Annual Report 2020 – Acting Energetically
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Annual Report 2020 Acting Energetically Geschäftsbericht 2020 The following symbols are used for navigation within this Annual Report: Show first page of Annual Report Show table of contents Show previous page Show next page Contents 3 Editorial 4 Acting Energetically 13 Financial Report This is an unofficial translation of the Geschäfts- bericht 2020 (German Annual Report 2020) and is provided for convenience purposes only. In the event of any ambiguity, the German text will prevail. Annual Report 2020 Dear Readers, The coronavirus pandemic has not only In all the above, we continue to focus on changed the way we live together, it is being sustainability and digitalisation. After all, the felt in all areas of our society. It has impacted transformation of the economy and society health and education, the economy, adminis- remains as important as before the pandemic. tration, society and families in a previously It can be the key to sustainable corporate unimaginable way. The pandemic reveals our success. Companies that are ecologically weaknesses and challenges our strengths. innovative now have good opportunities. And it once again underlines the special im- The same applies to digitalisation. It makes portance of sustainability and digitalisation. companies more crisis-resilient – this is something the pandemic has made very clear. Since the beginning of the pandemic, we at And we as a promotional bank have also been NRW.BANK have therefore had three goals able to react so quickly to the crisis not least in mind: first, to mitigate the acute impact; because our processes were already largely second, to support the recovery of the digitised before the pandemic began. eco nomy; and third, to drive North Rhine- Westphalia’s development also during the In any case, it is a fact that 2021 will be an- crisis – towards an ecologically and socially other year of great challenges. The fact that sustain able, digitally and structurally we have been so successful in mastering the modern ised economy and society. challenges to date is something that we owe to you – our customers, our partners, our In direct response to the coronavirus pan- owner, the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, demic, we provided much more direct advice, and our employees. This makes us confident ensured the on-lending of federal funds, that together we will be able to help mas ter- suspended repayments and provided liquidity ing this special situation and strengthening in 2020. With a view to supporting a timely North Rhine-Westphalia. recovery of the economy, we have expanded our product portfolio. The Managing Board of NRW.BANK Eckhard Forst Gabriela Pantring Michael Stölting Dietrich Suhlrie Chairman of the Member of the Member of the Member of the Managing Board Managing Board Managing Board Managing Board Annual Report 2020 3 We Accelerate Digitalisation The pandemic has clearly highlighted the importance of investing in digital transformation; according to a study conducted by Bitkom, Germany’s digital association, in November 2020, digitally well-positioned companies master the crisis better. They benefit from the fact that digitalisation ensures production, energy and resource efficiency and that it allows trade to continue. This saves costs and time and creates competitive advantages. Digital transformation is thus now more important than ever and secures the future and growth. NRW.BANK promotes the corresponding investments across all sectors. This ranges from promotional loans for the development of broadband networks to low-cost loans for investments in digital technologies and services to equity capital for digital start-ups. Automotive supplier Fischer & Kaufmann has recognised the role that digitali- sation plays for SMEs. Established in Finnentrop over 70 years ago, the family- owned company used the NRW.BANK.Digitalisierungskredit to invest in a new fully automated production line for lamellae carriers used in hybrid engines. With this digital update, managing directors Tobias Heutger (left) and Jürgen Bischopink strengthen the company’s long-term competitiveness – in keeping with Industry 4.0. Annual Report 2020 4 We Help Start-ups Kick Off Good ideas are always in demand, as they provide answers to economic, environmental and social ques- tions. In times of the coronavirus pandemic, they are more important than ever. For on the one hand, the pandemic sent the economy into freefall, but on the other hand, it has accelerated industrial change and shown that the ecological and digital transformation remains just as important as before and can be a key to corporate success. This is why NRW.BANK provides venture capital and advice to technology-driven start- ups to ensure that every good idea receives the right funding – thus giving founders the start-up support they need. retraced, a start-up from Düsseldorf, and fair working conditions transparent. com bines digitalisation and sustainability. The Bank’s “NRW.Start-up akut” programme Com pany founders Philipp Mayer (front) helped the founders to push their business and Lukas Pünder have developed a digital forward during lockdown and to win new platform on which manufacturers and customers. suppliers in the fashion industry make their commitment to environmental protection Annual Report 2020 55 We Help Secure the Future Industry 4.0 opens up great opportunities for manufacturing SMEs, but also for innovative start-ups. It optimises production and expands the business model. When it comes to making the corresponding investments, NRW.BANK offers both appro- priate promotional programmes and individualised promotional advice to help businesses find the right solution even during the difficult times of the pandemic. After all, NRW.BANK promotes every good idea from North Rhine-Westphalia. Automating specialised processes – that’s the highly innovative business model of INperfektion GmbH from Wegberg in the Heinsberg district. Managing directors Ralf Aldenhoven (front) and Carsten Finke were among the first entrepreneurs that NRW.BANK advised in the pandemic. Within next to no time, the Bank’s promotional advisors developed a customised financing solution. The investments were secured by Bürgschaftsbank NRW, which takes economic risks for and with companies. Annual Report 2020 6 We Get Sustainability Rolling The issue of sustainability has not lost its importance even in times of the corona- virus pandemic. Right on the contrary, businesses that operate sustainably have proven to be particularly crisis-resilient – similar to digitalised companies. Crucial here are investments in the sustainable orientation of the business model such as resource efficiency, climate protection, alternative mobility or in the development of sustainable products. This enables small and medium-sized enterprises to secure their competitiveness in the long term and also to respond to changing consumer behaviour. NRW.BANK supports them on their way to increased sustainability by offering promotional and advisory services. Kick-start for sustainability: it’s only a few minutes’ drive from the production plant to the warehouse of Friedrich Wenner Versmolder Vollpappen-Verarbeitungswerk GmbH. A diesel truck transported cardboard packaging back and forth between the two locations about 30 times a day. Inspired by the electric shuttle buses operating at air ports, an e-truck has been used since summer 2020. The elec tric- ity comes from the company’s own photovoltaic system, which includes a storage solution. The e-truck and the charging stations were financed with help from the “NRW.BANK.Elektromobilität” programme. Annual Report 2020 7 Public and social infrastructures are the We Keep NRW lifelines of society. In the pandemic, many sponsors and shareholders of facilities such as hospitals, airports and event locations Running experienced high losses. To support them, NRW.BANK has adapted its product range and launched new promotional programmes, e.g. NRW.BANK.Infrastruktur Corona, under which the Bank makes available low-interest working capital loans. The “NRW.BANK.Ge- Katholische Kliniken im Düsseldorf Airport and meinnützige Organisationen” loan is used to Märkischen Kreis Cologne/Bonn Airport stabilise the social infrastructure of players Intensive care beds had to be kept Being the largest airports in North Rhine- that are essential for society and secures free, operations that were not urgently Westphalia, Düsseldorf and Cologne/Bonn their liquidity. A selection: needed had to be postponed – the are essential for mobility in Germany; return pandemic led to high revenue losses flights from risk areas or cargo flights with across Germany’s hospital sector. medical supplies are just two reasons why After the expiry of the compensation both airports were not allowed to close even Westfalenhallen payments and the allowances paid for during lockdown – although their fixed costs Unternehmensgruppe GmbH free beds, Katholische Kliniken im were overwhelmingly high. Promotional loans All of the divisions of Westfalenhallen Märkischen Kreis took advantage of from the “NRW.BANK.Infrastruktur Corona” Unternehmensgruppe GmbH were the “NRW.BANK. Gemeinnützige Orga- programme in the amount of EUR 250 million affected by the pandemic. The trade fair nisationen” and “NRW.BANK.Infra- for Düsseldorf Airport and EUR 100 million operations as well as the congresses and strukur Corona” programmes to secure for Cologne/Bonn Airport helped to keep the events division were among the sectors their liquidity. Their facilities – St. Elisa- airports