The British Rolls-Royce Group, to which Rolls-Royce Power Systems (mtu) has belonged in full since 2014, operates in three core business areas: Civil Aerospace, Energy Systems and Defence. Rolls-Royce has now announced that it will continue its investment programme beyond 2024 in 2025, precisely in order to achieve its net-zero emissions target by 2050. At the same time, it wants to support its customers in achieving the same. However, this requires a lot of capital is required.

However, the figures published by the Friedrichshafen-based company for the past financial year give hope. Adjusted sales in 2024 climbed by 11 % to over 5 billion euros for the first time, while the adjusted operating profit of 662 million euros was even 40 % higher than in the previous year. These record figures are the result of a clear strategy focussing on energy supply, government business, battery storage and service. The company has expanded its market share for mtu products and sees further potential for growth. Incoming orders totalling around 6 billion euros make us very confident for the current year 2025, said the CEO of Rolls-Royce Power Systems. For this reason, each of the approximately 10,000 employees in Germany received a bonus payment of 2,000 euros for the past financial year 2024. This is the highest bonus ever distributed and reflects the company's success.

The largest sales growth was recorded in the energy systems business (up 25 %), while global sales of emergency power systems for data centres rose by as much as 46 %. And the continuing demand for products for land and naval forces resulted in strong sales growth of 17 %. At the same time, measures to increase efficiency and optimise the business model contributed to the significantly improved result.

Following record investments in 2024, Rolls-Royce Power Systems is continuing to invest in the development of new products and the expansion of production capacities. In addition to significant investments in North America (production facility for gensets and expansion of an engine plant), large sums are being invested in the ongoing optimisation and expansion of production capacities in Friedrichshafen. This also includes the development of a new mtu engine platform, which should be ready for series production in the medium term. With over 20 per cent more power in the same installation space compared to a current model of the same size, mtu will set new industry standards, the CEO explains. It will be interesting to see when the new engine will be ready for the market.

There is another interesting detail: the business segment known internally as "government business", in which engines and drive systems are manufactured for the Leopard 2 and Puma battle tanks and infantry fighting vehicles, among others, as well as marine engines for patrol boats and frigates, now accounts for a quarter of Group sales (26 %). In the 2021 financial year, before Russia's invasion of Ukraine, it was nine per cent.

The good news from the economy - it still exists!

kdk, RRPS