ZF Friedrichshafen AG has closed the business year 2012 with record sales of approximately ?17.4 billion - a plus of 12 per cent compared with the previous year (?15.5 billion). The operating profit declined by 19 per cent to ?687 million (previous year: ?850 million). Last year, the number of employees worldwide increased by 5 per cent to 74 775. "We will continue to grow in 2013 - less dynamically than in previous years, though," said Dr. Stefan Sommer, ZF's Chief Executive Officer. According to Sommer, the Region of Asia-Pacific grew by 21 percent and Western Europe by six percent while figures in Eastern Europe dropped slightly by one percent and declined even sharply by 14 per cent in South America due to the market situation.