6. Other Operating Income and Other Operating Expenses

Overall, other operating income of EUR 10,068 thousand was EUR 3,401 thousand lower than in the first six months of fiscal year 2022 (EUR 13,469 thousand). Other operating income mainly includes foreign currency gains from operating activities (H1 2023: EUR 5,280 thousand; H1 2022: EUR 6,388 thousand) as well as income from the reversal of accruals and provisions (H1 2023: EUR 2,591 thousand; H1 2022: EUR 3,237 thousand). The prior-year period also included income from the disposal of non-current assets in the amount of EUR 2,021 thousand, mainly resulting from the sale of land with buildings in the United States.

Income from the reversal of liabilities is mainly related to the reversal of personnel-related obligations..

At EUR 111,297 thousand, other operating expenses were 5.9% higher than in the first six months of 2022 (EUR 105,109 thousand).

Compared to the same period of the previous year, expenses for temporary staff and other personnel-related expenses increased significantly. The reason for this is the sharp fluctuation in customer demand and the resulting need for flexibility in personnel planning. In addition, the job market situation in the US remained tight, necessitating the additional use of temporary staff.

In addition, higher freight costs contributed to the increase in other operating expenses.

The significantly higher expenses for IT and telecommunications in the same period of the previous year were mainly attributable to the Group-wide implementation of a new ERP system and the related additional need for consulting services and license fees. The scope of these implementation activities in the first half of 2023 was significantly lower by comparison.

In relation to total operating performance, other operating expenses increased at a rate of 17.9% (H1 2022: 16.8%).