The Riva Forni Elettrica Group is filing a marked growth in 2021 and, taking advantage of the sharp increase in margins (425.7 million of operating margin against the “red” of 98.1 of the previous year) and the early repayment of some medium-term loans long term, strengthens the net financial position, which closes with positive cash for 43.1 millioni (-142.4 million in 2020). The first quarter of this year is still growing, with an increase in turnover of 75% compared to the first quarter of last year, even if, given the fall in demand in the steel market recorded in recent weeks, by the end of the year “It is reasonable to expect a positive result – explain the directors – even if it is less than that of the year just ended”.
The Rfe Group, founded in 1954 by Emilio Riva, is – with a production that reached 6.6 million tons of steel in 2021 (+ 18.4% on 2020) – one of the main European players in the sector (the sites productive are located in France, Germany, Italy, Belgium, Spain and Canada) historically specialized in the production of “long” designed to serve the construction, mechanics, automotive, earthmoving sectors. A greater consolidation of the production quotas in the sector in which the Group operates and the continuous process of verticalization of the products also affected last year’s results. In this scenario, as mentioned, the Rfe Group – chaired by Claudio Riva – has filed a 2021 with a marked recovery compared to the previous year, recording all the main balance sheet items with a positive sign and, in particular, an Ebitda and a profit net respectively at 509 million euros (negative for 14 million in 2020) and 286 million euros (negative for 68 million in 2020). The Group – the employees are about 5,500 – thanks to a constant investment plan (84 million euros spent in the last year) “has also placed itself – explain the directors – in a position to be ready both to grasp the recovery that has characterized the first four months of this year and, at the same time, to deal with non-secondary problems such as expensive energy, the contraction in demand and the drop in prices, which instead could remain in the background in the coming months of the year, with the aim of aiming above all at maintaining its leadership in the reference segment at European level in the medium and long term ».
In 2021 the Rfe Group produced 6.6 million tons of steel (+ 18.4% compared to 2020) and generated revenues of 4.37 billion euros (+ 65.7% compared to 2020). France, in particular, was the first market in terms of turnover with 1.501 billion, surpassing Germany (with 1., 373 billion); followed by Italy (675 million in turnover), Belgium and Spain (each with 398 million in turnover) and Canada, a market where the group generated revenues of 32 million euro. This year marks the 30th anniversary of activity in Germany, where today the Group is now present with five production sites (in Brandenburg, Hennigsdorf, Lampertheim, Horath and Trier).