Kramp Groep say they are looking back on the financial year of 2013 with satisfaction - the year in which they merged with technical wholesaler, Grene.

The merger and the advantages announced for customers and suppliers, has been received well by the market, says their Executive Board in a statement.

Due to a long cold winter, group turnover increased by 4.6% to € 616M (2012: €589M), which is significantly less than the growth figures the companies achieved in previous years. Due to relative high costs that were driving future turnover growth, the operating result before depreciation and taxes (EBITDA) decreased by 10% and closed at € 62M (2012: €69M).

The agricultural and horticultural sectors are however experiencing a warm start to 2014. During the first four months of 2014 the companies achieved a growth in turnover well above the budgeted 10%.

Kramp and Grene reached an agreement on a merger in August 2013. Both companies had been working together for many years and there was, with the exception of Poland, no geographical overlap. Kramp Groep now operates under the company names Kramp and Grene and supplies daily from 9 distribution centres to almost all European countries. The 60,000 customers are mainly dealers, repairers, maintenance companies and machinery manufacturers, who supply and repair tractors and equipment for farmers and horticulturists.

The assortment covers over 700,000 parts and accessories. The total number of employees of the combined companies increased by 150 to almost 2,500 FTEs.