Herbert Henkel, chairman and chief executive officer of Ingersoll Rand

Updated: 2007-01-08 08:03

"You don't have to be doing badly to do better" was a saying that Herbert Henkel grew up with. It has also driven Henkel on a worldwide search for new business opportunities beyond North America.
This drive has meant contributions of 70 percent of sales revenues from abroad for Ingersoll Rand, which celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2005.
These days, the industrial company's key focus in the Asia-Pacific is China.
"China is a key ingredient for our growth over the next 100 years," Henkel says.
Although Ingersoll Rand posted record high profits in 2005, up 23 percent from the year before, China accounted for less than five percent of Ingersoll Rand's $10.5 billion sales in 2005.
"Sales in China will exceed $1 billion, or more than 10 percent of the company's total," Henkel predicts.
"We are finding great opportunities for growth in all of our five business areas here," he says.
The five businesses include: climate control technology, compact vehicle technology, security technology, industrial technology and construction technology.