

Current assets
Inventories

Trade receivables

Other current receivables

Prepaid expenses and accrued income

Cash and cash equivalents

Total current assets

Total assets

Equity
Share capital

Capital reserves

Treasury shares

Retained earnings and other reserves

Equity attributable to shareholders of Burckhardt Compression Holding AG
Non-controlling interests

Total equity

Liabilities

Non-current liabilities
Non-current financial liabilities

Deferred tax liabilities

Non-current provisions

Other non-current liabilities

Total non-current liabilities

Current liabilities
Current financial liabilities

Trade payables

Customers’ advance payments

Other current liabilities

Accrued liabilities and deferred income

Current provisions

Total current liabilities

Total liabilities

Total equity and liabilities

The  enclosed  notes  are  an  integral  part  of  the  consolidated  
financial statements.

12

13

14

10

15

16

17

18

19

19

20

10

21

22

20

23

24

21

11’369

191’188

11’539

9’061

27’689

250’846

222’045

261’113

28’482

3’236

83’010

597’886

13’200

193’170

12’249

7’871

25’313

251’803

210’703

227’699

29’546

2’755

75’077

545’780

848’732

797’583

8’500

446

–1’582

295’100

302’464
42’570

345’034

64’742

15’348

14’074

7’401

8’500

421

–1’652

288’798

296’067
39’133

335’200

65’599

14’599

14’249

5’900

101’565

100’347

67’666

86’731

129’233

36’510

60’881

21’112

402’133

71’538

65’294

120’642

21’373

63’340

19’849

362’036

503’698

462’383

848’732

797’583

FINANCIAL REPORT | ANNUAL REPORT 2018 | BURCKHARDT COMPRESSION 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
80

CONSOLIDATED  CASH  FLOW  STATEMENT

Notes

2018

2017

10

9

14

13

12

10

13

12

4

in CHF 1’000

Cash flow from operating activities
Net income

Income tax expenses

Financial income and expenses

Share of results of associates

Depreciation

Amortization

Change in inventories

Change in trade receivables

Change in other current assets

Change in trade payables

Change in customers’ advance payments

Change in provisions

Change in other liabilities

Adjustment for non-cash items

Interest received

Interest paid

Income taxes paid

Total cash flow from operating activities

Cash flow from investing activities
Purchase of property, plant and equipment

Sale of property, plant and equipment

Purchase of intangible assets

Increase in Financial Assets

Acquisition of group companies net of cash acquired

Disposal of group companies

Total cash flow from investing activities

Cash flow from financing activities
Increase in financial liabilities

Decrease in financial liabilities

Dividends paid

Transactions with non-controlling interests

Total cash flow from financing activities

Currency translation differences on cash and cash equivalents

Net change in cash and cash equivalents

Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period

Cash and cash equivalents at end of period

Net change in cash and cash equivalents

The  enclosed  notes  are  an  integral  part  of  the  consolidated  
financial statements.

32’201

8’860

2’238 

1’208 

17’667 

4’170 

–13’736 

–37’991 

317 

22’730 

10’298 

1’160 

4’767 

2’093 

568 

–1’883 

–12’872 

41’795

–22’384 

18’490 

–2’546 

–1’485

–

144 

–7’781

367 

–5’096 

–20’361 

– 

–25’090 

–991

7’933 

75’077 

83’010 

7’933 

29’023

8’904

1’867 

1’888 

17’411 

3’897 

42’029 

–10’412 

–10’627 

3’452 

–46’169 

2’037 

19’119 

1’082 

578 

–1’743 

–17’977 

44’359 

–8’730 

810 

–5’101 

– 

–4’197

–

–17’218 

2’322 

–6’961 

–23’859 

299 

–28’199 

1’243 

185 

74’892 

75’077 

185 

FINANCIAL REPORT | ANNUAL REPORT 2018 | BURCKHARDT COMPRESSION 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
81

Total 
equity 

317’103
29’023

4’965

5’354

–23’859

299

–

2’878

–563

CONSOLIDATED  STATEMENT  OF  CHANGES  IN  EQUITY

in CHF 1’000

Share  
capital

Capital 
reserves

Treasury 
shares

Hedge 
reserve

Translation 
reserve

Goodwill 
offset

8’500

– –6’582

–5’788

–993 –103’267

3’138

5’354

421

4’930

Non- 
controlling 
interests

37’056
186

1’827

–235

299

Other 
retained 
earnings

Equity 
 attributable 
to share-
holders of  
Burckhardt 
Compression 
Holding AG

388’177
28’837

–23’624

280’047
28’837

3’138

5’354

–23’624
–

–5’351

–

2’878

2’878

–563

–563

8’500

421 –1’652

–434

2’145 –103’830

390’917

296’067

39’133

335’200

8’500

421 –1’652

–434

2’145 –103’830

–1’778

–971

25

70

390’917
27’644

–20’361

–95

296’067
27’644

–1’778

–971

–20’361
–

1’863

1’863

39’133
4’557

–1’120

335’200
32’201

–2’898

–

–

–971

–20’361

–

1’863

8’500

446 –1’582

–1’405

367 –103’830 399’968

302’464

42’570

345’034

Balance at 04/01/2017
Result for the period

Currency translation 
differences
Changes of cash flow hedges

Dividends paid

Transactions with  
non-controlling interests
Share-based payments  
(distributed)
Share-based payments  
(allocated)
Goodwill on acquisition

Balance at 03/31/2018

Balance at 04/01/2018
Result for the period

Currency translation  
differences
Changes of cash flow hedges

Dividends paid

Share-based payments  
(distributed)
Share-based payments  
(allocated)

Balance at 03/31/2019

The  enclosed  notes  are  an  integral  part  of  the  consolidated  
financial statements.

FINANCIAL REPORT | ANNUAL REPORT 2018 | BURCKHARDT COMPRESSION 
 
 
 
 
 
 
82

NOTES  TO  THE  CONSOLIDATED 
 FINANCIAL  STATEMENTS

1.  GENERAL  INFORMATION

Burckhardt  Compression  is  a  manufacturer  and  service  pro-
vider for a full range of reciprocating compressor technologies 
and  services.  Its  customized  compressor  systems  are  used  in 
the  upstream  oil  &  gas,  gas  transport  and  storage,  refinery, 
chemical, petrochemical and industrial gas sectors. Burckhardt 
Compression’s leading technology, broad portfolio of compres-
sor  components  and  the  full  range  of  services  help  customers 
around the world to find their optimized solution for their recip-
rocating  compressor  systems.  Burckhardt  Compression 
 Holding AG  is  a  company  limited  by  shares  incorporated  and 
 domiciled in Switzerland. The address of its registered office is: 
Franz-Burckhardt-Strasse  5,  8404  Winterthur,  Switzerland. 
Burckhardt Compression registered shares (BCHN) are listed on 
the SIX Swiss Stock Exchange in Zurich (ISIN: CH0025536027). 
Burckhardt Compression Holding AG’s fiscal year 2018 com-
prises  the  period  from  April 1,  2018  to  March 31,  2019.  These 
consolidated financial statements were authorized for issue by 
the Board of Directors on May 23, 2019 and will be submitted to 
shareholders for approval at the annual general meeting sched-
uled for July 6, 2019.

2.  ACCOUNTING  POLICIES

2.1. Basis of Preparation
The consolidated financial statements of Burckhardt Compres-
sion  Holding AG  have  been  prepared  in  accordance  with  the 
entire Swiss GAAP FER accounting and reporting standards. In 
addition,  the  provisions  of  the  Listing  Rules  of  the  SIX  Swiss 
Exchange  and  Swiss  accounting  law  were  complied  with.  The 
consolidated  financial  statements  have  been  prepared  under 
the  historical  cost  convention  unless  otherwise  stated  in  the 
following consolidation and accounting policies. 

2.2. Use of Judgments and Estimates
These consolidated financial statements include estimates and 
assumptions  that  affect  the  reported  figures  and  related  
disclosures.  Actual  results  may  differ  from  these  estimates. 
Estimates and underlying assumptions are reviewed on an ongo-
ing basis. Revisions to estimates are recognized prospectively. 

2.3. Principles of Consolidation
The  consolidated  financial  statements  include  all  entities 
where  Burckhardt  Compression  Holding AG  has  the  power  to 
control the financial and operating policy, usually as a result of 
directly or indirectly owning more than 50% of the voting rights. 
All  of  the  assets  and  liabilities  as  well  as  the  income  and 
expenses  of  these  companies  are  fully  included.  Non-control-

ling interests are presented separately in the balance sheet and 
the  income  statement.  Intercompany  transactions,  balances 
and  unrealized  gains  or  losses  on  transactions  between  group 
companies  are  eliminated.  Group  companies  are  disclosed  in 
note 33. 

Acquired companies are fully consolidated from the date on 
which  control  was  effectively  transferred.  Companies  which 
have  been  divested  are  included  in  the  consolidated  financial 
statements until the date on which control ceased. Capital con-
solidation  is  based  on  the  acquisition  method  (purchase  
method).  At  the  time  of  the  acquisition,  all  previously  recog-
nized  assets  and  liabilities  of  the  company  are  initially  valued 
at fair value. Acquisition-related costs are expensed as incurred. 
The net assets acquired are compared with the purchase price, 
and  any  resulting  goodwill  is  directly  offset  against  equity.  In 
the  notes  to  the  financial  statements,  the  effects  of  a  
theoretical capitalization and any impairment are shown using 
an  amortization  period  of  five  years.  In  the  event  of  a  possible 
subsequent  sale,  the  goodwill  offset  against  shareholders’ 
equity at the time of the acquisition is recognized in the income 
statement against the proceeds of the sale.

Associates are those entities in which Burckhardt Compres-
sion has significant influence, but no control, over the financial 
and  operating  policies.  Significant  influence  is  generally  pre-
sumed to exist when Burckhardt Compression holds, directly or 
indirectly,  between  20%  and  50%  of  the  voting  rights.  Associ-
ates  are  accounted  for  using  the  equity  method.  The  propor-
tionate share of net income is shown in the consolidated income 
statement. Associates are disclosed in note 33. 

2.4. Foreign Currency Translation
The consolidated financial statements of Burckhardt Compres-
sion are prepared in Swiss francs (CHF). 

Foreign Currency Translation at Company Level  
Foreign  currency  transactions  are  recorded  at  the  exchange 
rate  of  the  transaction  date.  Monetary  assets  and  liabilities 
which  are  denominated  in  foreign  currencies  are  translated  at 
period-end  exchange  rates.  Resulting  translation  differences 
are recorded in the income statement. 

Foreign Currency Translation for Consolidation Purposes  
As sets and liabilities of foreign subsidiaries are translated into 
CHF  using  period-end  exchange  rates.  Average  exchange  rates 
are used for the translation of the income statements. Transla-
tion  differences  arising  from  the  consolidation  of  financial 
statements  are  recorded  as  a  separate  component  of  equity. 
Likewise,  exchange  differences  arising  on  inter-company  loans 
with equity character are directly recorded in equity. 

FINANCIAL REPORT | ANNUAL REPORT 2018 | BURCKHARDT COMPRESSION 
83

Major Foreign Currency Exchange Rates

Average rates

2018
1.15

0.99

14.77

Period-end rates
03/31/2019 03/31/2018
1.18

1.12

1.00

14.77

0.96

15.21

2017

1.13

0.97

14.66

1 EUR

1 USD

100 CNY

2.5. Impairment of Assets
All  non-current  assets  are  tested  for  impairment  when  indica-
tors  exist  that  the  carrying  amount  of  the  asset  might  exceed 
its recoverable amount. Where the carrying amount of an asset 
is higher than the recoverable amount, the asset is impaired to 
its  recoverable  amount.  The  recoverable  amount  is  the  higher 
of  an  asset’s  fair  value  less  cost  to  sell  and  its  value  in  use. 
Impairment  tests  are  performed  based  on  discounted  cash 
flows  at  the  level  of  the  corresponding  cash-generating  units, 
representing  the  lowest  level  at  which  such  assets  are  evalu-
ated for recoverability. 

2.6. Intangible Assets and Goodwill
Acquired  software  licenses  are  capitalized  on  the  basis  of  the 
costs incurred to acquire and bring to use the specific software. 
The  estimated  useful  life  for  software  generally  amounts  to 
three to five years. Internal costs associated with developing or 
maintaining software are recognized as an expense as incurred. 
Other  intangible  assets  are  recorded  at  acquisition  or  pro-
duction  costs  less  accumulated  amortization.  The  amortiza-
tion expense is calculated on a straight-line basis over the esti-
mated useful life of the asset. 

Goodwill resulting from acquisitions is offset against equity 
at  the  date  of  acquisition.  The  consequences  of  a  theoretical 
capitalization and amortization of goodwill (using an amortiza-
tion period of five years) are disclosed in note 12. 

2.7. Property, Plant and Equipment
Items of property, plant and equipment are stated at cost less 
accumulated  depreciation.  They  are  depreciated  on  a  straight-
line  basis  over  their  estimated  useful  lives.  Land  is  stated  at 
cost  and  is  not  depreciated,  except  land  use  rights  in  China, 
which  are  depreciated  over  their  useful  lives.  The  estimated 
useful lives are as follows: 
–  Buildings: 20 to 50 years
–  Machinery: 5 to 15 years
–  Technical equipment: 5 to 10 years
–  Other non-current assets: maximum 5 years

2.8. Other Financial Assets
Other  financial  assets  include  loans  and  long-term  rental 
deposits.  They  are  stated  at  cost  less  appropriate  impairment  
losses. 

2.9. Inventories
Inventories  are  stated  at  the  lower  of  cost  or  net  realizable  
value. The cost of work in progress and finished goods comprises 

material  costs,  direct  and  indirect  production  costs  and  other 
order-related  production  costs.  Inventories  are  stated  at 
weighted  average  costs  or  standard  costs  based  on  their  type 
and  use.  Valuation  allowances  are  recognized  for  slow-moving 
and excess inventory items. 

2.10. Trade and Other Current Receivables
Trade  receivables  and  other  current  receivables  are  stated  at 
nominal value less valuation allowances for doubtful amounts. 
Impairments are assessed case by case. An impairment loss is 
recognized  when  there  is  objective  evidence  that  Burckhardt 
Compression  will  not  be  able  to  collect  the  full  amount  due, 
such  as  substantial  financial  problems  of  the  customer  or  a 
declaration of bankruptcy. 

2.11. Cash and Cash Equivalents
Cash and cash equivalents includes cash in hand, deposits held 
at  call  with  banks  and  other  short-term  highly  liquid  invest-
ments with original maturities of three months or less. 

2.12. Financial Liabilities
Financial  liabilities  mainly  consist  of  bank  debt  and  are  recog-
nized at nominal value. 

2.13. Provisions
Provisions are recognized for warranty obligations, unprofitable 
contracts,  personnel  expenses  and  various  commercial  risks 
where Burckhardt Compression has an obligation towards third 
parties arising from past events, the amount of the liability can 
be reliably measured and it is probable that the settlement will 
result in an outflow of resources. The amount of the provisions 
is based on the expected expenditures required to cover all obli-
gations and liabilities. 

2.14. Treasury Shares
Treasury  shares  are  stated  at  acquisition  cost  and  deducted 
from  equity.  No  subsequent  valuation  is  made.  If  the  treasury 
shares  are  disposed  of,  the  resulting  gain  or  loss  is  recognized 
as an addition to or a reduction of capital reserves. 

2.15. Government Grants
Grants  from  governments  or  similar  organizations  are  recog-
nized at their fair value when there is reasonable assurance that 
the grant will be received and Burckhardt Compression will com-
ply with all attached conditions. 

Government  grants  related  to  income  and  government 
grants related to assets are deferred and recognized as income 
over the period necessary to match them with the related costs 
which they are intended to compensate. 

2.16. Derivative Financial Instruments
Burckhardt Compression uses derivative financial instruments to 
mitigate  currency  risks.  The  risk  management  policy  is  
described in note 3. The derivative financial instruments are rec-
ognized at fair value. Where such derivative financial instruments 

FINANCIAL REPORT | ANNUAL REPORT 2018 | BURCKHARDT COMPRESSION84

are linked to specific projected transactions and cash flows, the 
hedging is deemed to be effective and documented accordingly, 
changes in the fair value of the cash flow hedges are recognized 
in equity as long as the hedged item has not been recognized on 
the  balance  sheet.  Otherwise,  the  gain  or  loss  relating  to  fair 
value  changes  of  the  derivative  financial  instruments  is  recog-
nized  immediately  in  the  income  statement  as  part  of  other 
operating income or other operating expenses.

2.17. Revenue Recognition
Burckhardt  Compression  recognizes  revenue  arising  from  the 
sale of goods and the rendering of services upon completion of 
the  contract,  net  of  sales  or  value-added  taxes,  credits,  dis-
counts and rebates. Revenue and the related cost of goods sold 
are recognized in the accounts when the risks and rewards have 
passed to the customers subject to the conditions of sale. The 
following conditions must be met in this regard: 
–  Deliveries have been made and/or the service as per contract 

has been performed. 

–  A  contractually-agreed  sales  price  exists  or  can  be  reliably 

estimated. 

–  Collection of the payment is reasonably assured. 
–  The  costs  (including  those  yet  to  be  incurred)  can  be  reliably 

measured. 

2.18. Research and Development
Research and development costs are expensed as incurred. 

2.19. Income Taxes
Income tax expenses include all income tax on the taxable prof-
its of the group. Deferred income tax is recorded in full using the 
liability method. Deferred income tax assets and liabilities arise 
on  temporary  differences  between  the  carrying  amounts  of 
assets and liabilities under Swiss GAAP FER and their related tax 
values. The tax rates and laws enacted or substantively enacted 
at the balance sheet date are used to determine deferred income 
tax.  Deferred  income  tax  assets  result  from  tax  loss  carry-for-
wards, tax credits as well as temporary valuation differences of 
assets  and  liabilities.  They  are  recognized  to  the  extent  that  
realization through future taxable profits is probable. 

2.20. Off-Balance-Sheet Transactions
Contingent liabilities and other non-recognizable commitments 
are valued and disclosed on each balance sheet date. 

2.21. Share-Based Payments
Share-based  payments  with  compensation  through  equity 
instruments are valued at fair value at the grant date. The cor-
responding personnel expenses are distributed over the vesting 
periods. 

2.22. Employee Benefits
There are various pension plans within Burckhardt Compression 
based on local conditions in their respective countries. An eco-
nomic obligation is recognized as a liability if the requirements 

for  the  recognition  of  a  provision  are  met  under  Swiss  GAAP 
FER.  An  economic  benefit  is  capitalized  provided  that 
 Burckhardt  Compression  is  entitled  to  such  benefit  in  the 
future, for example, to offset future pension expenses. 

For  Swiss  pension  plans,  economic  benefits  and/or  eco-
nomic  obligations  are  determined  on  the  basis  of  the  annual 
financial  statements  of  the  pension  funds  prepared  in  accord-
ance  with  Swiss  GAAP  FER 26.  Freely  available  employer  con-
tribution reserves are recognized as financial asset. For foreign 
plans, the economic impact is determined according to country- 
specific methods. 

3.  FINANCIAL  RISK  MANAGEMENT

Basic Principles 
The  goal  of  the  group-wide  risk  management  policy  is  to  mini-
mize the negative impact of changes in the financing structure 
and  financial  markets,  particularly  with  regard  to  currency 
fluctuations.  Derivative  financial  instruments  such  as  foreign 
exchange  contracts  may  be  used  to  address  the  respective 
risks.  Burckhardt  Compression  pursues  a  conservative,  risk-
averse  financial  policy.  Financial  risk  management  is  based  on 
the  principles  and  regulations  established  by  the  Board  of 
Directors.  These  govern  Burckhardt  Compression’s  financial 
policy and outline the conduct and powers of the group’s treas-
ury  department,  which  is  responsible  for  the  group-wide  man-
agement  of  financial  risks.  The  financial  principles  and  regula-
tions govern areas such as financing policy, the management of 
foreign  currency  risk,  the  use  of  derivative  financial  instru-
ments  and  the  investment  policy  applicable  to  financial 
resources not required for operational purposes.

Liquidity Risks
Each  Burckhardt  Compression  group  company  is  responsible 
for  managing  its  liquidity  so  that  day-to-day  business  can  be 
handled  smoothly,  while  the  group  treasury  is  responsible  for 
maintaining the group’s overall liquidity. Some of the group sub-
sidiaries may secure loans from local creditors within the limits 
approved  by  the  group  management.  The  group  treasury  pro-
vides  the  local  group  companies  with  the  necessary  funds  or 
invests their excess liquidity. The group treasury maintains suf-
ficient liquidity reserves and open credit and guarantee lines to 
fulfill the financial obligations at all times. 

The  actual  and  future  cash  flows  and  cash  reserves  are 
compiled  monthly  in  a  rolling  liquidity  forecast.  The  Executive 
Board and the Board of Directors are informed about the liquid-
ity situation and outlook with the regular financial reporting.

Currency Risks
Burckhardt  Compression  hedges  all  major  USD-denominated 
sales transactions of its non-US entities to the extent that such 
transactions  are  not  fully  or  partially  naturally  hedged.  EUR-
denominated sales and purchase transactions of the Swiss com-
pany  are  fairly  evenly  balanced  when  viewed  over  a  period  of 

FINANCIAL REPORT | ANNUAL REPORT 2018 | BURCKHARDT COMPRESSION 
85

4.  BUSINESS  COMBINATIONS  AND 
OTHER  CHANGES  IN  THE  SCOPE  OF 
CONSOLIDATION

Burckhardt Compression Tehran SSK (Iran)
On November 2, 2018, Burckhardt Compression sold its subsidi-
ary Burckhardt Compression Tehran SSK (BCIR), an Iranian sub-
sidiary based in Tehran, in a share deal. BCIR was fully consoli-
dated  in  the  Burckhardt  Compression  Group  until  October 31, 
2018.  The  effect  on  net  income  from  the  divestment  amounts 
to CHF –0.6mn. 

CSM Compressor Supplies & Machine Work Ltd. (Canada)
On June 23, 2017, Burckhardt Compression acquired CSM Com-
pressor  Supplies & Machine  Work  (CSM),  a  Canadian  business 
based  in  Edmonton  and  Drumheller,  in  an  asset  deal.  CSM  has 
35 years of experience in component supply and repair, focused 
on  the  upstream  market.  This  acquisition  enables  Burckhardt 
Compression  Canada  to  establish  a  presence  in  the  upstream 
compressor  service  market  and,  in  parallel,  offer  comprehen-
sive service to downstream customers. 

The following table shows the fair value of assets and liabilities 
acquired  at  the  acquisition  date  and  the  goodwill  arising  from 
this transaction. 

in CHF 1’000

Intangible assets

Property, plant and equipment

Inventories

Trade receivables

Prepaid expenses and accrued income

Trade payables

Accrued liabilities and deferred income
Net assets acquired at fair value
Goodwill

Total
Less cash and cash equivalents acquired

Net cash outflow on acquisition

48 

545 

1’664 

1’495 

19 

–124 

–13 
3’634 
563 
4’197 
–

4’197 

A complete list of all Group companies is shown in note 33.

1–2 years and are therefore, to a certain extent, naturally hedged 
at  the  net  profit  level  over  said  period.  These  foreign-exchange 
flows  are  regularly  monitored  by  the  group  treasury;  if  there  
is  evidence  of  a  sustained  shift  in  these  flows,  major  sales  and 
 purchase  transactions  will  be  hedged  on  a  case-by-case  basis. 
For  this,  the  group  treasury  normally  uses  forward  exchange 
contracts.  The  other  companies  belonging  to  Burckhardt 
 Compression group may, after consultation with group treasury, 
hedge  the  foreign-exchange  risks  of  their  sales  and  purchase 
transactions through local qualified institutions or group treas-
ury, the objective being the optimization of the net profit of each 
group company as reported in its functional local currency. The 
group management regularly monitors the changes in the most 
important currencies and may adjust the hedging policy accord-
ingly  in  the  future.  As  a  globally  active  corporation,   Burckhardt 
 Compression is also exposed to currency risks resulting from the 
translation  into  Swiss  francs  of  items  in  the  balance  sheets  of 
the  foreign  group  companies.  Burckhardt  Compression  Hold-
ing AG does not hedge these translation risks.

Credit Risks
Credit  risk  in  respect  of  trade  receivables  is  limited  due  to  the 
diverse  nature  and  quality  of  the  customer  base.  Such  risk  is 
mini mized by means of regular credit checks, advance payments, 
letters  of  credit  and  other  tools.  There  is  no  concentration  of 
customer-related risks within Burckhardt Compression Group as 
the  most  important  customers  in  the  project  business,  which  
account  for  a  large  share  of  Burckhardt  Compression’s  overall 
business, vary from one year to the next. In past years Burckhardt 
Compression experienced no major impairments of receivables.
Credit  risks  of  banks  and  financial  institutions  are  moni-
tored  and  managed  centrally.  Generally,  only  independently 
rated  parties  with  a  strong  credit  rating  are  accepted,  and  the 
total  volume  of  transactions  is  split  among  several  banks  to 
reduce the individual risk with one bank.

Interest Rate Risks
Interest  rate  risks  arise  from  fluctuations  in  interest  rates 
which could have a negative impact on the financial position of 
Burckhardt Compression. Assets and liabilities at variable rates 
expose Burckhardt Compression to cash flow interest rate risk.

Capital Risks
The capital managed by Burckhardt Compression is its consoli-
dated  equity.  With  regard  to  its  capital  management  policies, 
Burckhardt Compression seeks to secure the continuation of its 
business  activities,  to  achieve  an  acceptable  return  for  the 
shareholders  and  to  finance  the  growth  of  the  business  to  a  
certain  extent  from  own  cash  flow.  In  order  to  achieve  these 
objectives  Burckhardt  Compression  can  adjust  the  dividend 
payments, repay share capital, issue new shares or divest parts 
of the assets.

FINANCIAL REPORT | ANNUAL REPORT 2018 | BURCKHARDT COMPRESSION 
 
Others
Certain expenses related to the corporate center are not attrib-
utable to a particular segment. They are reported in the column 
“Others”.  Furthermore,  “Others”  includes  the  income  and 
expenses  of  Burckhardt  Compression’s  real  estate  company  in 
Switzerland  (Burckhardt  Compression  Immobilien AG)  as  well 
as expenses for strategic projects.

86

5.  SEGMENT  REPORTING

Systems Division
Burckhardt Compression’s Systems Division covers a complete 
range of reciprocating compressor technologies. Its customized 
compressor  systems  are  used  in  the  upstream  oil & gas,  gas 
transport  and  storage,  refinery,  chemical,  petrochemical  and 
industrial  gas  sectors.  Depending  on  the  customers’  needs, 
Burckhardt Compression offers solutions to minimize life cycle 
costs  of  the  reciprocating  compressor  systems  or  solutions  to 
minimize the capital expenditure.

Services Division
Burckhardt  Compression’s  Services  Division  is  a  one-stop  pro-
vider  of  a  full  range  of  services  for  reciprocating  compressors 
and  stands  for  top-quality,  high-performance  components  for 
all makes of reciprocating compressors, as replacement parts, 
or  to  repair  or  upgrade  existing  installations.  Original  spare 
parts backed by Burckhardt Compression’s manufacturing guar-
antees stand for superior quality and ensure together with var-
ious  complementary  service  modules  both  low  life  cycle  costs 
as well as the optimal operation of compressor systems.

Systems Division

Services Division

Others

2018

2017

2018

2017

2018

2017

375’400  384’392 
–344’906  –357’201 

223’880 
210’182 
–118’697  –112’313 

30’494 
8.1%

–8’669 
–2.3%

27’191 
7.1%

–8’974 
–2.3%

105’183 
47.0%

58’185 
26.0%

97’869 
46.6%

54’352 
25.9%

–
–

–

–

–
–

–
–

–5’009

–

–3’696 
–

Total

2018

599’280 
–463’603 

135’677 
22.6%

44’507 
7.4%

2017

594’574 
–469’514 

125’060 
21.0%

41’682 
7.0%

2018

2017

Capital expenditure for property,  
plant and equipment
in CHF 1’000

155’346 
19’052 

43’843 

5’175 

34’484 

123’670 
3’116 

Europe
Africa

99’481 

North America

14’017 

South America

26’964 

Middle East

208’969 

155’970 

China

2018

2017

9’279 
4 

161 

4 

106 

11’875 

955 

22’384 

2’251 
47 

352 

30 

473 

4’222 

1’355 

8’730 

Other Asia & Australia

132’411 

171’356 

Other Asia & Australia

Total

599’280 

594’574 

Total

in CHF 1’000

Sales 
Cost of goods sold

Gross profit
  Gross profit as % of sales

Operating income
  Operating income as % of sales

Geographic information

Sales by customer location
in CHF 1’000

Europe
Africa

North America

South America

Middle East

China

FINANCIAL REPORT | ANNUAL REPORT 2018 | BURCKHARDT COMPRESSION 
 
87

6.  PERSONNEL  EXPENSES

9.  FINANCIAL  INCOME  AND  EXPENSES

in CHF 1’000

Wages and salaries
Social security and pension expenses

Other personnel expenses

Total personnel expenses

2018

2017

–131’986  –118’515 
–19’708 
–24’253 

–13’533 

–11’531 

in CHF 1’000

Interest expenses

Interest income
Other financial income (+) and expenses (–)

–169’772 –149’754 

Total financial income and expenses

2018

2017

–2’186 

–2’491 

863 
–915 

819 
–195 

–2’238 

–1’867 

7.  RESEARCH  AND  DEVELOPMENT   
EXPENSES

Other financial income and expenses include the exchange rate 
gains and losses on intercompany loans.

Research and development activities in the fiscal year 2018 cen-
tered on extending our compressor solution portfolio for marine 
applications including the development of advanced sealing tech-
nologies for the lubeless sealing of pistons and piston rods.

1O.  INCOME  TAXES

Income Tax Expenses

8.  OTHER  OPERATING  INCOME   
AND  EXPENSES

in CHF 1’000

Current income tax expenses
Deferred income tax income (+) and expenses (–)

2018

2017

Total income tax expenses

in CHF 1’000

Currency exchange gains 
Other operating income 

Total other operating income

Currency exchange losses 
Other operating expenses

Total other operating expenses

14’271 
14’380 

16’575 
8’583 

28’651 

25’158 

–15’487 
–9’082 

–14’861 
–5’203 

–24’569  –20’064 

Total other operating income and expenses

4’082 

5’094 

Other  operating  income  includes  the  operating  income  of  
CHF 6.6 mn (prior year: CHF 6.6 mn) of the real estate company 
(Burckhardt Compression Immobilien AG). 

Other  operating  expenses  include  expenses  amounting  to  
CHF 3.2 mn (prior year: CHF 3.0 mn) of the real estate company 
(Burckhardt Compression Immobilien AG).

Reconciliation of Income Tax Expenses

in CHF 1’000

Earnings before taxes
Expected income tax expenses
Effect of non-recognition of tax loss  
carry forwards
Effect of recognition and offset of tax loss  
carry forwards not recognized in prior years
Effect of income tax of prior periods

Effect of changes in tax rates

Effect of non-deductible expenses

Total income tax expenses
as % of earnings before taxes

2018

2017

–9’418 
558 

–12’470 
3’566 

–8’860 

–8’904 

2018

2017

41’061 
–8’489 
–161

37’927 
–8’955 
–362 

–

591 

36 

–99 

–147 

468 

–530 

–116 

–8’860 
21.6%

–8’904
23.5%

The  expected  tax  rate  of  Burckhardt  Compression  Group  of 
21.6%  (prior  year:  23.5%)  corresponds  to  the  weighted  average 
tax  rate  based  on  the  profit  before  income  taxes  and  the  tax 
rate  of  each  group  company.  The  lower  tax  rate  is  mainly  an 
effect  of  the  higher  share  of  taxable  income  of  countries  with 
lower tax rates. 

FINANCIAL REPORT | ANNUAL REPORT 2018 | BURCKHARDT COMPRESSION 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
88

Current Income Taxes

11.  EARNINGS  PER  SHARE

Net current income tax liabilities
in CHF 1’000

2018

2017

in CHF 1’000

2018

2017

Net income attributable to  
the shareholders of Burckhardt  
Compression Holding AG
Average number of outstanding shares

Earnings per share (CHF)

27’644 
3’393’911 

28’837 
3’387’252 

8.15 

8.51 

The average number of outstanding shares is calculated based 
on  the  issued  shares  minus  the  weighted  average  number  of 
treasury shares. There are no conversion rights or option  rights 
outstanding; therefore, there is no potential dilution of earnings 
per share.

Balance as per 04/01/2018 / 04/01/2017
Changes in the consolidation scope

Recognized in the income statement

Income taxes paid

Translation differences

Balance as per 03/31/2019 / 03/31/2018
thereof current tax assets

thereof current tax liabilities

5’594 
–

9’418 

10’935 
–

12’470 

–12’872 

–17’977 

–49 

2’091 
678 

2’769 

166 

5’594 
371 

5’965 

Deferred Income Taxes

Net deferred income tax liabilities
in CHF 1’000

2018

2017

Balance as per 04/01/2018 / 04/01/2017
Changes in the consolidation scope

Recognized in the income statement

Recognized in equity

Translation differences

Balance as per 03/31/2019 / 03/31/2018
thereof deferred tax assets

6’728 
–

–558 

–265 

382 

6’287 
9’061 

9’743 
–

–3’566 

659 

–108 

6’728 
7’871 

thereof deferred tax liabilities

15’348 

14’599 

Tax Loss Carry-Forwards

in CHF 1’000

Expiring in the next 3 years
Expiring in 4 years or later

Total tax loss carry forwards
Potential deferred tax assets from  
tax loss carry forwards
Effect of non-recognized tax loss  
carry forwards

Effective deferred tax assets from tax 
loss carry forwards

03/31/2019

03/31/2018

635 
17’782 

18’417 
4’087

452 
11’454 

11’906 
2’705 

–257

–447 

3’830 

2’258 

FINANCIAL REPORT | ANNUAL REPORT 2018 | BURCKHARDT COMPRESSION 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
12.  INTANGIBLE  ASSETS

Acquisition Costs

in CHF 1’000

Balance as per 04/01/2018 / 04/01/2017
Changes in the consolidation scope

Additions

Disposals

Reclassifications

Currency translation differences

Software

30’091
–

1’552

–2’321

546

–238

Balance as per 03/31/2019 / 03/31/2018

29’630

Other  
intangible 
assets

Intangible 
assets under 
construction

2018
Total

Software

Other  
intangible 
assets

Intangible 
assets under 
construction

770
–2

18

–

–

–32

754

2’072
–

976

–

–546

–7

2’495

32’933
–2

2’546

–2’321

–

–277

27’157
48

1’054

–

1’579

253

32’879

30’091

345
–

405

–

–

20

770

–
–

3’642

–

–1’579

9

2’072

Accumulated Amortization

in CHF 1’000

Software

Other  
intangible 
assets

Intangible 
assets under 
construction

2018
Total

Software

Other  
intangible 
assets

Intangible 
assets under 
construction

Balance as per 04/01/2018 / 04/01/2017
Changes in the consolidation scope

Additions

Disposals

Reclassifications

Currency translation differences

–19’308
–

–4’058

2’221

–

152

Balance as per 03/31/2019 / 03/31/2018

–20’993

–425
–

–112

–

–

20

–517

–
–

–

–

–

–

–

–19’733
–

–4’170

2’221

–

172

–15’450
–

–3’763

–

–

–95

–285
–

–134

–

–

–6

–21’510

–19’308

–425

–
–

–

–

–

–

–

89

2017
Total

27’502
48

5’101

–

–

282

32’933

2017
Total

–15’735
–

–3’897

–

–

–101

–19’733

Net Book Value

in CHF 1’000

Software

Other  
intangible 
assets

Intangible 
assets under 
construction

2018
Total

Software

Other  
intangible 
assets

Intangible 
assets under 
construction

2017
Total

As per 04/01/2018 / 04/01/2017
As per 03/31/2019 / 03/31/2018

10’783
8’637

345
237

2’072
2’495

13’200
11’369

11’707
10’783

60
345

–
2’072

11’767
13’200

FINANCIAL REPORT | ANNUAL REPORT 2018 | BURCKHARDT COMPRESSION 
 
 
90

Goodwill
Goodwill  from  acquisitions  is  fully  offset  against  equity  at  the 
date of acquisition. The theoretical amortization of goodwill is 
based  on  the  straight-line  method  and  an  amortization  period 
of five years. The carrying amounts of goodwill existing at con-
version  from  IFRS  to  Swiss  GAAP  FER  as  per  April 1,  2016  have 
been  included  in  the  theoretical  movement  schedule  below 

using the currency rates as of April 1, 2016. Goodwill from new 
acquisitions  is  fixed  to  Swiss  francs  using  the  closing  rate  at 
acquisition  date.  Therefore,  there  are  no  exchange  rate  differ-
ences  in  the  movement  schedules.  The  impact  of  the  theoreti-
cal  capitalization  and  amortization  of  goodwill  is  disclosed 
below. 

2018

2017

in CHF 1’000

Acquisition costs
Balance as per 04/01/2018 / 04/01/2017

Additions from acquisitions

Balance as per 03/31/2019 / 03/31/2018

in CHF 1’000

Accumulated amortization
Balance as per 04/01/2018 / 04/01/2017

Amortization expense

Balance as per 03/31/2019 / 03/31/2018

in CHF 1’000

Net book value
Theoretical net book value as per 04/01/2018 / 04/01/2017

Theoretical net book value as per 03/31/2019 / 03/31/2018

in CHF 1’000

Theoretical impact on equity 
Equity as per balance sheet

Theoretical capitalization of goodwill

Theoretical equity including net book value of goodwill

in CHF 1’000

Theoretical impact on net income
Net income as per income statement

Amortization of goodwill

Theoretical net income after goodwill amortization

103’830 

–

103’830 

2018

–51’128 

–17’162 

–68’290 

2018

52’702 

35’540 

103’267 

563 

103’830 

2017

–33’995 

–17’133 

–51’128 

2017

69’272 

52’702 

03/31/2019

03/31/2018

345’034 

35’540 

380’574 

2018

32’201 

–17’162 

15’039 

335’200 

52’702 

387’902 

2017

29’023 

–17’133 

11’890 

FINANCIAL REPORT | ANNUAL REPORT 2018 | BURCKHARDT COMPRESSION 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
91

13.  PROPERTY,  PLANT  &  EQUIPMENT

Acquisition Costs

in CHF 1’000

Land  
and  
buildings

Machinery  
and  
equipment

Other 
business 
assets

Assets  
under  
con struction

2018
Total

Land  
and  
buildings

Machinery  
and  
equipment

Other 
business 
assets 

Assets  
under  
con struction

2017
Total

Balance as per 04/01/2018 / 04/01/2017
Changes in the consolidation scope

164’158 122’172
–253

–

27’317
–87

Additions

Disposals

Reclassifications

8’055

–5’932

338

5’399

–668

2’918

Currency translation differences

–1’093

–1’060

2’157

–573

150

–396

4’895
–

6’773

–

–3’406

318’542 162’185 113’486
545

–340

–

22’384

–7’173

122

4’034

–113

–2’326

–117

–2’665

1’641

–

323

5’324

1’109

26’014
–

1’760

–962

211

294

7’758
–

2’814

–5

–5’858

309’443
545

8’730

–3’406

–

186

3’230

Balance as per 03/31/2019 / 03/31/2018 165’526 128’508 28’568

8’145

330’748 164’158 122’172

27’317

4’895

318’542

Accumulated Depreciation

in CHF 1’000

Balance as per 04/01/2018 / 04/01/2017
Changes in the consolidation scope

Additions

Disposals

Reclassifications

Currency translation differences

Land  
and  
buildings

Machinery  
and  
equipment

Other 
business 
assets

Assets  
under  
con struction

2018
Total

Land  
and  
buildings

Machinery  
and  
equipment

Other 
business 
assets 

Assets  
under  
con struction

2017
Total

–30’992 –75’622 –18’758
12

35

–

–4’938

–9’849

–2’880

1’249

–2

343

491

–63

634

438

65

277

–
–

–

–

–

–

–

–125’372 –25’672 –66’915 –16’477
–

47

–

–

–17’667 –4’945

–9’649

–2’817

2’178

113

1’682

–

–

–

801

–

1’254

–488

–740

–265

–139’560 –30’992 –75’622 –18’758

–
–

–

–

–

–

–

–109’064
–

–17’411

2’596

–

–1’493

–125’372

Balance as per 03/31/2019 / 03/31/2018 –34’340 –84’374 –20’846

Net Book Value

in CHF 1’000

Land  
and  
buildings

Machinery  
and  
equipment

Other 
business 
assets

Assets  
under  
con struction

2018
Total

Land  
and  
buildings

Machinery  
and  
equipment

Other 
business 
assets 

Assets  
under  
con struction

2017
Total

As per 04/01/2018 / 04/01/2017
As per 03/31/2019 / 03/31/2018

133’166 46’550
44’134
131’186

8’559
7’722

4’895
8’145

193’170 136’513
46’571
191’188 133’166 46’550

9’537
8’559

7’758
4’895

200’379
193’170

Relocation Shenyang Yuanda Compressor Co. Ltd (SYCC)
In  2018,  SYCC  started  the  relocation  of  its  manufacturing  and 
assembly  facility,  to  the  newly  established  China  Germany 
Equipment Manufacturing Industrial Park, which is also located 
in  the  city  of  Shenyang.  The  relocation  is  planned  to  be  com-
pleted end of 2020. In the course of this transaction SYCC will 
purchase and build new PPE and at the same time give back the 
existing PPE to the Chinese government. The whole transaction 
is  subsidized  by  the  Chinese  Government.  In  fiscal  year 2018, 
SYCC invested more than CHF 8 mn for this project in new PPE 
and gave back land and buildings in amount of CHF 4.7 mn (net 
book value).

FINANCIAL REPORT | ANNUAL REPORT 2018 | BURCKHARDT COMPRESSION 
 
 
92

14.  INVESTMENTS  IN  ASSOCIATES

in CHF 1’000

Balance as per 04/01/2018 / 04/01/2017
Changes in the consolidation scope

Share of net results

Currency translation differences

Balance as per 03/31/2019 / 03/31/2018

15.  OTHER  FINANCIAL  ASSETS

Other  financial  assets  include  a  promissory  note  from  Arkos 
Group  companies  amounting  to  CHF  18.3  mn  (prior  year:  
CHF 17.4 mn)  and  loans  to  Arkos  Group  companies  amounting  
to CHF 6.0 mn (prior year: CHF 4.3 mn). 

16.  INVENTORIES

in CHF 1’000

Raw materials, supplies and consumables
Work in progress

Finished products and trade merchandise

Advance payments to suppliers

Valuation allowance

Total inventories

The capital invested in work in progress and advance payments 
to suppliers is to a large extent financed by advance payments 
from  customers,  leaving  a  negative  balance  as  of  March  31, 
2019 of CHF –39.2 mn (prior year: CHF –42.4 mn). 

2018

12’249 
–

–1’208 

498 

11’539 

2017

14’704 
–

–1’888 

–567 

12’249 

03/31/2019

03/31/2018

24’033 
139’565 

42’249 

28’894 

–12’696 

222’045 

22’580 
133’789 

37’586 

29’293 

–12’545 

210’703 

FINANCIAL REPORT | ANNUAL REPORT 2018 | BURCKHARDT COMPRESSION 
 
17.  TRADE  RECEIVABLES

in CHF 1’000

Trade receivables, gross
Allowance for bad debts

Trade receivables, net

in CHF 1’000

Allowance for bad debts
Balance as per 04/01/2018 / 04/01/2017

Changes in the consolidation scope

Additions

Release

Utilization

Currency translation adjustments

Balance as per 03/31/2019 / 03/31/2018

93

03/31/2019

03/31/2018

269’456 
–8’343 

261’113 

237’676 
–9’977 

227’699 

03/31/2019

03/31/2018

–9’977 

–

–2’655 

2’658 

1’391 

240 

–8’343 

–9’629 

– 

–1’672 

1’206 

486 

–368 

–9’977 

The  allowance  for  bad  debts  at  the  end  of  the  2018  and  2017  
fiscal years was entirely related to accounts receivables which 
were more than 90 days overdue as per closing date. 

in CHF 1’000

Age profile of trade receivables
Not due

Overdue 1–30 days

Overdue 31–60 days

Overdue 61–90 days

Overdue more than 90 days

Balance as per 03/31/2019 / 03/31/2018

03/31/2019

03/31/2018

124’311 

19’853 

17’766 

16’984 

82’199 

261’113 

47.6%

7.6%

6.8%

6.5%

31.5%

100.0%

128’037 

18’567 

11’865 

5’133 

64’097 

227’699 

56.2%

8.2%

5.2%

2.3%

28.1%

100.0%

Trade  receivables  overdue  more  than  90 days  are  to  a  large  
extent related to projects in China. 

FINANCIAL REPORT | ANNUAL REPORT 2018 | BURCKHARDT COMPRESSION 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
94

18.  OTHER  CURRENT  RECEIVABLES

20.  FINANCIAL  LIABILITIES

03/31/2019

03/31/2018

03/31/2019

03/31/2018

in CHF 1’000

Notes receivable
VAT receivables

Derivative financial instruments

Current tax assets

Other current receivables

Total other current receivables

4’811 
8’550 

2’198 

678 

12’245 

28’482 

19.  SHARE  CAPITAL  AND  TREASURY 
SHARES

969 

371 

7’296 

29’546 

in CHF 1’000

14’178 
6’732 

Non-current financial liabilities
Current financial liabilities

Total financial liabilities

64’742 
67’666 

65’599 
71’538 

132’408 

137’137 

The  average  effective  interest  rate  amounted  to  1.6%  in  fiscal 
year 2018 (prior year: 1.6%). 

Some credit agreements are subject to financial covenants 
such as a minimum equity ratio or net financial indebtedness to 
EBITDA. All covenants were adhered to in fiscal year 2018 (same 
as prior year). 

03/31/2019

03/31/2018

Currencies of Financial Liabilities

Number of shares issued

3’400’000

3’400’000

The  nominal  value  per  share  amounts  to  CHF 2.50.  All  shares 
are  registered  shares  and  are  paid  in  full.  The  breakdown  of 
equity into its individual components is shown in the statement 
of  changes  in  equity.  The  Board  of  Directors  is  empowered  
to  increase  the  company’s  share  capital  by  a  maximum  of 
CHF 1’275’000 at any time until June 30, 2019 by issuing a maxi-
mum  of  510’000  fully  paid  registered  shares  with  a  nominal 
 value of CHF 2.50 each (authorized capital). 

At the upcoming annual general meeting of shareholders on 
July 6, 2019, the Board of Directors of Burckhardt Compression 
Holding AG  will  propose  a  dividend  for  the  2018 fiscal  year  of 
CHF 6.00 (prior year: CHF 6.00). 

in CHF 1’000

03/31/2019

03/31/2018

Financial liabilities in CHF

Financial liabilities in USD
Financial liabilities in other currencies

60’650 

62’716 
9’042 

63’550 

60’915 
12’672 

Total financial liabilities

132’408 

137’137 

Burckhardt  Compression’s  real  estate  company   (Burckhardt 
Compression  Immobilien AG),  which  uses  the  Swiss  franc  as 
functional currency, has a mortgage loan in USD. The currency 
risk is hedged using a currency swap.

Maturities of Non-Current Financial Liabilities

As  of  March 31,  2019,  non-distributable  reserves  amounted  to 
CHF 1.7 mn (prior year: CHF 1.7 mn).

in CHF 1’000

03/31/2019

03/31/2018

Number of treasury shares

5’999 

6’267 

All  treasury  shares  are  held  for  the  share-based  long-term 
incentive program within the Burckhardt Compression Group. 

Due within 2 years

Due within 3 years

Due within 4 years

Due within 5 years
Due beyond 5 years

Total non-current financial liabilities

03/31/2019

03/31/2018

13’252 

7’958 

206 

86 
43’240 

64’742 

11’306 

747 

8’454 

3’467 
41’625 

65’599 

FINANCIAL REPORT | ANNUAL REPORT 2018 | BURCKHARDT COMPRESSION 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
95

21.  PROVISIONS

in CHF 1’000

Balance as per 04/01/2018 / 04/01/2017
Changes in the consolidation scope

Additions

Release

Utilization

Currency translation differences

Employee- 
related

Warranties, 
penalties, 
unprofitable 
contracts

Other

2018 
Total

Employee- 
related

Warranties, 
penalties, 
unprofitable 
contracts

Other

2017 
Total

7’434
–

1’064

–270

–727

–132

24’774
–

5’055

–3’349

–2’503

84

1’890
–

2’872

–975

–7

–24

34’098
–

8’991

–4’594

–3’237

–72

7’020
–

1’460

–290

–907

151

24’269
–

5’510

–3’571

–1’270

–164

1’636
13

859

–405

–157

–56

32’925
13

7’829

–4’266

–2’334

–69

Balance as per 03/31/2019 / 03/31/2018

7’369

24’061

3’756

35’186

7’434

24’774

1’890

34’098

Thereof non-current

Thereof current

5’225

2’144

8’696

15’365

153

3’603

14’074

21’112

5’385

2’049

8’782

15’992

82

1’808

14’249

19’849

Employee-related  provisions  include  employee  benefit  obliga-
tions (see also note 31), provisions for long-term service awards 
and ordinary termination benefits.

22.  OTHER  NON-CURRENT  LIABILITIES

Other  non-current  liabilities  mainly  consist  of  various  govern-
ment  grants  in  China  in  the  context  of  the  relocation  process 
(see also note 13).

23.  OTHER  CURRENT  LIABILITIES

in CHF 1’000

Notes payable

VAT payables

Derivative financial instruments

Current tax liabilities
Other current liabilities

Total other current liabilities

11’321 

2’410 

2’330 

2’769 
17’680 

36’510 

3’588 

2’799 

1’298 

5’965 
7’723 

21’373 

Other  current  liabilities  mainly  consist  of  various  government 
grants  in  China  in  the  context  of  the  relocation  process  (see 
also note 13).

24.  ACCRUED  LIABILITIES  AND   
DEFERRED  INCOME

in CHF 1’000

Contract-related liabilities
Vacation and overtime

Salary and bonus payments

03/31/2019

03/31/2018

Miscellaneous

Total accrued liabilities and  
deferred income

03/31/2019

03/31/2018

44’504 
3’585 

8’045 

4’747 

49’137 
3’227 

7’050 

3’926 

60’881

63’340 

25.  DERIVATIVE  FINANCIAL   
INSTRUMENTS

Burckhardt  Compression  uses  derivative  financial  instruments 
to  mitigate  currency  risks.  The  risk  management  policy  is  
described  in  note 3.  On  the  balance  sheet,  derivative  financial 
instruments  are  shown  as  “Other  Current  Receivables”  and 
“Other Current Liabilities”.

in CHF 1’000

Contract value
Positive fair values

Negative fair values

03/31/2019

03/31/2018

178’319 
2’198 

2’330 

102’943 
969 

1’298 

FINANCIAL REPORT | ANNUAL REPORT 2018 | BURCKHARDT COMPRESSION 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
96

26.  CONTINGENT  LIABILITIES

27.  COMMITMENTS

Guarantees
Burckhardt  Compression  guarantees  essentially  for  securing 
customer advance payments and for eventual warranty claims 
from customers. Guarantees are issued by third-party banks or 
by  Burckhardt  Compression  Holding AG.  In  addition,  standing 
guarantees  have  been  issued  by  Burckhardt  Compression  
Holding AG to secure credit lines and guarantee limits granted 
by foreign banks.

in CHF 1’000

Guarantees issued by banks for  
Burckhardt Compression
Guarantees issued by  
Burckhardt Compression Holding AG
Total guarantees

03/31/2019

03/31/2018

169’666 

122’125 

106’928 
276’594 

109’389 
231’514 

Other Contingent Liabilities
Burckhardt Compression owns 40% of Arkos Group LLC. Burck-
hardt  Compression  has  agreed  on  the  conditions  of  the  poten-
tial  transfer  of  the  remaining  60%  stake  of  Arkos  Group  LLC 
with the current owner. On the one hand, Burckhardt Compres-
sion  has  received  call  options  on  the  remaining  60%  stake  of 
Arkos  Group  LLC.  On  the  other  hand,  Burckhardt  Compression 
has  issued  put  options  on  the  remaining  60%  stake  of  Arkos 
Group LLC. 

Burckhardt  Compression  owns  60%  of  Shenyang  Yuanda 
Compressor Co. Ltd.  Burckhardt  Compression  has  agreed  on 
the  conditions  of  the  potential  transfer  of  the  remaining  40% 
stake  of  Shenyang  Yuanda  Compressor Co. Ltd.  with  the  cur-
rent  owner.  On  the  one  hand,  Burckhardt  Compression  has 
received  call  options  on  the  remaining  40%  stake  of  Shenyang 
Yuanda  Compressor Co. Ltd.  On  the  other  hand,  Burckhardt 
Compression  has  issued  put  options  on  the  remaining  40% 
stake of Shenyang Yuanda Compressor Co. Ltd.

The  options  regarding  Shenyang  Yuanda  Compres-
sor Co. Ltd. are currently not exercisable. The options regarding 
Arkos Group LLC are de facto partially consumable from fiscal 
year 2019 at the earliest. As the options do not meet the recog-
nition criteria for an asset or a liability, they are not recognized 
on Burckhardt Compression’s balance sheet. 

Operating Leases

in CHF 1’000

03/31/2019

03/31/2018

Operating leases due in less than 1 year
Operating leases due in 1 to 5 years

Operating leases due in more than 5 years

2’739 
7’956 

1’710 

2’412 
6’862 

2’836 

Total operating lease commitments

12’405 

12’110 

Purchase commitments 
Purchase commitments for capital expenditure as per March 31, 
2019  amounted  to  CHF 10.5 mn  (prior  year:  CHF  1.5  mn).  The 
increase in purchase commitments is connected to the reloca-
tion activities in Shenyang (see also note 13). 

28.  PLEDGED  ASSETS

As  per  March 31,  2019,  Burckhardt  Compression  had  pledged 
assets  with  a  carrying  amount  of  CHF  119.5  mn  (prior  year:  
CHF 111.5 mn)  to  secure  mortgage  loans  and  guarantees.  The 
pledged assets consisted mainly of land and buildings, and to a 
lesser degree of inventories and receivables.

29.  SHARE-BASED  PAYMENTS

Since 2017, there is a long-term incentive plan for the members 
of the Executive Board and certain other employees. Long-term 
incentive pay is awarded in the form of free shares. None of the 
shares are subject to any restrictions upon the date of transfer. 
Further  details  regarding  the  long-term  incentive  plan  are  
disclosed  in  the  Compensation  Report  section  of  this  Annual  
Report. 

In 2018, 268 shares at a fair value of CHF 358 were granted 
to  participants  of  the  long-term  incentive  plan.  In  2017,  parti-
cipants  of  the  long-term  incentive  plan  were  granted 
18’699 shares at a fair value of CHF 286.

Personnel  expenses  in  2018  for  share-based  payments 

amounted to CHF 1.9 mn (prior year: CHF 2.9 mn). 

FINANCIAL REPORT | ANNUAL REPORT 2018 | BURCKHARDT COMPRESSION 
 
 
 
97

30.  RELATED  PARTY  TRANSACTIONS

Members of the Board of Directors and of the 
Executive Board
Except for the remuneration as disclosed in the Compensation 
Report  section  of  this  Annual  Report,  no  further  relations  or 
transactions existed in 2018 and 2017 with the members of the 
Board of Directors and of the Executive Board. 

Associated Companies
The  following  transactions  were  carried  out  with  associated 
companies (mainly Arkos Group companies). 

in CHF 1’000

2018

2017

Sales of goods and services
Purchase of goods and services

3’290 
591 

4’579 
912 

The  following  balances  with  associated  companies  (mainly  
Arkos  Group  companies)  were  outstanding  as  of  the  balance 
sheet date.

03/31/2019

03/31/2018

Burckhardt Compressions pension plans in Switzerland con-
sist  of  two  independent  pension  funds:  “Sulzer  Vorsorgeeinrich-
tung”  (SVE),  a  base  plan  for  all  employees,  and  “Johann  Jakob 
Sulzer Stiftung” (JJS), a plan for employees with salaries exceed-
ing a certain limit. The majority of the active participants in the 
two  pension funds are  employed  at  companies  not belonging to 
Burckhardt Compression. The board of trustees for the base plan 
comprises  ten  employer  representatives  and  ten  employee  rep-
resentatives of the contributing companies and is responsible for 
asset  allocation  and  risk  management.  The  pension  plans  con-
tain  a  cash  balance  benefit  formula.  Under  Swiss  law,  the  pen-
sion  funds  guarantee  the  vested  benefit  amount  as  confirmed 
annually  to  members.  Interest  may  be  added  to  member  bal-
ances  at  the  discretion  of  the  board  of  trustees.  At  retirement 
date, members have the right to take their retirement benefit as 
a lump sum, an annuity or part as a lump sum with the balance 
converted  to  an  annuity.  The  pension  funds  may  adapt  the  con-
tribution  and  benefits  at  any  time.  In  case  of  underfunding,  this 
may involve special payments from the employer. The surplus or 
underfunding cannot be determined per company. The coverage 
of  the  collective  plans  as  a  whole  as  of  December  31,  2018 
amounted  to  109.6%  (SVE;  prior  year:  113.6%)  and  105.6%  (JJS; 
prior  year:  112.3%).  The  technical  interest  rate  used  by  both  col-
lective plans amounted to 2.0% (prior year: 2.0%).

in CHF 1’000

Receivables
Payables 

 25’348 
65 

23’382 
270 

Employer Contribution Reserves
Burckhardt Compression does not have any employer contribu-
tion reserves. 

Receivables  include  a  promissory  note  from  Arkos  Group  com-
panies  with  a  carrying  amount  of  CHF  18.3  mn  (prior  year:  
CHF 17.4 mn)  and  loans  to  Arkos  Group  companies  with  a  carry-
ing amount of CHF 6.0 mn (prior year: CHF 4.3 mn).

31.  EMPLOYEE  BENEFIT  OBLIGATIONS

Burckhardt  Compression  has  various  pension  plans  to  which 
most  of  its  employees  contribute.  With  the  exception  of  com-
panies  in  Switzerland  and  Germany,  these  pension  plans  are  
defined  contribution  pension  arrangements.  Under  these,  as  a 
rule,  payments  are  made  into  pension  funds  administered  by 
third  parties.  Burckhardt  Compression  has  no  payment  obliga-
tions beyond making these defined contributions.

32.  EVENTS  AFTER  THE  BALANCE 
SHEET  DATE

There were no events between the balance sheet date and the 
date these consolidated financial statements were approved by 
the  Board  of  Directors  which  would  require  additional  disclo-
sures or changes in the consolidated financial statements.

Economic Benefits/Economic Obligations and Pension Benefit Expenses

Economic portion of the organization

in CHF 1’000

Pension plans with surplus

Unfunded pension plans

Total

03/31/2019
–

03/31/2018
–

–2’121

–2’121

–2’238

–2’238

Change to prior 
year period recog-
nized in the current 
result of the period
2018
–

3

3

Currency  
translation  
differences

Contributions of 
the fiscal year

Pension benefit expenses

2018
–

114

114

2018
–7’230

–

–7’230

2018
–7’230

3

–7’227

2017
–6’716

54

–6’662

FINANCIAL REPORT | ANNUAL REPORT 2018 | BURCKHARDT COMPRESSION 
 
 
 
 
98

33.  GROUP  COMPANIES  AND  ASSOCIATES

Company

Registered  
office

Registered  
capital

Interest  
in capital

&
h
c
r
a
e
s
e
R

t
n
e
m
p
o
l
e
v
e
d

g
n

i
r
e
e
n

i

g
n
e

&
g
n

i
r
u
t
c
a
f
u
n
a
M

Burckhardt Compression AG 1 

Burckhardt Compression Immobilien AG 1

Winterthur, 
Switzerland

Winterthur, 
Switzerland

Burckhardt Compression (Deutschland) GmbH

Neuss, Germany

Burckhardt Compression (Italia) S.r.l. 

Milan, Italy

Burckhardt Compression (France) S.A.S. 

Cergy Saint 
Christophe, France

Burckhardt Compression (España) S.A. 

Madrid, Spain

Burckhardt Compression (UK) Ltd. 

Burckhardt Compression (US) Inc. 

Burckhardt Compression (Canada) Inc. 

Bicester, 
United Kingdom

Houston, 
USA

Mississauga, 
Canada

Burckhardt Compression (Japan) Ltd. 

Tokyo, Japan

Burckhardt Compression (Shanghai) Co. Ltd. 

Burckhardt Compression (India) Private Ltd. 

Burckhardt Compression (Brasil) Ltda. 

Burckhardt Compression (Middle East) FZE

Burckhardt Compression Korea Ltd. 

Burckhardt Kompresör San. ve Tic. Ltd. 

Burckhardt Compression Singapore Pte Ltd. 

Shanghai, 
China

Pune, 
India

São Paolo, 
Brazil

Dubai, United 
Arab Emirates

Seoul, 
South Korea

Istanbul, 
Turkey

Singapore, 
Singapore

Burckhardt Compression South Africa (Pty) Ltd.  Sunnyrock, 
South Africa

CHF 
2’000’000

CHF 
5’000’000

EUR 
30’000

EUR 
400’000

EUR 
300’000

EUR 
550’000

GBP 
250’000

USD 
18’250’000

CAD 
200’000

JPY 
50’000’000

CNY 
14’198’000

INR 
331’140’000

BRL 
5’818’000

AED 
2’000’000

KRW 
250’000’000

TRY 
800’000

SGD 
700’000

ZAR 
3’000’000

Burckhardt Compression Korea Busan Ltd. 

Burckhardt Compression (Saudi Arabia) LLC

Burckhardt Compression  
North America Service LLC

CSM Compressor Inc.

Busan, 
South Korea

Dammam, 
Saudi Arabia

Wilmington, 
USA

Edmonton, 
Canada

KRW 
7’000’000’000

SAR 
1’000’000

USD 
1’800’000

CAD 
10’000

g
n

i
t
c
a
r
t
n
o
C

•

•

•

•

•

•

100%

•

•

100%

100%

100%

100%

100%

100%

100%

100%

100%

100%

100%

•

•

•

•

100%

100%

100%

100%

100%

100%

100%

100%

100%

100%

•

•

s
e
l
a
S

e
c

i
v
r
e
S

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

FINANCIAL REPORT | ANNUAL REPORT 2018 | BURCKHARDT COMPRESSION 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Company

Registered  
office

Registered  
capital

Interest  
in capital

Shenyang Yuanda Compressor Co. Ltd. 1 

Liaoning Yuanyu Industrial Machinery Co. Ltd. 

Shenyang Yuanda Compressor Automatic 
Control System Co. Ltd. 

Shenyang Yuanda Compressor Energy 
Service Co. Ltd. 

Shenyang Yuanda Compressor Import and 
Export Co. Ltd. 

Shenyang Yuanda Shengda Turbine 
Compressor Co. Ltd. 2 

Shunyuan Resources Recycling Equipment 
Industry (Liaoing) Co. Ltd. 2 

Compressor Tech Holding AG 1 

PROGNOST Systems GmbH

PROGNOST Systems Inc. 

Shenyang, 
China

Kaiyuan, 
China

Shenyang, 
China

Shenyang, 
China

Shenyang, 
China

Shenyang, 
China

Shenyang, 
China

Zug, 
Switzerland

Rheine, 
Germany

Houston, 
USA

Société d’Application du Métal Rouge SAS 

Pont Sainte Marie 
Cedex, France

Arkos Group LLC 2 

Arkos Field Services LP 2 

Arkos Realty & Investments LP 2

Precision Arkos Machine, LP 2

Houston, 
USA

Houston, 
USA

Houston, 
USA

Houston, 
USA

CNY 
100’000’000

CNY 
39’000’000

CNY 
5’000’000

CNY 
1’000’000

CNY 
1’000’000

CNY 
100’000’000

CNY 
65’000’000

CHF 
200’000

EUR 
200’000

USD 
240’000

EUR 
501’000

USD 
26’250’000

–

–

–

60%

60%

36%

60%

60%

24%

24%

100%

100%

100%

100%

40%

40%

40%

28%

g
n

i
t
c
a
r
t
n
o
C

•

•

•

•

&
h
c
r
a
e
s
e
R

t
n
e
m
p
o
l
e
v
e
d

•

•

g
n

i
r
e
e
n

i

g
n
e

&
g
n

i
r
u
t
c
a
f
u
n
a
M

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

99

s
e
l
a
S

e
c

i
v
r
e
S

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

1    Company is directly held by Burckhardt Compression Holding AG. 
  All other companies are indirectly held by Burckhardt Compression Holding AG. 
2   Company is accounted for using the equity method.   
All other companies are fully consolidated.

FINANCIAL REPORT | ANNUAL REPORT 2018 | BURCKHARDT COMPRESSION 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
100

Report of the statutory auditor 
to the General Meeting of Burckhardt Compression Holding AG  

Winterthur 

Report on the audit of the consolidated financial statements 

Opinion 
We have audited the consolidated financial statements of Burckhardt Compression Holding AG and its 
subsidiaries (the Group), which comprise the consolidated income statement for the year ended 31 March 
2019, the consolidated balance sheet as at 31 March 2019, consolidated cash flow statement and 
consolidated statement of changes in equity for the year then ended, and notes to the consolidated 
financial statements, including a summary of significant accounting policies. 

In our opinion, the consolidated financial statements (pages 78 to 99) give a true and fair view of the 
consolidated financial position of the Group as at 31 March 2019 and its consolidated financial 
performance and its consolidated cash flows for the year then ended in accordance with Swiss GAAP FER 
and comply with Swiss law. 

Basis for opinion 
We conducted our audit in accordance with Swiss law and Swiss Auditing Standards. Our responsibilities 
under those provisions and standards are further described in the “Auditor’s responsibilities for the audit 
of the consolidated financial statements” section of our report. 

We are independent of the Group in accordance with the provisions of Swiss law and the requirements of 
the Swiss audit profession and we have fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with these 
requirements. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to 
provide a basis for our opinion. 

Our audit approach 

Overview 

Overall Group materiality: CHF 2’740’000 

We concluded full scope audit work at four reporting units in three 
countries. Our audit scope addressed over 74% of the Group's sales. 

As key audit matter the following area of focus has been identified: 

Accounting for work in progress of the systems division 

PricewaterhouseCoopers AG, Bahnhofplatz 17, Postfach, CH-8400 Winterthur, Switzerland 
Telefon: +41 58 792 71 00, Telefax: +41 58 792 71 10, www.pwc.ch 

PricewaterhouseCoopers AG is a member of the global PricewaterhouseCoopers network of firms, each of which is a separate and independent legal entity. 

FINANCIAL REPORT | ANNUAL REPORT 2018 | BURCKHARDT COMPRESSION 
  
101

Materiality 
The scope of our audit was influenced by our application of materiality. Our audit opinion aims to provide 
reasonable assurance that the consolidated financial statements are free from material misstatement. 
Misstatements may arise due to fraud or error. They are considered material if, individually or in 
aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the 
basis of the consolidated financial statements. 

Based on our professional judgement, we determined certain quantitative thresholds for materiality, 
including the overall Group materiality for the consolidated financial statements as a whole as set out in 
the table below. These, together with qualitative considerations, helped us to determine the scope of our 
audit and the nature, timing and extent of our audit procedures and to evaluate the effect of 
misstatements, both individually and in aggregate, on the consolidated financial statements as a whole. 

Overall Group materiality 

CHF 2'740'000  

How we determined it 

5% of average earnings before tax over the past five years 

Rationale for the materiality 
benchmark applied 

We chose earnings before taxes as the benchmark because, in our 
view, it is the benchmark against which the performance of the 
Group is most commonly measured and it is a generally accepted 
benchmark for materiality considerations. The five year average 
takes into account the volatility of the business environment. 

We agreed with the Audit Committee that we would report to them misstatements above CHF 270'000 
identified during our audit as well as any misstatements below that amount which, in our view, warranted 
reporting for qualitative reasons. 

Audit scope 
We tailored the scope of our audit in order to perform sufficient work to enable us to provide an opinion 
on the consolidated financial statements as a whole, taking into account the structure of the Group, the 
accounting processes and controls, and the industry in which the Group operates. 

The audit strategy for the audit of the consolidated financial statements was determined taking into 
account the work performed by the Group auditor and the component auditors in the PwC network. The 
Group auditor performed the audit of the consolidation, the disclosures and the presentation of the 
consolidated financial statements. Where audits were performed by component auditors, we ensured that, 
as Group auditor, we were adequately involved in the audit in order to assess whether sufficient 
appropriate audit evidence was obtained from the work of the component auditors to provide a basis for 
our opinion. Our involvement comprised analysing the reporting, communication with the component 
auditors, communicating the risks identified at Group level and determining the materiality thresholds for 
the audits performed by component auditors. 

Report on key audit matters based on the circular 1/2015 of the Federal Audit Oversight 
Authority 
Key audit matters are those matters that, in our professional judgement, were of most significance in our 
audit of the consolidated financial statements of the current period. These matters were addressed in the 
context of our audit of the consolidated financial statements as a whole, and in forming our opinion 
thereon, and we do not provide a separate opinion on these matters. 

FINANCIAL REPORT | ANNUAL REPORT 2018 | BURCKHARDT COMPRESSION 
102

Accounting for work in progress of the systems division 

Key audit matter 

How our audit addressed the key audit matter 

Burckhardt Compression Group has projects in 
the systems division, which are accounted for as 
work in progress in accordance with Swiss GAAP 
FER. As at 31 March 2019, work in progress from 
systems division projects in the amount of CHF 
139.6 million was recognised in the balance sheet.   

Management estimates the costs to be incurred 
until their completion, possible penalties as well 
as net realisable value. This involves significant 
scope for judgement and an incorrect estimate 
could have a significant impact on the result for 
the period. 

Please refer to page 83  (Accounting policies – 
Inventories) and page 92 (Inventories) in the 
notes to the Group financial statements. 

   Our audit procedures regarding the accounting for 
work in progress of systems division projects 
included in particular the following: 

•  

We assessed the design and the existence of 
the key controls regarding the systems 
division projects and tested the effectiveness 
of selected controls. 

•   We selected a sample of systems division 

projects, based on the contract volumes, the 
contribution margin and changes in the 
margin compared to the planning phase, and 
focussed our testing on the following:  

–  We assessed the contract related 

calculations to determine whether the 
contractual terms had been recorded 
appropriately.  

–  We discussed with the project controllers 
and project managers the progress of the 
projects based on the latest project 
reports, the costs still to be incurred until 
their completion and changes in the 
estimated margin. 

–  We obtained written information from the 
legal representatives of the Group. We 
inspected this written information with 
regard to indications of potential quality 
deficiencies or penalties and assessed 
whether these matters were presented 
appropriately in the consolidated financial 
statements.  

•  

•  

During the audit, we conducted onsite inspec-
tions of various compressors still under 
construction. 

For the systems division projects completed 
during the year under review, we compared 
various final parameters with the estimates 
made in the planning phase in order to assess, 
with hindsight, the accuracy of the estimates 
made by Management. 

The results of our audit support the accounting of 
work in progress of the systems division in the 
2018 consolidated financial statements. 

FINANCIAL REPORT | ANNUAL REPORT 2018 | BURCKHARDT COMPRESSION 
  
103

Responsibilities of the Board of Directors for the consolidated financial statements 
The Board of Directors is responsible for the preparation of the consolidated financial statements that 
give a true and fair view in accordance with Swiss GAAP FER and the provisions of Swiss law, and for 
such internal control as the Board of Directors determines is necessary to enable the preparation of 
consolidated financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error. 

In preparing the consolidated financial statements, the Board of Directors is responsible for assessing the 
Group’s ability to continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern 
and using the going concern basis of accounting unless the Board of Directors either intends to liquidate 
the Group or to cease operations, or has no realistic alternative but to do so. 

Auditor’s responsibilities for the audit of the consolidated financial statements 
Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the consolidated financial statements as 
a whole are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an auditor’s 
report that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance, but is not a guarantee 
that an audit conducted in accordance with Swiss law and Swiss Auditing Standards will always detect a 
material misstatement when it exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered 
material if, individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic 
decisions of users taken on the basis of these consolidated financial statements. 

A further description of our responsibilities for the audit of the consolidated financial statements is 
located at the website of EXPERTsuisse: http://expertsuisse.ch/en/audit-report-for-public-companies. 
This description forms part of our auditor’s report. 

Report on other legal and regulatory requirements 

In accordance with article 728a paragraph 1 item 3 CO and Swiss Auditing Standard 890, we confirm that 
an internal control system exists which has been designed for the preparation of consolidated financial 
statements according to the instructions of the Board of Directors. 

We recommend that the consolidated financial statements submitted to you be approved. 

PricewaterhouseCoopers AG 

Beat Inauen 

Audit expert 
Auditor in charge 

Winterthur, 23 May 2019 

Oliver Illa 

Audit expert 

FINANCIAL REPORT | ANNUAL REPORT 2018 | BURCKHARDT COMPRESSION 
104

 FINANCIAL  STATEMENTS  OF  BURCKHARDT   
 COMPRESSION  HOLDING  AG,  WINTERTHUR

BALANCE  SHEET

in CHF 1’000

Current assets
Cash and cash equivalents

Other current receivables due from third parties

Other current receivables due from group companies

Total current assets

Non-current assets
Financial assets 

– Long-term loans to group companies

– Investments in subsidiaries

Total non-current assets

Total assets

Current liabilities
Trade payables due to third parties

Other current liabilities due to third parties

Accrued liabilities and deferred income

Current provisions

Total current liabilities

Equity
Share capital

Legal reserves from retained earnings

Free reserves from retained earnings

– Profit brought forward

– Net income

Treasury shares

Total equity

Total equity and liabilities

INCOME  STATEMENT

in CHF 1’000

Income
Dividend income from group companies

Interest income from group companies

Gain on sale of own shares

Income from services provided to group companies

Total income

Expenses
Operating expenses

Direct Taxes

Total expenses

Net income

Notes

03/31/2019

03/31/2018

102

103

104

363 

12 

–

375 

1’114

23

31

1’168

26’000 

171’781 

197’781 

22’966

171’781

194’747

198’156 

195’915

2 

4 

120

165

291

8’500

1’700 

166’691

22’556

–1’582 

197’865 

25

3

103

183

314 

8’500

1’700

184’990

2’063

–1’652

195’601

198’156

195’915

2018 

2017

23’280

249

– 

192 

23’721 

–1’103

–62

–1’165

22’556 

3’000

241

421

192

3’854

–1’762

–29

–1’791

2’063

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS OF BURCKHARDT COMPRESSION HOLDING AG, WINTERTHUR | ANNUAL REPORT 2018 | BURCKHARDT COMPRESSION 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
105

NOTES  TO  THE  FINANCIAL  STATEMENTS  OF   
BURCKHARDT  COMPRESSION  HOLDING  AG

101 Accounting policies
The  financial  statements  as  per  March 31,  2019  are  in  compli-
ance with the requirements of Swiss corporate law. 

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance 
with the provisions of commercial accounting as set out in the 
Swiss Code of Obligations (Art. 957 to 963b CO).

The following disclosures are not being made separately in 
the statutory financial statements pursuant to Art. 961d (1) CO 
as  Burckhardt  Compression  Holding AG  is  presenting  its  con-
solidated financial statements according to Swiss GAAP FER:
–  Additional  disclosures  in  the  notes  (auditor’s  fee;  disclosure 

on non-current interest-bearing liabilities)

–  Cash flow statement
–  Management report

The treasury shares are stated at acquisition cost and deducted 
from  equity.  No  subsequent  valuation  is  made.  If  the  treasury 
shares  are  disposed  of,  the  resulting  gain  or  loss  is  recognized 
in the profit and loss statement.

Burckhardt  Compression  Holding AG  uses  derivative  finan-
cial instruments exclusively as hedges of the exposure to vari-
ability  in  cash  flows  that  is  attributable  to  a  particular  risk 
associated with a recognized asset or liability or a highly prob-
able  future  transaction  (cash  flow  hedges).  At  inception  of  the 
hedge,  Burckhardt  Compression  Holding  AG  documents  the 
hedging  relationship  and  the  effectiveness  between  the  hedg-
ing instrument and the hedged item.

The  derivative  financial  instruments  are  off-balance  sheet 

items.

All  the  values  in  the  annual  financial  statements  are 
reported in thousand Swiss Francs unless otherwise indicated.
Burckhardt Compression Holding AG’s fiscal year 2018 com-

prises the period from April 1, 2018 to March 31, 2019.

102 Subsidiaries
The  equity  interests  held  directly  and  indirectly  by  Burckhardt 
Compression  Holding AG  are  shown  in  note 33  “Group  Compa-
nies and Associates”. 

103 Share capital and shareholders 
The  share  capital  amounts  to  CHF 8’500’000  and  is  composed 
of 3’400’000 shares, each with a nominal value of CHF 2.50. All 
shares  are  registered  shares  and  are  paid  in  full.  The  Board  of 
Directors is empowered to increase the company’s share capital 
by a maximum of CHF 1’275’000 at any time until June 30, 2019 
by  issuing  a  maximum  of  510’000  fully  paid  registered  shares 
with a nominal value of CHF 2.50 each (authorized capital).

No person will be registered in the Share Register as share-
holder with voting rights with respect to more than five percent 
of  the issued share  capital.  This  entry  restriction is also appli-
cable  to  persons  whose  shares  are  totally  or  partially  held  by 
nominees. This restriction is also valid if shares are purchased 
when  practicing  subscription,  warrant  and  conversion  rights, 
with  the  exception  of  shares  acquired  by  succession,  distribu-
tion  of  inheritance  or  matrimonial  regime.  Legal  entities  and 
partnerships associated with each other by uniformly managed 
capital or votes or in any other way, as well as private and legal 
entities or partnerships, which form an association to evade the 
entry restriction, are regarded as one person. 

Individual  persons,  who  have  not  expressly  declared  in  the 
application  of  entry  that  they  hold  the  shares  for  their  own 
account (Nominees), will be entered in the Share Register with 
voting  rights,  if  the  Nominee  concerned  establishes  his  subor-
dination  to  an  accredited  banking  supervision  and  securities 
authority,  and  if  he/she  has  concluded  an  agreement  with  the 
Board of Directors of the company concerning his/her position. 
Nominees  holding  two  or  less  than  two  percent  of  the  issued 
shares  will  be  entered  in  the  Share  Register  with  voting  rights 
without  an  agreement  with  the  Board  of  Directors.  Nominees 
holding  more  than  two  percent  of  the  issued  shares  will  be 
entered  in  the  Share  Register  with  two  percent  voting  rights 
and,  for  the  remaining  shares,  without  voting  right.  Above  this 
limit  of  two  percent,  the  Board  of  Directors  may  enter  in  the 
Share Register Nominees with voting rights if they disclose the 
names,  addresses,  nationality,  and  shareholdings  of  the  per-
sons  for  whom  they  hold  more  than  two  percent  of  the  issued 
shares.

As  of  March 31,  2019,  there  is  no  such  declaration  between 

a nominee-shareholder and the board of directors.

Shareholder groups which had existed before June 23, 2006 

are excluded from the voting rights restrictions. 

According to information available to the company from the 
disclosure notifications of the SIX Swiss Exchange Ltd., the fol-
lowing  shareholders  reported  shareholdings  of  at  least  3%  of 
the share capital and voting rights as of March 31, 2019 (accord-
ing  to  the  statutory  bylaws  the  voting  rights  of  NN Group N.V., 
JO  Hambro  Capital  Management  Limited  and  Atlantic  Value 
General  Partner Ltd.  (Mondrian)  are  limited  to  5%  of  the  total 
number of the registered BCHN shares recorded in the commer-
cial register):

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS OF BURCKHARDT COMPRESSION HOLDING AG, WINTERTHUR | ANNUAL REPORT 2018 | BURCKHARDT COMPRESSION106

Shareholders

Name

MBO Aktionärsgruppe

NN Group N.V.

J O Hambro Capital Management Limited

Atlantic Value General Partner Limited (Mondrian)

Ameriprise Financial Inc.

Credit Suisse Funds AG

UBS Fund Management (Switzerland) AG

Oppenheimer Funds

As per March 31, 2019 the members of the Executive Board and 
the  non-executive  members  of  the  Board  of  Directors  (and 
related  persons),  owned  the  following  numbers  of  shares  of 
Burckhardt Compression Holding AG:

Name

Position

Members of the Board of Directors
Valentin Vogt

Chairman

Deputy Chairman

Member

Member

Member

CEO

CFO 

CHRO

President Systems Division

President Services Division

President Services Division

Hans Hess

Dr. Stephan Bross

Dr. Monika Krüsi

Urs Leinhäuser

Total

Executive Board
Marcel Pawlicek

Rolf Brändli

Sandra Pitt

Fabrice Billard

Rainer Dübi2

Martin Wendel1

Total

Total
In % of total shares

1  Member of the Executive Board until February 14, 2019
2  Member of the Executive Board as from February 15, 2019

03/31/2019

03/31/2018

% of 
shares 
12.40

6.93

6.13

5.03

3.49

3.03

3.01

3.01

% of  
shares 
12.40

6.93

6.89

4.99

3.49

3.03

3.01

3.01

Country

CH

NL

GB

GB 

US

CH

CH

US

03/31/2019

03/31/2018

Total shares

Total shares

203’288

5’663

215

985

1’080

211’231

42’111

1’702

278

400

600

n/a

45’091

256’553
7.5%

203’213

5’618

170

940

1’035

210’976

42’111

1’702

278

400

n/a

231

44’722

255’698
7.5%

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS OF BURCKHARDT COMPRESSION HOLDING AG, WINTERTHUR | ANNUAL REPORT 2018 | BURCKHARDT COMPRESSION 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
104 Treasury shares

Number at the beginning of the period

Purchases

Sales
Number at the end of the period

The average selling price did amount to CHF 263.66.

105 Further disclosures pursuant to Article 959c par. 2 of 
the Swiss Code of Obligations:

Full-time employees
Burckhardt  Compression  Holding  AG  does  not  employ  any 
employees.

Liabilities to pension funds

in CHF 1’000

Total liabilities to pension funds

Net release of undisclosed reserves

in CHF 1’000

Net release of undisclosed reserves

Derivative financial instruments

in CHF 1’000

107

2018

2017

6’267

0

–268
5’999

24’966

0

–18’699
6’267

03/31/2019

03/31/2018

0

0 

03/31/2019

03/31/2018

0 

0 

03/31/2019

03/31/2018

Forward foreign exchange contracts (negative current fair value on cash flow hedge)

0 

0 

Guarantees 

in CHF 1’000

Guarantees

03/31/2019

03/31/2018

106’927

109’389

Burckhardt  Compression  Holding AG  issues  advance  payment 
guarantees  and  performance  bonds  in  the  name  of  Burckhardt 
Compression AG and in favor of a small number of selected cus-
tomers.  In  addition,  standing  guarantees  have  been  given  to 
secure  credit  lines  and  guarantee  limits  granted  by  foreign 
banks. 

The credit lines and guarantee facilities extended to Burck-
hardt  Compression AG  by  financial  institutions  do  not  require 
any assets or shares of Burckhardt Compression Holding AG to 
be pledged as collateral.

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS OF BURCKHARDT COMPRESSION HOLDING AG, WINTERTHUR | ANNUAL REPORT 2018 | BURCKHARDT COMPRESSION 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
108

Remuneration of the Board of Directors and  
the Executive Board
Type and amount of remuneration of the members of the Board 
of  Directors  and  the  Executive  Board  as  well  as  the  principles 
and  basic  elements  of  the  company’s  compensation  policy  are 
depicted and explained in the compensation report on pages 67 
to 73.

Events after the balance sheet date
There  were  no  additional  events  after  the  balance  sheet  date 
which affect the annual results or would require an adjustment 
to  the  carrying  amounts  of  Burckhardt  Compression  Hold- 
ing AG’s assets and liabilities.

Proposal by the Board of Directors for the appropriation 
of retained earnings

in CHF 1’000

Retained earnings at the beginning of the period
Distributed dividend

Net income

Retained earnings at the disposal of the Annual General Meeting

The Board of Directors proposes the following appropriation

– Gross dividend

Retained earnings carried forward

The Board of Directors will propose payment of a gross dividend 
of CHF 6.00 per registered share at the Annual General Meeting 
of Shareholders on July 6, 2019.

Gross dividend
Less 35% withholding tax

Net dividend

Annual General Meeting of Shareholders
The  Annual  General  Meeting  of  Shareholders  will  take  place  at 
10.00 am  on  Saturday,  July 6,  2019  at  the  Park  Arena,  Barbara-
Reinhart-Strasse 24, 8404 Winterthur, Switzerland.

2018

2017

187’053
–20’362

22’556

189’247

208’615
–23’625

2’063

187’053

–20’400

–20’400

168’847

166’653

2018

2017

2016

6.00
–2.10

3.90

6.00
–2.10

3.90

7.00
–2.45

4.55

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS OF BURCKHARDT COMPRESSION HOLDING AG, WINTERTHUR | ANNUAL REPORT 2018 | BURCKHARDT COMPRESSION 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
109

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS OF BURCKHARDT COMPRESSION HOLDING AG, WINTERTHUR | ANNUAL REPORT 2018 | BURCKHARDT COMPRESSION110

Report of the statutory auditor 
to the General Meeting of Burckhardt Compression Holding AG  

Winterthur 

Report on the audit of the financial statements 

Opinion 
We have audited the financial statements of Burckhardt Compression Holding AG, which comprise the balance sheet 
as at 31 March 2019, income statement and notes for the year then ended, including a summary of significant 
accounting policies. 

In our opinion, the financial statements (pages 104 to 108) as at 31 March 2019 comply with Swiss law and the 
company’s articles of incorporation.  

Basis for opinion 
We conducted our audit in accordance with Swiss law and Swiss Auditing Standards. Our responsibilities under those 
provisions and standards are further described in the “Auditor’s responsibilities for the audit of the financial 
statements” section of our report. 

We are independent of the entity in accordance with the provisions of Swiss law and the requirements of the Swiss 
audit profession and we have fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with these requirements. We 
believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion. 

Our audit approach 

Overview 

Overall materiality: CHF 1’980’000 

We tailored the scope of our audit in order to perform sufficient work to 
enable us to provide an opinion on the financial statements as a whole, 
taking into account the structure of the entity, the accounting processes and 
controls, and the industry in which the entity operates. 

As key audit matter the following area of focus has been identified: 

Impairment testing of investments in subsidiaries 

PricewaterhouseCoopers AG, Bahnhofplatz 17, Postfach, CH-8400 Winterthur, Switzerland 
Telefon: +41 58 792 71 00, Telefax: +41 58 792 71 10, www.pwc.ch 

PricewaterhouseCoopers AG is a member of the global PricewaterhouseCoopers network of firms, each of which is a separate and independent legal entity. 

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS OF BURCKHARDT COMPRESSION HOLDING AG, WINTERTHUR | ANNUAL REPORT 2018 | BURCKHARDT COMPRESSION 
 
  
 
111

Materiality 
The scope of our audit was influenced by our application of materiality. Our audit opinion aims to provide reasonable 
assurance that the financial statements are free from material misstatement. Misstatements may arise due to fraud or 
error. They are considered material if, individually or in aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the 
economic decisions of users taken on the basis of the financial statements. 

Based on our professional judgement, we determined certain quantitative thresholds for materiality, including the 
overall materiality for the financial statements as a whole as set out in the table below. These, together with 
qualitative considerations, helped us to determine the scope of our audit and the nature, timing and extent of our 
audit procedures and to evaluate the effect of misstatements, both individually and in aggregate, on the financial 
statements as a whole. 

Overall materiality 

CHF 1’980’000 

How we determined it 

1.0% of total assets 

Rationale for the materiality 
benchmark applied 

We chose total assets as the benchmark because, in our view, it is a relevant 
benchmark for holding company, and it is a generally accepted benchmark
for holding companies.

We agreed with the Audit Committee that we would report to them misstatements above CHF 198’000 identified 
during our audit as well as any misstatements below that amount which, in our view, warranted reporting for 
qualitative reasons. 

Audit scope 
We designed our audit by determining materiality and assessing the risks of material misstatement in the financial 
statements. In particular, we considered where subjective judgements were made; for example, in respect of 
significant accounting estimates that involved making assumptions and considering future events that are inherently 
uncertain. As in all of our audits, we also addressed the risk of management override of internal controls, including 
among other matters consideration of whether there was evidence of bias that represented a risk of material 
misstatement due to fraud. 

Report on key audit matters based on the circular 1/2015 of the Federal Audit Oversight Authority 
Key audit matters are those matters that, in our professional judgement, were of most significance in our audit of the 
financial statements of the current period. These matters were addressed in the context of our audit of the financial 
statements as a whole, and in forming our opinion thereon, and we do not provide a separate opinion on these 
matters. 

Impairment testing of investments in subsidiaries 

Key audit matter 

How our audit addressed the key audit matter 

Investments in subsidiaries is a significant asset cate-
gory on the balance sheet (CHF 171.8 million). 
Impairment testing of investments whose book value is 
greater than the book value of the underlying net assets 
requires Management to consider capitalised earnings. 
Doing so involves significant scope for judgement, 
particularly to determine the assumptions to use 
concerning future business results. 

In identifying the potential need for impairment of 
investments in subsidiaries, Management uses a pre-
defined impairment testing process.   

Please refer to page 105 (Subsidiaries) in the notes to 
the financial statements. 

In our audit of investments in subsidiaries, we 
performed the following main audit procedures: 

•

•

We compared the book value of the investments in 
the year under review with their pro-rata share of 
the respective company's equity or the company's 
valuation, based on capitalised earnings.  

We checked for plausibility the key assumptions 
applied by Management (revenue and margin 
growth).  

We consider the valuation process and the assumptions 
used to be an appropriate and adequate basis for the 
impairment testing of the goodwill as at 31 March 2019. 

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS OF BURCKHARDT COMPRESSION HOLDING AG, WINTERTHUR | ANNUAL REPORT 2018 | BURCKHARDT COMPRESSION 
  
  
112

Responsibilities of the Board of Directors for the financial statements 
The Board of Directors is responsible for the preparation of the financial statements in accordance with the provisions 
of Swiss law and the company’s articles of incorporation, and for such internal control as the Board of Directors 
determines is necessary to enable the preparation of financial statements that are free from material misstatement, 
whether due to fraud or error. 

In preparing the financial statements, the Board of Directors is responsible for assessing the entity’s ability to 
continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going concern 
basis of accounting unless the Board of Directors either intends to liquidate the entity or to cease operations, or has 
no realistic alternative but to do so. 

Auditor’s responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements 
Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements as a whole are free from 
material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an auditor’s report that includes our opinion. 
Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance, but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with 
Swiss law and Swiss Auditing Standards will always detect a material misstatement when it exists. Misstatements can 
arise from fraud or error and are considered material if, individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably be 
expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of these financial statements. 

A further description of our responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements is located at the website of 
EXPERTsuisse: http://expertsuisse.ch/en/audit-report-for-public-companies. This description forms part of our 
auditor’s report. 

Report on other legal and regulatory requirements 

In accordance with article 728a paragraph 1 item 3 CO and Swiss Auditing Standard 890, we confirm that an internal 
control system exists which has been designed for the preparation of financial statements according to the 
instructions of the Board of Directors. 

We further confirm that the proposed appropriation of available earnings complies with Swiss law and the company’s 
articles of incorporation. We recommend that the financial statements submitted to you be approved. 

PricewaterhouseCoopers AG 

Beat Inauen 

Audit expert 
Auditor in charge 

Winterthur, 23 May 2019 

Oliver Illa 

Audit expert 

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS OF BURCKHARDT COMPRESSION HOLDING AG, WINTERTHUR | ANNUAL REPORT 2018 | BURCKHARDT COMPRESSION113

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS OF BURCKHARDT COMPRESSION HOLDING AG, WINTERTHUR | ANNUAL REPORT 2018 | BURCKHARDT COMPRESSION114

IMPRINT  |  ANNUAL  REPORT  2018  |  BURCKHARDT  COMPRESSION

IMPRINT

The  statements  in  this  review  relating  to  matters  that  are  not 
historical  facts  are  forward-looking  statements  that  are  not 
guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncer-
tainties,  including  but  not  limited  to:  future  global  economic 
conditions,  foreign  exchange  rates,  regulatory  rules,  market 
conditions, the actions of competitors and other factors beyond 
the control of the company.

The Annual Report is published in German and English and is avail- 
able on the internet under report.burckhardtcompression.com as 
an  online  version.  The  German  version  is  binding.  The  financial 
report is available in English only.

Publisher:
Burckhardt Compression Holding AG, Winterthur

Concept/Layout:
Source Associates AG, Zurich

Photography:
Scanderbeg Sauer Photography, Zurich

PR consultant: 
PEPR, Oetwil am See

Burckhardt Compression Holding AGCH-8404 Winterthur, SwitzerlandTel. +41 52 262 55 00Fax +41 52 262 00 51info@burckhardtcompression.comwww.burckhardtcompression.comBC-20.37.14.40