Denel has strengthened its reputation as a high-performing technology powerhouse on the African continent, a global player in the defence and aerospace environments and a company with the capacity to expand its role in the broader manufacturing sectors.

The company’s financial results for 2013/2014 show revenue growth of 17%, improved profits and the largest multi-year order book in its history --- more than R30-billion to be executed over the next 20 years.

“We can safely state that Denel has now returned to profitability on a sustainable basis,” says the Group Chief Executive, Riaz Saloojee. “We have achieved the envisaged turnaround and are well on our way to move the company from being a good to a great company – in the process meeting Shareholder expectations and transforming Denel into a valuable and self-supporting national asset.”

Mr Saloojee says as a state-owned company, Denel has a primary mandate to supply the South African defence and security environment with strategic technology capabilities, products, services and support.

However, the company is also poised to play an expanded role in the industrial development of South Africa and in meeting the developmental objectives of government as set out in the National Development Plan and the Industrial Policy Action Plan (IPAP).

“Denel is growing from being a predominantly defence company into a broader technology clearing-house that can use the skills, knowledge and expertise that we have accumulated in the defence arena to add value to high-tech engineering and manufacturing programmes to revitalise the country’s infrastructure,” says Mr Saloojee.

The company strongly supports the view that state-owned companies must serve as effective strategic instruments of industrial policy and economic inclusion. This is also reflected in the Group’s spending of more than half a billion rand on Research and Development and a further R64-million on skills development and training.

“Our defence and aerospace businesses are in great shape. We expect that Government will soon commence with the implementation of the recommendations of the 2014 Defence Review,” says Mr Saloojee.

“The local defence industry, including Denel, will benefit greatly from the recommendations and the imminent establishment of a National Defence Industry Council to consult with government on issues such as joint planning, policy formulation, export support and future defence acquisitions.”

Financial Results:
In the past financial year the Group’s revenue has grown by 17% to R4.58 billion which can mostly be attributed to a 28% surge in exports. Exports now account for 50% of total revenue including participation in a number of countries in the Middle East, Asia and South America for the development and production of missiles, turrets for infantry combat vehicles, the manufacturing of advanced aerostructures for military and civilian airlift; and the utilisation of the Denel Overberg Test Range by international clients.

In addition, the company is confident that its delivery on key local defence requirements such as the intended rejuvenation of the Army’s fleet of armoured and transport vehicles as well as investments in the maritime environment and the civil security arena will boost locally earned revenue in years to come.

The Group’s net profit has improved by R123-million to R194-million and the operating profit grew by 91%. Denel’s debt to equity ratio has seen a significant improvement over the past two years from a ratio of 2.8:1 in 2012 to 1.1:1 in 2014. Denel is targeting a ratio of 0.5 in the medium term.

Earnings before interest and tax show a continuous upward trend which can largely be attributed to the growing export revenue, the weakening of the rand and a 12% reduction in operating costs, mostly achieved by cost-optimisation initiatives.

Denel’s improved financial performance has been recognised by FitchRatings which recently upgrade its rating to an ‘AAA’ (zaf), confirming its confidence in Denel as a good performing company with a large order book, strong management and governance and solid support from the shareholder.

Prospects for growth:
Denel’s robust marketing and business development activities over the past years have resulted in a substantially improved outlook for the company over the next decade. This confirms the wisdom of its initiatives to vigorously market the company’s products and services, invest strongly in R&D, make wise decisions on new acquisitions and expand its international partnerships.

“The order book for projects to be executed in the next ten years has grown substantially to R32-billion. This is an exceptional achievement for Denel and represents a six-fold cover of our revenue,” says Mr Saloojee
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“Denel is fully aware of the fact that its future growth will be largely dependent on the company’s ability to remain competitive in a global high-technology environment,” says Mr Saloojee. “We are committed to increasing investments in future capabilities and technologies, fostering innovation and expanding the company’s product offerings.”

Denel has diversified into the space domain, and during the year the Spaceteq business unit was set up in the Western Cape and has commenced with its first project, which is an earth observation satellite for commissioning by the SANSA (South African National Space Agency) by 2017. The group also embarked on a process to ensure higher levels of productivity and efficiency in support of broader efforts to reduce operating costs. At the Denel ammunition plant, PMP, this will result in a selected plant renewal process to address operational efficiencies and reduce energy consumption.

Other areas identified for modernisation include the company’s business units responsible for unmanned aerial vehicle systems, artillery and the delivery of aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) services.

In addition, in the short-to-medium term, Denel will further diversify into the civil security arena as well as the command and control environment. The company has further identified the maritime environment as a future capability, which will be established to specifically focus in the area of systems integration. Right now Denel is in the process of acquiring the BAE Systems’ LSSA business. The acquisition, which is not yet finalised and is at a very sensitive stage pending some key regulatory approvals, forms part of Denel’s growth and sustainability strategy, which the company embarked on 5 years ago.

Products such as the Rooivalk have focused renewed global attention on the unique capabilities of Denel – and the broader South African defence industry – in a highly competitive technology environment. It has strengthened our reputation as an industry leader in the design, industrialisation and manufacturing of innovative defence and aerospace products and system.
Right now we are in the process of acquiring the BAE Systems’ LSSA business. The acquisition, which is not yet finalised and is at a very sensitive stage pending some key approvals, forms part of Denel’s growth and sustainability strategy, which the company embarked on 5 years ago. The LSSA transaction fits in perfectly with the strategy to achieve revenue growth, improve efficiencies while at the same time modernising our technology and capabilities in the landward environment.

Denel in relation to our environment
Denel strongly supports the view that state-owned companies must contribute to the country’s broader socio-economic transformation efforts and address the triple challenges of poverty, inequality and unemployment. In the past year Denel has increased its spend on research and development to R507-million, invested R64-million in skills development, and increased its activities in socio-economic activities such as science and maths teaching, bursaries for tertiary studies and internships for deserving students.

From an organisational perspective the company has expended great effort to position itself as a values-based organisation ensuring that the Denel values of ‘performance, integrity, innovation, caring and accountability’ are embedded in its business practices and the actions of its employees.

Future prospects:
“Our strategic themes continue to be revenue growth, productivity and efficiency, fostering innovation and building on our commitment to transformation and the development of our human resources,” he says.

‘The essence of our revenue growth strategy is to further increase the order book, build stronger relationships with customers and stakeholders and leverage on our existing local and international partnerships to secure more business.”

Many of Denel’s business units and divisions have built their global reputations for world-class defence and security related products and systems over many decades. The company’s products have proven their value in operational deployments – both inside South Africa and in the regional and international arenas.

Although defence and aerospace will be the mainstay of Denel’s business for decades to come there will also be a growing number of opportunities to cooperate with other state-owned companies, and the private sector, in areas where its technology, research and accumulated expertise may add value.

This is also in line with the stated objectives of the Department of Public Enterprises that state-owned companies must increase their levels of cooperation and share services, technology and knowledge to deliver greater value and increased efficiencies to the people of South Africa.
“We have already seen this approach in practice with the recent contract awarded to Denel Aviation to deliver helicopter services and maintenance work to the Transnet National Ports Authority,” he says.

Discussions are also underway with the departments of Public Enterprises and Trade and Industry to secure National Industrial Participation work packages for the local aerospace industry when SAA and SA Express proceed with the procurement of their new aircraft fleets.
In addition, Denel has already announced its intention to become involved in the intended process by the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa to revitalise its rolling stock. Technology and processes used by Denel in the manufacturing of advanced aerostructures for the global aviation industry can also be used to produce the interiors of modern passenger rail coaches
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“I am positive about the future of Denel as we continue on our growth path,” says Mr Saloojee. “Although global defence budgets remain fairly static, there is a positive outlook for growth in Africa and emerging markets which have been identified as priorities by Denel.”

Ends
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For further information, contact:
Ms Vuyelwa Qinga
Group Head: Corporate Communications
Cell: +27 (0) 79 511 6257
Tel: +27 (0) 12 671 2662
email: vuyelwaq@denel.co.za

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