• 2024 global sales: €1.17 billion (-33%)
• employees worldwide: 5,300 (March 2025)
• incoming orders showing signs of recovery
• investment in research and development: €80 million

However, this decline in sales had been expected due to the huge boom trend observed over previous years. Cumulative growth of over 80% was achieved in the three years, from 2021 to 2023. This exaggerated trend was followed by a significant market correction in 2024. The economic bubble that had developed burst, as predicted. “This is my sixth crisis in 45 years of business and almost all of them have followed a very similar pattern,” explains Hans Beckhoff, owner and managing director. “You can be sure that there will be a recovery, but you have to tackle the crisis head-on and see it as an opportunity for innovation and optimization!” The company believes that it has already bottomed out. The Verl-based, family-run technology company will keep focusing on continuous innovation and high-tech engineering in order to lay the foundation for future growth.

Research and development

Beckhoff employs around 5,300 people worldwide, including around 2,000 engineers, who fortify the company with their technological expertise and thus form the basis of its innovative power.

Numerous new product launches are planned in all areas of software and PC-based control technology. “We are intent on further expanding our position as a global automation technology company. “We remain dedicated to our mission of evolving our portfolio with strong developments every year and introducing revolutionary new technology every five to seven years,” explains Hans Beckhoff. To this end, the company consistently invests €80 million a year in research and development.

Strengthening its global presence

Beckhoff is present in more than 75 countries via its subsidiaries, representative offices, and distributors. This global sales network opens up numerous synergies and advantages, particularly in applying new technology. Through close cooperation with users and a deep understanding of their needs, we can drive forward cutting-edge technology together. The company is making targeted investments in its local market presence and strengthening its global position in growth markets and sustainable future markets, such as the electrical systems for energy supply sector. Beckhoff supplies intelligent automation and measurement technology for energy distribution, energy transfer, and energy storage, enabling all energy flows to be recorded and energy systems to be controlled.

Positive market signals

The globally uncertain political situation also presents the company with challenges for the coming year. However, incoming orders are currently showing signs of recovery. “Our customers’ warehouses are slowly emptying and we expect them to have used up their extra stocks by the first quarter of 2025, at the latest,” predicts Hans Beckhoff.

Outlook for long-term development

Beckhoff has been a driving force in the global automation industry for 45 years. “Automation is an important basic technology in many areas of life and society – we benefit from it, but we also make a significant contribution to it,” explains Hans Beckhoff. The technological milestones that Beckhoff has shaped the market with include the PC-based control technology concept, the bus terminal, which is now an indispensable building block for automation solutions, the ultra-fast EtherCAT communication system (which has been published as an international standard), the innovative XTS and XPlanar product transport systems, and the MX-System as a pluggable system solution for control cabinet-free automation. Overall, Hans Beckhoff is positive about the future, saying: “We love automation and we keep having good ideas for pushing its performance limits or making it simpler and cheaper. This puts us in a great position to compete globally!”

Product highlights at Hannover Messe

Beckhoff will be presenting exciting innovations in all of its product areas at Hannover Messe. Highlights include the new multi-touch panels and next-generation industrial PCs. The new generation of control panels offers improved user-friendliness for intuitive and safe operation. The advanced, cost-optimized series further expand the diversity of Beckhoff’s portfolio and constitute a future-proof panel platform as they integrate the latest standards. Beckhoff is also focusing on new energy measurement solutions for precise measurement and analysis of energy consumption. In the field of software, new machine learning solutions and TwinCAT PLC++ – a new PLC generation in the TwinCAT system – are now available.