Man in factory by Rolls-Royce's Power Systems engine

Rolls-Royce’s Power Systems business unit closed the 2022 financial year with strong growth and order intake and underlying revenue at record levels, the company has announced.

Planned investments in 2023 include hydrogen infrastructure in Friedrichshafen for testing new technologies.

Order intake in Power Systems was £4.3bn (€5,2bn), 34 per cent higher than the prior year, a record level for the business. The company says it saw strong demand in many of its end markets, notably power generation including mission-critical backup power, and for engine systems and services. As a result, the order cover for 2023 is now 76 per cent. 

Underlying revenue was £3.3bn (€3,9bn), up 23 per cent and above the previous peak in 2019. Services revenues grew 16 per cent as product utilisation increased in end markets, and OE revenue rose by 26 per cent. Sales were strongest in the industrial and power generation end markets, partly offset by lower activity in China.

Dr Jörg Stratmann, CEO of Rolls-Royce Power Systems since November 2022, says: “We have strong products in our mtu portfolio and are on a transformation programme that is being well received by our customers, as evidenced by the high demand. We are now focussed and embarking on a profitable growth trajectory to safeguard our options as we lead Power Systems and Rolls-Royce forward into a successful future.” 

Rolls-Royce’s Power Systems’ profit was £281m (€330m) (8.4 per cent margin) versus £242m (€282m) (8.8 per cent margin) in the prior year. The lower margin versus the prior year reflects higher costs associated with inflation and supply chain disruption, increased self-funded R&D, one-off charges including intangible asset impairments and write-downs of assets due to the Russia-Ukraine conflict, partly offset by the benefit of higher volumes. 

Similarly, cash generation shows the need for improved performance, with trading cash flow of £158m (€178m) representing a conversion ratio of 56 per cent compared with 90 per cent in the previous year. The lower conversion year on year reflects a higher level of inventories due to supply chain disruption and the pace of revenue growth, partly offset by increased customer advance payments. 

The company says its focus for 2023 is on further performance improvements in Power Systems. This work is part of an overall transformation programme across Rolls-Royce. Stratmann says: “Despite ongoing challenges such as the uncertain geopolitical situation, disrupted supply chains, the energy crisis, high commodity prices and rising inflation, we are focusing on further profitable growth in 2023. We’re going to reduce inventories steadily, improving cash flow. We’re continuing to invest in research and development in a disciplined way, with plans in place for investment in new construction and refurbishment work in production and manufacturing. This puts us at the same level as in 2022 when, for example, we built the new engine assembly facility at the Kluftern Materials Management Centre near Friedrichshafen to refurbish existing production bays. These investments also underline the importance of combustion technology as an essential element of the green energy transition.

“The optimisation of our processes and operations will help us improve profitability and make us more resilient in the face of economic uncertainties. We are tackling this task together with the entire Rolls-Royce Group and new CEO Tufan Erginbilgic. We have the clear potential to improve – and we want to leverage that in 2023. Growing our profitability in turn gives us the freedom we need to make the required investments in our transformation. This is how we are shaping a secure future for our company.”

The firm is also planning to expand production capacity for specialist military land vehicle engines, subject to definite orders being received. “We continue to stand by our commitment to contribute to national security. We are and will remain a reliable partner to our customers,” says Godewerth.

Reflecting on 2022, Dr Thelse Godewerth, chief people officer and HR director, says: “Our 9,500+ employees around the world have once again done a great job in reliably meeting our customers’ enquiries, even against the backdrop of the challenges which 2022 brought both at work and away from work.”

In January 2023, Rolls-Royce Power Systems and Sunseeker International signed a new framework agreement that will see Rolls-Royce continue to provide Sunseeker with mtu Series 2000 engines until at least 2025.

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