 |
Home / About / History |  |
| Home Höft & Wessel About H & W Products News Investor Relations Fairs Contact Sitemap Imprint | ||
| 1998
| 1999 | 2000
| 2001 | 2002
| 2003 | 2004
| 2005 | 2006 | 2007 |
|||
| 2008 | Development in the first
quarter of
the financial year unfolded as expected, with Höft & Wessel
affirming its sales revenue forecast for
2008 of at least 108 million euros and
a further improvement in pre-tax earnings. Sales revenues amounted
to 16.3 (previous year: 18.0) million euros, and aggregate output
came to 19.9 (following 19.3) million euros. Earnings before taxes
(EBT), at –EUR
1.3 million, turned out better year-on-year (–EUR 1.4
million), with the poor first quarter corresponding to the traditionally
cyclical business trend. The order intake amounted to EUR 20.7
million (previous year: EUR 22.5 million), and the order portfolio,
at EUR 120.3, was almost twice as high as the previous year's
figure of EUR 64.5 million. Defying the trend of the Technology
All Share Index, Höft & Wessel’s
share price was up by 2 per cent, to 5.15 euros, while the
index shed 22 per cent. |
||
| 2007 | Höft & Wessel is able to prove its trading competence on the American market. The partner company Nu-Communitek, New York, implements its client data administration software on 1,500 skeye.pad XSL devices. They are used at fairs, sporting events, shopping centres or concerts to register client data electronically. The Höft & Wessel device was chosen on account of its low weight, large display and integrated barcode scanner complete with WLAN connection. ----------- Höft & Wessel manages to turn things around during the third quarter of 2007. The business division of Almex wins the largest order in the history of the company from the Deutsche Bahn AG (German Railways) and will supply 3,200 almex.station ticket vending machines by 2011. The business division of Skeye continues to expand its position as innovative partner of the retail market with the first RFID application at POS and gains the RAC, the English automobile club, as client. Metric, the English affiliated company, is on a growth curve with the new Aura parking ticket machine. In comparison to the previous year, sales rose by one third to 68.4 million euros. Incoming orders doubled to 128.9 million euros. At 120.5 million euros, orders in hand reached an all-time high in the company chronicle. The stock exchange records the positive signals, the share price rises by 64 percent. On account of the favourable business development Höft & Wessel affirms the annual sales forecast of conspicuously more than 90 million euros and a satisfactory result. ----------- France’s Central Bureau of Statistics uses Höft & Wessel devices for inflation calculation. The regular updating of the basket of commodities forms the basis for the calculation of the inflation of a national economy. In France the National Institute of Statistics and Economic Research (INSEE) collects the items that are reported in this country by the GfK (Gesellschaft für Konsumgüterforschung = Association for Consumer Goods Research) in Nuremberg to the Statistische Bundesamt (Federal Office for Statistics) in Wiesbaden. The technical realisation is carried out using the mobile skeye.pad XSL data collection devices for which Rayonnance Distribution, the French distribution partner, tailored the application. ----------- Höft & Wessel sees itself as a partner of the retail trade with the objective of continuing to improve the value added chain by means of process quality, a lesser degree of supply bottlenecks and greater customer satisfaction. This is why the company is becoming a member of Metro’s »Future Store Initiative« industrial consortium. In the course of this future project and unique in the European retail trade, a RFID project is being realised for the first time since the late autumn of 2007: at its branch in Essen, Galeria Kaufhof, a Metro affiliated company, is introducing the RFID technology to the sales floor. Equipped with the skeye.integral UHF the sales staff in the men’s outwear department is able to call up all necessary product information by radio during the sales conversation and read this off on the display of the Höft & Wessel handheld device. ----------- Höft & Wessel appoints two new national managers in the autumn of 2007. David Witts takes over the American Metric branch office in New Jersey. Prior to this, the marketing expert in the E-ticketing area worked for Parkeon for 20 years. Maurizio Costa will be working as marketing manager of the Italian branch office in Milan for the Skeye business division — he is an approved expert for the medium-sized Italian commercial market. ----------- During training of the Audi dealers for the new A5, the participants were able to test their skills in a test of knowledge. The digital twenty questions could be seen on the skeye.pad XSL and referred to the comparative test drive with the competitors BMW and Mercedes. Comdat, who has been working with the Höft & Wessel device for years, provided the software. The 80 skeye.pads were collected after the test drive and the data was read directly into the central computer. The winner of the 21 quiz questions was determined directly after this. All in all, yet another example for the versatility of the Höft & Wessel mobile data collection devices. ----------- After the ADAC (Automobile Club of Germany) the RAC, the Royal Automobile Club of the United Kingdom, has now also decided on Höft & Wessel. The more than 2,000 club vehicles will already be fitted this year with the skeye.pad XSL. With the mobile data collection devices the RAC is fitting its service vehicles with an instrument that, for example, can download the technical data of the damaged vehicle via WLAN from the permanently installed computer. For this purpose a space-saving bracket for the skeye.pad XSL was developed especially for the new RAC fleet of vehicles. In addition to breakdown service use, the device will also be used as a training computer. ----------- In August Höft & Wessel received the largest order in the almost 30-year history of the company from the Deutsche Bahn AG. Almex will deliver 3,200 almex.station ticket vending machines. The new generation of ticket vending machines is to be installed at all stations by 2011. The new devices are fitted with a luminous touch screen, accept all common methods of payment and accommodate the user with ergonomically arranged operating elements. In the future, the Deutsche Bahn will offer its passengers an even more convenient service in the important sales channel of self-service ticket sales. In addition to this, it will save on operating and maintenance costs, as the new vending machines are protected even more effectively against burglary and vandalism. The order in the double-figure million range means consistency of business for Almex and an outstanding basis for further positive development, as Thomas Wolf of the Board of Management commented. ----------- Höft & Wessel was able once again to assert itself against a line-up of renowned competitors in an international call for tenders, this time involving the Stadtwerke Augsburg (Augsburg Public Utility Company). The transport companies of the town that was home to the Fuggers (a Swabian dynasty) will install 40 almex.station ticket vending machines along the newly constructed line 6. As a special additional service, Höft & Wessel will be supporting the introduction of the KAROCARD in Augsburg’s local public transport services, that will initially be mirrored as subscriptions of the Traffic Limited Company and later also as season tickets. ----------- Höft & Wessel came off as winner in a pan-European call for tenders made by the Stuttgarter Straßenbahn AG (SSB = Stuttgart Tram Company). The SSB has ordered 320 almex.optima ticket printers for its entire fleet of buses. Within the framework of the call for tenders the Höft & Wessel products passed an extensive ergonomics test that involved the participation of 140 bus drivers. Operator convenience, passenger orientation and repair shop convenience were assessed as outstanding. The overall system will be integrated into the SSB IT environment via different interfaces, including Lufthansa Systems’ Patris. ----------- üstra Hannoversche Verkehrsbetriebe AG (üstra Hanoverian Transport Companies) placed an order with Höft & Wessel for the delivery of a new almex.station generation of ticket vending machines. It will replace the entire stock of stationary ticket vending machines in the regional capital of Lower Saxony with devices sporting the latest technology. The order to the value of 8.2 million euros was won in a pan-European call for tenders and proved to be the best overall offer for hardware, software and services. üstra attached particular importance to convenience of use for the passenger and protection against vandalism and breaking open. With this installation, that is to be completed by the middle of 2009, both Hanoverian companies are continuing their cooperation. In 2006 Höft & Wessel already fitted the entire üstra fleet of buses with almex.optima on-board computers. ----------- In the first six months of 2007 Höft & Wessel was able to report double-figure increases in sales, incoming orders, orders in hand and share price development. All three business divisions contributed towards this. Sales rose by just under 10 percent to 42.5 (38.8) million euros, the overall performance amounted to 45.3 vis-à-vis 42.4 million euros in the previous year. The result before interest and taxes (RBIT) turned out as expected at 0.3 (0.1) million euros, as the somewhat weaker first six months of the year correspond to the traditional cyclical course of business. Incoming orders rose by 23 percent to 47.8 (38.8) million euros. At 65.3 (39.4) million euros and a plus of 66 percent, the orders in hand were conspicuously above the comparative value. The floor trading share price at the Frankfurt Stock Exchange was at 3.32 euros on 2.1.2007 and at 5.07 euros on 29.6.2007, this corresponds to an increase of around 53 percent. Against this backdrop Höft & Wessel confirms the 2007 annual forecast: sales in the region of 90 million euros are expected and once again a satisfactory profit before taxes. ----------- With its low weight, particularly large display and single-hand operation the skeye.allegro LS is ideally suitable for carrying out orders and stocktaking. This is why Brüder Schlau GmbH & Co. KG, Porta Westfalica, decided to carry out the collection of transmission data to the Hammer-Heimtex branches with 700 mobile Höft & Wessel data collection devices. It is planned for installation to be completed by the spring of 2008. ----------- Nottingham City Transport Ltd., the largest independent bus operating company in the United Kingdom, orders 365 almex.optima on-board computers for its fleet of vehicles. Almex provides NCT with a well-engineered, modular solution, which is perfectly suited to the E-ticketing strategy of the company that was already elected as bus company of the year in 2004 on account of its successful SmartCard Programme. ----------- With two orders from Rhätische Bahn, Chur, and Transport Publics de la Région Lausannoises, Lausanne, Höft & Wessel continues along the road to success in Switzerland. Almex will supply Rhätische Bahn with an E-ticketing system involving almex.station vending machines and the almex.office administration system to a value of 2.5 million euros. With the DAX interface this satisfies the Swiss standard for the exchange of tariff and billing data between the transportation companies of the country. Those responsible in Lausanne will install 70 almex.station ticket vending machines at their stations for the new underground railway. ----------- Höft & Wessel receives comprehensive ITSO certification as the first company throughout the world. It was awarded to Almex UK in June in Great Britain for the almex.optima electronic ticket vending device. With this Höft & Wessel sets yet another milestone on the way to standardisation of the ticket vending systems. The Almex business division is an active member of the English Integrated Transport Smartcard Organisation (ITSO) that, similar to the Verband Deutscher Verkehrsunternehmen (VDV = Association of German Transportation Companies), facilitates the core application standard, the ITSO standard, so that in the future passengers with an electronically readable ticket are able to use all means of transport of the respective traffic network with a smart card. The qualification according to ITSO plays a significant role for the major order from the Scottish First Group and other Scottish bus operating companies. ----------- Hochbahn AG in Hamburg decides on Höft & Wessel’s integrated ticketing solution within the framework of a European call for tenders. Equipping all 900 vehicles should be completed by the end of 2008. The overall solution is based on the almex.optima on-board computer with swivel-mounted 8" touch screen. In addition to the municipal HVV tariff, the sales system with open Windows CE platform also supports the national Schleswig-Holstein tariff. ----------- Turnover, incoming orders and orders in hand increased during the first quarter of 2007. Turnover rose to 18.0 (15.0) million euros and overall performance to 19.3 (16.0) million euros. The result before taxes (RBT) at –1.4 (–1.6) million euros also turned out to be better and corresponded to the expectations for a traditionally weak first quarter due to the cyclic course of business. At 22.5 (21.5) million euros the incoming orders were above the value of the previous year as were the orders in hand at 64.5 (45.9) million euros. New products such as the skeye-quickpay payment terminal or the almex.express check-in terminal for airline passengers, were presented in a new design during active participation at fairs both at home and abroad and the international business strategy emphasised. ----------- The largest bus company in the Canary Islands, Global Salcai Utinsa, will fit its 350 buses with almex.optima on-board computers. The inspectors will use the handy almex.mobile to check the tickets. Both devices can process 2D barcodes and contact-free smart cards. With the comprehensive card management system to round off the order, Global will be able to provide its customers with a continuous and modern E-ticketing system. ----------- Since the beginning of April 2007 John Clarkson (48) has been managing the Almex business division of Höft & Wessel AG in Great Britain with its registered office in Swindon. This is the return of a proven transport and logistics expert with 20 years of international experience, who already worked for the company in a managerial position back in the nineties. ----------- Höft & Wessel described the business year of 2006 as a moderate year with good perspectives. The sales forecasts had to be adapted to the conditions on the market; Höft & Wessel was affected by order postponements and special effects due to the relocation of the factory and the new start of products at Metric, the English affiliated company. In 2006 the turnover amounted to 74.0 (84.7) million euros and the result before taxes (RBT) amounted to –1.9 million euros after 3.1 million euros the previous year. On the other hand, the development of the incoming orders (IO) and orders in hand (OIH) was encouraging. At 96.4 million euros the IO were 15 percent up on the 82.3 million euros of the comparison period. At 60.0 million euros the OIH even exceeded the comparative value of 39.4 million euros by 52 percent. Against this backdrop, a growth in sales to more than 90 million euros and a satisfactory result are expected during the current business year 2007. ----------- Höft & Wessel, together with the reference customer eismann Tiefkühl-Heimservice, was able to present itself at the T-Systems stand at CeBIT 2007 with a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) solution that could not have been realised without mobile data collection devices (skeye.allegro LS). At the joint AIM stand Höft & Wessel presented an RFID solution (skeye.integral UHF) as integrated component part of the process chain between suppliers, wholesale and retail trade. Peter Claussen, deputy company CEO, went into more detail on the subject in a lecture on "RFID–market development as seen by a technology contractor". ----------- Elvetino AG, the affiliated railway catering company of the Schweizer Bundesbahn (SBB = Swiss Federal Railways), is being equipped with 200 portable almex.mobile cash register devices. Equipped with the company’s own catering software, these will be used as portable cash registers and mobile commodities management system. With this Höft & Wessel has received the third important order from Switzerland. SBB is already using 2,500 almex.mobile devices and Schweizerische Post (Swiss Post Office) has also decided on Höft & Wessel handheld devices. ----------- Höft & Wessel and DBK Concepts, Miami have been offering mutual solutions for trading on the US market since the beginning of the year. Both companies are among the leading suppliers of mobile data collection devices for trading on their respective home market. New market opportunities open up in the USA for products from the Skeye business division due to the partnership. ---------------------- |
 |
|
| 2006 | With a convincing overall solution for the district-wide fare cooperation of the 16 transportation companies in the Ostalb district, Höft & Wessel put in a winning bid in front of six other suppliers in a pan-European call for tenders. The total order value of 1.5 million euros encompasses equipping more than 300 vehicles with Almex ticketing products in the greater rural area of Aalen and Schwäbisch-Gmünd. A condition for award of the order was that the hardware and software comply with the requirements of the VDV core application of the Verband Deutscher Verkehrsunternehmen im Öffentlichen Personenverkehr (Association of German Transportation Companies in Public Transport). A comparable, turnkey solution has already proved its worth in the traffic network of the district of Schwäbisch Hall. |
|
|
| 2005 | The English parking meter manufacturer Metric,
subsidiary of Höft & Wessel AG, moved to new premises
in the southwest English town of Swindon on 19th September 2005. The
sales, service, R&D and accounts departments started operation
in the first phase of moving to these premises, ca. 25 km from the
previous headquarters in Cirencester. In the second phase in the coming
year, manufacturing will move from its current location 260 km away
in Kent. ----------- Deutsche Bahn AG puts its trust increasingly in Höft & Wessel's competence in the stationary ticket vending machine sector. Deutsche Bahn AG is ordering further stationary ticket vending machines in addition to the devices already ordered this year. The order is part of the general agreement between Höft & Wessel and Deutsche Bahn AG entered into at the start of the current year. This call arising from the general agreement has a volume of more than 4 million EUR. ----------- Today, Höft & Wessel AG presents the world's first mobile long-range UHF reader compliant with the international EPCglobal standard. Höft & Wessel's mobile data capturing device skeye.integral UHF allows commercial enterprises and their suppliers quick and easy entry into RFID-technology. ----------- Following the conclusion of seven weeks of field testing, Höft & Wessel AG is starting the rollout to equip the Schweizerischen Bundesbahnen AG (SBB - Swiss Railways) extensively with the almex.mobile terminal. The rollout is to be completed prior to the change of the schedule in 2005. By then, each of the ca. 2,000 conductors will be able to avail of an individual ZPG II ("Zugpersonalgerät" i.e. individual ticket vending machine). ----------- üstra Hannoversche Verkehrsbetriebe AG ordered the delivery and installation of almex.optima vehicle computers from Höft & Wessel AG. üstra will equip its entire bus fleet with a total of ca. 180 devices and thereby reduce its computer technology related operating costs in the buses. Höft & Wessel supplies the devices required for this project and is acting as general contractor for the entire running of the project including the on schedule installation of the hardware in üstra's existing bus fleet. The delivery and installation of the devices is to be completed by mid-2006. ----------- Höft & Wessel presents the newly developed mobile ticket terminal almex.compact to the public at the UITP Mobility & City Transport Exhibition in Rome. Höft & Wessel developed the new device in particular for customer operated ticket vending services on buses and trains. Transport companies use the new device as an addition to driver operated sales in order to reduce the boarding times of bus passengers significantly. ----------- Höft & Wessel presents a newly developed terminal generation for Self-Check-In and other customer services at the Passenger Terminal Expo in Cologne in February 2005 as well as several complete solutions for flight passenger handling developed jointly with its partners. ----------- Höft & Wessel AG presents a new high-performance handheld device at the Euroshop fair in February 2005. The skeye.allegro is a handheld device which meets all requirements one should demand of mobile solutions: faster Intel Xscale processor, generous memory, professional Microsoft Windows CE. NET operating system, use of SD storage cards, data capture by laser scanner, imager or RFID. The Linux operating system is available as an option and provides trouble-free application in any IT environment. ----------- Metric Group Inc., the U.S. subsidiary of Höft & Wessel AG, received an order from the city of Westfield, New Jersey, for the delivery of 14 Accent Pay & Display machines. Westfield uses the Accent machines to replace a part of the existing installations by competitors and in addition, to expand the city's parking space capacity. ----------- Deutsche Bahn entered into a general agreement with Höft & Wessel on the delivery of new regional ticket machines and already ordered the first machines. Delivery will start in the first half of 2005. The focus of use of the new machines are the regional routes of Deutsche Bahn. ----------- Höft & Wessel AG is merging the previously independent subsidiary Höft & Wessel Skeye Webpanel AG with the parent company with effect as of 01/01/2005. Höft & Wessel Skeye Webpanel AG is part of the Skeye Mobile Business and predominantly developed and distributed skeye.pad used by many sectors. Höft & Wessel Skeye Webpanel AG's activities will be carried out and continued directly by Höft & Wessel AG in future. The merger does not result in personnel changes. ---------------------- |
|
|
| 2004 | ADAC awarded the contract
to Höft & Wessel to equip all 1,700 road patrol
vehicles successively with the skeye.pad to make order processing
even more efficient and thereby reduce waiting periods for drivers.
ADAC will use the skeye.pad to process all breakdown assistance calls.
This includes deployment planning and the flow of information between
headquarters and ADAC field staff. Delivery of the skeye.pads will
already start in 2004. ----------- Höft & Wessel AG and T-Com, the landline subsidiary of Deutsche Telekom, signed a joint Business Partner agreement. In future, the two companies will offer jointly developed solutions for medium-sized companies in the mobile data capture sector. The cooperation with T-Com provides Höft & Wessel with another highly competent partner to market its products. The Business Partner agreement consolidates the already good relationship between the two companies. ----------- The Rewe retail group awarded a contract to Höft & Wessel to deliver a total of 1,700 mobile data entry devices for tracking consignments and therefore optimise warehouse logistics. The delivery vehicles of the Group will be equipped with skeye.integral units. The devices are used to record consignment and organisational data. The devices were enclosed in a custom housing (the devices will survive a drop from a height of 1.8 m onto concrete) to meet the special requirements and to allow their use even in tough working environments. The devices have a Long Range Scanner and WLAN-function. ----------- BD-Gastservice GmbH, a subsidiary of the Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB), awarded a contract to Höft & Wessel AG, Hanover, to deliver almex.mobile terminals for ticket sales on the train. Höft & Wessel not only supplies the mobile ticket printers to BD - Gastservice but also the complete application software associated with the delivery as well as the backoffice software to process the data. The new ticket printers by Höft & Wessel replace products by other competitors previously used by ÖBB. ----------- Höft & Wessel AG entered into a general agreement with hat the French company Thales on the delivery of almex.optima mobile ticket vending devices. At the same time, an initial delivery was agreed which was carried out in 2004. Höft & Wessel delivered more than 600 almex.optima with this initial order which will be used by the city of Oslo and the Dutch company E-Ticketing system. Thales decided to use the almex.optima as the open system platform of this product allows its optimum integration in the complete solutions of Thales and can be adapted to special customer requirements. ----------- The board of management of Höft & Wessel AG, Hanover, appointed Mr. Thomas Wolf as deputy member of the board of Höft & Wessel AG with effect as of 1/4/2004. Mr. Wolf has been with the company since 1996 and most recently was director of the Almex Information Systems (AIS) division. The operational management of the three divisions was assigned to one individual member of the board in order to meet the market challenges better, to market new products successfully and to implement further measures to increase efficiency. Thomas Wolf will represent the Almex Information Systems (AIS) on the board. Peter Claussen has responsibility for operations for the Skeye Mobile Business (SMB) division with the products for commerce and logistics. René Glasmacher heads the Parking division with the English subsidiary Metric Group Ltd. Dr. Werner Andexser remains chairman of the board and is responsible within the group for the technology department while Peter Claussen handles the sales department and René Glasmacher the financial department. The previously independent Almex GmbH was merged with the parent company Höft & Wessel AG to lower administration costs. Almex could win important orders in the past such as equipping the Swiss Federal Railways with mobile terminals. Almex GmbH's activities will be carried out and continued directly by Höft & Wessel AG in future. ----------- Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) placed an order with Höft & Wessel for the delivery of the new generation of mobile train ticket printers. The almex.mobile terminals replace the mobile ticket vending systems previously used throughout SBB's rail network. The delivery includes not only the mobile terminals but also the operating system and communication stations linking the system to SBB's headquarters. Delivery already starts in 2004. The mobile terminals store all schedule and fare data. All up-to-date information on connecting trains and possible changes to train schedules is also available by radio transmission via the online link so that the quality of information for passengers can be improved significantly. ----------- The IT company Höft & Wessel, Hanover, presented a new embedded WLAN module for communications in the M2M sector (Machine-to-Machine), i.e. between different electronic devices, at the CeBIT 2004. Wireless LAN, up to now only used for networking computers, is now also available for any electronic device thanks to the new WLAN module HW 86050 by Höft & Wessel. The new WLAN module directly implements the processes without the usual "diversion" via the computer. This saves time and costs. In addition, it has an Audio-Interface and therefore can be used for the VoIP of the future. ----------- The retail group REWE awarded the contract to Höft & Wessel to equip the group's outlets in Germany with a new generation of mobile data entry devices (MDE). The total order volume amounts to more than 3 million EUR. The delivery of the modern MDEs with scanners and radio link (Wireless LAN) to the goods management system starts in the early Summer 2004. The award of the contract was preceded by six months of testing with different products in which Höft & Wessel could assert itself against renowned international competitors. ---------------------- |
|
|
| 2003 | Höft & Wessel AG's board of management
decided a capital increase by 10 % or 772,500 shares, excluding subscription
rights from the company's authorized capital in accordance with its
statutes, in December 2003. At the time of the decision, the Höft & Wessel
share price was at EUR 3.30 and was therefore fixed as the issue price
for the new shares. The capital increase results in a capital influx
of 2.5 million Euro. Höft & Wessel AG's share capital
therefore increased from 7,725,000 Euro to 8,497,500 Euro. The capital
increase was subscribed by Zollner Elektronik
AG, Zandt. A cooperation agreement was signed parallel in order
to expand the good long-term business relations between the two companies.
Zollner enjoys the confidence of numerous big international groups
and makes the relevant manufacturing know-how available to Höft & Wessel. ----------- The board of management initiated measures for the additional optimisation of the group structure in support of further positive business development. A focus on the core business and the continued decrease in the administration expenditure are key issues. In this context, the number of group subsidiaries is reduced. The sales subsidiary in Zurich (Switzerland) is wound up. Its business will be taken over directly by the parent company Höft & Wessel AG. In addition, Höft & Wessel AG took over the still outstanding 13.6 % of the shares in Höft & Wessel Skeye Webpanel AG (Skeye) from the private individuals Rolf Wessel and Michael Höft last night. Skeye therefore is yet again a 100 % subsidiary of Höft & Wessel AG. As a countermove, 25.6 % of the shares in TRUCK24 AG of equal value were transferred from Höft & Wessel AG to the private individuals Rolf Wessel and Michael Höft. Wessel and Höft already acquired shares in TRUCK24 AG two years ago and are now expanding their commitment significantly. Both are planning a greater personal entrepreneurial support of the company. ----------- Höft & Wessel was awarded a contract by Zugerland Verkehrsbetriebe AG (Zug canton, Switzerland) to deliver stationary ticket vending machines and mobile ticket printers to the amount of 3 million EUR. This is already the second order for Höft & Wessel Höft to equip a Swiss transport company with new ticket vending machines and the company managed again to win this tender ahead of renowned international competitors. ----------- Swiss company Migros is using the skeye.pad as hardware for mobile access to the SAP-Retail goods management system following a year of intense testing of products supplied by various providers. Migros is considered to be one of the most innovative pioneering consortiums in relation to the use of information technology. The skeye.pad is used to reduce the time spent on internal branch processes significantly and thereby increase profitability. ----------- DSB, the Danish State Railway, awarded the contract to Höft & Wessel AG to deliver the new stationary ticketing machines for its entire regional and national route network in Denmark. Delivery of the machines is scheduled for 2004. Höft & Wessel's ticketing machines will replace all previously installed stationary ticket terminals nationwide of the DSB and the Danish suburban rail. Passengers can use the new machines to purchase tickets for long-distance travel and the regional suburban rail networks. ----------- The new müx with change giving function were put into operation in Hanover. Höft & Wessel converted all 300 installed müx following a four week field test. In addition, another ca. 150 new müx ticket machines will be installed so that the passengers can find not only tix but also müx ticket machines which can give change in each of the ca. 170 above ground stations of üstra. ----------- Höft & Wessel AG cancelled its listing on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange's new market already in December 2002 and has been listed in the newly established Prime Standard segment of the exchange since 1st January 2003 after receiving admission of quotation. ---------------------- |
|
|
| 2002 | Höft & Wessel's UK subsidiary,
Metric Group Ltd., has successfully
tendered for the supply of on-street ticketing equipment for London
Bus Services Ltd., London, United Kingdom. London Bus Services Ltd.
is part of Transport for London, the local government body responsible
for transport throughout Greater London. London Bus Services Ltd.
specifies and procures all bus services throughout Greater London
and operates an integrated fares and ticketing system. ----------- Höft & Wessel concludes agreements with Toll Collect, a syndicate of bidders consisting of DaimlerChrysler Services AG, Deutsche Telekom, and Cofiroute SA for the development of a lorry toll charging system. ----------- NORD/LB launches a new stock index, the NISAX20, for the most important listed companies in the state of Lower Saxony. Höft & Wessel is one of those listed companies. The NISAX20 represents 20 companies from different stock exchange segments which have their principle place of business in Lower Saxony and which have the largest market capitalisation due to their free-float. ---------------------- |
|
|
| 2001 | Executive Board and Supervisory Board of the Höft & Wessel
AG approve a statutory capital increase
by 4 % respectively 300,000 EUR. The subscription right of the shareholders
is excluded. The new shares will be fully placed with an institutional
investor. ----------- Höft & Wessel and the Ratinger INFOS GmbH concluded an co-operation agreement for the production and marketing of the data acquisition and data communication terminal PNT-1800. Due to this licence agreement, the Höft & Wessel AG extends its product portfolio by a WIN CE-based device for mobile data acquisition. ----------- Among only a small number of software companies like Hewlett Packard/Compaq and Siemens, the Höft & Wessel AG receives a license from Microsoft for using the HPC 2000 software on the mobile Internet computer skeye.pad. The new software contains a Microsoft Office pocket version. Thus, the skeye.pad now provides applications like Outlook, Word, Excel, Access, and PowerPoint. The skeye.pad allows for mobile communication and Internet access via an integrated DECT or GSM module. ----------- Höft & Wessel acquires the business model of TRUCK24 AG from the bankrupt company's assets via a subsidiary. TRUCK24 offers logistics services for the shipping industry that base on an Internet portal and wireless technology. Communication between lorry and dispatch department is realised via the mobile Internet computer TruckPad, a product of the Höft & Wessel group. The TruckPad, which can be easily installed in any vehicle combines communication, fleet management and logistics services. To refinance the rapid market development of TRUCK24, shares of the subsidiary were sold off. Owing to the compelling technology and the market and development potential, a group of investors which includes Rolf Wessel, Michael Höft and the wellington partners venture GmbH, Munich, is already making initial investments in Truck 24. ----------- Two products for mobile data acquisition (PDE) of the Höft & Wessel AG were approved by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for use on the American market: the multi-functional terminal, the captura.vector, equipped with touch display, laser scanner and chipcard reader as well as the thermal printer captura.script. In addition, the DATEX company was enlisted as distributor for north- and central America to further open up the US American market. ----------- On April 23, 2001 Executive and Supervisory Board of the Höft & Wessel AG approve a statutory capital increase by 5.3 % respectively 375,000 EUR. The subscription right of the shareholders was excluded. The new shares were purchased by private investors. ----------- Large-scale order from S-Bahn Berlin for stationary ticket vending machines. With S-Bahn Berlin being another major Höft & Wessel customer from the public transport area Höft & Wessel has strengthened its market position in this important market segment. ----------- Höft & Wessel co-operates with Microsoft to market it's Windows CE based mobile Internet products. ----------- The Schöller Holding orders mobile cash registers (captura.dimension) as well as corresponding backoffice systems. The devices, all equipped with a scanner and a touch screen, will be used by the drivers of the Eismann company (frozen food). ---------------------- |
|
|
| 2000 | The Höft & Wessel AG assigns the
product area Webpanel (skeye.pad) to it's SKEYE subsidiary which has
been renamed to Höft & Wessel Skeye Webpanel AG.
To provide for the required resources, the Skeye Webpanel AG will
be strengthened by a capital increase from the Höft & Wessel
AG. In addition, the FUTURA CAPITALIS AG based in Hamburg becomes
stakeholder. The share of the FUTURA CAPITALIS AG amounts to 13.6%. ----------- Die EnBW, Energie Baden-Württemberg AG, one of the biggest energy company in Germany awards a blanket order for the skeye.pad. EnBW will use the skeye.pad to provide for an Internet based communication platform. ----------- The Executive Board and the Supervisory Board of the Höft & Wessel AG resolve to implement a capital increase of 4.4 % respectively 300,000 EUR. ----------- The Norwegian airline SAS orders check-in-terminals from Höft & Wessel. ----------- D2 Mannesmann orders terminals for issuing D2-Call-Now cards in the D2 shops from Höft & Wessel. Issuing Call-Now cards via terminals will significantly relieve their staff of this task. ----------- The French technology company Dassault orders ticketing machines that will be used by the French national railway (SNFC). Höft & Wessel AG was thus able for the first time to position itself as a provider of stationary ticketing systems in the international arena. ----------- The Rheinbahn Düsseldorf orders Almex ticketing systems from Höft & Wessel. This order represents again success for Höft & Wessel with another provider of public passenger transport. ----------- The leading European tourism company, TUI Group, orders a large amount of mobile cash registers (captura.dimension) from Höft & Wessel. These units will be used by tour guides to sell excursions and other services at vacation sites and charge them offline or online to customer credit card accounts. ----------- Höft & Wessel receives a major contract from Essener Verkehrsbetriebe (EVAG) for the stationary ticket vending machine (almex.city) which allows for a direct communication (video/audio) with a central service center. ----------- At the CeBIT 2000, the computer trade magazine CHIP awards Höft & Wessel's new wireless Internet Web panel, skeye.pad, the "CeBIT Oscar" for best product in the area of communications and Internet. ----------- New strategic orientation of the Höft & Wessel AG: The Executive Board of Directors of Höft & Wessel AG has been expanded to include the discrete position of Chief Financial Officer (CFO) with responsibility for finance, public and investor relations, consolidated accounting, controlling, risk management, and financial oversight of all subsidiaries. The action was taken in response to the increasingly international composition and activity of the group. On March 1, 2000, the Supervisory Board of the Höft & Wessel AG appoints René Glasmacher, who holds an advanced business degree, as the new chief financial officer. Just prior, Mr. Glasmacher was the CFO of a venture capital and stock issue advisory firm. Mr. Glasmacher has gathered extensive experience in the field of corporate finance of a major German bank and in management positions of the automobile industry. Intent on strengthening and significantly increasing the Group's project and product business both domestically and abroad, the Supervisory Board of Höft & Wessel AG, in its meeting of March 15, 2000, has asked Werner Andexser, 51, who holds a Ph. D. degree in engineering, to join the company's Executive Board as of April 1 as its chief executive. Dr. Andexser is leaving an executive position with the Robert Bosch GmbH where he was responsible for the national and international telecommunications business. The founders of the company, Michael Höft and Rolf Wessel, leave from the Executive Board on April 9, 2000 and are elected to the Supervisory Board. They continue to work closely with the company on strategic and technological issues. ----------- Höft & Wessel presents a new product for simple and wireless Internet access at the CeBIT 2000. skeye.pad is an extremely compact and mobile Windows-CE computer with integrated GSM or DECT module. The device may be used in nearly any field of application: Whether at home, at the office or on tour, skeye.pad enables the user to be online wherever he is. ---------------------- |
|
|
| 1999 | Large-scale order from the Vectron
AG, Münster, for mobile cashier systems. ----------- Höft & Wessel founds a new subsidiary, the SKEYE Telematic Systems GmbH, which focuses on intelligent, modular system solutions for the dynamically growing traffic telematics market. ----------- The new generation of the check-in terminals for the Deutsche Lufthansa is delivered by Höft & Wessel. This strategic large-scale order of the Deutsche Lufthansa opens up the way for similar orders e.g. with respect to the Star Alliance or other airlines. ----------- On April, 28, 1999, the Executive and Supervisory Boards of the Höft & Wessel AG decide to acquire the Metric Group Holding Ltd. The acquisition took effect when the Annual General Meeting gave its approval on June 9, 1999 and the change was entered in the Commercial Register. Metric is based in Cirencester, near London, and has been instrumental in shaping the future of ticketing. Under its established brand names of Metric and Almex, Metric nowadays develops, produces and sells complete car-park surveillance systems and ticketing for passenger transport companies. ----------- Especially in the field of cashier zones, the stationary cash register system of the Höft & Wessel group allows for electronic payment at cash-point-of-sales places. Due to its compact design it fits perfectly in the cashier area of this industry sector. Via simple cable connection, it can easily be integrated into commercial cashier system networks. A special holding device optimises the space requirement. ----------- Höft & Wessel presents the CareControl at the CeBIT 1999, a data acquisition system that offers nursing care providers exciting efficiencies and cost-saving opportunities. CareControl is a new product that bases on a chip card reading system installed in the care receiver's home. For the first time, care providers will be able to centrally monitor patient care in the field and control and co-ordinate schedules and assignments with greater efficiency. ----------- On February 15, 1999, the Executive Board and the Supervisory Board of the Höft & Wessel AG resolve to implement a capital increase of 0.64 million Euro. ---------------------- |
|
|
| 1998 | After successful field tests with Höft & Wessel's
mobile data acquisition device, the captura.signum, German
Parcel, one of the largest national parcel delivery services,
signs a contract with Höft & Wessel to supply its
entire delivery fleet. ----------- Conversion of the companies ticket machines to accept the Euro. Using a company-designed retrofit module, ticket vending machines can be configured to accept electronic cash. ----------- The MITROPA AG based in Berlin orders stationary and mobile cash registers systems for about 2.3 Mio Euro for their on-train catering service. ----------- Initial public offering on June 20, 1998. Listing on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange's New Market. ----------- Höft & Wessel becomes a public company (AG) ----------- More than 500 mobile data acquisition devices (captura.tangens) which were first introduced at the CeBIT'98 exhibition, will be employed in Hammer Heimtex centers, making Hammer the first client to order this new product in volume. ---------------------- |
|
|
| 1997 | Höft and Wessel wins the Hanoverian award for
"Innovation und Arbeitsplätze" (innovation and jobs)
in December 1997. ---------------------- |
||
| 1994 | Realisation of the first additional application (electronic
bonus system) for the German Geldkarte
in Eichstätt (Bavaria) together with the DG Bank, the Volksbank
Eichstätt and the DG-Verlag ----------- Configuration of all Swiss restaurants of the Mövenpick chain to Höft & Wessel's modular cash register system for the restaurant sector. ----------- Large-scale order from the ÜSTRA Hannoversche Verkehrsbetriebe AG for 500 stationary ticketing columns (tix). ----------- Large-scale order from the Deutsche Bahn AG for 3,500 stationary ticket vending machines. ----------- Large-scale order from the Deutsche Bahn AG for 16,000 mobile terminals. ---------------------- |
|
|
| 1987 | Development of handheld computers and intelligent data
cash register systems ---------------------- |
||
| 1982 | Acquisition of the first major
customers in the PDE area (e.g. Edeka) ---------------------- |
||
| 1981 | Development of the first generation of portable data
entry units (PDEs) ---------------------- |
||
| 1978 | Company foundation (GbR)
in Hanover by Michael Höft and Rolf Wessel. First projects in
the field of data processing. ---------------------- |
|
|